Alice Clark (singer) facts for kids

Alice Clark (born around 1947 – died April 2004) was an American soul singer. Even though her music didn't become very popular when it first came out, her songs and album are now highly praised and loved by many.

Alice Clark's Life Story

Not much is known about Alice Clark's life outside of her short music career. She was active between 1968 and 1972. Alice grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City.

Early Recordings

In 1968, Alice Clark made her first record. It featured two songs written by Billy Vera, called "You Got a Deal" and "Say You'll Never (Never Leave Me)". These songs were recorded at the Jubilee Records studio. Many talented musicians played on the record, including Billy Vera himself.

Later that same year, Alice recorded two more songs: "You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me)" and "Heaven's Will (Must Be Obeyed)". These songs were arranged by Richard Tee and produced by George Kerr. "You Hit Me" was first sung by Kim Weston at Motown. However, Alice Clark's version did not become a big hit at the time.

Her Album and Later Years

In 1972, Bob Shad from Mainstream Records signed Alice Clark to record a full album. The album, simply titled Alice Clark, was recorded in New York. Ernie Wilkins helped arrange the music for the album.

The album included three songs written by Bobby Hebb. It also featured "I Keep It Hid" by Jimmy Webb, which was also released as a single. Other songs included "Never Did I Stop Loving You" and "Looking at Life". Famous musicians like guitarist Cornell Dupree and drummer Bernard Purdie played on the album. Sadly, like her earlier singles, the album was not a commercial success.

After her album didn't sell well, Alice Clark decided to stop making music. She returned to her family life in Bedford-Stuyvesant. She passed away from cancer in 2004, at the age of 57.

Alice Clark's Lasting Impact

Even though Alice Clark's music wasn't popular when it was first released, it gained a lot of attention later.

Northern Soul Favorite

In Britain, her song "You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me)" became a favorite in the early 1970s. This was part of the Northern soul music scene. People loved it because it was rare and a great example of "uptown soul" music.

A Highly Praised Album

Her album also became very valuable to music collectors. Many people now call it "one of the finest soul albums ever recorded." They say it's "astonishing" and "sublime." Some even call it "the Holy Grail of modern soul." This means it's a very special and hard-to-find record that many people want.

Experts say that everything about the album is superb. This includes Alice's singing, the songs, the musicians, and how it was produced. They believe the whole album is even better than the sum of its parts.

Recent Recognition

In 2010, a collection of her recordings was released on compact disc. Her original album was reissued on vinyl in 2019, allowing new fans to discover her music. Her song "Never Did I Stop Loving You" was even featured in the 2020 movie The King of Staten Island.