Alicia Myers facts for kids

Alicia Myers (born November 20, 1957) is an American R&B singer. She started her music journey with a band called Al Hudson & the Soul Partners. This group later became known as One Way. Alicia then began a successful solo career in the early 1980s. She became famous for songs like "I Want to Thank You" and "You Get the Best from Me."

Early Life and Health Journey

Alicia Myers was born in Detroit, Michigan. She was one of nine children. Her older brother, Jackie Myers, was also a musician. They even won a talent show together in 1968. They sang a song called "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" and took first place. Alicia later went to Lee University for her college studies.

Alicia has faced and overcome some serious health challenges. She survived childhood tuberculosis. Later, in 1998, she also survived breast cancer. Since then, she has become a strong supporter for others fighting the disease.

Alicia Myers' Music Career

Alicia began her professional music career in 1978. She joined Al Hudson & the Soul Partners. With Alicia in the band, they released the album Happy Feet in 1979. This album included the popular R&B song "You Can Do It." Alicia helped write this song and sang the main vocals. It became a big hit in clubs and discos. The group later changed its name to One Way.

In 1981, Alicia started her solo career. She released her first album, Alicia, with MCA Records. This album reached number 41 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart. It featured two of her biggest songs: "I Want to Thank You" and "Don't Stop What You're Doin'."

Her next album, Alicia Again, came out later in 1981. Her third album, I Fooled You This Time, was released in 1982. It did even better on the R&B chart, reaching number 27. This was partly because DJs started playing "I Want to Thank You" a lot.

In 1984, Alicia released I Appreciate. This album became her highest-charting R&B album, reaching number 12. It was also her only album to appear on the main Billboard 200 chart. I Appreciate was her last album of new songs for many years.

In 2011, Alicia Myers released her first new album in 27 years. It was called Peace of Mind.

Alicia Myers' Legacy

Alicia Myers' music has inspired many other artists. Her song "I Want to Thank You" has been covered and sampled by famous musicians.

• In 1991, Mariah Carey used parts of "I Want to Thank You" in her song "Make It Happen."
• Later, in 1996, E-40 sampled the song for his track "I Wanna Thank You."
• Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip also sampled it for Busta's song "Thank You" in 2013.
• More recently, Chris Brown used it in his 2019 song "Temporary Lover."
• In 2022, the Weeknd sampled it for his song "Sacrifice."

Other artists have also covered Alicia's songs. Syleena Johnson covered "If You Play Your Cards Right." Chante Moore covered "I Want To Thank You" in 1994.

In 2019, a large mural was created in New York City. It featured the words "I WANT TO THANK YOU," inspired by Alicia Myers' famous song. This shows how much her music means to people.

Alicia Myers' Albums

Alicia Myers has released several studio albums:

• Alicia (1981)
• Alicia Again (1981)
• I Fooled You This Time (1982)
• I Appreciate (1984)
• Peace of Mind (2011)

She also had a re-release of her first album in 1986, called Don't Stop What You're Doin'.

Alicia Myers' Singles

Alicia Myers has released many singles throughout her career. Some of her most well-known singles include:

• "Don't Stop What You're Doin'" (1981)
• "I Want to Thank You" (1982)
• "You Get the Best from Me" (1984)
• "Appreciation" (1984)

Her song "You Get the Best from Me" was very successful, reaching number 5 on both the US R&B and US Dance charts.