Alicia Myers facts for kids

Alicia Myers (born November 20, 1957) is an American R&B singer and songwriter. She started her music journey with the band Al Hudson & the Soul Partners. This group later became known as One Way. Alicia then had a successful solo career in the early 1980s. She became famous for songs like "I Want to Thank You", "Don't Stop What You're Doin'", and "You Get the Best from Me (Say, Say, Say)".

Alicia's Early Life and Health Journey

Alicia Myers was born on November 20, 1957, in Detroit, Michigan. She was one of nine children born to Lawrence and Margaret Myers. Her older brother, Jackie Myers, was also a musician. He later joined the band Chairmen of the Board.

In April 1968, Alicia and Jackie competed in a talent show. They sang "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. They won first place! Alicia later studied at Lee University.

Alicia has shown great strength in her life. She survived a serious illness as a child. Later, in 1998, she also overcame breast cancer. Since then, she has become a strong supporter for people fighting this disease.

Starting Her Music Journey

Alicia began her professional music career in 1978. She joined the band Al Hudson & the Soul Partners. With Alicia in the group, they released the album Happy Feet in 1979. At this time, they were called Al Hudson and the Partners.

This album included the popular R&B song "You Can Do It". Alicia helped write this song and sang the lead vocals. It became a big hit in clubs and discos. Soon after, the group changed their name again. They became One Way featuring Al Hudson and then simply One Way.

Alicia's Solo Career Success

After her time with the band, Alicia started her solo career in 1981. Her first album, Alicia, was released by 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 the same year but did not become as popular. However, her third album, I Fooled You This Time, was released in 1982. It did even better than her first album, reaching number 27 on the R&B chart. The song "I Want to Thank You" helped this album's success. DJs like Tee Scott played it a lot, making it popular even for those who missed it the first time.

In 1984, Alicia released I Appreciate, which became her highest-charting album. It reached number 12 on the R&B chart. It also appeared on The Billboard 200 chart, reaching number 186. I Appreciate was her last album of new songs in the 1980s.

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

Alicia's Lasting Musical Impact

Alicia Myers' music has continued to inspire many artists. Her song "I Want to Thank You" is especially famous.

• In 1990, singer Harmony covered "I Want to Thank You".
• The very next year, Mariah Carey used parts of "I Want to Thank You" in her song "Make It Happen".
• Father MC also used parts of Alicia's song "Close to You" in 1992.
• Later, in 1996, E-40 sampled "I Want to Thank You" for his song "I Wanna Thank You".
• In 2013, Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip sampled the song for Busta's "Thank You".
• 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 also covered "I Want To Thank You" in 1994.

In October 2019, a special 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's Albums

Here are some of Alicia Myers' studio albums:

• Alicia (1981) - Reached number 41 on the US R&B chart.
• Alicia Again (1981)
• I Fooled You This Time (1982) - Reached number 27 on the US R&B chart.
• I Appreciate (1984) - Her highest-charting album, reaching number 12 on the US R&B chart and number 186 on the Billboard 200.
• Peace of Mind (2011) - Her first new album in many years.

Alicia's Singles

Here are some of Alicia Myers' popular singles:

• "Don't Stop What You're Doin'" (1981)
• "I Want to Thank You" (1982) - Reached number 37 on the US R&B chart.
• "You Get the Best from Me" (1984) - Reached number 5 on the US R&B chart and number 5 on the US Dance chart.
• "Appreciation" (1984) - Reached number 38 on the US R&B chart.