Anita Ward facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anita Ward
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Ward at the 2015 Miami International Film Festival presentation of The Record Man
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| Background information | |
| Born | December 20, 1956 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genres | |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels |
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Anita Ward (born December 20, 1956) is an American singer and musician. She is from Memphis, Tennessee. Anita Ward started her music career in the late 1970s. She is best known for her super popular 1979 disco hit song, "Ring My Bell." This song was number one on the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Contents
About Anita Ward
Her Early Life and School
Anita Ward was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in the United States. She went to Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. There, she earned a degree in psychology, which is the study of the mind.
Her Music Career
Before she became a famous singer, Anita Ward worked as a schoolteacher.
When she was recording her first album, the owner of her record label, Frederick Knight, gave her a song. He had written it for another singer a year earlier. Anita didn't really like the song at first. But Knight thought a dance song was important. This was because disco music was very popular at the time. So, Anita agreed to record it.
The song was first written about teenagers talking on the telephone. But they changed the lyrics (words) to be more for adults. This song became the single "Ring My Bell." It became a huge hit in 1979. It reached number one in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Her first album, Songs of Love, came out that same year. "Ring My Bell" has been remixed and released many times since then. After "Ring My Bell" was so successful, another song called "Make Believe Lovers" was released. But it did not become a hit.
Anita released a second album later in 1979. It was common in the 1970s for artists to release albums just a few months apart. This album was called Sweet Surrender. It featured a smaller hit song called "Don't Drop My Love." This song reached number 87 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album, like Songs of Love, had a disco sound.
Anita had some disagreements with Frederick Knight. Also, she was in a serious car accident. And disco music became less popular. Because of these things, Anita Ward's music career slowed down. Many people started to think of her as a one-hit wonder. This means someone who is famous for only one song.
Many years later, in 1989, Anita recorded another album. It was called Wherever There's Love. This album was recorded in the United States. But it was only released in other countries. It was different from her earlier disco music. It had mostly fast-tempo 1980s pop songs. It also included a new version of "Ring My Bell." The album had one single called "Be My Baby," but it did not become a hit. After this, Anita took a break from the music industry. She focused on her family, including her daughter who was born around that time.
Anita Ward still performs! On New Year's Eve 2002, she sang "Ring My Bell" in New York City's Times Square. She performed for a big crowd celebrating the new year. On New Year's Eve 2005, she sang on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. She sang "Ring My Bell" and other disco songs.
In 2006, Anita Ward performed in Zagreb, Croatia. She was there with other disco artists like Nile Rodgers and Chic. In 2011, she released a new song called "It's My Night."
On January 23, 2024, Ward sang "Ring My Bell" at the First Ladies of Disco Show. This show was in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was joined by other famous singers and a comedian. Anita Ward is also featured in a 2024 PBS TV series called Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution.
Discography
Albums
| Year | Title | Highest chart positions | Record label | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
AUS |
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| 1979 | Songs of Love | 8 | 2 | 73 | Juana Records | |
| Sweet Surrender | — | — | — | |||
| 1989 | Wherever There's Love | — | — | — | ||
| "—" means the album did not appear on the charts | ||||||
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest chart positions | Certifications | Record label | B-side | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
US Dance |
AUS |
UK |
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| 1979 | "Ring My Bell" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
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Juana Records | "If I Could Feel That Old Feeling Again" | Songs of Love |
| "Make Believe Lovers" | — | — | — | — | — | TK Records | "Spoiled by Your Love" | |||
| "Don't Drop My Love" | 87 | 52 | 26 | — | — | Juana Records | Sweet Surrender | |||
| 1980 | "Can't Nobody Love Me Like You Do" | — | — | — | — | — | "Caught Between a Good Thing and Good-Bye" | |||
| 1981 | "Cover Me" | — | — | — | — | — | "Can't Nobody Love Me Like You Do" | |||
| 1989 | "Be My Baby" | — | — | — | 164 | — | Virgin Records | "When a Woman Loves" | Wherever There's Love | |
| 1990 | "Ring My Bell" (UK reissue) | — | — | — | — | 99 | Not on an album | |||
| 2011 | "It's My Night" | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" means the single did not appear on the charts | ||||||||||
See Also
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
- List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
- List of people from Memphis, Tennessee
- List of disco artists (A–E)
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of one-hit wonders on the UK Singles Chart
