Ann Peebles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ann Peebles
Peebles (2007)
Background information
Birth name	Ann Lee Peebles
Born	(1947-04-27) April 27, 1947 (age 78) Kinloch, Missouri, U.S.
Genres	Blues, R&B, Memphis soul
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	Mid-1960s - 2012
Labels	Hi, Bullseye Blues

Ann Lee Peebles (born April 27, 1947) is an American singer and songwriter. She became well-known in the 1970s for her Memphis soul music. She recorded many songs with Hi Records.

Her most famous songs include "I Can't Stand the Rain" and "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down". She wrote "I Can't Stand the Rain" with her husband Don Bryant and radio host Bernie Miller. In 2014, Ann Peebles was added to the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. She stopped performing after 2012.

Ann Peebles' Early Life and Music

Ann Peebles was born in Kinloch, Missouri. She was the seventh of eleven children in her family. When she was a child, she started singing in her father's church choir. She also sang with her family's group, the Peebles Choir. This group often opened shows for famous gospel singers. These included Mahalia Jackson and the Soul Stirrers, which featured Sam Cooke.

Ann Peebles was also inspired by R&B (Rhythm and Blues) artists. Some of these artists were Muddy Waters, Mary Wells, and Aretha Franklin.

Starting Her Music Career

Ann Peebles began singing in clubs in St. Louis. In the mid-1960s, she joined a music show led by bandleader Oliver Sain. In 1968, she visited Memphis. While there, she sang in a club with trumpeter Gene "Bowlegs" Miller. Miller was a popular local bandleader. He was known for helping other musicians get started in the Memphis music scene.

Miller introduced Ann Peebles to Hi Records producer Willie Mitchell. Mitchell quickly offered her a recording contract.

Success with Hi Records

Ann Peebles' first song, "Walk Away," came out in 1969. It was written by Oliver Sain and became popular on the R&B chart. Her next song, "Give Me Some Credit," also did well. She then released her first album, This Is Ann Peebles.

Willie Mitchell produced all her early songs on Hi Records. These songs featured the special sound of the Hi Rhythm Section and the Memphis Horns. In 1970, her song "Part Time Love" reached number 7 on the R&B chart. It also reached number 45 on the pop chart.

She started working with Don Bryant, a songwriter for Hi Records. They began a relationship and got married in 1974. One of the first songs he wrote for her was "99 Pounds" in 1971.

Hit Songs and Albums

Ann Peebles continued to have R&B hits in the early 1970s. These included "I Pity the Fool," "Slipped, Tripped and Fell in Love," and "Breaking Up Somebody's Home." "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" was a hit for Albert King in 1973. It was also recorded by Bette Midler. Other hits were "Somebody's on Your Case" and "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down." This last song later became a hit for Paul Young.

Ann Peebles was the only female singer on Hi Records to release many albums. These albums included Straight from the Heart and I Can't Stand the Rain. Many songs on these albums were co-written by her and Don Bryant.

The song "I Can't Stand the Rain" was the most successful. She wrote it with Bryant and DJ Bernard Miller. It reached number 6 on the R&B chart and number 38 on the pop chart in 1973.

Later Career and Retirement

Even though she kept releasing hit R&B songs and albums on Hi Records, none were as successful as "I Can't Stand the Rain." Willie Mitchell later said that Ann Peebles had a big voice and could have been even more famous. He felt she didn't always put enough energy into her singing career.

After Hi Records closed in 1979, and with the rise of disco music, Ann Peebles took a break. She wanted to spend more time with her family. She returned to music in 1989 with the album Call Me. This album was also produced by Willie Mitchell and released on his Waylo label.

In the 1990s, she released albums on Rounder Records' Bullseye Blues label. She continued to perform live. In 2006, she released Brand New Classics. This album had new versions of her old songs in an acoustic style. Ann Peebles also sang with Cyndi Lauper on a song called "Rollin' and Tumblin'" for Lauper's album, Memphis Blues. Ann Peebles stopped performing after having a stroke in 2012.

Ann Peebles' Music Albums

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

Live Albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Ann Peebles para niños