Brenda Holloway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brenda Holloway
Holloway performing at a memorial tribute for the founder of the Watts Summer Festival, Tommy Jacquette, on November 18, 2009
Background information
Born	(1946-06-26) June 26, 1946 (age 79) Atascadero, California, U.S.
Origin	Watts, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Years active	1962–present
Labels	Donna Tamla (Motown Invictus Birthright Motorcity Volt
Associated acts	Mary Wells, Patrice Holloway

Brenda Holloway (born June 26, 1946) is an American soul singer. She became famous while recording for Motown Records in the 1960s. Some of her most well-known songs are "Every Little Bit Hurts", "When I'm Gone", and "You've Made Me So Very Happy". She co-wrote "You've Made Me So Very Happy," which later became a huge hit for the band Blood, Sweat & Tears.

Brenda left Motown after four years when she was 22. She mostly stopped making music until the 1990s. Her songs became very popular in Britain, especially in the "Northern soul" music scene.

Brenda Holloway's Story

Early Life and Music Start

Brenda Holloway was born in Atascadero, California, on June 26, 1946. She was the oldest of three children. In 1948, her family moved to the Watts area of Los Angeles.

From a young age, Brenda loved music. She learned to play the violin, flute, and piano. She also sang in her church choir. When she was 14, she started making demo records. These are sample recordings used to show off a singer's talent. She also sang backup for other R&B artists in Los Angeles. Her younger sister, Patrice Holloway, often sang with her.

In 1962, Brenda released her first song, "Hey Fool." She also recorded an early version of the song "Every Little Bit Hurts." After finishing high school, she studied music at Compton Community College.

In late 1963, something big happened. Brenda was at a party where Berry Gordy Jr., the head of Motown Records, was also there. She sang along to Mary Wells' hit song "You Beat Me to the Punch." Gordy was very impressed by Brenda's voice and decided to sign her to Motown. Brenda was only 17 years old. She was the first artist Motown signed from the West Coast.

Her Time at Motown Records

After joining Motown, Brenda could choose to move to Detroit, where Motown's main studios were. But she decided to stay in Los Angeles. So, her first Motown songs were recorded there.

Her first Motown hit was "Every Little Bit Hurts," a song she had recorded before. It became a top 20 hit in April 1964. This success earned her a spot on the "Motortown Revue," a tour featuring Motown artists. People thought Brenda was a very talented singer. Her voice was described as relaxed and warm, with great control.

Later in 1964, Brenda joined Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars" tour. The famous group The Supremes also joined this tour. During the tour, The Supremes became very popular. Motown then released Brenda's first album, Every Little Bit Hurts. She also had another song, "I'll Always Love You," which did fairly well.

When Mary Wells, another big Motown star, left the label, Motown started to see Brenda as their next female solo star. Brenda began recording songs that were originally meant for Mary Wells. One of these was "When I'm Gone," written by Smokey Robinson. This song became a top 30 hit in early 1965.

However, Brenda started to have some issues with Motown. She didn't attend the label's special training school for artists. Some staff members thought she dressed and performed "too much like Tina Turner." Motown also started focusing more on their most successful acts, like The Supremes. A planned second album for Brenda was canceled. She felt that Motown was not paying enough attention to her.

Despite these issues, Brenda got a huge opportunity in 1965. She opened for The Beatles on their US tour! Her performances, including the famous Shea Stadium show on August 15, were recorded. Her success made her a popular guest on television shows.

In early 1967, Brenda had another hit with "Just Look What You've Done." Later that year, Motown finally released a song Brenda had co-written with her sister Patrice, called "You've Made Me So Very Happy." This song became a top 40 hit. Berry Gordy Jr. also got a songwriting credit for making a few changes to the music. Brenda and Patrice also wrote "Bah Bah Bah" for Diana Ross and the Supremes.

Brenda's second album, The Artistry of Brenda Holloway, came out in 1968. But during a recording session, she left the studio and went back to Los Angeles. Motown said she left to "sing for God." However, Brenda was actually unhappy with Motown and her managers. She also worried about how the music lifestyle conflicted with her religious beliefs.

In 1969, Brenda took legal action against Berry Gordy. This was because Blood, Sweat & Tears had a huge hit with their cover of "You've Made Me So Very Happy." Brenda eventually won her case.

Later Years and Return to Music

After leaving Motown, Brenda recorded for other labels in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She and her sister Patrice also continued to sing backup for other artists, including the British rock singer Joe Cocker. In 1969, Brenda married a preacher named Albert Davis, and they had four children.

In 1980, Brenda released a gospel album called Brand New!, but it didn't get much attention. She and Albert Davis divorced in the mid-1980s.

Brenda's old songs remained very popular in Britain's Northern soul clubs. Many of her recordings were re-released on compilation CDs. In 1987, she started singing secular music again. She recorded for a UK label called Motorcity Records, which worked with many former Motown artists. Three years later, she released the album All It Takes. She also recorded a duet with Jimmy Ruffin called "On The Rebound" in 1989.

Brenda truly returned to performing after her friend Mary Wells passed away in 1992. She started performing in Los Angeles and Britain, sometimes with Brenton Wood and even with Blood, Sweat & Tears. She also gave talks at schools and at UCLA. In 1999, she released the album It's A Woman's World.

Her most recent album, My Love is Your Love, was released in 2003. Many artists have covered Brenda's classic songs like "Every Little Bit Hurts" and "You've Made Me So Very Happy." In 2003, Vivian Green played Brenda Holloway in a TV show called American Dreams. In 2005, Alicia Keys famously covered "Every Little Bit Hurts" for her Unplugged special.

In 1999, Brenda Holloway received the prestigious Pioneer Award from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation. In 2005, she appeared on a TV concert special called My Music: Salute to Early Motown.

Music Albums

Studio Albums

• Every Little Bit Hurts (1964)
• The Artistry of Brenda Holloway (1968)
• Brand New! (1980)
• All It Takes (1990)
• It's a Woman's World (1999)
• My Love Is Your Love (2CD, 2003)

Live Album

• Together... (Live) (2000)

Compilation Albums

• 20th Century Masters (2003)
• Anthology (Tamla-Motown) (2005)

Singles