Carol Douglas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carol Douglas
Douglas in 1996
Background information
Birth name	Carolyn Strickland
Born	(1948-04-07) April 7, 1948 (age 77) Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City
Genres	R&B, soul, disco
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress
Years active	1970s–present
Labels	Midland Int'l, Midsong Int'l, Next Plateau

Carol Douglas (born April 7, 1948) is an American singer known for her hit song "Doctor's Orders" from 1974. This song was one of the very first big hits in the disco music style. Carol Douglas has had a long career in music and acting, starting from a young age.

Early Life and Acting Career

Carol Douglas was born in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York City. Her mother, Minnie Newsome, was a jazz performer, and her father worked as a mortician. Famous singer Sam Cooke was her cousin. When she was just 10 years old, Carol won a TV game show called Name That Tune.

She went to special schools for young performers, like the Willard May School and Quintanos High School. Some of her classmates were future stars like Gregory Hines, Bernadette Peters, and Patty Duke. In high school, Carol sang in a girl group called April May & June. She also recorded a song in 1965 called "I Don't Mind (Being Your Fool)" under the name Carolyn Cooke, but her early music career faced challenges.

Carol also recorded many jingles for TV commercials, working on ads for companies like Ideal Toys and General Mills. Even though she sang a lot, she didn't always think she would be a singer. For most of the 1960s, Carol focused on acting. She appeared in an episode of The Patty Duke Show and acted in many plays. She performed with well-known actors like James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson in a play called Moon on a Rainbow Shawl.

In the early 1970s, Carol started singing again. She toured with a group called the Chantels and even recorded a song with them called "Some Tears Fall Dry."

Music Career Highlights

In 1974, Carol Douglas got a big break when she was found by Midland International Records. They were looking for a singer to record a song called "Doctor's Orders," which was already a hit in the UK. Carol's audition led to a five-year record deal. Her version of "Doctor's Orders" became a huge success in the U.S. It reached number 2 on the Billboard disco chart, number 9 on the R&B chart, and number 11 on the main Hot 100 chart. It was also a hit in France.

"Doctor's Orders" was produced by Meco Monardo, who also worked on Gloria Gaynor's famous disco song "Never Can Say Goodbye." Both songs are considered important in bringing disco music into the mainstream. Carol released her first album, The Carol Douglas Album, in 1975. She followed it with Midnight Love Affair in 1976 and Full Bloom in 1977.

While "Doctor's Orders" was her biggest pop hit, Carol remained very popular in dance clubs. Her song "Midnight Love Affair" reached number 1 on the disco chart. She also recorded disco versions of other popular songs, including ABBA's "Dancing Queen" and the Bee Gees' "Night Fever." Her cover of "Night Fever" even reached number 66 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 1979, Carol released the album Come into My Life, which aimed to boost her club popularity. Her name even appeared on the marquee of the disco in the famous movie Saturday Night Fever, and a small part of her song "Midnight Love Affair" can be heard in the film.

In the early 1980s, Carol continued to release music, including her last album to date, Love Zone, in 1983.

Career Comeback and Appearances

In the 1990s, disco music became popular again, which brought Carol Douglas back to touring and performing. She appeared at many special events, including the Martin Luther King Concert Series and the Saturday Night Fever 20th Anniversary Reunion. In 2003, she went back into the recording studio to sing backing vocals for another artist's CD. During this time, she also re-recorded some of her classic hits.

Carol Douglas is not related to Carl Douglas, another singer famous for his hit "Kung Fu Fighting." Both of their songs were popular around the same time!

The People's Court Appearance

In 2003, Carol Douglas appeared on the TV show The People's Court. She was involved in a case with fellow disco singer Sharon Brown. The judge, Marilyn Milian, awarded Carol some of the money she was asking for. The judge even had Carol sing a short part of "Doctor's Orders" and Sharon Brown sing a bit of her song "I Specialize in Love."

Music Releases

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

• The Best of Carol Douglas (1980)
• Satin and Smoke: The Best of Carol Douglas (1981)
• Greatest Hits (1989)
• Doctor's Orders: The Best of Carol Douglas (1995)
• Disco Queen - Carol Douglas: Greatest Hits (1999)
• Hits Anthology (2011)

Singles

See also

• List of Billboard number-one dance club songs
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart