Cheryl Lynn facts for kids

Cheryl Lynn, whose real name is Lynda Cheryl Smith, was born on March 11, 1957. She is a talented American singer, songwriter, and actress. She became famous in the late 1970s and mid-1980s. Her most well-known song is "Got to Be Real," a popular R&B and disco hit from 1978. It was part of her first album, also called Cheryl Lynn.

Early Life and Stage Work

Cheryl Lynn started singing when she was a young girl in her church choir. Her professional singing career began in 1976. At 19, she became a backing singer for the musical The Wiz. This show toured across the country.

Later, she even got to play the part of Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West. This was during a six-month tour of the musical. Before The Wiz, she appeared on a TV show called The Gong Show in June 1976. On the show, she sang "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker.

Music Career Highlights

Starting with Columbia Records (1976–1985)

After her TV appearance, Cheryl Lynn signed with Columbia Records. She then released her first and most famous song, "Got to Be Real". She helped write this song with keyboardist David Paich and David Foster. The song was a huge hit. It reached No. 1 on the Rhythm & Blues chart.

The success of "Got to Be Real" led to her first album, Cheryl Lynn. This album sold over a million copies. It reached No. 5 on Billboard magazine's R&B albums chart. Another song from the album, "Star Love," also became popular.

For her second album, In Love, she worked with Judy Wieder and John Footman. The song "I've Got Faith in You" was a moderate hit. Another song, "Keep It Hot," was a favorite in clubs.

Around this time, the rock band Toto was making their first album. They asked Cheryl Lynn to sing backing vocals for their song "Georgy Porgy". This song became a hit on the pop charts. Cheryl Lynn's vocals helped Toto get their only R&B and dance hits on the Billboard chart.

In 1981, Ray Parker Jr. produced Cheryl Lynn's third album, In the Night. It included the dance and R&B song "Shake It Up Tonight." The next year, Luther Vandross produced her fourth album, Instant Love. This album featured a duet with Luther Vandross called "If This World Were Mine." It was a cover of an older song by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.

For her fifth album, Preppie, Cheryl Lynn produced most of the songs herself. However, the song "Encore" was written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. "Encore" became her second No. 1 song on the R&B charts.

Songs for Movies

Cheryl Lynn also sang songs for movies. She recorded "At Last You're Mine" for the 1985 film Heavenly Bodies. She also sang "Steppin' Into the Night" for the 1986 movie Armed and Dangerous. Both songs were produced by Maurice White. In 2004, she recorded "Sweet Kind of Life" for the animated film Shark Tale.

Later Albums and Compilations (1987–1998)

In 1989, Cheryl Lynn released the song "Every Time I Try to Say Goodbye." This song was from her eighth album, Whatever It Takes, and became a top 10 hit.

In the early 1990s, she worked as a session singer for other artists. She sang on albums for Richard Marx and Luther Vandross. In 1995, after not releasing her own music for six years, she worked with producer Teddy Riley. Together, they recorded her ninth album, Good Time. This album was released in Japan and the UK first. It featured the popular club song "Guarantee for My Heart."

In 1996, Sony Records released Got to Be Real – The Best of Cheryl Lynn. This album included her most successful songs from her time with Columbia Records. Another collection of her songs, The Real Thing, was released soon after. In 1998, she performed on HBO's Sinbad's Summer Soul Jam 4.

Recent Career

In the new millennium, Cheryl Lynn has toured in Japan. She also performs occasionally in the United States, often at charity events in her hometown of Los Angeles. In 2000, she worked with hip-hop artist Jay Supreme on a new version of her song "Encore." She also performed on ABC's The Disco Ball... A 30-Year Celebration in 2003.

In 2004, she recorded "Sweet Kind of Life" for the movie Shark Tale. In 2005, her song "Got to Be Real" was added to the Dance Music Hall of Fame. In 2006, two of her albums, In the Night (1981) and Instant Love (1982), were released together on CD for the first time in the United States.

Cheryl Lynn has inspired many R&B singers today, including Mary J. Blige. Mary J. Blige and Will Smith even covered Lynn's song "Got to Be Real." Japanese pop singer Kumi Koda also covered the song in 2010. In April 2010, "Got to Be Real" appeared on the UK Singles Chart for the first time.

Music Albums

Studio Albums

Compilation Albums

• Got to Be Real: The Best of Cheryl Lynn (1996, Legacy/Columbia)

Singles

As Featured Performer

See also

In Spanish: Cheryl Lynn para niños