Evelyn "Champagne" King facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Evelyn "Champagne" King |
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King in 2008
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Evelyn King |
| Born | July 1, 1960 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1977–present |
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Evelyn "Champagne" King is a talented American singer, songwriter, and music producer. She became famous in 1977 with her hit disco song "Shame". This song was released when disco music was very popular. Evelyn King also had other big hits in the early to mid-1980s. These included "I'm in Love" (1981), "Love Come Down" (1982), and "Your Personal Touch" (1985).
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Evelyn King's Early Life and Music Journey
Growing Up in New York and Philadelphia
Evelyn King was born on July 1, 1960, in The Bronx, a part of New York City. Her parents were Johnniea and Erik King. She grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is one of eight children. As a child, her nickname was "Bubbles."
Music was a big part of Evelyn's family. Her uncle, Avon Long, was an actor and singer who performed in famous shows like Porgy and Bess on Broadway. He also worked with the legendary singer Lena Horne. Evelyn's father was a backup singer for groups at the famous Harlem's Apollo Theater. Her mother even managed a music group called Quality Red.
How Evelyn King Was Discovered
Evelyn King's music career began in an unusual way. She was working with her mother as an office cleaner at Philadelphia International Records. One day, a music producer named Theodore T. Life heard her singing in a washroom. He was very impressed by her voice and started to coach her.
Soon after, Evelyn signed a special production deal with Life's company, Galaxy Productions. She then got a recording contract with RCA Records. This was the start of her journey to becoming a music star.
The Name "Champagne"
When Evelyn started her career, her real name, Evelyn King, sounded "too grown-up" for a young artist. So, the nickname "Champagne" was added to her stage name. This made her sound more fun and exciting.
Evelyn King's Music Career and Achievements
Early Success with "Smooth Talk"
In 1977, Evelyn "Champagne" King released her first album, Smooth Talk. This album featured her famous song "Shame". This song was a huge hit, reaching number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also did very well on the Soul and dance music charts. "Shame" was so popular that it was certified gold, meaning it sold many copies.
Another song from the Smooth Talk album, "I Don't Know If It's Right," also became a hit. It reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was her second song to be certified gold.
More Chart-Topping Hits
In 1981, Evelyn King released the song "I'm in Love" from her album of the same name. This song became a number 1 hit on both the R&B singles chart and the dance chart.
Her success continued in 1982 with the album Get Loose. This album included the song "Love Come Down", which became a top-20 pop hit and another number 1 Soul hit. "Love Come Down" also topped the dance chart and reached the top 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The next song from the album, "Betcha She Don't Love You", reached number 2 on the Soul chart. Throughout the mid-to-late 1980s, Evelyn King continued to have many songs in the top 20 on the Soul chart.
Honored in Music History
On September 20, 2004, Evelyn King's song "Shame" received a special honor. It was one of the first songs to be added to the Dance Music Hall of Fame. This ceremony took place in New York City.
Recent Music and Collaborations
After a break, Evelyn King released a new album called Open Book on August 14, 2007. This was her first studio album in 12 years. It featured the song "The Dance," which reached number 12 on the Hot Dance Club Play Chart.
In 2011, Evelyn King worked with a deep house music producer named Miguel Migs on a song called "Everybody." This song was part of his album Outside the Skyline.
In 2015, Evelyn King joined two other famous disco singers, Martha Wash and Linda Clifford, to form a music group called First Ladies of Disco. Their first song, "Show Some Love," was released in March 2015 and reached number six on the Dance charts. The group went on their first tour together in 2017. Evelyn King left the group in December 2017.
Evelyn King's Albums and Songs
Studio Albums
Evelyn "Champagne" King has released many studio albums throughout her career. Here are some of them:
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Record label | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
CAN |
NZ |
UK |
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| 1977 | Smooth Talk | 14 | 8 | 24 | — | — |
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RCA | ||||||
| 1979 | Music Box | 35 | 12 | 45 | — | — |
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| 1980 | Call on Me | 124 | 58 | — | — | — | ||||||||
| 1981 | I'm in Love | 28 | 6 | — | — | — | ||||||||
| 1982 | Get Loose | 27 | 1 | — | 45 | 35 |
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| 1983 | Face to Face | 91 | 24 | — | — | — | ||||||||
| 1984 | So Romantic | 203 | 38 | — | — | — | ||||||||
| 1985 | A Long Time Coming (A Change Is Gonna Come) | — | 38 | — | — | — | ||||||||
| 1988 | Flirt | 192 | 20 | — | — | — | EMI-Manhattan | |||||||
| 1989 | The Girl Next Door | — | — | — | — | — | EMI-USA | |||||||
| 1995 | I'll Keep a Light On | — | — | — | — | — | Expansion | |||||||
| 2007 | Open Book | — | — | — | — | — | Big Day/Jaggo | |||||||
| "—" means the album did not appear on that chart or was not released there. | ||||||||||||||
Compilation Albums
These albums collect Evelyn King's best songs from different times:
- The Best of Evelyn "Champagne" King (1990, RCA)
- Love Come Down: The Best of Evelyn "Champagne" King (1993, RCA)
- Let's Get Funky (1997, BMG)
- Greatest Hits (2001, RCA)
- Platinum & Gold Collection (2003, BMG Heritage)
- Legends (2005, Sony BMG)
- If You Want My Lovin' (2006, Sony Music Special Products)
- Action: The Evelyn "Champagne" King Anthology - 1977-1986 (2014, BBR)
- The Essential Evelyn "Champagne" King (2015, Legacy)
- The Complete RCA Hits and More! (2016, Real Gone Music)
Singles
Here are some of Evelyn King's popular singles:
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
US Dan |
AUS |
CAN |
IRE |
NL |
NZ |
UK |
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| 1977 | "Shame" | 9 | 7 | 8 | 72 | 16 | — | 26 | — | 39 | Smooth Talk | |||
| 1978 | "I Don't Know If It's Right" | 23 | 7 | 25 | — | 17 | — | — | 38 | 67 |
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| "Dancin', Dancin', Dancin'" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 1979 | "Music Box" | 75 | 14 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Music Box | |||
| "Out There" | — | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 1980 | "Let's Get Funky Tonight" | — | 34 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Call on Me | |||
| "I Need Your Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 1981 | "I'm in Love" | 40 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | I'm in Love | |||
| "If You Want My Lovin'" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 43 | |||||
| "Don't Hide Our Love" | — | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 1982 | "Spirit of the Dancer" | — | 51 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Love Come Down" | 17 | 1 | 1 | — | 44 | 13 | — | 12 | 7 |
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Get Loose | |||
| "Betcha She Don't Love You" | 49 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Back to Love" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 40 | |||||
| 1983 | "Get Loose" | — | 61 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | ||||
| "Action" | 75 | 16 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Face to Face | ||||
| 1984 | "Shake Down" | 107 | 12 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Teenager" | — | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Just for the Night" | 107 | 16 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "I'm So Romantic" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 76 | So Romantic | ||||
| 1985 | "Out of Control" | — | 54 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Give Me One Reason" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 93 | |||||
| "Till Midnight" | — | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| "Give It Up" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Fright Night | ||||
| "Your Personal Touch" | 86 | 9 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | A Long Time Coming (A Change Is Gonna Come) | ||||
| 1986 | "High Horse" | — | 19 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | 55 | ||||
| "Slow Down" | — | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 1988 | "Flirt" | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Flirt | |||
| "Hold on to What You've Got" | — | 8 | 5 | — | — | — | 41 | — | 47 | |||||
| "Kisses Don't Lie" | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||
| 1989 | "Day to Day" | — | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Girl Next Door | |||
| 1990 | "Do Right" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1992 | "Shame (Hardcore Mix)" (Altern 8 vs Evelyn King) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 74 | N/A | |||
| 1995 | "I Think About You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | I'll Keep a Light On | |||
| 1996 | "One More Time" (with Divas of Color) | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | 94 | N/A | |||
| 2008 | "The Dance" | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | Open Book | ||||
| 2011 | "Everybody" (with Miguel Migs) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Outside the Skyline | |||
| "—" means the song did not appear on that chart or was not released there. | ||||||||||||||
Awards and Recognitions
Evelyn "Champagne" King has been recognized for her contributions to music:
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | American Music Awards | Favorite Disco Song | "Shame" | Nominated |
| 1983 | Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist | Herself | Nominated | |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Song | "Love Come Down" | Nominated | ||
| 2004 | Dance Music Hall of Fame | "Shame" | Inducted | |
| 2023 | The National R&B Music Society | Living Legend Award | Herself | Honored |
See also
In Spanish: Evelyn King para niños
- Timeline of Billboard number-one dance songs
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
