Jaki Graham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jaki Graham
Graham performing live at Let's Rock Liverpool, 31 July 2021
Background information
Birth name	Jacqueline Graham
Born	(1956-09-15) 15 September 1956 (age 68) Birmingham, England
Genres	R&B dance-pop British soul house pop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1977–present
Labels	EMI Avex International JNT Music Ltd

Jacqueline "Jaki" Graham (born 15 September 1956) is a famous British singer and songwriter. She became well-known in 1985 with her hit song "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love", which she sang with David Grant. After that, she had five more songs in the UK top 20 charts in just two years.

In 1994, she recorded a new version of Chaka Khan's song "Ain't Nobody". This version became a huge hit in the United States, reaching number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

Career Highlights

Rise to Fame in the 1980s

Jaki Graham was born in Birmingham, England, to parents who came from Jamaica. Her music career started to take off in 1983 when a talent scout from EMI Records noticed her amazing voice. She soon signed a contract with the famous record label.

Her first big success came in 1985 with the song "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love," a duet with singer David Grant. A duet is a song performed by two singers. Their version of the song was a cover, which means it was a new recording of a song originally by another artist, the Detroit Spinners. It was a huge hit, reaching number 5 on the UK music charts.

A few months later, her own song, "Round and Around", also became a top 10 hit. She and David Grant recorded another popular duet called "Mated" at the end of the year.

In 1986, Graham released more hit songs. "Set Me Free" reached number 7 in the UK and was popular across Europe. Her next single, "Breaking Away," also did well. During this time, the famous American singer Michael McDonald heard her sing and said, "Jaki is one of the best singers Britain has ever produced." He was so impressed that he asked her to sing with him on his UK tour.

Later Success

In the 1990s, Graham's career continued to grow around the world. In 1994, she signed with a Japanese record label and released the album Real Life. A song from this album, "Ain't Nobody", became her biggest international hit. It was very popular in Europe, Asia, and Australia. In the United States, it was number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart for five weeks.

Graham performing live in Bristol, UK in June 2014.

Over the years, Graham has performed with many famous musicians. In 2010, she toured with Michael McDonald and Al Green. In 2011, she was a special guest on Cliff Richard's 'Soulicious' tour.

In 2018, she released a new album called When a Woman Loves on her own record label.

Personal Life

Graham has been married to Tony Ormsby since 1976. They have two children, a daughter named Natalie and a son named Ryan.

Awards and Honours

In October 2012, Jaki Graham was given a star on the Birmingham Walk of Stars on Broad Street to celebrate her connection to the city and her success in music.

In 2015, the University of Wolverhampton gave her an honorary degree. This was to recognise her important contributions to the music industry.

Discography

Here are some of Jaki Graham's albums and most famous songs.

Studio Albums

Hit Singles

See also

• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
• List of Billboard number-one dance club songs
• List of number-one dance singles of 1994 (U.S.)
• List of performers on Top of the Pops