Janice McClain facts for kids

Janice Michell McClain was born on January 25, 1964, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is an American R&B singer. Janice is perhaps most famous for her 1979 disco song "Smack Dab in the Middle."

Growing Up with Music

Janice McClain grew up in North Philly. She was an only child. Her father worked in construction, and her mother was a secretary and later a dressmaker. Janice started singing in church when she was very young. Music was a big part of her home life. Both of her parents had recorded songs when they were teenagers.

Janice learned about many types of music early on. She listened to Soul hits, showtunes, and even opera. Some of her favorite singers were Freda Payne and Diana Ross. As a teenager, she especially loved Michael Jackson. Janice went to the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. She also studied music at the Settlement Music School.

Teenage Singing Career

When Janice was 14, her amazing singing talent became clear. She started performing professionally with a local jazz band called Pieces of a Dream. At the same age, her uncle, Milton Tennant, helped her record her first song. He was a songwriter and record producer.

Just after her fifteenth birthday, Janice recorded "Smack Dab in the Middle." Her uncle Milton Tennant and another uncle, Thom Page, wrote and produced the song. This song was released in October 1979. It quickly became one of the top ten most-played songs in American discothèques. This happened during the first five weeks of 1980. However, the song did not become a huge hit everywhere. It only reached number 91 on the R&B chart. Janice recorded more songs for an album, but they were not released then. She later released two more songs in the mid-1980s.

Adult Music Journey

On July 10, 1982, Janice performed at a special concert. This was just a month after she finished high school. The concert was at the Robin Hood Dell. She shared the stage with famous Philly soul artists. These included McFadden & Whitehead and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.

Two days before her 19th birthday, Janice performed at Jewel's. This was a top jazz club in North Philly. She quickly became a popular lounge act. Her regular shows at Jewel's led to performances in New Jersey. Janice also sang at the Kool Jazz Festival in June 1983. She opened for famous R&B acts like James Brown and the Commodores. She also opened for the O'Jays in Atlantic City.

In late 1984, Janice was performing at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. There, Jheryl Busby discovered her. He was a talent scout for MCA Records. Patti LaBelle had told him about Janice. Patti had seen Janice perform earlier that year. Janice signed with MCA in July 1985. Her self-titled album, Janice McClain, was released in late 1986. The song "Passion & Pain" was the first single. It reached number 75 on the R&B chart. Another song, "Let's Spend the Night," was released in 1987. Neither the album nor its singles were big hits.

After a 1994 song release, Janice mostly sang backup for other artists. She contributed to albums by Keith Martin (1994) and Deniece Williams (2007). She also sang on albums by the Three Tenors of Soul (2007) and George Clinton (2008). In 2010, she was part of Ronnie Spector's Christmas EP. Janice still performs live in Philadelphia and nearby areas today.

Discography

Studio albums

• Janice McClain (MCA Records, 1986)

Singles