Lorraine Chandler facts for kids

Lorraine Chandler (born Ermastine Lewis, April 29, 1946 – January 2, 2020) was an American soul singer, songwriter, and record producer. She was known for her amazing voice and for helping to create music behind the scenes.

Early Life and Music Dreams

Lorraine Chandler was born and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. This city is famous for its music history! She lived near a talented musician named Eddie "Bongo" Brown. She was also a family friend of Otis Williams, who was a member of the famous group The Temptations.

Lorraine went to Northern High School. But she decided to leave college early to follow her dream of working in the music world.

Starting a Music Career

Lorraine began her journey by writing songs with a person named Jack Ashford. Together, they wrote songs like "I'm Gone," which was sung by Eddie Parker. They also wrote "I'll Never Forget You" for The O'Jays.

She then joined Ashford's company, Pied Piper Productions. She worked there as both a songwriter and a singer. Her very first song, "What Can I Do," came out in 1966. It became popular in her local area. Later, bigger record companies like RCA released her songs across the country.

A Pioneer in Music

Lorraine Chandler was one of the first African-American women to become a songwriter and a record producer. This was a big achievement! She kept on recording her own music and writing songs for others. Many of her songs were released on labels like RCA and Kapp.

In 1968, Lorraine and Jack Ashford started their own record company called Ashford. It didn't last long, but they released Eddie Parker's song "Love You Baby." This song later became very popular in Britain's Northern soul music scene. Even after their company closed, Lorraine and Jack continued to work together. They wrote "Do It," a song for Billy Sha-Rae, which became a hit on the R&B music charts in 1971.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1976, Jack Ashford moved away from Detroit. But Lorraine Chandler stayed in her hometown. In the mid-1980s, some of her old recordings that had never been released were found by a British DJ. He released several of them, including a special practice recording for a possible theme song for the movie You Only Live Twice.

Lorraine kept working with Eddie Parker. She sang on his 1989 album, The Old... The New... The Blues. She also helped arrange and produce the music for it. Sometimes, she would perform again, both in Detroit and at music festivals in Britain. Many of her songs have been re-released on CDs by Ace Records.

Lorraine Chandler passed away in Detroit on January 2, 2020, when she was 73 years old. She left behind a legacy as a talented singer, songwriter, and producer who helped shape soul music.