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Rita Coolidge
Rita Coolidge, 2002 - cropped.jpg
Coolidge performing at an outdoor concert in Seattle in September 2002
Background information
Born (1945-05-01) May 1, 1945 (age 78)
Lafayette, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instruments
Years active 1969–present
Labels
  • A&M
  • Monument
  • Attic
  • Alpha
  • Pony Canyon
  • Concord
Associated acts

Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on Billboard magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts, and she won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and then-husband Kris Kristofferson. Her recordings include "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher," "We're All Alone", "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love", and the theme song for the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy: "All Time High".

Life and career

Early life

Coolidge was born in Lafayette, Tennessee. She is the daughter of Dick and Charlotte Coolidge, a minister and schoolteacher, with sisters Linda and Priscilla, and brother Raymond. She is of Cherokee and Scottish ancestry. She attended Nashville's Maplewood High School and graduated from Andrew Jackson Senior High School in Jacksonville, Florida. Coolidge is a graduate of Florida State University. She is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority.

Early career

After singing around Memphis (including a stint singing jingles), Coolidge was discovered by Delaney & Bonnie, who worked with her in Los Angeles. There, she became a backing singer for artists including Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills. She was featured in Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and album, singing Russell's and Bonnie Bramlett's song "Superstar". Coolidge did not receive songwriting credits for "Superstar" which later became a hit for The Carpenters.

She became known as "The Delta Lady" and inspired Russell to write a song of the same name for her.

"Layla"

Coolidge also did not receive songwriting credits for the coda of the 1971 single "Layla" by Eric Clapton's band Derek and the Dominos. In 2016, Coolidge stated that she recorded a demo with her boyfriend, the band's drummer Jim Gordon, before they went to England to record with Clapton. Once they met with Clapton, Coolidge played the piece she composed for him and she gave him a cassette. Clapton, impressed by the piece, used it as part of the song in the ending section which she found out by hearing the song over a PA system a year later. She tried to contact Clapton, but was told by his manager Robert Stigwood, "What are you gonna do? You're a girl. You don't have money to fight this." She has not heard from Clapton himself but believes he is aware of the situation.

"Time" ended up on the 1973 album Chronicles by Booker T. and Priscilla.

Kris Kristofferson

Rita 01
Coolidge at Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic in 1972.

In November 1970, she met Kris Kristofferson at the Los Angeles airport when they were both catching the same flight to Tennessee. Instead of continuing to his intended destination in Nashville, he got off in Memphis with her. The two married in 1973, had a child in 1974, and recorded several duet albums, which sold well and earned the duo a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1974 for "From the Bottle to the Bottom", and in 1976 for "Lover Please".

She also had a credited role as Maria in the Sam Peckinpah directed Western film "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" in 1973, where Kristofferson played the role of Billy the Kid.

Coolidge's greatest success on the pop charts came during 1977–1978 with four consecutive top 25 hits, remakes of Jackie Wilson's "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher", Boz Scaggs's "We're All Alone", the Temptations' "The Way You Do The Things You Do", and Marcia Hines's "You". Coolidge and Kristofferson divorced in June 1980.

Later career

In 1992, Coolidge sang joint lead vocals with Roger Waters on the title track of his album Amused to Death.

She also was among the first hosts on VH1, a US cable network. In 2006, she recorded a standards album, And So Is Love with artwork by Clifford Bailey.

Walela

In 1997, Coolidge was one of the founding members of Walela, a Native American-inspired music trio, that also included her sister Priscilla and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield. The trio released studio albums in 1997 (Walela) and 2000 (Unbearable Love), a live album and DVD (Live in Concert) in 2004 and a compilation album (The Best of Walela) in 2007.

Walela means hummingbird in Cherokee. Coolidge considered this group important, not only in honoring her claimed Cherokee ancestors but also in bringing their culture to others. The trio performed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Books

Her autobiography, Delta Lady: A Memoir, was published in April 2016.

Personal life

Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson after the premiere of the movie A STAR IS BORN
Coolidge with Kris Kristofferson at the private party after the premiere of the movie A Star Is Born, on the third floor of Dillon's Disco on December 18, 1976

Relationships

Coolidge had romantic liaisons with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash. Coolidge leaving Stills for Nash has been cited as a contributing factor behind the initial 1970 breakup of Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. She was the "sweet little Indian girl" named "Raven" in the song "Cowboy Movie" on David Crosby's album If I Could Only Remember My Name.

Coolidge was also involved with Leon Russell and Joe Cocker. During the Mad Dogs & Englishmen tour, Coolidge's boyfriend at the time, Jim Gordon, assaulted her, resulting in a black eye for the rest of the tour. Coolidge ended the relationship and never spoke to him again. Gordon was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and convicted of murdering his mother.

Coolidge was married to Kris Kristofferson from 1973 to 1980. Their daughter and her only child, Casey Kristofferson (also a musician), was born in 1974. Their marriage deteriorated after she miscarried her second child in 1977. ..... She revealed he was also emotionally abusive and would belittle her talent. When they divorced she did not ask him for anything. However, in 2016 Coolidge told People that she and Kristofferson still shared a bond.

Coolidge married Tatsuya Suda, a world leader in computer architecture research, on June 19, 2004, in the Cook Islands. Suda, a Japanese citizen, retired in 2010 after a long tenure as a professor at the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (UC Irvine), when allegations of professional misconduct against him surfaced. Coolidge divorced Suda in 2012. In 2014, he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of receiving illegal payments. Coolidge had lived in Fallbrook, California, where she painted and exhibited her work until 2017.

In 2017 Coolidge rekindled a romantic relationship with Joe Hutto, a former college boyfriend. They married in 2018 and moved back to Tallahassee.

Family

..... The pain of that loss was exacerbated when Siebert's ashes were delivered to Rita's home and she had to dispose of them.

Awards and nominations

Coolidge was inducted into the Southern Museum of Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

Grammy Awards

Coolidge has won two Grammy Awards from her three nominations.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1974 "From The Bottle To The Bottom" Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group Won
1975 "Loving Arms" Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group Nominated
1976 "Lover Please" Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group Won

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
US
Country
AU
CAN
JAP
NET
NZ
UK
Rita Coolidge 105 71
Nice Feelin'
  • Released: November 1971
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
135
The Lady's Not for Sale
  • Released: October 1972
  • Label: A&M, MFP
  • Formats: LP
46 27
Full Moon
(with Kris Kristofferson)
  • Released: September 1973
  • Label: A&M
  • Formats: LP
26 1 40 7
  • RIAA: Gold
Fall into Spring
  • Released: April 1974
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
55 96 41
Breakaway
(with Kris Kristofferson)
  • Released: December 1974
  • Label: Monument Records
  • Formats: LP
103 19 99 81
It's Only Love
  • Released: November 1975
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
85
Anytime...Anywhere
  • Released: March 1977
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
6 23 9 4 15 40 7
Love Me Again
  • Released: May 1978
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
32 26 39 51
  • RIAA: Gold
  • ARIA: Gold
  • BPI: Silver
  • MC: Gold
Natural Act
(with Kris Kristofferson)
  • Released: December 1978
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
106 24 87 35
Satisfied
  • Released: September 1979
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
95 59 58 65
  • MC: Gold
Heartbreak Radio
  • Released: August 1981
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
160
Never Let You Go
  • Released: October 1983
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
15
Inside the Fire
  • Released: 1984
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
Fire me Back
  • Released: 1990
  • Label: Attic
  • Formats: LP, CD
75
Dancing with an Angel
  • Released: July 21, 1991
  • Label: Attic
  • Formats: CD
16
Love Lessons
  • Released: 1992
  • Label: Caliber Records, Critique
  • Formats: CD
For You
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Alpha
  • Formats: CD
Behind the Memories
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Pony Canyon
  • Formats: CD
Out of the Blues
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: Beacon
  • Formats: CD
Cherokee
  • Released: 1996
  • Label: Indelible Records
  • Formats: CD
Thinkin' About You
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Innerworks
  • Formats: CD
And So Is Love
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Concord Records
  • Formats: CD
A Rita Coolidge Christmas
  • Released: 2012
  • Label: 429 Records
  • Formats: CD
Safe in The Arms of Time
  • Released: 2018
  • Label: Blue Élan Records
  • Formats: CD

Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
US
Country
CAN
JAP
NET
NZ
UK
All About Rita Coolidge
  • Released: 1979
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
Greatest Hits
(released as Fool That I Am in Australia)
  • Released: 1980
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
107 20
The Very Best of Rita Coolidge
  • Released: 1981
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
6
  • BPI: Gold
Love from Tokyo
  • Released: 1984
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
48
Classics Volume 5
  • Released: 1987
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP
A&M Gold Series
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD
All Time High: Best of Rita Coolidge
  • Released: 1994
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD
The Collection
Master Series
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD
20th Century Masters – The Millenium Collection
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD
Universal Masters Collection
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD
Delta Lady – The Rita Coolidge Anthology
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certification Album
US
US
AC
US
Country
CA CA
AC
CA
Country
UK
AU
1969 "Turn Around and Love You" 96 single only
1971 "I Believe in You" 38 16 Rita Coolidge
1972 "Fever" 76 The Lady's Not for Sale
1973 "My Crew"A flip 38
"Whiskey, Whiskey" 106
"A Song I'd Like to Sing" (w/Kris Kristofferson) 49 12 92 53 3 54 97 Full Moon
1974 "Loving Arms" (w/Kris Kristofferson) 86 25 98 83 9 96
"Mama Lou" 94 Fall Into Spring
"Rain" (w/Kris Kristofferson) 44 87 40 Breakaway
1975 "Lover Please" (w/Kris Kristofferson) 42
1977 "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" 2 5 1 3 48 6B
  • RIAA: Gold
Anytime...Anywhere
"We're All Alone" 7 1 82 5 1 6 32
  • RIAA: Gold
1978 "The Way You Do the Things You Do" 20 9 16 6 74
"Words" 25
"You" 25 3 17 1 Love Me Again
"The Jealous Kind" 63
"Love Me Again" 68 20 83 73 35
"Slow Dancer" 60
1979 "Hello, Love, Goodbye" 27
"One Fine Day" 66 15 89 4 68 Satisfied
"I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love" 38 3 32 87 1 24
1980 "Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like"
(w/Glen Campbell)
42 39 60 36 23 Somethin' Bout You Baby I Like
(Glen Campbell album)
"Fool That I Am" 46 15 72 52 Coast to Coast soundtrack
"We Could Stay Together" (w/Booker T. Jones) 60 The Best of You (Booker T. Jones album)
1981 "Let's Go Dancing" (w/Booker T. Jones) 60 Satisfied
"The Closer You Get" 103 16 Heartbreak Radio
1983 "Lake Freeze" Lake Freeze – The Raccoons Songtrack
"All Time High" 36 1 38 1 75 80 Octopussy soundtrack
"Only You" 37 Never Let You Go
1984 "Something Said Love" 15 Inside the Fire
1990 "I Stand in Wonder" 49 21 Fire Me Back
  • A B-side of "Fever"
  • B Charted as a double A-side in Australia backed with "I Don't Want to Talk About It"

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Rita Coolidge para niños

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