Rita Coolidge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rita Coolidge
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Coolidge performing at an outdoor concert in Seattle in September 2002
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| Background information | |
| Born | May 1, 1945 Lafayette, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1969–present |
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Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American singer and recording artist. She became famous in the 1970s and 1980s. Her songs were popular on many music charts, including pop, country, and jazz. She won two Grammy Awards with her former husband, musician Kris Kristofferson. Some of her well-known songs are "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher," "We're All Alone," and "All Time High," which was the theme song for the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy.
Contents
Rita Coolidge's Life and Music Career
Early Life and Education
Rita Coolidge was born in Lafayette, Tennessee. Her father was a minister and her mother was a schoolteacher. She has two sisters, Linda and Priscilla, and a brother, Raymond. Rita has both Cherokee and Scottish family roots.
She went to high school in Nashville and Jacksonville, Florida. Later, she studied at Florida State University.
Starting Her Music Journey
Rita Coolidge began her singing career in Memphis. She was discovered by the music group Delaney & Bonnie. In Los Angeles, she became a backing singer for many famous artists. These included Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton.
She was a key part of Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and album. On this tour, she sang the song "Superstar." Rita became known as "The Delta Lady." This nickname inspired Leon Russell to write a song called "Delta Lady" for her.
The "Layla" Song Story
Rita Coolidge also helped create a part of the famous 1971 song "Layla." This song was by Eric Clapton's band, Derek and the Dominos. Rita said she recorded a demo with the band's drummer, Jim Gordon. She shared this music with Eric Clapton.
Clapton liked the music and used it in the ending part of "Layla." Rita found out about it when she heard the song playing a year later. She did not receive credit for her part in writing the song.
Music with Kris Kristofferson
In 1970, Rita met musician Kris Kristofferson at an airport. They later married in 1973 and had a child in 1974. They recorded several duet albums together. These albums were very popular.
Rita and Kris won two Grammy Awards for their country music duets. They won in 1974 for "From the Bottle to the Bottom" and in 1976 for "Lover Please." Rita also acted in the 1973 Western film Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid with Kris.
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Rita Coolidge had her biggest hits on the pop charts in 1977 and 1978. She had four songs in the top 25. These included her versions of "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" and "We're All Alone." Rita and Kris Kristofferson divorced in 1980.
Later Music and Projects
In 1992, Rita sang on the song "Amused to Death" with Roger Waters. She was also one of the first hosts on VH1, a music TV channel in the US. In 2006, she released an album of classic songs called And So Is Love.
Walela: A Special Music Group
In 1997, Rita Coolidge helped start a music group called Walela. This group focused on Native American music. Her sister Priscilla and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield were also in the group.
Walela means hummingbird in the Cherokee language. Rita felt this group was important for honoring her family's Cherokee heritage. It also helped share their culture with others. Walela performed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
Rita's Autobiography
Rita Coolidge wrote a book about her life called Delta Lady: A Memoir. It was published in April 2016.
Rita Coolidge's Personal Life
Rita Coolidge was married to Kris Kristofferson from 1973 to 1980. They have one daughter, Casey Kristofferson, who was born in 1974 and is also a musician.
Rita married Tatsuya Suda in 2004. They divorced in 2012. In 2018, Rita married Joe Hutto, who was a college boyfriend. They moved back to Tallahassee, Florida.
Awards and Recognition
Rita Coolidge was honored in the Southern Museum of Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
Grammy Awards
Coolidge has won two Grammy Awards from her three nominations.
| 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
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||
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| US |
US Country |
AU |
CAN |
JAP |
NET |
NZ |
UK |
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| Rita Coolidge |
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105 | — | — | 71 | — | — | — | — | |
| Nice Feelin' |
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135 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| The Lady's Not for Sale |
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46 | — | — | 27 | — | — | — | — | |
| Full Moon (with Kris Kristofferson) |
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26 | 1 | 40 | 7 | — | — | — | — |
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| Fall into Spring |
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55 | — | 96 | 41 | — | — | — | — | |
| Breakaway (with Kris Kristofferson) |
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103 | 19 | 99 | 81 | — | — | — | — | |
| It's Only Love |
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85 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Anytime...Anywhere |
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6 | 23 | 9 | 4 | — | 15 | 40 | 7 | |
| Love Me Again |
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32 | — | 26 | 39 | — | — | — | 51 |
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| Natural Act (with Kris Kristofferson) |
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106 | 24 | 87 | — | — | — | — | 35 | |
| Satisfied |
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95 | — | 59 | 58 | 65 | — | — | — |
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| Heartbreak Radio |
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160 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Never Let You Go |
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— | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | |
| Inside the Fire |
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— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Fire me Back |
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— | — | — | — | — | 75 | — | — | |
| Dancing with an Angel |
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— | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | |
| Love Lessons |
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— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| For You |
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| Behind the Memories |
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| Out of the Blues |
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| Cherokee |
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| Thinkin' About You |
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| And So Is Love |
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| A Rita Coolidge Christmas |
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| Safe in the Arms of Time |
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Compilation Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US Country |
CAN |
JAP |
NET |
NZ |
UK |
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| All About Rita Coolidge |
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— | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Greatest Hits (released as Fool That I Am in Australia) |
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107 | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | |
| The Very Best of Rita Coolidge |
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— | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
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| Love from Tokyo |
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— | — | — | 48 | — | — | — | |
| Classics Volume 5 |
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| A&M Gold Series |
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— | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| All Time High: Best of Rita Coolidge |
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| The Collection |
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| Master Series |
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| 20th Century Masters – The Millenium Collection |
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| Universal Masters Collection |
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| Delta Lady – The Rita Coolidge Anthology |
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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 |
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Anytime...Anywhere |
| "We're All Alone" | 7 | 1 | 82 | 5 | 1 | — | 6 | 32 |
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| 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) |
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| "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
In Spanish: Rita Coolidge para niños
