Teena Marie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Teena Marie
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Teena Marie performing in 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Mary Christine Brockert |
| Also known as | Lady T |
| Born | March 5, 1956 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Died | December 26, 2010 (aged 54) Pasadena, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1964–2010 |
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Mary Christine Brockert (born March 5, 1956 – died December 26, 2010), known as Teena Marie, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She was also a record producer and arranger. People knew her by her childhood nickname Tina. Later, she became known as Lady T. Her friend and music partner, Rick James, gave her this nickname.
Teena Marie was famous for her unique singing voice. Many listeners thought she was Black because of her sound. She became very successful in R&B and soul music. Because she stayed true to these styles, she earned the title "Ivory Queen of Soul." She played rhythm guitar, keyboards, and congas. Teena Marie was nominated for four Grammy Awards. She won one after her death in 2023. This was for her work as a songwriter on Beyoncé's song "Cuff It."
Contents
Life and Music Career
Early Life and First Steps in Music (1956–1978)
Mary Christine Brockert was born on March 5, 1956. Her birthplace was Santa Monica, California. Her father, Thomas Leslie Brockert, was a construction worker. Her mother, Mary Anne, renovated homes. Teena Marie spent her early years in Mission Hills, California. She said her family background included Puerto Rican, Portuguese, Italian, Irish, and Native American roots. In 2005, she learned her ancestors lived in New Orleans. She started singing very young. By age two, she was singing Harry Belafonte's "Banana Boat Song."
When she was eight, her parents sent her to auditions. She got an acting role on The Beverly Hillbillies. She was credited as Tina Marie Brockert. Later, she taught herself to play guitar, bass, and congas. She formed a band with her younger brother Anthony and their cousin. This band played R&B music.
In the early 1970s, her family moved to Venice, Los Angeles. Teena Marie spent her teenage years in Oakwood, a Black neighborhood in Venice. This area was called "Venice Harlem." There, she found a strong spiritual connection with Berthalynn Jackson. Ms. Jackson, a Black woman, became her godmother.
While at Venice High School, Teena Marie joined the Summer Dance Production. She played the main female role in the school's play, The Music Man. She also led a local rock band called "Truvair" from 1974 to 1975. The band members were her high school friends. After graduating, she tried out for record companies. She also studied English literature at Santa Monica College.
Joining Motown Records (1979–1982)
In 1976, Teena Marie, as the lead singer of her band, met Hal Davis. He was a producer at Motown Records. This led to an audition for a film Motown was making. The film project was stopped. However, the head of Motown, Berry Gordy, was impressed by her singing. He decided to sign her as a solo artist. Teena recorded songs that were not released for a few years.
Then, Rick James, another Motown artist, heard her. He was very impressed with her voice. Rick James was supposed to produce music for Diana Ross. But he changed his mind and decided to work with Teena Marie instead. This led to her first album, Wild and Peaceful. The album was released under the name "Teena Marie." This became her stage name for the rest of her career.
Her first hit song was "I'm a Sucker for Your Love." It was a duet with Rick James. It reached number 8 on the R&B Singles Chart. Her first album did not have her picture on it. Many radio stations thought she was Black. This changed when she performed with Rick James on Soul Train in 1979. She was the first white female guest on the show. She appeared on Soul Train eight more times, more than any other white artist.
Her second album, Lady T (1980), had her picture on the cover. Richard Rudolph, the husband of singer Minnie Riperton, helped produce this album. Teena Marie asked Berry Gordy to get Rudolph's help. Rick James was not available, and she felt she wasn't ready to produce her own music alone. Rudolph had written a song called "Now That I Have You" for his wife. He offered it to Teena Marie for Lady T. Rudolph also helped write "Behind The Groove." This song reached number 21 on the R&B chart and number 6 in the UK in 1980. The song was also in the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
In 1980, Teena Marie released her third album, Irons in the Fire. She wrote and produced most of the songs herself. This was rare for a female artist at that time. The song "I Need Your Lovin'" became her first top 40 hit. It reached number 37 on the Pop chart and number 9 on the R&B chart. It also reached number 28 in the UK.
That same year, Teena Marie sang on Rick James's album, Street Songs. They sang the duet "Fire and Desire." Teena Marie said she had a fever when she recorded her part. She sang it in one try. After recording, she went to the hospital. They performed this song together at the 2004 BET Awards. This was their last TV appearance before Rick James passed away later that year.
Teena Marie continued her success with Motown in 1981. She released It Must Be Magic. This album reached number 2 on the R&B Albums Chart. It was her first gold record. It included her biggest hit at the time, "Square Biz" (number 3 R&B Singles). Other popular songs were "Portuguese Love" and the title track "It Must be Magic."
In 1982, Teena Marie had a legal disagreement with Motown Records. This was about her contract and releasing her new music. The lawsuit led to "The Brockert Initiative." This law made it illegal for a record company to keep an artist under contract without releasing new music. If this happens, artists can sign with another label. Teena Marie said this law helped many artists. She left Motown as their most successful white solo artist.
Moving to Epic Records (1983–1990)
Epic Records contacted Teena Marie in late 1982. She signed a deal with them. This deal also allowed her to start her own music publishing company. Epic released her album Robbery. It included the hit "Fix It." She also wrote "Casanova Brown" for this album. This song was one of many she wrote about her close bond with Rick James.
In 1984, Teena Marie released her best-selling album, Starchild. It had her biggest hit, "Lovergirl." This song reached number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in March 1985. It also reached number 9 on the R&B chart. "Lovergirl" was featured in the 2002 movie Maid in Manhattan. The song "14k" was on The Goonies movie soundtrack in 1985.
In 1986, Teena Marie released Emerald City. This album was influenced by rock music. She also recorded "Lead Me On" for the movie Top Gun soundtrack.
In 1988, she returned to R&B and funk music. She released the album Naked to the World. This album had the hit song "Ooo La La La." It reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Teena Marie released Ivory in 1990. It had two R&B hits: "Here's Looking at You" and "If I Were a Bell."
Break and Later Albums (1991–2003)
In the 1990s, Teena Marie's classic R&B, soul, and funk songs were used by hip-hop artists. Other R&B singers also covered her songs. Teena Marie was a pioneer in bringing hip-hop to the mainstream. She was one of the first artists to rap in one of her songs, "Square Biz." In that song, she mentioned her inspirations. These included Sarah Vaughan, Johann Sebastian Bach, Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni. In 1996, the Fugees used parts of her song "Ooo, La, La, La" in their song "Fu-Gee-La."
In 1994, Teena Marie released Passion Play on her own record label.
After this, Teena Marie spent most of her time raising her daughter, Alia Rose. Alia Rose now sings under the name "Rose Le Beau." In the late 1990s, Teena Marie started working on a new album called Black Rain. She could not get a major record label deal for it. She also did not want to release it on her own label because Passion Play had not sold many copies. However, a version made for promotion was shared widely among fans.
Return to Music (2004–2010)
After a ten-year break from music, Teena Marie returned. She signed with a sub-label of Cash Money Records. She released her eleventh album, La Doña, in 2004. Her next album, Sapphire, came out in 2006. La Doña became a gold-certified success. It was her highest-charting album, reaching number 6 on the Billboard 200 chart. This was thanks to the song "I'm Still in Love" and a duet with Gerald Levert, "A Rose by Any Other Name."
The Sapphire album reached number 24 on the Billboard 200 chart. It had another R&B Top-40 hit, "Ooh Wee." Sapphire also brought Teena Marie together again with Smokey Robinson. She considered him one of her music idols. Teena Marie left Cash Money Records after Sapphire was released.
On September 19, 2008, Teena Marie performed in New York City. She played some songs from her upcoming album, Congo Square. The audience liked them. Congo Square was released on June 9, 2009. Teena Marie said the album was "personal and spiritual." She also said it had more jazz influence than her other work. "Can't Last a Day," a duet with Faith Evans, was shared online in March 2009. Teena Marie said she loved Faith Evans's singing style. She felt Faith was like a younger version of herself.
Teena Marie talked about the inspirations for Congo Square in January 2010. She wanted to make songs that reflected what she loved growing up. Each song on the album was dedicated to someone or a musical giant she admired. For example, "The Pressure" was for Rick James. "Can't Last a Day" was for the "Philly International sound." "Miss Coretta" was for Mrs. Coretta Scott King, the wife of Martin Luther King.
The album was a success, reaching the Top 20 on Billboard's Top 200. It also gave Teena Marie another Top 10 R&B chart entry. In 2010, Teena Marie continued to perform in Las Vegas. She appeared regularly until just before her death.
When she passed away, Teena Marie was finishing her 14th album, Beautiful. Her daughter, Alia Rose, finished it. It was released on January 15, 2013. An album of previously unreleased songs from her Motown days was released on July 11, 2011. It was called First Class Love: Rare Tee.
Personal Life
Teena Marie had a daughter named Alia Rose in 1991. As of 2009, Alia Rose sings as Rose LeBeau.
Teena Marie lived in different areas around Los Angeles. These included Santa Monica, Inglewood, Pasadena, and Marina Del Rey.
Teena Marie was the godmother to actress Maya Rudolph. Maya is the daughter of singer Minnie Riperton. Teena Marie was also godmother to Marvin Gaye's daughter, Nona Gaye. She also helped care for Rick James's son, Rick, Jr. Singer Lenny Kravitz shared that Teena Marie welcomed him into her home. She helped him when he was starting his career.
Death
In 2004, a large picture frame fell on Teena Marie's head while she was sleeping in a hotel. This caused a serious concussion. She had occasional seizures for the rest of her life because of this.
On December 26, 2010, Teena Marie's daughter, Alia Rose, found her dead at her home in Pasadena. On December 30, 2010, an autopsy was done. It found no signs of injury or a clear cause of death. The coroner concluded she died from natural causes. She had experienced a seizure a month before her death.
A memorial service was held on January 10, 2011. Many famous people attended. These included Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah, and Berry Gordy, Jr..
Discography
- Studio albums
- Wild and Peaceful (1979)
- Lady T (1980)
- Irons in the Fire (1980)
- It Must Be Magic (1981)
- Robbery (1983)
- Starchild (1984)
- Emerald City (1986)
- Naked to the World (1988)
- Ivory (1990)
- Passion Play (1994)
- La Doña (2004)
- Sapphire (2006)
- Congo Square (2009)
- Beautiful (2013)
Images for kids
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Teena Marie performing in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Teena Marie para niños
