Renée Geyer
Renee Geyer (born September 11, 1953 in Melbourne, Australia) is a singer most often identified with jazz and blues music, who also achieved several hit singles as a mainsteam pop singer.
Geyer's singing career began in the early 1970s as a vocalist with the jazz band Dry Red and Sun. The band released one album before Geyer departed in 1972. After working for the next few years with various groups, she released her first solo album It's A Man's Man's World in 1974. The title track, a James Brown cover version became her first hit single. Heading In The Right Direction also reached the top twenty in 1976.
Her album Moving Along released in late 1976 provided her with her biggest hit to date with the single Stares and Whispers, and also attracted considerable attention in the United States when radio stations began playing several of the albums tracks. Geyer's record company RCA Records were aware that her vocal style had led many listeners to incorrectly assume that she was black, and they urged her to keep a low profile until her popularity had grown, even suggesting that the American release of the album should not include her photograph. Known for her uncompromising and direct personal manner, Geyer refused to allow this deception and insisted on marketing the album complete with a cover photograph of what she later referred to as "my big pink face". With the album's release, interest in Geyer subsided in the United States, an event that Geyer would later blame on her headstrong decision in regards to her marketing. She did earn respect within the recording industry and for several years worked in Los Angeles as a session vocalist.
In 1980 she signed with Mushroom Records and released the album So Lucky. The album took her away from the blues and jazz she had so closely identified with and added a salsa and reggae style. The single Say I Love You became the biggest hit of her career when it reached number 5 on the Australian singles charts.
She continued to record and perform as a solo artist over the next decade. She also performed as a session vocalist most notably on Sting's We'll Be Together.
In 1999 she made a comeback with the album Sweet Life, and in 2003 received her first ARIA Award nomination for her album Tenderland.
Discography
- Sun '72 (1972) (RCA)
- Renée Geyer (1973) (RCA)
- It's A Man's Man's World (1974) (RCA Australia)
- Ready To Deal (1975) (RCA/Mushroom)
- Really Really Love You (Live At The Dallas Brooks Hall) (1976) (RCA/Mushroom)
- Moving Along (1977) (RCA/Mushroom)
- Renée Geyer At Her Very Best (1977) (RCA/Mushroom)
- Winner (1978) (RCA/Mushroom)
- Blues License (1979) (RCA/Mushroom)
- So Lucky (1981) (Mushroom)
- Renée Live (1983) (Mushroom)
- Faves (1984) (Mushroom)
- Sing To Me (1985) (WEA)
- Renee Live at the Basement (1986) (ABC Records)
- Easy Pieces (1988) (A&M Records)
- Difficult Woman (1994) (Larrikin)
- The Best Of Renée Geyer - 1973-1998 (1998) (Mushroom)
- Sweet Life (1999) (Mushroom)
- Classic Collection (3CD Box Set) (2001) (Rajon)
- Tenderland (2003)