Shows like TV One's Unsung tend to fly under the radar...as do the people in the show (oh, the irony.) Unsung features artists and musicians who provided a soundtrack to our childhood and/or our parents' young adult years, and are either unrecognized or did not receive the full recognition they deserved. As a tribute to these forgotten artists- and to supplement an already fabulous show- I'll be creating my own version of Unsung blogs, except with a twist- Recognized. These blogs will include actors and actresses from television shows or movies, who cemented themselves in black popular culture. I'll recall my introduction to the talent at hand, and discuss how they've impacted my life and our culture. Let's first start with a music artist:
Melanie Janene Thornton (May 13th 1967- November 24th, 2001) of La Bouche
Bio: Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Melanie Janene Thornton wanted to pursue a singing career at young age, and was heavily influenced by recording female recording artists such as Roberta Flack and Aretha Franklin. In February 1992, Melanie traveled to live in Germany with her sister and brother-in-law, arriving with just $15 dollars in her wallet. After an unsuccessful stint on the nightclub circuit and many failed demos, Thornton caught the eye of music producer Frank Farian, a producer who also worked with artists Milli Vanilli and Boney M. Pairing her with rapper Lane McCray, Farian placed Thornton as the front man of the newly formed Eurodance group "La Bouche," French for "The Mouth." The group's claim to fame were the songs "Sweet Dreams" and "Be My Lover," and soon La Bouche became one of the most successful Eurodance groups of the nineties. Their awards included the German Grammy, the Golden Europa for 'Best Duo or Group,' and the Echo for 'Best Dance Song of the Year."
Death: By 2000, Thornton set out to pursue a solo career, and on November 24th, 2001, Thornton boarded a plane to promote her solo album, Ready to Fly. Tragically, the plane crashed near Bassersdrof, Switzerland killing Thornton (age 34), and all 24 passengers on board.
Influence: La Bouche was another artist I was introduced to by Cathy, and I remember her repeatedly blasting the La Bouche album, Greatest Hits. The music was somewhat foreign to me as it was one of my earliest memories of dance/techno music, but I LOVED Thornton's voice. Imagine my delight when I looked at the cassette tape holder, and found that Thornton was this gorgeous black woman! I don't hear 'Sweets Dreams" or 'Be My Lover" on the radio anymore, but sometimes (depending on the place), I'll hear it at a party or in a bar. And every time, I unconsciously sing the lyrics, word for word, as if I'm that little girl singing "wanna be my lover" around the dining room on Coyle.
As popular as La Bouche was, the group continues to remain 'unsung' in black popular culture, mainly because of the type of music they performed. Although it wasn't soul, hip-hop, or R&B, it was still music performed by two black talented artists that were able to break into an industry dominated by white artists, become successful, AND do it better than it had been done before.
La Bouche: RECOGNIZED.
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