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BAKER, Anita

(b 20 Dec. '57, Toledo, OH) Singer; typed first as a soul diva, she is a jazz-tinged balladeer with a gorgeous voice who felt a responsibility to grow as an artist and to earn the respect of her heroines Carmen McRae and Nancy Wilson. She was the female lead singer of Chapter 8 '76-83, who had three singles in the black chart on Ariola '79-80; her first album Songstress '83 appeared on the obscure Beverly Glen label operated by Otis Smith, a former Ariola executive; even so it reached the top 200 albums in Billboard, but the eccentric Smith then refused to allow her to record for him or anyone else. Litigation by Elektra finally set her free; Rapture '86 leapt to no. 11 with a top ten single 'Sweet Love', and Giving You The Best That I Got '88 was a no. 1 USA for four weeks. Her manager was Sherwin Bash, an old acquaintance of Elektra boss Bob Krasnow, and she had more freedom of action than most black artists; Compositions '90 (included her own songs, recorded live) and Rhythm Of Love '94 both went top five. 'I Apologize' won a Grammy that year for best R&B vocal.

With elements of restrained gospel and bags of integrity, choosing chords from the blue side of the piano but with upbeat lyrics, she was the biggest black female singer in the USA after Whitney Houston, and ten times the artist. Her fans would wait as long as necessary for the next album, and as it turned out they had to wait ten years. Having had several miscarriages, she wanted to stay home with her baby boys, and sahe also looked after her adoptive parents: her father died of bone cancer and her mother suffered from Alzheimer's. She could not write during this period; several songs were too sad and ended up in the fireplace, and Atlantic dropped her. Finally a new contract with Blue Note resulted in My Everything 2004, the title single already ringing the Billboard bell. All those kiddie divas imitating each other by showing their belly buttons had better watch out.