Sandy Posey is an American singer known in the 1960s of the last century, the performer of the hits Born a Woman and Single Girl, which were popular in Europe, the USA and other countries in the second half of the XNUMXth century.
There is a stereotype that Sandy is a country singer, although her songs, like live performances, are a combination of different styles. Among the genres, the elements of which the performer used, are jazz, soul and rhythm and blues. But still, most listeners know her as a performer of classic country music, characteristic of the state of Nashville.
Career of Sandy Posey
Posey was born June 18, 1944 in the small town of Jasper (Alabama). While studying at school, she moved to another state - Arkansas. In 1962, the girl graduated and thought about what she should do next. At this time, Sandy's own aunt realized that the girl had a naturally beautiful voice. She recommended it to her friend who worked in television.
Sandy got a job as a session singer in a studio in Memphis. Here she helped other performers in recording voices, often prescribed her vocal parts, including for a number of films.
Posey was also able to participate in studio sessions hosted by renowned producer Lincoln Moman. Sessions were arranged for Elvis Presley and Percy Sledge during the recording of When a Man Loves a Woman.
The song became a #1 hit in 1966 in the US. And Sandy gained experience working with the giants of the music industry of the time. After that, she decided that she wanted to not only participate in other people's music sessions, but also become a musician.
Sandy Posey Music Career
The girl in 1965 took the pseudonym Sandy Posey and recorded the first song. The single was called Kiss Me Goodnight. The author of the song is William Cates, who also wrote the girl and the second song First Boy. The well-known company Bell Records began to release the single, but the songs remained almost unnoticed by the audience in the United States.
However, this song helped the girl to meet Gary Walker, who later became her manager. Gary helped the girl record the song Born a Woman, written by Martha Sharp. Hearing the song, Lincoln Momon, with whom Posey had already worked a little during the Presley session in Alabama, helped the girl sign a contract with a major MGM label.
Song Born a Woman
Born a Woman was recorded in the spring of 1966, and by the summer the composition had already become a real hit. The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 12. This single sold over 1 million copies and was certified gold for sales.
The song was very different from what was coming out at the time due to the variety of instruments involved and the style of vocal performance. There are parts for piano, guitar and wind instruments. In combination with multi-channel recording (which was rare then), the melody really touched the soul of the listener.
The composition won a number of prestigious music awards. She received several cover versions, one of which, performed by singer Judy Stone, became a hit in Australia.
The new composition Single Girl was also written by Martha Sharp. The song was presented immediately after the success of the first single. She began to enjoy no less popularity. The song, like Born a Woman, peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also became a hit in Europe (mainly in the UK) and Australia.
It is also interesting that, for unknown reasons, the single was distributed in the UK only in a “pirated way”. And it was officially published only after almost 10 years. At the same time, already in 1975, she re-entered various British charts.
The next single was What a Woman in Love Won't Do. It was accepted already more calmly than the first two songs. However, she visited several music charts and consolidated the popularity of the aspiring singer. The maximum position in the Billboard Hot 100, which the song managed to take, is 31st. In the UK, the single entered the top 50 songs. After that, she continued her collaboration with Lincoln Momon. The song I Take It Black hit the top 1967 in 20. However, the success of other compositions was less noticeable.
Experiments in music
After some time, Posey wanted to experiment with genres. To do this, she signed with Columbia Records in 1971. At the time, there was a fast-paced dynamic of converting 1960s pop stars into famous country music artists.
One producer who occasionally did this work was Billy Sherrill. He took Sandy under his wing. Bring Him Safely Home to Me, written by him and performed by Posey, reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two other songs failed to chart and were virtually invisible in the new music of the 1970s.
Posey made several more attempts at Monument Records, then Warner Bros. records. But all this never went beyond rare and not very noticeable returns to the charts at the bottom positions. From 1980 until the mid-2000s, Sandy created new compositions from time to time, some of which hit the charts. More recent works are available for purchase online.
