Carrie Lucas

Biography

Carrie Lucas (born November 5, 1948) is an American R&B singer, born in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. In 1976, she was signed to Soul Train Records. Lucas released six studio albums over seven years, with Soul Train and SOLAR Records.
Lucas was married to Soul Train Records and Solar Records founder Dick Griffey, from 1974 until his death in 2010. Her daughter is Carolyn Griffey.

Career

"I Gotta Keep Dancing" and "Gotta Get Away from Your Love" were the two hit singles from Lucas's first album, Simply Carrie×Simply Carrie1977 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1I Gotta Keep Dancin’5:08A2Me for You4:12A3Play by Your Rule3:20A4Tender (interlude)1:35A5Tender7:04B1Jammin’ Tenderly (Tender, Part II)2:26B2I Gotta Get Away From Your Love3:49B3I’ll Close Loves Door4:50B4What’s the Question5:41B5Men Kiss and Tell3:52, released in 1977. "I Gotta Keep Dancing" peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977.
Lucas' second album, Street Corner Symphony×Street Corner Symphony2 May 1978 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Street Corner Symphony6:15A2But My Heart Says So4:03A3Tic Toc4:18A4The Depths of My Soul3:42B1The Edge of Night6:15B2Questions5:20B3Simpler Days3:44B4Reflections1:16, was released in 1978. It featured The Whispers as backing vocalists. A single from the LP, of the same name, was a homage to the 1960s doo-wop groups. The album was released on the record producer Dick Griffey's Solar Records label.
In 1979, Lucas released Carrie Lucas in Danceland. Griffey brought in Jody Watley (Shalamar) for background vocals, Lakeside (co-producers and backgrounds) and Walter and Wallace Scott (The Whispers) for backgrounds. Organist Kossi Gardner (1941–2009) wrote and played on the hit "Dance with You", which propelled the album to number 37 in the U.S Dance Album chart. "Dance with You" gave Lucas her only appearance in the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 40 and it was later also sampled by Armand van Helden in his 1999 UK number one hit You Don't Know Me (Armand Van Helden song). 1980's Portrait of Carrie was less commercially successful, although it did spawn three modest hit singles. The first 12-inch was a reworking of her first hit, re-titled as "Keep Smilin'". This was followed by "It's Not What You Got (It's How You Use It)" and "Career Girl." Griffey shared production duties with Leon Sylvers and Gardner.
Lucas' next release, Still in Love, was released in 1982. It was recorded and released under the banner of Solar Records and distributed by Elektra/Asylum. The album produced two 12-inch singles, "Men" and the more successful "Show Me Where You're Coming From." Sheila E. co-wrote the album's title track.
Her most recent album was released in 1985. Horsin' Around spawned four 12-inch singles; "Charlie," "Horsin' Around×Horsin' Around15 April 1985 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Summer in the Street6:00A2Charlie5:18A3Goin' in Circles4:30A4Horsin' Around4:30B1Hello Stranger5:50B2Let's Keep Dancing5:57B3Somebody Said3:24B4Superstar4:40," "Summer in the Street" and "Hello Stranger". Her cover version of Barbara Lewis' "Hello Stranger" reached number 20 on the US Billboard R&B chart.
Lucas' last known recording was an appearance on the 1990 soundtrack for Lambada: Set the Night on Fire. She performed the song "I Like the Rhythm". Lucas decided to retire from the music industry, to concentrate on married life and her horses. Carrie Lucas is the mother of Carolyn Griffey of Shalamar and Lucas Griffey.
Unidisc Records in Canada released a Greatest Hits package, which contains most of her 12-inch mixes in 1999. Carrie Lucas released her first single since 1990 on May 15, 2018. The single is "Some Things Never Change", written by Carrie Lucas and Nigel Lowis made it to number 32 of Amazon's Hot New Releases of the week. The single was released on Solar Records UK. Carrie Lucas, Carolyn Griffey, Lucas Griffey and Chinese music promoter Jessie Tsang relaunched the Solar Records and Soul Train Records in the UK. The relaunch was covered in the UK magazine Soul Survivors. Jessie Tsang is CEO with Sonia Damney as Vice President. Carrie Lucas also owns trade mark rights to Shalamar in the UK and Europe. In 2022 Carrie Lucas participated with US cable channel TV One for a special episode of the Unsung TV series on Dick Griffey and Solar Records. The episode aired on November 6 2022.