Roberta Kelly

Biography

Roberta Kelly (born November 23, 1942) is an American disco and urban contemporary gospel singer who scored three hits on the US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart between 1976 and 1978. Her most successful US hit single, "Trouble-Maker", spent two weeks at No. 1.
From 1975 until 1983, she also performed as a backing vocalist with Thelma Houston and on a number of Donna Summer albums.

Career

Kelly grew up in Los Angeles, California. In August 1972, during the Olympic Games, she traveled to Munich, West Germany to pursue her dreams of becoming a singer.
Prior to releases in the US through composer Giorgio Moroder's Oasis record label during the 1970s, Kelly recorded a single in Germany entitled "Kung Fu Is Back Again" (1974), released on Atlantic and produced by the songwriter-producer Pete Bellotte alongside Moroder. In 1974, Kelly was also hired by Sylvester Levay and Michael Kunze to provide vocals on an upcoming album for what would eventually be known as the Silver Convention.
In 1975 she released the single "Love Power" a cover version of a 1967 hit by the Sandpebbles, written by Teddy Vann, and later made famous as part of the repertoire of Luther Vandross. The single was backed with "Drifter", never included in any album and an example of the pre-disco Moroder-Bellotte production, similar to Donna Summer's "Lady of the night" material. In April 1976, Kelly turned to disco with the single "Trouble-Maker" and released an album by the same name. The album contained five tracks, including an extended version of "Love Power".
In 1977, she released Zodiac Lady, a controversial album that Casablanca Records, during the disco heyday, refused at first to release. Imports from Italy swamped the international dance floors, creating a hit for the title track and songs such as "Love Sign". This album spawned a twelve-inch single, "Zodiacs×ZodiacsDecember 1977 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAZodiacsBMoondreaming", which had major club and radio play. "Funky Stardust", "Love Sign" and "I'm Sagittarius" were released from that album, in addition to "Zodiacs" itself in different countries. "Zodiacs" peaked at No. 24 in the US Hot Dance/Club Play chart in 1977, and at No. 44 in the UK Singles Chart in 1978. "Love Sign" was released as a single in few countries only. Both "Trouble-Maker" and "Zodiac Lady×Zodiac Lady3 October 1977 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracksA1Zodiacs5:07A2Love-Sign5:40A3Funky Stardust4:18B1I'm Sagittarius3:10B2Sunburst4:38B3Moondreaming3:57" were produced by Moroder and Bellotte.

Gettin' the Spirit, followed in March 1978. Produced by Giorgio Moroder and Bob Esty, it was an album consisting of gospel songs, performed in the disco style. The album featured dance versions of the Edwin Hawkins penned, "Oh Happy Day" and "To My Father's House", with both songs released on one single. "Gettin' the Spirit" was also released with a disco version of "My Sweet Lord". It peaked at No. 9 on the US Hot Dance/Club Play chart in 1978.
When Pope John Paul II succeeded John Paul I in 1978, Kelly released the single "John Paul II", which never made it onto an album, but the B-side, "Tribute to Love", did in the late 1980 release, Roots Can Be Anywhere. By this time, Kelly was no longer with Casablanca Records. Two singles were released: "Kabacka Shaka" and "Roots Can Be Anywhere×Roots Can Be Anywhere1980 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Kabaka Shaka8:06A2Miel Masai5:37A3Aie4:26A4Little Mary Joe5:28B1Roots Can Be Anywhere4:39B2Lady Jive2:54B3Unless We Gonna Change It7:04B4Tribute Of Love4:34", but the album had limited success also due to poor distribution. It was also released as "This is Roberta Kelly" with a longer version of Kabacka Shaka" and without "Coconut Rock". It was produced by Michael Holm.
In 1981, Kelly released the album, Tell Me×Tell Me1981 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Tell Me4:03A2Patty Cake4:00A3Little Chicana3:50A4American Men4:41A5Please Yourself3:16B1Making It to the Top4:02B2Once in a While4:40B3Little Darling4:04B4Gonna Getcha4:19B5Burning My Candle3:29, through Baby Records in Italy, featuring "Patty Cake", produced by Jürgen Koppers. It was a last attempt to revive disco. After that, Kelly's next release was not until 1995, when she issued The Sound of Color and "Jubilee in Germany", celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.
In mid-2008, Kelly resurfaced with the single, "America (The Sound of Colour Realized)".

Albums

1976: Trouble-Maker
1977: Zodiac Lady
1978: Gettin' the Spirit
1980: Roots Can Be Anywhere
1980: This Is Roberta Kelly
1981: Tell Me
1995: Sound of Color

Singles

1974: "Kung Fu Is Back Again"
1975: "Love Power"
1976: "Trouble-Maker"
1977: "Zodiacs×ZodiacsDecember 1977 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAZodiacsBMoondreaming"
1977: "Love Sign"
1977: "Funky Stardust"
1977: "I'm Sagittarius"
1978: "Oh Happy Day"
1978: "Gettin' the Spirit"
1979: "John Paul II"
1980: "Roots Can be Anywhere×Roots Can Be Anywhere1980 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracksA1Kabaka Shaka8:06A2Miel Masai5:37A3Aie4:26A4Little Mary Joe5:28B1Roots Can Be Anywhere4:39B2Lady Jive2:54B3Unless We Gonna Change It7:04B4Tribute Of Love4:34"
1980: "Kabacka Shacka"
1981: "Patty Cake"
2008: "America (The Sound of Colour Realized)"