| Author: | Charlene Oliver | ISBN: | 9781465867223 |
| Publisher: | ReAnimus Press | Publication: | July 26, 2011 |
| Imprint: | Smashwords Edition | Language: | English |
| Author: | Charlene Oliver |
| ISBN: | 9781465867223 |
| Publisher: | ReAnimus Press |
| Publication: | July 26, 2011 |
| Imprint: | Smashwords Edition |
| Language: | English |
Not just an amazing autobiography — a primer on the music industry and what it's like to have a #1 hit — a must-read for anyone considering a career in music.
"I've Never Been To Me," the favorite, iconic #1-hit song that's been featured in movies like Shrek the Third, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and TV shows such as Glee has an even more incredible story behind it and the life of the Motown artist who made it famous, Charlene. This is her extraordinary and inspirational story. Charlene always knew she wanted to be a singer, from her childhood in Hollywood. When the Beatles and the Rolling Stones first came to America, Charlene cheekily got an audience with them—she knew even back then that stardom was attractive. In a rollercoaster time, Charlene's life alternated from parties with Brian Wilson to having a child and marrying young, poverty, physical abuse, and the violent effects of her husband's increasing drug addiction, to joining Petula Clark's backing singers at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, auditioning in front of legendary Motown boss Berry Gordy and to her joy, being signed—the first ever white female singer to be signed to the label. Her first song, "All That Love Went To Waste," came out in 1974, followed by two albums on the Motown label. These were the heady years of parties with Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and all the other great Motown names. Then writer Ron Miller persuaded Charlene to record his song, "I've Never Been To Me," in 1977—that eventually lead to a #1 hit.
Her life mirrors the song in many ways, and it took finding and keeping her strong faith to see her through. Ride along with Charlene's rollercoaster life of performing live and singing in that mesmerizing way to fans all over the world. Read the story of how she had left the US and the music business to move to England with her second and loving husband, Jeff, with the rollercoaster swinging down and up again. The growing international success of the musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert confirmed her as a hugely popular singer among the gay community, and recently she released a new club version of her iconic song in association with Eye Witness. Charlene's story has it all: the stars, the fame, the struggle, the pain. No one does it better than Charlene.
Includes many photos of Charlene with her family and famous friends
Table of Contents
Foreword
Prologue
Chapter 1 — Born In The USA
Chapter 2 — You Can't Always Get What You Want
Chapter 3 — Going To The Chapel
Chapter 4 — The Tracks Of My Tears
Chapter 5 — Moving On Up
Chapter 6 — Your Cheating Heart
Chapter 7 — Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Chapter 8 — Breakaway
Chapter 9 — It's Raining Men
Chapter 10 — Baby, You Can Drive My Car
Photographs
Chapter 11 — Heaven Must Have Sent You
Chapter 12 — Baby, It's Cold Outside
Chapter 13 — Second Chance
Chapter 14 — It Ain't Easy Coming Down
Chapter 15 — I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Chapter 16 — Money, Money, Money
Chapter 17 — All You Need Is Love
Chapter 18 — Dancing Queen
Chapter 19 — Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)
Chapter 20 — You've Really Got A Hold On Me
Chapter 21 — I've Never Been To Me
Not just an amazing autobiography — a primer on the music industry and what it's like to have a #1 hit — a must-read for anyone considering a career in music.
"I've Never Been To Me," the favorite, iconic #1-hit song that's been featured in movies like Shrek the Third, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and TV shows such as Glee has an even more incredible story behind it and the life of the Motown artist who made it famous, Charlene. This is her extraordinary and inspirational story. Charlene always knew she wanted to be a singer, from her childhood in Hollywood. When the Beatles and the Rolling Stones first came to America, Charlene cheekily got an audience with them—she knew even back then that stardom was attractive. In a rollercoaster time, Charlene's life alternated from parties with Brian Wilson to having a child and marrying young, poverty, physical abuse, and the violent effects of her husband's increasing drug addiction, to joining Petula Clark's backing singers at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, auditioning in front of legendary Motown boss Berry Gordy and to her joy, being signed—the first ever white female singer to be signed to the label. Her first song, "All That Love Went To Waste," came out in 1974, followed by two albums on the Motown label. These were the heady years of parties with Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, and all the other great Motown names. Then writer Ron Miller persuaded Charlene to record his song, "I've Never Been To Me," in 1977—that eventually lead to a #1 hit.
Her life mirrors the song in many ways, and it took finding and keeping her strong faith to see her through. Ride along with Charlene's rollercoaster life of performing live and singing in that mesmerizing way to fans all over the world. Read the story of how she had left the US and the music business to move to England with her second and loving husband, Jeff, with the rollercoaster swinging down and up again. The growing international success of the musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert confirmed her as a hugely popular singer among the gay community, and recently she released a new club version of her iconic song in association with Eye Witness. Charlene's story has it all: the stars, the fame, the struggle, the pain. No one does it better than Charlene.
Includes many photos of Charlene with her family and famous friends
Table of Contents
Foreword
Prologue
Chapter 1 — Born In The USA
Chapter 2 — You Can't Always Get What You Want
Chapter 3 — Going To The Chapel
Chapter 4 — The Tracks Of My Tears
Chapter 5 — Moving On Up
Chapter 6 — Your Cheating Heart
Chapter 7 — Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Chapter 8 — Breakaway
Chapter 9 — It's Raining Men
Chapter 10 — Baby, You Can Drive My Car
Photographs
Chapter 11 — Heaven Must Have Sent You
Chapter 12 — Baby, It's Cold Outside
Chapter 13 — Second Chance
Chapter 14 — It Ain't Easy Coming Down
Chapter 15 — I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Chapter 16 — Money, Money, Money
Chapter 17 — All You Need Is Love
Chapter 18 — Dancing Queen
Chapter 19 — Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)
Chapter 20 — You've Really Got A Hold On Me
Chapter 21 — I've Never Been To Me
