Cherrelle

Known for her airy soprano vocal range, R&B artist Cherrelle made a name for herself as a vocalist and singer-songwriter during the mid-80s, scoring a handful of hits under the tutelage of producing powerhouse Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Born Cheryl Anne Norton on October 13, 1958 in Detroit, she cut her teeth as a background singer for Norman Connors, Michael Henderson, and Luther Vandross before being discovered by Tabu Records founder Clarence Avant. After signing with Tabu in 1983, Cherrelle made her official debut with the album Fragile (1984), which included her first R&B Top 10 single “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On.” The song was later covered by Robert Palmer and Mariah Carey. Her sophomore effort High Priority saw the light in 1985 and featured the Alexander O’Neal duet “Saturday Love.” The track went to Number 2 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and also reached Number 6 in the UK. Cherrelle landed her first Number 1 single in 1985 with “Everything I Miss at Home,” included in her third album Affair. During the 90s, Cherrelle issued the full-length The Woman I Am (1991) and then retreated from the spotlight until 1999’s The Right Time, a comeback album featuring Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis behind the console and a cameo by rapper Keith Murray.