Anita Ward

Anita Ward, born 20 December 1956 in Memphis, Tennessee, was an American singer whose early life included a psychology degree from Rust College before a career in teaching. Her breakthrough came when record‑label owner Frederick Knight presented her with a dance track that would become the 1979 single "Ring My Bell", which reached Number 1 on the United States Hot 100, R&B, and Dance charts, as well as in the United Kingdom and Canada. The success of the single launched her debut album Songs of Love in 1979, followed by the disco‑infused album Sweet Surrender later that year, which produced the minor hit "Don't Drop My Love". A third album was halted due to contractual disputes and a serious car accident, and her career momentum waned with the decline of disco. After a long hiatus, Anita Ward recorded Wherever There’s Love in 1990, which was released internationally and included a re‑recorded version of "Ring My Bell", but the single "Be My Baby" did not chart. She returned to the studio in 2011 with the single "It’s My Night" and performed "Ring My Bell" at New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2002 and 2005, as well as at the 2024 First Ladies of Disco Show in Las Vegas. Anita Ward’s legacy remains defined by the enduring popularity of "Ring My Bell" and her impact on the late 1970s disco scene.