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Venetta Fields
Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-Australian singer and musical theater actress, and vocal coach.
Fields was a backing vocalist for touring American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as working as a session recording vocalist, she worked with artists including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble Pie, Barbra Streisand, Elkie Brooks, Neil Diamond, Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, Bob Seger, America and the Rolling Stones. After emigrating to Australia in 1982, she took up citizenship. She recorded or toured as a backing singer for Australian artists Richard Clapton, Australian Crawl, Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, James Morrison, John Farnham, and New Zealand artists Tim Finn and Split Enz.
Fields was born in Buffalo, New York in 1941, into a religious family. Her early musical training was from regular gospel performances at church. Her inspiration was Aretha Franklin. Fields singing career began with the Templaires, a group she formed with members of her church, followed by the Corinthian Gospel Singers.
In late 1961, the Ike & Tina Turner Revue were playing in Buffalo. Fields successfully auditioned as a new member of Ike & Tina Turner's backing vocalists, joining the Ikettes. The revue toured the Chitlin' Circuit and performed at prominent theaters in major cities across the United States. In between gigs Ike Turner produced artists in the revue. Fields released her debut single "You're Still My Baby"/ "I'm Leaving You" on Turner's Sony Records label in 1963. Fields was given a solo to perform during shows, such as "The Love of My Man" on the album Ike & Tina Turner Revue Live (1964), "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)," and "Good Time Tonight" on Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show (1965).
In 1965, the Ikettes released the Top 40 hit "Peaches 'N' Cream" (Pop #36, R&B #28) and "I'm So Thankful" (Pop #74, R&B #12) on Modern Records. By late 1965, Fields left the revue along with fellow Ikettes Jessie Smith and Robbie Montgomery. Fields later recalled "I was an Ikette for five years. It was a rough job, but it was a very good experience. It's just like a school. You go from grade 1 to 2, not from 1 to 8. And when you graduate you have to leave. There is such a thing as staying too long; when you start getting stagnant and stifled by what you're doing. We almost stayed too long." Fields later relocated to Los Angeles after leaving the revue.
In 1966, the trio signed to Mirwood Records and became the Mirettes. They left Mirwood and released their highest-charting single "In the Midnight Hour" (Pop #45, R&B #18) on Revue Records in 1968. By 1970, Fields had left the group and was replaced by former Ikette Pat Powdrill.
Fields worked as a session vocalist from about 1969, often with Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews, for Quincy Jones, Paul Butterfield, Tim Buckley, Steely Dan, Joe Walsh, Joe Cocker, Elkie Brooks, Neil Diamond, Leonard Cohen, Bob Seger, Burt Bacharach and Burton Cummings.
Others include: Diana Ross, Bette Midler, Bob Dylan, the Supremes, and for Aretha Franklin – her mentor and inspiration. Notable performances during this time included Wish You Were Here (September 1975) with Pink Floyd, and recording the Rolling Stones' album Exile on Main St. (May 1972). Fields later reflected on her sessions for the latter album, they were at midnight but she wanted money for clothing, "I was more interested in the coat than I was in the Rolling Stones". With King, she sang on four tracks, "Tumbling Dice", "I Just Want to See His Face", "Let It Loose" and "Shine a Light", which she felt "were wonderful songs and they were just right for us... We knew gospel. That's what most people wanted from us, a gospel sound."
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Venetta Fields
Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-Australian singer and musical theater actress, and vocal coach.
Fields was a backing vocalist for touring American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as working as a session recording vocalist, she worked with artists including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble Pie, Barbra Streisand, Elkie Brooks, Neil Diamond, Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, Bob Seger, America and the Rolling Stones. After emigrating to Australia in 1982, she took up citizenship. She recorded or toured as a backing singer for Australian artists Richard Clapton, Australian Crawl, Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes, James Morrison, John Farnham, and New Zealand artists Tim Finn and Split Enz.
Fields was born in Buffalo, New York in 1941, into a religious family. Her early musical training was from regular gospel performances at church. Her inspiration was Aretha Franklin. Fields singing career began with the Templaires, a group she formed with members of her church, followed by the Corinthian Gospel Singers.
In late 1961, the Ike & Tina Turner Revue were playing in Buffalo. Fields successfully auditioned as a new member of Ike & Tina Turner's backing vocalists, joining the Ikettes. The revue toured the Chitlin' Circuit and performed at prominent theaters in major cities across the United States. In between gigs Ike Turner produced artists in the revue. Fields released her debut single "You're Still My Baby"/ "I'm Leaving You" on Turner's Sony Records label in 1963. Fields was given a solo to perform during shows, such as "The Love of My Man" on the album Ike & Tina Turner Revue Live (1964), "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)," and "Good Time Tonight" on Live! The Ike & Tina Turner Show (1965).
In 1965, the Ikettes released the Top 40 hit "Peaches 'N' Cream" (Pop #36, R&B #28) and "I'm So Thankful" (Pop #74, R&B #12) on Modern Records. By late 1965, Fields left the revue along with fellow Ikettes Jessie Smith and Robbie Montgomery. Fields later recalled "I was an Ikette for five years. It was a rough job, but it was a very good experience. It's just like a school. You go from grade 1 to 2, not from 1 to 8. And when you graduate you have to leave. There is such a thing as staying too long; when you start getting stagnant and stifled by what you're doing. We almost stayed too long." Fields later relocated to Los Angeles after leaving the revue.
In 1966, the trio signed to Mirwood Records and became the Mirettes. They left Mirwood and released their highest-charting single "In the Midnight Hour" (Pop #45, R&B #18) on Revue Records in 1968. By 1970, Fields had left the group and was replaced by former Ikette Pat Powdrill.
Fields worked as a session vocalist from about 1969, often with Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews, for Quincy Jones, Paul Butterfield, Tim Buckley, Steely Dan, Joe Walsh, Joe Cocker, Elkie Brooks, Neil Diamond, Leonard Cohen, Bob Seger, Burt Bacharach and Burton Cummings.
Others include: Diana Ross, Bette Midler, Bob Dylan, the Supremes, and for Aretha Franklin – her mentor and inspiration. Notable performances during this time included Wish You Were Here (September 1975) with Pink Floyd, and recording the Rolling Stones' album Exile on Main St. (May 1972). Fields later reflected on her sessions for the latter album, they were at midnight but she wanted money for clothing, "I was more interested in the coat than I was in the Rolling Stones". With King, she sang on four tracks, "Tumbling Dice", "I Just Want to See His Face", "Let It Loose" and "Shine a Light", which she felt "were wonderful songs and they were just right for us... We knew gospel. That's what most people wanted from us, a gospel sound."