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Freda Payne: Just Doing What She Loves To Do
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By Deardra Shuler
January 2004
Legendary performer Freda Payne brought glamour to the Supper Club in New York, as she stood on stage singing a medley of songs. She was performing at the club as part of the show, "Things Ain't What They Used To Be." To say the woman looked gorgeous is an understatement. When it comes to maintaining her youthful appearance, for Freda, things are exactly the way they used to be. The singer attributes her youthful appearance to yoga exercises but if you ask me she secretly discovered the fountain of youth. The golden voiced chanteuse, best known for her hit, "Band of Gold," remained true to her art as she belted out songs like Duke Ellington's 'A' Train, "Jazzin," "Good Ole Wagon" and "Here's to Life."
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Freda Payne grew up with her sister, Scherrie Payne. Freda was Berry Gordy's first female protégé but never signed with Motown. It was her sister, Scherrie, who signed, later becoming the lead Supreme in 1974. Scherrie replaced Jean Terrell who had replaced Diana Ross in 1972. Freda's singing talents were discovered at the age of 12 by her piano teacher who recognized Freda could sing while auditioning her for a piano recital. "Even at age 12, I was a jazz buff and used to love to listen to singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn," recalled Freda. "Although, my hits were R&B and Pop songs, my real love is jazz. I was into Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Billie Holliday.
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Freda Payne
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In fact, it was Duke Ellington's son, Mercer, who initially introduced me to his father. I was 17 years old when I first met Duke Ellington. He sat at the piano in his hotel room in Detroit and played a song for me. After I sang it, Duke said: "I like your voice." He told me I reminded him of Lena Horne. He invited me to sing with his band and offered me a 10-year contract. Mr. Ellington sent the contract to my home, but at the time, my mother didn't want to accompany me on the road as my chaperone. So, the contract was never signed. I did get the opportunity to sing with Duke's band at a supper club in Pittsburgh however and eventually, years later, I ended up performing in "Sophisticated Ladies."
Freda started singing commercial jingles after becoming a member of AFTRA, eventually, acquiring her first professional job performing on the road with Pearl Bailey. "Working with Pearl Bailey was a trip, a real experience, but a very professional one," stated Payne. "Pearl was a professional but she had all kinds of rules. For example, she would insist that all her performers wear the same kind of cologne she wore. She claimed it was because she didn't want conflicting scents backstage. Pearl even made her singers wear the same make-up color she wore. It was a Max Factor brand, #27, which blended with Pearl's complexion but didn't necessarily blend with the other singer's complexions. She even made the white singers wear it. Pearl's thinking was that she wanted everyone to blend. She was a brilliant lady but at the same time, Pearl could be eccentric." I stayed with her a couple of months and then returned home because at the time I wasn't even 18 years old."
At 18, Freda got a job in New York where one night at the restaurant, Sapphires, she met Quincy Jones who was set to appear at the Apollo. Jones invited Payne to join his band after hearing her sing at the Baby Grand. She appeared as a soloist with him at the Apollo and then joined the band on the road. "We worked the Regal Theatre in Chicago and later returned to New York to work the Apollo again," said Payne. Her association with Quincy eventually led to a stint on Broadway in the late '60s when she understudied for Leslie Uggams in "Hallelujah Baby."
In 1965, Freda signed with ABC Records as a jazz singer. She later signed with the Invictus label. While there, she made an impact with her R&B hit, "Band of Gold." She later followed up this success in the UK with "Deeper and Deeper," and "Cherish What Is Dear To You." However, "Bring the Boys Home," brought her greater attention in the US when it scored big as a million-seller Anti Viet Nam song. She went on to release albums for ABC Records such as: "Payne & Pleasure," and "Out of Payne Comes Love." In 1976, Freda switched record companies and moved to Capitol where she recorded "Supernatural High" and then in 1982, recorded the single "In Motion," on the New York Sutra label. Her CD, "Freda Payne: Live in Concert," came out in 1994. Then came: "Christmas with Freda and Friends" in 1996 with "Come See About Me," following in 2000. Throughout her career, Payne has performed both nationally and internationally. She has performed in the Orient and the United Kingdom and most recently traveled to India. "I went to India with Bikram Choudhury, my yoga teacher, who I also recorded a multicultural CD with entitled "Bikram's Lounge." Future plans may find Freda endorsing a line of furs, diamonds, gowns and after five wear with singer Wanda Dee.
During her career, Ms. Payne has worked alongside performers such as the late Edwin Starr, the Temptations, Martha Reeves, Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Bill Cosby, Jay Leno, the OJs, and the Four Tops. She also does a wicked impersonation of Eartha Kitt. While sitting in the audience during a performance one evening, Ms. Kitt acknowledged Payne by engaging in light-hearted banter with Freda during Freda's impersonation of her. In the 1970's, Freda hosted a television show entitled "Today's Black Woman" on ABC in New York. It was also nationally syndicated on network affiliates." "I never knew how big television talk shows were going to be," claimed Freda. "Doing the television show was hard work and tremendously educational but my heart wasn't really into it. You have to have your heart into it like Oprah has in her show. Although, doing the television show was really a great experience for me."
The '80's found Payne on Broadway and performing in the road companies of shows like "Sophisticated Ladies" and "Blues in the Night." She appeared in Showtime's concert special: "The Legendary Ladies of Rock-And-Roll" and went on to play the stages of Vegas, in nightclubs, resorts, casinos and the Rainbow Room in New York. In the 1990s, Payne, who has never stopped working, made a natural progression into television sitcoms making guest appearances on programs such as Fox TV's "Living Single," starring Queen Latifah. She also performed in benefit concerts along with artists such as Shirley Bassey, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Toni Braxton, Shirley MacLaine, Chita Rivera, Cleo Laine, Cicely Tyson and Lena Horne.
Payne stopped along the way in her career to touch her emotional side by marrying singer Gregory Abbott, who is known for his #1 hit, "Shake You Down." The couple sired one child, their son, Gregory Abbot Jr. "I am not involved with anyone in particular in my life right now. Like a lot of woman I guess I am waiting for the right person to come along. I'm doing fine. I'm not broken down. I still look and feel good. I have no hip degeneration, no disease. I still have my voice and I am grateful to God that I am still preserved," muses Payne "I've lived in Beverly Hills a while now. I was lucky enough to acquire a house some time ago that I am able to maintain. The taxes remain reasonable due to California's Proposition 13 tax code."
"I basically want to continue to practice my craft and do what I've always done. Hopefully on a bigger scale," says Freda. In pursuit of that, the beautiful songstress has ventured off into feature films. She was recently featured singing "On the Sunny Side of the Street," making a cameo appearance in the movie "Sprung" starring Tisha Campbell and Rusty Cundieff. She also appeared in Full Moon Pictures' supernatural horror film, "Rag Doll," and had a role in Eddie Murphy's "The Klumps" Nutty Professor 11.
"I hope to do more films and keep doing what I love," claims the enduring star. "As long as they keep calling, I'm going to keep working and as long as I'm working, I'm doing what I love to do."
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