Andrea True

Andrea True
True performing in 1976
Background information
Birth name Andrea Marie Truden[1] (alternative: Andreja Marija Truden)[2]
Born (1943-07-26)July 26, 1943
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Died November 7, 2011(2011-11-07) (aged 68)
Kingston, New York, U.S.
Genres Disco
Occupation(s) Actress, singer
Years active 1972–1995
Labels Buddah Records

Andrea Marie Truden[3] (July 26, 1943 – November 7, 2011),[3] better known by her pseudonym Andrea True, was an American pornographic actress and singer from the disco era.[4] In addition to her given name, she had multiple stage names, including Inger Kissin, Singe Low, Sandra Lips,[1] Andrea Travis, and Catherine Warren.

As a singer, she is best known for the 1976 pop-disco hit "More, More, More" (performed as part of her recording project, The Andrea True Connection), which peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart.[5][6]

Early life

Andrea Marie Truden was born in Nashville, Tennessee,[3] where she attended St. Cecilia Academy, a Catholic school for girls.

Career

True moved to New York City as a teenager, to seek fame as a mainstream film star or singer. While she sang in clubs and managed to get minor roles in mainstream movies from time to time, including The Way We Were (1973), the fame she sought was elusive. When some friends asked her to join them in a pornographic movie, she went along with the idea, initially thinking of this opportunity as the best way for her to gain more experience with films and acting.

She performed in pornographic films in Scandinavia in the 1960s, and by the end of the decade, began appearing in American adult films. Eventually, she performed in more than fifty hardcore porn films throughout the 1970s and early to mid-1980s in the early New York adult film industry.[7] In an interview in 1977, she described her activity in adult films as being important because "our first amendment was in great danger because of censorship from our government." She also said "I think it [pornography] was a fad".

During her heyday as a porn actress, around 1975, True was hired by a real estate business in Jamaica to appear in their commercials. While she was working there, the Jamaican government banned asset transfers in response to sanctions imposed by the U.S. after the election of Michael Manley, a supporter of Fidel Castro. In order to return to the U.S., True would have to either forfeit her pay or spend the money before she went home.[7] True, who by this time was trying to break into the music industry, chose to invest the money in recording a demo of "More, More, More," a song she had been working on with record producer Gregg Diamond, her partner in a project called The Andrea True Connection. Remixed by recording engineer Tom Moulton, "More, More, More" became a favorite in nightclubs. It reached No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and a full album with the same title followed. The single also reached the charts in the UK (where it peaked at No. 5),[6] Germany (where it reached No. 9)[4] and Italy (where it reached No. 11).[8]

By the time of her singing career, True admitted she was burned out and tired of porn, saying, "I'd rather be a waitress or a typist than make another adult film", and also, "Don't think of me as a porn star anymore, think of me as a recording star. I just want to record and perform". In early 1977, True released the single "N.Y., You Got Me Dancing", from her follow-up album, White Witch. The single became True's second biggest hit, reaching No. 27 on Billboard's pop chart. In 1978, she had a second hit in the UK with "What's Your Name, What's Your Number", which peaked at No. 34 in the UK.[6] Both albums included studio musicians with a new band assembled for the tour, the second line-up, which included future Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick. In 1980, she released her third and final album, War Machine. A more hard rock-oriented album, it was released only in Europe, but it flopped.

After her third album failed, True briefly attempted returning to porn, but at nearly 40, she was too old for a comeback. She also could not return to music because a goiter that developed on her vocal cords required surgery, essentially ending her singing ability.[9] She lived in Los Angeles for some time and subsequently moved to New York. During the early 1990s, Andrea lived in an apartment on Manhattan's east side. By the turn of the century she had begun a new low-profile career, living in Boynton Beach, Florida working as a psychic reader as well as a counselor for drug and substance abusers.

True continued receiving royalties from her music, and "More More More" remained a popular song on TV and movies. True received a renewed burst of publicity when the Canadian group Len sampled the instrumental break from "More, More, More" in their single, "Steal My Sunshine". Subsequently, True appeared on several VH1 specials including 100 Greatest Dance Songs in 2000 ("More, More, More" was the No. 45 greatest dance song), Where Are They Now and 100 Greatest One-hit Wonders (both in 2002), in which she said she wanted to be remembered as a person who "gave people pleasure" — then emphasized the words — "with my music". She also made an appearance in the 2005 documentary movie Inside Deep Throat.[10]

Death

True died on November 7, 2011, at a hospital in Kingston, New York. She was 68 years old. The cause was given as heart failure. In line with her wishes, True's body was cremated.[3][11]

Discography

Albums

Year Album U.S.
[12]		 U.S.
Black
[12]		 CAN
[13]		 Record Label
1976 More, More, More 47 49 39 Buddah Records
1977 White Witch — — —
1980 War Machine (Europe only) — — — Ricordi International

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions B-Side Album
US
[14]		 US
Black
[12]		 US
Club
[12]		 US
Disco
[12]		 CAN
[15]		 GER
[16]		 NZ
[17]		 SPA
[18]		 UK
[19]
1976 "Call Me" — — — 5 — — — — — "Party Line" (A-side) More, More, More
"Keep It Up Longer" — — — 5 — — — — — "N.Y., You Got Me Dancing" (A-side)
"More, More, More" 4 23 2 1 1 9 25 23 5 "More, More, More (Pt. II)"
"Party Line/Fill Me Up/Call Me" — — 9 — — — — — —
"Party Line" 80 95 4 — 90 — — — — "Call Me"
1977 "N.Y., You Got Me Dancing" 27 — 4 — 89 — — — — "Keep It Up Longer" White Witch
"What's Your Name, What's Your Number" 56 — 9 — — — — — 34 "Fill Me Up (Heart To Heart)"
1980 "War Machine" — — — — — — — — — "The Unkindest Cut" War Machine
"Make My Music For Me" — — — — — — — — — "Whatever Happened To Love"

Partial filmography

  • Meatball, 1972 (as Singe Low)
  • Hot Channels, 1973
  • Devil's Due, 1973
  • Madame Zenobia, 1973 (as Inger Kissen)
  • Deep Throat Part II, 1974
  • Illusions of a Lady, 1974
  • Lady on the Couch, 1974
  • The Chamber Maids, 1974
  • The Seduction of Lynn Carter, 1974
  • Christy, 1975
  • Keep on Truckin, 1975
  • Summer Session, 1975
  • Every Inch a Lady, 1975
  • Mash'd, 1976 (also director)

References

  1. 1 2 Pierre Perrone Obituary: Andrea True, The Independent, November 26, 2011.
  2. ↑ Marcel Štefančič jr. Amerika: Dekle, ki sem jo ljubil, Mladina, November 18, 2011 (in Slovenian).
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Disco singer Andrea True, 68, dies in Kingston". Daily Freeman. Dailyfreeman.com. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  4. 1 2 Jason Ankeny (July 7, 2007). "Biography: Andrea True". Allmusic. Retrieved July 1, 2007.
  5. ↑ Bronson, Fred (August 2, 2018). "The Billboard Book of Number One Hits". Billboard Books – via Google Books.
  6. 1 2 3 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London, UK: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 568. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  7. 1 2 Vitello, Paul (November 24, 2011). "Andrea True, Singer of Disco Hit, Dies at 68". New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  8. ↑ Dario Salvatori. Storia dell'Hit Parade. Gramese, 1989.
  9. ↑ "Hearst Magazines". celebrity.elle.com.
  10. ↑ Dargis, Manohla (2005-02-11). "A Cautionary Tale Arguing for Freedom of Expression". The New York Times.
  11. ↑ "Andrea True, who sang More More More, dies aged 68". BBC News. November 27, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Andrea True Connection - Awrds and Charts (Allmusic)". www.allmusic.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 25, No. 19". RPM. Walt Grealis. August 7, 1976. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Andrea True Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  15. ↑ Peak positions for Canada:
    • More More More:"Top Singles - Volume 25, No. 16 July 17, 1976". Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-04. . RPM (magazine).
    • Party Line:"Top Singles - Volume 26, No. 1 October 02, 1976". Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-04. . RPM (magazine).
    • N.Y. You've Got Me Dancing:"Top Singles - Volume 27, No. 1 April 02, 1977". Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved 2016-07-04. . RPM (magazine).
  16. ↑ "GfK Entertainment Charts > Andrea True". offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "Official New Zealand Music Chart > Andrea True". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  18. ↑ Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  19. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 587. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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