Cheryl Lynn

1976–85: Columbia Records Years

After her performance on The Gong Show, Ahmed Ertegun of Atlantic Records company couldn't come to an initial meeting with Lynn, with the result that she was contracted with Columbia Records company. Lynn released her first and best-known song, "Got to Be Real," which was composed by Lynn along with keyboardist David Paich (of the band Toto) and David Foster. The song scored #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 record chart and #1 on the Rhythm & Blues chart. The success of the single prompted a full scale debut album. Entiled Cheryl Lynn, it was produced by Paich. The album sold more than a million copies and scored #5 on Billboard magazine's R&B albums chart and #23 on Billboards top 200 album charts. The next single off the album, written by Judy Wieder and John Footman, "Star Love", also became a top selling success. Wieder and Footman joined songwriting forces with the artist for her second album, In Love. The first single, "I've Got Just What You Need", was a moderate hit on the R&B charts. The follow-up single, "Keep It Hot", was a club hit. During this time, members of the rock music group Toto were producing their debut album. During the production Lynn was asked to provide the female backing vocal for the single album, "Georgy Porgy,". The single scored #48 on Billboard's popular music charts. Although Toto would go on to chart more than a dozen Pop and Rock songs throughout the years, Lynn's vocal was credited for the groups charting their only R&B (#18) and Dance (#80) on the Billboard charts.

In 1981 Ray Parker Jr. was called in to produced Lynn's third album, "In The Night". It featured the major dance & R&B single, "Shake It Up, Tonight". The next year, Luther Vandross was asked to produce Lynn's fourth album, Instant Love. The 2nd single from the album, "If This World Were Mine" – a 1982 duet with Luther Vandross that was a cover version of a previous Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell song, has become a classic. For her fifth album, Preppie, Lynn produced most of the tracks with the exception of the single "Encore" (#1 R&B ) – which was written and produced by the Minneapolis funk music duo, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It became Lynn's second #1 single.

Soundtracks

Lynn also recorded soundtracks for a couple of feature films including a song written by Michael Bolton entitled "At Last Your Mine", for the 1985 film Heavenly Bodies and the track "Steppin' Into The Night" for the 1986 feature film Armed and Dangerous. The song as well as the film's soundtrack was altogether produced by Maurice White.^[3]

1987–98: Whatever It Takes, Good Time and The Real Thing

During 1989, Lynn released the top 10 single, "Every Time I Try To Say Goodbye", from her eighth album, Whatever It Takes. Lynn began the 1990s without a record contract. She did mostly session work for Richard Marx albums, Rush Street and Paid Vacation as well as Luther Vandross' Your Secret Love album. But during 1995, after a six-year hiatus from recording her own material, Lynn teamed with producer/songwriter Teddy Riley, (formerly of the new jack swing music group Guy), to record her Ninth album, Good Time. It was released in Japan, the United Kingdom and later in the United States as an imported CD and featured the nightclub favorite single album "Guarantee for My Heart". During 1996, Sony Records/Legacy released Got to Be Real – The Best of Cheryl Lynn, which included Lynn's most successful recordings from her years with Columbia Records. This was followed soon by another compilation CD named, The Real Thing, which featured other recordings from Lynn's first six albums. Two years later she performed on HBO's Sinbad's Summer Soul Jam 4 (1998), hosted by comedian Sinbad.

Studio albums

Compilation albums

• Got to Be Real: The Best of Cheryl Lynn (1996, Legacy/Columbia)

Singles

As featured performer

Vocal Type: Cheryl Lynn has a 4.4 octave vocal range. She's also able to sing in Whistle Register. She cites singers Diana Ross, Patti Labelle and Betty Wright as influences.