| Soul
vocalist Rena Scott has traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe
performing alongside R&B's and jazz's most reputable acts, including
the Temptations, Natalie Cole, and Aretha Franklin, and yet her
career successes stemmed more from doing commercial jingles for
Levi and Sunny Delight in addition to serving as the national spokesperson
for Harvey's Bristol Cream wines. The long gaps between albums and
virtual absence from the '90s were marked by hard times, depression,
and fruitless label deals. Over two decades after the release of
her first album, she established a more stable footing with her
own independent record label, Amor Records, and returned with the
charting single "Remember" in 2006.
Hailing from Detroit,
MI, Scott first began to sing in the Baptist church. Music allowed
the gifted songstress to escape the abusive relationship between
her parents. Her first taste of the industry was at the age of 13
when she obtained an opening act spot for the Temptations and subsequently
for other Motown artists like the Four Tops and the Originals in
local Detroit venues. Embarking on a professional career, she continued
singing throughout high school and college. During her attendance
at Wayne State University, she attained the golden opportunity to
sing as backup for Aretha Franklin -- a major highlight in her life.
The stint with Aretha only extended to a few shows and an album,
but climaxed with a performance at the illustrious Carnegie Hall
in New York City.
Scott's first major hit
song was a 1978 duet with urban funk artist Michael Henderson, "Take
Me I'm Yours," which peaked at number three on the Black Singles
chart and was featured on his In the Night-Time album. Signed to
Henderson's label home, Buddah Records, she released the 1979 disco-flavored
LP Come on Inside, produced by the R&B songwriting duo of Mtume
and Reggie Lucas (who have penned hits for Stephanie Mills and Roberta
Flack). During the '80s, she toured extensively with pop-jazz band
the Crusaders and took the lead on front stage after singer Randy
Crawford left. She did not release another album until her deal
with Sedona Records for 1989's Love Zone, which had three singles
appear on the R&B charts. The opportune chance to springboard
off the buzz from this album was squandered by Sedona as well as
several other labels during the '90s. In the early 2000s, after
founding her own label, she released the throwback quiet storm album
Let Me Love You in 2004. Two years later, the album's "Remember"
single struck a chord among the smooth jazz and adult contemporary
circles, shedding light on Scott's weighty history.
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