Venetta Fields is an American singer best known as session musician for leading rock and pop acts of the 1970s including Pink Floyd, Barbra Streisand, and the Rolling Stones. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Pink Floyd are Barbra Streisand (ˈstraɪsænd "STRY-sand" born April 24 1942 is an American Singer, Film and Theatre Actress Since 1982 she has lived in Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.
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Early career
Born in Buffalo, New York, into a religious family, Fields' early musical training came through regular gospel performances at church, and also inspiration from US singer Aretha Franklin. Buffalo (ˈbʌfəloʊ is the second largest city in New York State. Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25 1942 Franklin has had a total of twenty number-one singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart, two of which became #1 hits on the Her singing career officially began with The Templaires, a group she formed with members of her church, followed by The Corinthian Gospel Singers. In late 1961 Ike and Tina Turner Revue were playing in Buffalo and Fields heard there was an opening for a new member of Tina's backing vocalists The Ikettes. Ike & Tina Turner were an American Rock & roll and soul duo made of the husband-and-wife team of Ike Turner and Tina Turner The Ikettes were a trio sometimes Quartet of female Backing vocalists for the Ike and Tina Turner Revue a prominent American Rhythm and With a successful audition Fields joined immediately. In addition to backing Tina in performance and on recordings, Venetta recorded on many singles by The Ikettes (including "Peaches and Cream") and was given some solo songs on live recordings. Ike moved his base to Los Angeles and in 1966 Venetta left the revue, along with fellow Ikettes Jessie Smith and Robbie Montgomery. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The trio signed to Mirwood Records and they became The Mirettes from 1966-1970. Ike hired some new Ikettes.
Session vocalist
From about 1969, along with fellow vocalists Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews, Fields quickly became one of the most sought-after backing singers in the US, working with artists including Diana Ross, Elkie Brooks, Steely Dan, Joe Cocker, Quincy Jones, Bette Midler, Burt Bacharach, Bob Dylan, The Supremes, Neil Diamond, Bob Seger, Burton Cummings. Clydie King (born Clydie May Crittendon August 21, 1943 in Dallas, Texas) is an American singer best known for her session work Sherlie Matthews (born 1934 is an American Singer, Songwriter and Record producer, best known as a Backing vocalist for Pop R&B and Rock groups Diana Ross (born March 261944 is an American twelve-time Grammy and Oscar -nominated singer Record producer and actress whose musical repertoire Elkie Brooks (born Elaine Bookbinder 25 February 1945 in Broughton, Salford) is an English singer formerly a vocalist with Vinegar Joe, and later Steely Dan is a American rock band centered on core members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Joe Cocker OBE (born 20 May 1944 is an English rock / Blues Singer who came to popularity in the 1960s and is most known for his gritty Quincy Delight Jones Jr (born March 14, 1933) also known as Q, is an American Music Impresario, conductor Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is anAmerican Singer, Actress and Comedian, also known (as her informal stage name as Burt Bacharach (ˈbækəræk born May 12, 1928) is an American Pianist and Composer. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major The Supremes were an American female singing group that first formed as a quartet called The Primettes Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American Singer-songwriter and occasional Actor. Robert Clark "Bob" Seger (born May 6, 1945) is an American Rock and roll Singer-songwriter and Musician. Burton Cummings OM (born December 31, 1947) is a Canadian musician and songwriter Tim Buckley, Paul Butterfield, Leonard Cohen and also with Aretha Franklin; her mentor and inspiration. Timothy Charles Buckley III (February 14 1947 – June 29 1975 was an experimental Vocalist and Musician who incorporated Jazz, Psychedelia Paul Butterfield ( December 17 1942 – May 4 1987) was an American Blues Harmonica player and Singer Leonard Norman Cohen CC GOQ (born September 21, 1934 in Westmount, Quebec) is a Canadian Singer-songwriter Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25 1942 Franklin has had a total of twenty number-one singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart, two of which became #1 hits on the Notable performances during this time included the Dark Side of the Moon Tour with Pink Floyd, and recording the Rolling Stones' album Exile on Main St.
In about 1971 Venetta, Clydie and Sherlie formed The Blackberries, with Sherlie as producer/songwriter as well as vocalist. Pink Floyd are Exile on Main St is an album by the English rock band The Rolling Stones. In 1972 Steve Marriott asked them to record and tour with UK hard rock band Humble Pie, and produced an unreleased Blackberries LP with Humble Pie as the backing band. Stephen Peter Marriott ( January 30 1947 - April 20 1991) popularly known as Steve Marriott, was a successful and versatile Humble Pie were a rock, Rhythm and blues band from England and were one of the first supergroups of the 1970s. The Blackberries and Humble Pie parted company in 1973.
Fields and King appeared as Barbra Streisand's backing singers (The Oreos) in the 1976 film A Star Is Born. Barbra Streisand (ˈstraɪsænd "STRY-sand" born April 24 1942 is an American Singer, Film and Theatre Actress Oreo is a trademark for a popular sandwich Cookie currently manufactured by the Nabisco Division of Kraft Foods. A Star Is Born is a 1976 Rock music Film telling the story of a young woman played by Barbra Streisand who enters show business and meets
Career in Australia
Following a tour to Australia in the late 1970s with Boz Scaggs, Fields decided to relocate permanently in 1982. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Boz Scaggs (born William Royce Scaggs, 8 June 1944, Canton, Ohio) is an American Singer, Songwriter In the years that followed, she continued to work with US artists when they toured Australia including George Benson, Dionne Warwick, Barbra Streisand, Thelma Houston and Randy Crawford, and also with leading Australian artists, including Richard Clapton, Australian Crawl, Jimmy Barnes, James Morrison, Mark Gillespie and, most famously, as a long time back-up vocalist with John Farnham. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. George Benson (b March 22 1943, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania) is an American musician whose recording career began at the age of twenty-one Dionne Warwick (born Marie Dionne Warrick on December 12, 1940) is an acclaimed five-time Grammy Award -winning singer actress activist Barbra Streisand (ˈstraɪsænd "STRY-sand" born April 24 1942 is an American Singer, Film and Theatre Actress Thelma Houston (born May 7, 1946) is a Grammy Award -winning American R&B and Club/Dance Singer-songwriter Randy Crawford (born Veronica Crawford February 18 1952, in Macon Georgia) is an American Jazz and R&B Singer. Richard Clapton (born in 1951(? is an Australian singer/songwriter Australian Crawl (often called Aussie Crawl or The Crawl by fans was an Australian rock band founded by James Reyne ( lead Jimmy Barnes is a popular Australian rock singer He was born James Dixon Swan on April 28, 1956 in Glasgow, Scotland James Morrison AM (born 11 November 1962 in Boorowa New South Wales) is an Australian Jazz Musician who Mark Gillespie may refer to Mark Gillespie (English singer, English musician living in Germany Mark Gillespie (Scottish singer, Scottish John Peter Farnham, AO (born July 1, 1949) is a British-born Australian pop Singer. In the mid '80s in Melbourne, Fields formed a new group, Venetta's Taxi, with a lineup including vocalist Sherlie Matthews, guitarist Michael den Elzen and Chong Lim on keyboards, while also performing regularly as backing a vocalist for local and touring artists. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Sherlie Matthews (born 1934 is an American Singer, Songwriter and Record producer, best known as a Backing vocalist for Pop R&B and Rock groups Michael den Elzen (born 1962 is a Musician and music producer based in Melbourne, Australia. Chong Lim is an Australian Keyboardist, producer and session musician During this period Venetta coached singing (including Karen Knowles and Colette Mann) at Tony Bartuccio's Dance Academy in Prahran, and took numerous vocal workshops at the Victorian College of the Arts. Colette Mann (born 1950 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian actress most notable for playing the role of Doreen Anderson in the Australian series Prahran (pronounced "pruh-RAN" also known colloquially as "Pran" is an Inner city Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, This is not about the American pornographic movie studio VCA Pictures
It was in Australia that Fields made her theatre debut; starring as Alice in Big River. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Big River The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a musical with a book by William Hauptman and music and lyrics by Roger Miller. Receiving rave reviews for this performance, she soon became increasingly involved in music theatre. Productions in which Fields has appeared to date include Blues in the Night, Chess (concert version), two plays for the Melbourne Theatre Company - The Crucible and The Racing Demon - and as Ruby in Buddy The Musical (The Buddy Holly Story). Chess is a musical with Lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, formerly of ABBA The Melbourne Theatre Company, which is the oldest professional theatre in Australia, known popularly as MTC is based in the Ferrars Street complex in Southbank Victoria which The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play based upon the events in 1692, which led to the Salem Witch Trials, a series of hearings before Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley (September 7 1936 – February 3 1959 was an American Singer-songwriter and a pioneer of Rock and roll. During this time she also formed and toured her own show, Gospel Jubilee.
The Present
Currently residing on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Fields is still active as a singer and songwriter. This article is about the Australian city Gold Coast For other uses see Gold Coast. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent In 2002, she received the Australian Gospel Singer of the Year award, and recently released her latest album, At Last. Fields is also active as a vocal coach, with several students including 2005 Australian Idol winner Kate DeAraugo. Rules Auditions Auditions are held in major cities around Australia to find each season's contestants Katherine "Kate" Jenna DeAraugo ( November 5 1985) is an Australian singer, who was the winner of the third season of Drs. Roselyn Della Sabina (Voice/Music Lecturer at The Victorian College Of The Arts). While based in Queensland Australia, Feilds still keeps a close eye on Roselyn Della Sabina (known as Kylie Minogue's silent songwriter). Venetta currently enjoys vocal coaching and being around good company. With numerous credits to her name, she truly is a gem!
In recognition of her achievements, Fields was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame on September 29th, 2005.
Selected list of recordings
Backing vocalist
- Barbra Streisand: Barbra Joan Streisand , Stoney End, A Star Is Born
- The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main St.
- Steely Dan: Can't Buy a Thrill, Aja, Royal Scam
- Tim Buckley: Greetings from L.A., Look at the Fool
- Humble Pie: Eat It, Thunderbox, Street Rats
- Joe Walsh: The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get
- Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
- Bonnie Raitt: Homeplate
- Elkie Brooks: Rich Man's Woman
- The Doors: Full Circle
- Alice Cooper: Lace And Whiskey
- Chuck Girard: Take It Easy
Soloist
- Venetta's Taxi
External links
- Official Website
- Buffalo Hall of Fame article on Venetta Fields
- Humble-Pie.net The Blackberries & Humble Pie
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