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| Fern Kinney |
| Fern Kinney was born in Jackson, Mississippi, a place she still calls home today. In the late 1960's, Fern replaced Patsy McClune in the Poppies, a female pop/R&B trio whose "Lullabye Of Love" on Epic Records had been a minor US hit in 1966. Together with Rosemary Taylor and Dorothy Moore (also a successful solo artist later) she remained in the group for two years.
Fern's first solo recording was "Your Love's Not Reliable" on Atlantic Records. A bluesy R& B number released in 1968. The song, far from a hit, forced Fern into work as a session singer for two local studios, Malaco and North American. During this time she backed singers including Jean Knight, King Floyd, Frederick Knight and her old friend Dorothy Moore. Her voice can be heard on their hits "Mr. Big Stuff," "Groove Me," and "Misty Blue" to name a few. Eleven years after her first release Fern scored a summer smash in 1979. Fern chose to record a sultry "disco" version of King Floyd's R&B hit "Groove Me." The Malaco 45 created such a buzz that Henry Stone picked it up for 12" release on his famed T.K. label. The rest is history as it peaked at number 6 on Billboard's Club Play charts. The album, released on Malaco, sold well but the overall flavor was more R&B than disco and another 12" single was not forth coming. In 1980, her revival of U.K. singer-songwriter Ken Leray's 1977 recording "Together We Are Beautiful" gave the singer, with the thin, high voice, a surprise U.K. number 1 hit. Oddly, the record did nothing in the U.S. In 1981 Fern had her last chart entry of any note. She scored a number 30 Billboard Club Play hit with yet another remake. She retread the hit "Let The Good Times Roll." The album also had my personal favorite and a song that could have been remixed into another hit, "There'll Never Be Another Night Like This." The album was actually quite good and loaded with dance tracks, however it was too late, for the death of "disco" had already set in. Further follow-ups failed to ignite any interest here or in the U.K. so Fern settled back into domestic bliss and session work. Thanks Fern we love you and we're glad that you gave us "Groove Me!" |
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