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Cool Coolidge
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It was one memorable music journey for the singing sensation of the '70s
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Born to a Baptist minister and a Cherokee Indian mother, Rita Coolidge's musical journey began with the radio jingles she sang in Memphis, Tennessee, with her sister Priscilla. She also cut a single that was a local hit.
After her shift to Los Angeles, she was in the troupe on Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour, her rendition of Superstar being a highpoint. Cocker's Delta Lady was inspired by Coolidge, the lyrics being written by Leon Russell. As a backup singer in the early '70s, she worked with Boz Scaggs, Eric Clapton, Stephen Stills and other famous singer-songwriters.
In 1971, she met Kris Kristofferson, to whom she was married from 1973 to 1980. Her early solo releases took her nowhere, till Anytime... Anywhere, in 1977 went platinum. Three tracks from this album figured in the US top 20, viz., "Higher and Higher" ( # 2), "We're All Alone" (# 7) and "The way You Do The Things You Do" ( #20).
The couple toured extensively but not for long, since Kristofferson's career in the movies was taking wing. This provided minor roles for Coolidge too, who appeared in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, A Star is Corn and Convoy. The pair also produced an album together, Natural Act, in 1979, which fetched them two Grammys. Shortly after, they were divorced.
In the '80s her musical career was on the wane, but for "All-Time High", from the James Bond film Octopussy's soundtrack in 1983. Apart from working with Roger Waters, formerly of Pink Floyd and country singer Lee Greenwood, her presence went unnoticed. Into the next decade she was immersed in native American issues. Along with Priscilla and her daughter Laura Satterfield, Coolidge formed Walela. The band's opening offering had a Cherokee version of the hymn "Amazing Grace".
A. GEORGE ANTONY
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