SYLVIA
Sylvia Robinson (née Vanderpool; May 29, 1935 – September 29, 2011) was an American singer, musician, record producer, and record label executive. In 1972, Robinson sent a demo of a song she had written called “Pillow Talk” to Al Green. When Green passed on it due to his religious beliefs, Robinson decided to record it herself, returning to her own musical career. Billed simply as Sylvia, the record became a major hit, reaching number-one on the R&B chart and crossing over to reach Billboard Hot 100 (#3), while also reaching #14 in the UK at the beginning of 1973. “Pillow Talk”’s subtly orgasmic gasps and moans predated those of “Love to Love You Baby” by Donna Summer. (More from Wikipedia)
Sugar Hill Records is an early hip hop label that was founded in 1979 by the married couple of Joe Robinson and Sylvia Robinson plus Milton Malden, with financial backing by Morris Levy of Roulette Records. Sylvia Robinson – often called the “Mother of Hip Hop” – was listed as the CEO of the label. She has a long R&B history dating back to the 1956 hit “Love is Strange” (co-written by Bo Diddley and Jody Williams), under the name of Mickey and Sylvia; Mickey Baker taught her to play guitar, and they worked together off and on for about a decade. The two are also known for performing back-up singing on the 1961 Ike and Tina Turner hit, “It’s Gonna Work Out Fine”. Under the name Sylvia, Sylvia Robinson later scored a #3 hit in 1972, “Pillow Talk”.
(September 2016)
