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Teena MarieAmerican singer, songwriter and producer
Date of Birth: 05.03.1956
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Tina Marie
Tina Marie (born Mary Christine Brockert) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer. She was born on March 5, 1956, in Santa Monica, California, USA. Known as "Lady T," Tina Marie is a protégé of funk legend Rick James and is recognized as one of the few successful white R&B singers, also known as "blue-eyed soul."
Early Life and Career
Tina Marie grew up in Oakwood, near West Los Angeles, where she gained the nickname "Venice Harlem." She attended a middle school in Venice, where she participated in the "Summer Dance Production" and performed in a school production of "The Music Man."
At the age of seventeen, Tina changed her name from Mary Christine to Tina Marie in an effort to impress the Motown Records label. It was there that she met her future mentor and lover Rick James, who became the writer and producer of her debut album "Wild and Peaceful" in 1979. The album featured a duet with James titled "Just a Sucker for Your Love."
Success and Legal Battles
Tina Marie gained popularity with songs like "Déjà vu" and "Square Biz." However, after the release of her album "It Must Be Magic," Tina Marie left Motown Records and faced legal battles to terminate her contract. She successfully sued the label and became a pioneer for artists' rights, leading to the creation of "The Teena Marie Law."
Career Revival and Recent Work
In 1996, Tina Marie released the album "Passion Play" on an independent label. Throughout the 1990s, her classic R&B, soul, and funk recordings were sampled by hip-hop artists and covered by other R&B singers. After a fourteen-year hiatus, Tina Marie returned to her musical career, signing with the hip-hop label Cash Money Records. Her comeback album "La Dona" was released in 2004 and achieved gold-selling status.
In 2005, Tina Marie was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" for her song "Still In Love." She released the album "Sapphire" in 2006, which featured the hit song "Ooh Wee." Tina Marie has recently left Cash Money Records and is focused on her upcoming album, which she describes as "personal and spiritual."
Tina Marie is also the godmother of Minnie Riperton's daughter, actress and comedian Maya Rudolph. She has made guest appearances on the television series "Beverly Hillbillies."
In 2008, Tina Marie is set to release her new album, which she considers a "personal and spiritual" project.
