Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton
Andrea Davis, Minnie J. R. Rudolph, Minnie J. Rudolph, Minnie Rudolph, Minnie Julia Riperton Rudolph, Minnie J. Riperton, Minnie Julia Riperton
One of the most well-known vocalists to come out of the 1970s, singer-songwriter Minnie Riperton stands as a great influential figure for the Soul genre and many artists within this style of music.
Riperton began involving herself with the music industry in 1961 when, as a member of the Chicago-based girl-group The Gems, she worked as a backing vocalist for big artists of the time, such as Etta James. After releasing a few singles under Chess Records, The Gems disbanded, leaving 21-year-old Riperton to continue on as a solo artist, releasing “Lonely Girl” and “You Gave Me Soul” in 1966.
While recording under the alias “Andrea Davis,” she joined the group Rotary Connection as the lead vocalist in 1967, who released fifth full-lengths albums, before disbanding in 1974, giving Riperton the chance to fully invest herself in her solo career. In 1970, she released her first official album, Come to My Garden, which has since been called a masterpiece and the stepping stone for Riperton’s success. Following this release, she chose to devote her time to her children Marc and Maya Rudolph, and husband Richard Rudolph, in Florida.