DUKE Doris 1971

Doris Duke (born Doris Curry, 1945, Sandersville, Georgia) is a gospel and soul singer. She started singing with gospel groups including the Caravans, and by 1963 was working in New York on sessions and as a backing singer at the Apollo Theatre. Under her then married name of Doris Willingham, she recorded her first single, "Running Away from Loneliness" in 1966. This and later releases on Jay Boy Records were unsuccessful, and she continued working as a session singer, mainly in Philadelphia. She also sang back-up on Nina Simone's live album, "A Very Rare Evening", recorded in Germany.
In 1969, former Atlantic Records producer Jerry 'Swamp Dogg' Williams Jr. signed her as a solo artiste, renaming her Doris Duke and recording the album “I’m A Loser” at the Capricorn studio in Macon, Georgia. The album was eventually issued on Canyon Records, and over the years became regarded, by Dave Godin and others, as one of the finest deep soul records of all time.
Although the first single, "To the Other Woman" cracked Billboard's R&B Top Ten, Canyon soon spiraled into financial disaster, destroying the album's commercial momentum. Duke spent the next several years in creative limbo, finally reuniting with Swamp Dogg for 1975's Mankind label release "A Legend in Her Own Time" their partnership ended acrimoniously prior to its release, however, and the record received scant attention. Duke next resurfaced on the British label Contempo with "Woman", a much-acclaimed set released stateside on the Scepter imprint. After 1981's Manhattan set "Funky Fox", she retired from music, and at the time of this writing her whereabouts and activities are unknown.

A LEGEND IN HER OWN TIME

DUKE Doris

I'AM A LOSER LP

Deep soul diva Doris Duke was born Doris Curry in Sandersville, GA, in 1945. After stints in a series of gospel units, by 1963 she was settled in New York City, working as a session vocalist in addition to backup duties at the legendary Apollo Theater. Under her married name of Doris Willingham, she cut her debut solo single, Running Away from Loneliness, in 1966. You Can't Do That followed two years later. Despite solid reviews, neither record made a commercial splash, and she returned to her session career. When former Atlantic Records producer Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams Jr. struck out on his own, he signed the singer and renamed her Doris Duke, recording the 1969 LP I'm a Loser. Though considered the finest deep soul record of all time by no less than soul expert Dave Godin, I'm a Loser was rejected by dozens of labels before it finally surfaced on Canyon label. Although the first single, To the Other Woman, cracked Billboard's R&B Top Ten, Canyon soon spiraled into financial disaster, destroying the album's commercial momentum. Duke spent the next several years in creative limbo, finally reuniting with Swamp Dogg for 1975's Mankind label release A Legend in Her Own Time. their partnership ended acrimoniously prior to its release, however, and the record received scant attention. Duke next resurfaced on the British label Contempo with Woman, a much-acclaimed set released stateside on the Scepter imprint. After 1981's Manhattan set Funky Fox, she retired from music, and at the time of this writing her whereabouts and activities are unknown.