Felice Taylor Explained

Felice Taylor
Birth Name:Florain Corella Flanagan
Alias:Florain Taylor
Birth Date:29 January 1944
Birth Place:Richmond, California, United States
Occupation:Singer
Genre:R&B, pop, soul
Associated Acts:The Sweets
Label:Groovy, Mustang, President

Felice Taylor (born Florain Corella Flanagan, January 29, 1944  - June 12, 2017)[1] was an American soul and pop singer, best known for her recordings in the late 1960s.[2]

The Sweets

The Sweets
Origin:United States
Genre:R&B, pop, soul
Years Active:1965
Label:Valiant
Past Members:Florain (later Felice) Taylor
Norma Flanagan
Darlene Flanagan

Born in Richmond, California, United States, Taylor began singing with her sisters Norma and Darlene Flanagan in a trio, The Sweets, who recorded two singles, "The Richest Girl", for the Valiant label in 1965 and "Satisfy Me Baby" on the Soul Town label.

Solo career

Taylor's first solo recording, "Think About Me" on the Groovy label, was credited to Florain Taylor. Her greatest success came after signing for Bob Keane's Mustang label, a subsidiary of Bronco Records. There she was teamed with the songwriters and record producers, Barry White and Paul Politi, who co-wrote "It May Be Winter Outside (But in My Heart It's Spring)", a minor hit reaching No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 44 on the R&B chart in early 1967, and its follow-up "I'm Under the Influence of Love". A third single, "I Feel Love Comin' On", also written and produced by White and Politi was not released in the US, but reached No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart,[3] when leased to President Records later in 1967.[4]

After leaving Bronco, Taylor recorded for Kent Records, and later in the UK with members of The Equals.[4] In 1973, White's protégées Love Unlimited recorded new versions of "It May Be Winter Outside" and "Under the Influence of Love" and Barry White recorded "I Feel Love Comin' On" on the Love Unlimited Orchestra's top ten album Rhapsody in White.[4] Taylor herself seems not to have recorded after the early 1970s.

Personal life

She was married to Johnny B Taylor and had four children.[5]

She died in June 2017, aged 73. She was interred at the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.

Discography

Singles

YearSinglePeak chart positions
US Pop
[6]
US R&B
UK
[7]
1966"Think About Me" (credited as Florain Taylor)align=center align=center align=center
"It May Be Winter Outside (But in My Heart It's Spring)" align=center 42align=center 44align=center
1967"I'm Under the Influence of Love" align=center align=center align=center
"I Feel Love Comin' On" align=center align=center align=center 11
1968"I Can Feel Your Love"align=center align=center align=center
"Suree-Surrender" align=center align=center align=center
"Captured by Your Love" align=center align=center align=center
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Felice Taylor. Soul Source UK. 18 August 2018.
  2. Web site: Felice Taylor. Oxfordindex.oup.com. 2015-10-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083522/http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803102310914. March 4, 2016.
  3. Book: Roberts, David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited. London. 1-904994-10-5. 549.
  4. Web site: Ed Hogan. Felice Taylor | Biography & History. AllMusic. 2015-10-27.
  5. Web site: Florain C Flanagan. California. Marriage Index, 1960-1985.
  6. Web site: Felice Taylor Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography . Music VF. 5 January 2022.
  7. Web site: FELICE TAYLOR - full Official Chart History . Official Charts Company. 5 January 2022.