Scherrie Payne

Scherrie Ann Payne (born November 4, 1944) is an American singer. Payne is best known as a member and the co-lead singer of the R&B/Soul vocal group the Supremes from 1973 until 1977. Payne is the younger sister of singer Freda Payne. She continues to perform, both as a solo act and as a part of the "Former Ladies of the Supremes" (FLOS). She previously performed as the lead singer of The Glass House.

Biography Early life Scherrie Ann Payne was born on November 4, 1944, to Frederick Payne and Charcle Lee Farley (c. 1920-1977), in Detroit, Michigan. Payne graduated from Central High School in 1961 and from Michigan State University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Before she began her music career, she taught at the Grayling School of Observation. In 1964, she appeared on the Jet magazine as queen of the co-educational Cass Hall.

The Glass House (1969–1972) Payne began her musical career as the lead singer for the group The Glass House. She performed alongside Ty Hunter (later with The Originals), Pearl Jones, and Larry Mitchell. The group signed with Invictus Records, formed by Motown songwriters Eddie and Brian Holland, and Lamont Dozier, in 1969. Another performer signed with Invictus Records, Honey Cone, had a No. 1 hit with the Glass House song "Want Ads", which originally had Payne on lead vocals, which the Payne sisters suggested to Honey Cone after being unhappy with their own recording. The Glass House saw their biggest hit in 1969 with the Payne-led track "Crumbs Off The Table", which appeared on the Billboard top 10. Between the years of 1970 and 1972, The Glass House released two albums and nine singles, including Payne's solo track "V.I.P.". Record World ranked The Glass House as the fifth 'Top Vocal Combination Group' in their 1970 R&B Awards. None of their subsequent releases saw the same success as their debut, and they disbanded in 1972 after the release of their album "Thanks, I Needed That."

The Supremes (1973–1977)

After The Glass House disbanded, Payne joined the Supremes and performed as the lead singer, with Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong as background singers. Payne often remained quiet during interviews with the group and was often asked about her predecessor as lead singer of the Supremes, Diana Ross, even years later. Payne sang lead on the single "He's My Man" and "It's All Been Said Before", both taken from the album The Supremes. Payne was never able to write any material for The Supremes, which reportedly disappointed her.

Payne felt that Motown did not really care as much about the Supremes as they had in the 1960s, due to the changing musical tastes of the era. Her contributions moved The Supremes toward the disco era with songs like "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking", "You're My Driving Wheel", "Let Yourself Go", and "Love I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good". While each of these disco songs landed in the Billboard Dance Top Ten, they did not perform as well on the pop and R&B charts. The single "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking" was a No. 3 hit on the Disco chart, rose in the Billboard Top 40 to No. 25 on the R&B chart, and No. 40 on the Pop chart.

The final three members of the Supremes (Payne, Wilson and Susaye Greene) officially disbanded in 1977 with a farewell concert in London after Wilson, the last remaining founding member, announced that she would embark on a solo career. Payne and Greene tried to recruit a new third member, Joyce Vincent Wilson of Tony Orlando and Dawn, but Motown responded with that the Supremes would not continue with original members. Motown officially retired the Supremes in 1977, but offered Payne and Greene a contract to record as a duet. During this time, Payne released the solo single "Fly" b/w "When I Look at Your Face" in late 1977. As a duet, Partners, under the name "Scherrie and Susaye" was released in 1979. When Birdsong left to pursue a solo career, Lynda Laurence took her place and they renamed themselves "Jean, Scherrie, & Lynda of the Supremes", recording the single "We're Back', featuring Ali-Ollie Woodson of the Temptations. They performed through the 1980s and the 1990s. When Terrell departed, they continued with Laurence's sister Sundray Tucker, who was a former member of Stevie Wonder's back-up group, Wonder Love. This lineup worked with British record producer Steve Weaver, resulting in a catalogue of 40 new recordings, some of them re-recordings of the Supremes' original hits. Payne and Laurence continued to tour under the FLOS name with third new member Freddi Poole, who joined the group in 1996 to replace Sundray Tucker. In 2000, Payne and Laurence backed Ross on the Return To Love Supremes reunion tour, in which Ross allowed each of them to lead one of the classic Supremes songs.

Personal life

Payne dated songwriter Lamont Dozier from 1973 to 1977. She was also rumored to be in a relationship with Lawrence McCutcheon. Later, she dated Ronnie Phillips (d. 2003). Together they have one daughter, Shoshanna Payne-Phillips (b. 1985). Phillips was the owner of the Dangerous Records label. Label: Invictus Records Format: LP, CD

Released: 1972 Label: Invictus Records Format: LP, CD

With The Supremes + List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications+ All records released on Motown Records.Title Album detailsPeak chart positionsUS USR&B/HH USRecord World CAN The Supremes Released: May, 1975 Label: Motown (M6 828S1) Format: LP, cassette15225179—High Energy Released: April, 1976 Label: Motown (M6 863S1) Label: Motown (M6 873S1) Format: LP——181—"—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not released

With the Former Ladies of the Supremes + List of albums, with selected details Title Album details Supremely YoursReleased: 1995 Label: Reflections Records Format: LP, CD Supreme VoicesReleased: 1997 Label: Platinum Music Format: LP, CD

as lead artist + List of albums, with selected details Title Album details Bande Originale Du Film "Moi Fleur Bleue"(with Jodie Foster)Released: 1977 Label: Marcy Music Format: LP Partners(with Susaye Greene)Released: 1979 Label: Motown Records Format: LP, CD, digital download IncredibleReleased: 1987 Label: Superstar International Records Format: LP, CD, digital download The Best of Driving Wheel Records: Millennium Mixes, Vol. 1(with Lynda Lawrence and Sundray Tucker)Released: 2000 Format: CD Vintage Scherrie, Vol. 1 : Remember Who You Are Released: 15 July 2016 Label: Altair Records, RGP Entertainment Group, Inc. Format: CD, digital download

Singles with The Glass House + List of singles, released with The Glass House, with selected chart positions + All records released on Invictus RecordsA-side titleYearPeak chart positions AlbumUS USRecord World USR&B/HH USRecord World R&B CAN "Crumbs Off the Table"196959547551Inside the Glass House"I Can't Be You (You Can't Be Me)"197090—3332—"Stealing Moments From Another Woman's Life"/"If It Ain't Love, It Don't Matter"——4429—Thanks I Needed That/Inside the Glass House"Stealing Moments from Another Woman's Life"1971——42——Thanks I Needed That"Touch Me Jesus"—————Inside the Glass House"Look What We've Done to Love"—1393135—"Playing Games"1972—————Thanks I Needed That"Giving Up the Ring"—————"VIP"—————"Thanks, I Needed That"——4744—"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released

with The Supremes + List of singles, released with The Supremes, with selected chart positions + All records released on Motown RecordsA-side titleB-side titleYearPeak chart positions AlbumUS USCashbox USRecord World USR&B/HH USRecord World R&B USDance CAN "He's My Man""Give Out, But Don't Give Up"1975———6965 1—The Supremes"Where Do I Go from Here""Give Out, But Don't Give Up"———93———"Early Morning Love" 1"Where Is It I Belong"———————"I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking"2 "Early Morning Love"419764054562518 353High Energy"High Energy"3"High Energy"————— 3—"You're My Driving Wheel""You're What's Missing in My Life"85——50465—Mary, Scherrie & Susaye"Let Yourself Go""You Are the Heart of Me"41977———83——"Love, I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good""This Is Why I Believe in You"5——————"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released 1 Both sides features lead vocal by Mary Wilson. 2 Lead vocals by Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene. 3 Lead vocal by Susaye Greene. 4 Lead vocal by Mary Wilson. 5 Leads vocal by Mary Wilson and Scherrie Payne.

as lead and featured artist + List of singles, as lead and featured artist, with selected chart positionsA-side titleYearPeak chart positions AlbumUSR&B/HH USDance UK UKDisco "V.I.P."1972————Thanks I Needed That"Fly"1978————"I'm Not In Love/Girl, You're In Love"1982—3511121"One Night Only"1984—41——"L.A. Street Scene (It's A Jubilee)"(Donny Osmond featuring Phillip Ingram, Scherrie Payne & Freda Payne)1985————"On And On"(with Phillip Ingram)1986————Incredible"Chasing Me Into Somebody Else's Arms"————"The Right Stuff"————Incredible"Incredible"(with Phillip Ingram)198757———Incredible"Testify" 67———"Pure Energy"1989————"Back By Popular Demand"(with Jean Terrell & Lynda Laurence - Formerly Of The Supremes Together w/ The Originals)1991————"Stoned Love"(with Jean Terrell & Lynda Laurence)1993————"One Night Only 2007"2007————"Let Yourself Go"2012————Vintage Scherrie, Vol. 1 : Remember Who You Are"Remember Who You Are"2016————"You Are"(with Sam Green)2018————"Unconditional Love"2019————"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released

Collaborations Payne has loaned her vocals as backing vocalist to many established performers, including her sister Freda Payne, on the following listed albums: Supernatural High - Freda Payne (Payne appears alongside her sister on the song "Storybook Romance", which she composed; she recorded this herself a year later for the Partners album with Susaye Greene) An Evening With Freda Payne: Live In Concert - Freda Payne It's Your Night - James Ingram Bickram's Lounge - Bickram Choudray Late at Night - Billy Preston Light Up Your Night - The Brothers Johnson Calling - Noel Pointer

Songwriting Payne has composed a musical entitled Ten Good Years, from which the song "Another Life from Now" was taken; the song features on the Partners album and remains a staple part of her rare solo concerts. Songs she has composed or contributed to include: "Now Is the Time to Say Goodbye" (written for and recorded by her sister Freda Payne) "Storybook Romance" "Leaving Me Was the Best Thing You've Ever Done" (co-written by Payne and Susaye Greene and included on their album Partners) "I Found Another Love" "You've Been Good to Me" "Another Life from Now" "Pure Energy" "Who's Wrong, Who's Right" "Don't Rock My World" "Keep On Loving Me" "Sisters United (We're Taking Control)" "Light the World (With the Flame of Love)" (co-written by FLOS member Lynda Laurence) "Crumbs Off the Table" "The Fox" "Hotel" "Horse and Rider" "Let It Flow" "Hit and Miss" "Your Love (Keeps Lifting Me)"