man oh man! you all can’t imagine the spell stephanie mills’ first album, whatcha gonna do with my lovin’ put on a 7 year old me back in 1979 every time moms would play it on the stereo lol. this album (along with michael jackson’s off the wall of the same year) probably has as much to do with my same sex attraction as anything poor dad did or didn’t do lol! see, moms was luxuriating back in 1979-80 when dad joined the army and left her, my sister & i to love & honor each other in the absence of his violence. this gem, stephanie mills’ debut album, was a huge part of our soundtrack of that wonderful year.
the huge r&b hits “whatcha gonna do with my lovin,” “deeper,” “put your body in it,” “you and i,” “feel the fire,” and “starlight” ensured that this was an album of amazing longevity. mom made sure that first album was always included when she played records for the next 5 years. we knew 30 years ago stephanie mills had a magical voice…and though her musical peers (teena marie, anita baker, phyllis hyman) and descendants (angela winbush, miki howard, mary j. blige) are gifted and sometimes even adequate, i always return to the original.
lady mills collected her biggest pop hit one year later when “never knew love like this” from her second album reached the top 10 on billboard’s hot 100. she kind of faded into a strange post-disco funk with her next few albums until 1986’s #1 r&b hit “i have learned to respect the power of love.” stephanie mills then returned to the forefront of r&b with two subsequent platinum albums, 1987’s if i were your woman & 1989’s home.
ms. mills’ career spans over 3 decades and she still tours regularly to sold out audiences across the united states & europe. she is indeed a modern r&b legend.
