Doris Duke
Deep soul diva Doris Duke was born Doris Curry in Sandersville, GA, in 1945. After stints in a series of gospel units, including the Raspberry Singers, the David Sisters, and the Caravans, 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," for the tiny Hy-Monty label in 1966; "You Can't Do That" followed two years later on Jay Boy. Despite solid reviews, neither record made a commercial splash, and she returned to her session career, often commuting to Philadelphia to record with the production team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. 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 at Capricorn, Phil Walden's studio in Macon, GA.
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 Wally Roker's 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.
© Jason Ankeny /TiVo
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Discography
15 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Woman Of The Ghetto (Original Mix)
Dance - Released by Nervous Records on Sep 30, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I'm a Loser (Digitally Remastered)
Soul - Released by Essential Media Group on Jul 19, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Swamp Dogg Presents Doris Duke & Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles
Soul - Released by S.D.E.G. Records on Apr 4, 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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A Legend in Her Own Time (Digitally Remastered)
Soul - Released by Essential Media Group on Sep 3, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I'm the Other Woman
Soul - Released by StarPointe Records on Mar 2, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
He's Gone
Soul - Released by Jukebox Entertainment on Apr 21, 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
A Little Bit Of Lovin'
R&B - Released by Cherry Red Records on Dec 2, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lady Duke - [The Dave Cash Collection]
Soul - Released by The Dave Cash Collection - OMP on May 9, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Doris Does It - [The Dave Cash Collection]
Soul - Released by The Dave Cash Collection - OMP on May 9, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Full Time Woman / Your Best Friend
R&B - Released by Cherry Red Records on Dec 9, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
To The Other Woman
Soul - Released by Vanilla OMP on Nov 29, 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hits Anthology
Soul - Released by Essential Media Group on Sep 10, 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo