Minnie Riperton

Minnie Riperton (November 8, 1947 - July 12, 1979), a soul singer from Chicago, Illinois. She scored her greatest commercial success with the memorable one-hit wonder "Lovin' You", a soulful pop ballad that showcased her amazing five-octave vocal range, as well as her ability to hit an F6 note in the whistle register.

As a child, Minnie studied music, drama, and dance, and seriously considered a career in opera. However, her affiliation with the famous Chess Records record label soon allowed her to sing backup for Etta James, Fontella Bass[?], and Stevie Wonder. Minnie sang lead vocals for several small, unsucessful bands before teaming up with her husband, composer Richard Rudolph[?], to start her solo career. Stevie Wonder agreed to produce her 1974 album, "Perfect Angel", featuring "Lovin' You", a ballad to her two-year old daughter Maya[?].

Riperton was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and had a mastectomy in 1976. She became an active spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society[?] and was awarded the Society Courage Award[?] from President Jimmy Carter. She died in 1979 at the age of 31.

In addition to her musical legacy, Minnie Riperton is survived by her daughter, Maya Rudolph[?], a current cast member of Saturday Night Live.