b. Barbara Mason, 9th August 1947, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Born in Philadelphia, Barbara Mason honed her songwriting skills as a teenager, playing keyboards on her grandmothers piano.
Her father worked for the city of Philadelphia in the water department, whilst her mother worked at home (sadly passing away in 1968).
Barbara was originally discovered by the late Weldon McDougal III, who was a singer from the group The Larks.
keep him b/w yes i'm ready - 1965 / ain't got nobody b/w oh, how it hurts - 1967 / slipping away - 1968 / you better stop it b/w happy girl - 1968
Weldon introduced Barbara to local deejay Jimmy Bishop, who created Arctic Records, enlisting Barbara to the label's ranks.
She began her recording career at the age of 17, in 1964, releasing 'Girl's Have Feelings Too' b/w 'Come To Me' for Arctic.
yes, i'm ready - 1965 / oh, how it hurts - 1968
The following year, she released the self penned single 'Yes, I'm Ready' b/w 'Keep Him', which reached number 2 on the R&B charts in 1965.
Barbara followed up the successful single with the singles 'Sad, Sad Girl' b/w 'Come To Me' (R & B number 12 in 1965), 'I Need Love' b/w 'Bobby Is My Baby' (R & B number 25 in 1966), 'Ain't Got Nobody' b/w 'Oh, How It Hurts' (1967), 'Oh, How It Hurts' b/w 'Ain't Got Nobody' (R & B number 11 in 1968) and 'You Better Stop It' b/w 'Happy Girl' (in 1969).
if you knew him like i do - 1970 / give me your love - 1973
She relocated to the National General Records imprint for her cover version of the Bacharach and David song, 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head' b/w 'If You Knew Him Like I Do' (R & B number 38 in 1970).
In 1971, she appeared on the soundtrack to the 1971 movie 'The Last Cowboy' also for the National General label.
Barbara moved to Buddah Records in the early Seventies, recording her take on the Curtis Mayfield evergreen 'Give Me Your Love' (R & B number 9, Pop Top 40 in 1972).
In 1973, Barbara sang 'Child Of Tomorrow' for the soundtrack of the Blaxploitation movie 'Gordon's War', followed in 1974, by another movie soundtrack entitled 'Transition' in 1974, followed again in 1975, by another similar soundtrack release, namely 'Sheba Baby' (a Pam Grier movie vehicle).
lady love - 1974 / transition - 1974 / love's the thing - 1975 / sheba baby - 1975
Other recordings included 'Bed & Board', 'From His Woman To You' (R & B number 3, Pop Top 30 in 1974), and 'Shackin Up' (R & B number 9 in 1975).
At Buddah, Barbara recorded 'Make It Last' b/w 'We Got Each Other' with the Futures, in 1975.
locked in this position - 1977 / i am your woman, she is your wife - 1978
She recorded a couple of response singles, one of which was her reply to the Richard Dimples Fields hit, 'She's Got Papers On Me', in the form of 'She's Got The Papers (But I Got The Man)' (R & B number 29 in 1981), the other being a response to the Shirley Brown evergreen, 'Woman To Woman', in the form of 'From His Woman To You'.
In 1977, Barbara recorded a duet album release with Bunny Sigler, entitled 'Locked In This Position'.
After departing Buddah Records in 1975, she reached the charts again with 'I Am Your Woman, She Is Your Wife' in 1978.
a piece of my life - 1980 / tied up - 1984
Her last chart record was 'Another Man' (R & B number 68 in 1984), which was Barbara's only U.K. chart entry, which reached number 45 in the listings.
An album accompanied the single, entitled 'Tied Up', which also included the popular 'Don't I Ever Cross Your Mind'.
After the 1984 release, Barbara concentrated on her her publishing company, Marc James Music (a company named after her son).
She returned to live performing in 1992 (in Los Angeles), which led to further dates across the West Coast.
feeling blue - 2007
Barbara released a CD entitled 'Feeling Blue' for the Sunswept Music imprint in 2007.
http://www.myspace.com/barbaramason
Albums:
Yes, Im Ready (Artic Records 1965)
Oh, How It Hurts (Arctic Records 1968)
If You Knew Him Like I Do (GNC Records 1970)
Give Me Your Love (Buddah Records 1973)
Lady Love (Buddah Records 1974)
Transition (Buddah Records 1974)
Love's The Thing (Buddah Records 1975)
Sheba Baby (Buddah Records 1975)
Locked In This Position (with Bunny Sigler) (Curtom Records 1977)
I Am Your Woman, She Is Your Wife (Prelude Records 1978)
A Piece Of My Life (WMOT Records 1980)
Tied Up (West End Records 1984)
Feeling Blue (Sunswept Music Records 2007)
