b. Margaret Marie Joseph, 1950, Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S.A.
Margie Joseph was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in 1950.
As a child Margie sang in the church choir, and began pursuing a professional singing career while a student at New Orleans' Dillard University.
In 1967, Margie recorded some demo recordings at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio's.
These recordings led to a deal, after being introduced by New Orleans DJ Larry McKinley, with the Okeh imprint where she released her debut song, 'Why Does a Man Have to Lie?'
Recording for the Volt imprint, Margie achieved success with the Freddy Briggs produced song 'Your Sweet Lovin' b/w/ 'What's The Matter Baby', which reached the R & B chart in 1970.
Other Volt sides included 'One More Chance' b/w 'Never Can You Be', 'What You Gonna Do' b/w 'Nobody', 'Punish Me' b/w 'Sweet Tomorrow' and That Other Woman Got My Man And Gone' b/w 'I'll Always Love You'.
In 1971 Margie's reworking of the Supremes' 'Stop! In The Name Of Love' b/w 'Make Me Believe You'll Stay' was to provide her with a second hit, and was taken from her album 'Margie Joseph Makes a New Impression'.
Another Supremes cover, 'My World Is Empty Without You,' was released in 1972 and was taken from her follow up album 'Phase II'.
Another interpretation, this time of Paul McCartney's 'My Love', became Margie's best-selling single in 1974.
The 1975 album 'Margie' is often viewed as the creative peak of her recording career, and contained the songs 'Words (Are Impossible)', 'I Can't Move No Mountains' along with 'Stay Still'.
Further releases, including 'Words (Are Impossible)' in 1974, and 'What's Come Over Me?' in 1975, a duet with the group Blue Magic, continued her success.
In 1976, she switched to Cotillion for the Lamont Dozier produced 'Hear The Words, Feel The Feeling'.
This album contained a couple of tracks (including the title song and 'Something To Fall Back On') from Lamont's shelved 1975 ABC album, 'Prophecy'.
She also contributed to a Cotillion Christmas album that year entitled 'Funky Christmas', weighing in with the songs 'Feeling Like Christmas' and 'Christmas Gift' (melodies penned by Lamont Dozier).
That same year, Margie was part of a live double album set, recorded at the Latin Casino in New Jersey, that also featured Blue Magic and Major Harris.
That album showcased two further 'studio' recordings by Margie and Blue Magic.
Relocating to the Atlantic imprint she then worked alongside the late Johnny Bristol, in 1978, for 'Feeling My Way', an album containing her version of Johnny's song 'Love Takes Tears.
Moving to WMOT, Margie recorded an album with Philly legend Dexter Wansel.
This set never saw the light of day as WMOT went to the wall.
Margie then quit the music business, turning to a teaching career.
She returned to performing in 1982, recording the single 'Knockout' for the HCRC imprint.
The single was an R & B hit, but HCRC went out of business as well.
In 1984 she returned to Cotillion to record the Narada Michael Walden, Preston Glass & Randy Jackson produced, 'Ready For The Night', which became one of her most successful album outings.
In 1988, she signed with Ichiban to release 'Stay'.
Over the previous two decades, Margie has been busy raising a family and is still performing non secular music.
Today, Margie resides on the gulf coast in Mississippi with her husband and family.
A new album is currently under production.
Here is some further biographical information from Susan Tapper, Margie's manager:
'Margie had a very full, exciting secular R&B career recording and appearing in cities around the world for such well known labels as Atlantic, Stax and Volt, WMOT; however, 'retired' (as did many secular artists at that time) to raise a family and start a career.
Margie holds a Bachelor's degree in speech communications from Dillard University in New Orleans, L.A.
Margie had a strong religious upbringing in Mississippi and was raised in a Christ centered home.When she hears 'Lead Me, Guide Me' thoughts take her back to her grandmother who loved the song and sang it often in church - it brings back such loving, warm memories.
During these past twenty years, Margie has remained active in vocal performances, however, only in the non-secular arena.She has dedicated her life to her Lord And Savior, Jesus Christ, and has donated her time and gift of song to many churches and non-profit organizations in Mississippi and surrounding states.
She is so very often called to appear at local and state festivals, church programs, banquets and non-profit events.
Most recently, Margie was honored to be the featured guest performer at the annual undraising banquet for Alcorn State University in MS.
Founded in 1871, Alcorn is the nation's first state-supported institution dedicated to the higher education of African Americans.
She has been blessed. Her voice is magnificent still and she wishes to sing praise to her Lord and Savior.
Margie resides on the gulf coast in Mississippi. Her calling has been to devote her life to Christ - in learning and teaching and in song.'Thanks Susan.
Albums:
Margie Joseph Makes A New Impression (Volt 1971)
Margie Joseph - Phase Two (Volt 1971)
Margie Joseph (Stax 1973)
Sweet Surrender (Atlantic 1974)
Margie (Atlantic 1975)
Hear The Words, Feel The Feeling (Cotillion 1976)
Feeling My Way (Atco 1978)
Knockout (Jive 1983)
Ready For The Night (Cotillion 1984)
Stay (Ichiban 1988)
Latter Rain (Sistahpraise Records Inc. 2006)
