b. Ruby Turner, 22nd June 1958, Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Ruby Turner, one of the U.K.’s finest Soul Singers, has just launched her long awaited new album 'So Amazing'.
One of the tracks was recently featured in the BBC Drama 'Silent Witness'.
Ruby was born in Jamaica and grew up in Montego Bay.
She was told that Grandfather Turner was a lead singer in a gospel group.
She was relocated to Birmingham, England when she was 9.
Ruby can breathe life and meaning into a song whether it is a passionate soaring ballad or a soulful up-tempo groove.
Her career to date has been sensational with major Tours, Film, TV and theatre appearances.
Her major break came when taken under the wings of Britons own Blues Legend Alexis Korner, sadly now departed from us.
In the mid 1980's she joined 'Culture Club' at the height of their stardom.
Since then, Ruby has releasd 13 solo albums.
Ruby's first Album, 'Women Hold Up Half The Sky' was released by Jive to critical acclaim in 1986.
This period spawned the hits 'If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) and 'I'd Rather Go Blind' and, in the American R'n'B chart, the number 1 hit single 'It's Gonna Be Alright', one of less than ten British records to achieve this.
It was at this time that she also released her hit album 'The Motown Songbook' on which she performed with some of the great stars of that era, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin etc.
'Ruby Turner Live In Bristol' was her last album.
Recorded live at the Bristol Theatre Royal, she performed some of her biggest hits, including ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’, “If you’re ready come go with me”, 'Stay with me Baby' and ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered’.
Ruby has also been invited to sing on releases by such musical icons as Brian Ferry, UB40, Steve Winwood, Jools Holland and Mick Jagger’s solo album.
Being a very prolific songwriter, Ruby’s songs have been covered by many artists from Lulu through to Yazz and Maxi Priest.
10 out of the 12 tracks on her new album are penned by her.
An accomplished actress as well as singer, Ruby has appeared in productions of Tennessee Williams’ 'A Street Car Named Desire', 'Carmen Jones', 'Fame' (in the West End) and in the highly acclaimed 'One Love' directed by Yvonne Brewster at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith.
Ruby appeared at Donmar Warehouse as part of their ‘Diva’s at the Donmar’ season and in ‘The Crucible’, Sheffield.
She is currently on a nationwide Theatre tour to promote her new album 'The So Amazing Album Tour'.
Ruby has also appeared in the BBC TV’s 'Doctors', 'Judge John Deed', 'EastEnders', ‘Jeffrey Archer-The Truth’ and 'Holby City'.
She graced the big screen in the Richard Curtis blockbuster film ‘Love Actually’.
She is the voice of ‘Ruby’ the cat in the animated film 'Famous Fred' which was nominated for an Oscar.
More recently now the voice of the blackbird in 'Creature Comforts' on ITV1.
Her TV title tracks include 'Stay with me Baby' for Lynda La Plante’s TV drama 'Comics', and 'Murder Most Horrid' starring Dawn French.
She has given acclaimed appearances at the Brecon Jazz Festival. Ruby Presented BBC Radio 2 Music Live at Cardiff Bay with Joe Cocker and Michael Bolton at Cardiff bay.
She also performed the Haye on Wye festival.
Her Gershwin concert with the BBC Orchestra at the Symphony Hall was broadcast on Radio 2.
Another of the great milestones in Ruby’s career came when she was asked to sing the National Anthem for Her Majesty the Queen, Tony Blair and other major dignitaries at the opening of the Millennium Dome on New Years Eve 1999/2000.
Ruby recently completed a successful run in ‘Simply Heavenly’ in the West End after selling out The Young Vic last year.
The musical has won several awards and was nominated for Best New Musical at the Laurence Olivier awards this year, where Ruby performed a Cole Porter song.
Ruby appeared on Comic Relief (BBC) with Jools Holland on March 11th singing a duet with Will Young of 'Blowing in the wind'.
Tracks by Ruby on are featured on the last three 'Jools Holland & Friends' along with Platinum selling albums 'Nobody but you', 'I’m Waiting' and 'When I get home'.
Described as 'truly the genuine article and blessed with a voice that has been likened to Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin', Ruby continues to win the hearts and minds of an ever growing and diverse fan base.
Thank you to Caroline @ Purple Orange for the biography
Albums:
Women Hold Up Half The Sky (Jive Records 1987)
The Motown Songbook ((Jive Records 1988)
Paradise (Jive Records 1990)
The Other Side (Jive Records 1991)
Restless Moods (M&G Records 1994)
BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert Glastonbury Festival 1986 (Windsong Records 1995)
Guilty (Indigo Records 1996)
Call Me By My Name (Indigo Records 1998)
So Amazing (Nova Records 2005)
Suspicious Again: The Indigo Sessions 1996-98 (RTR Records 2005)
I'm Travellin' On (RTR Records 2009)
