Linda Clifford Asks 'How Long'

Interview and photos by Alan Mercer,http://amprofile.blogspot.com/

All Photos:  Alan Mercer   Make-up:  Rudy Calvo  Hair:  Leverne Tate

After being a long-time fan of her music, I met Linda Clifford many years ago and fell in love with her personality! We bonded again more recently when we took these photos a couple of years ago.  When I found out that Rick Gianatos was going to release the Phyllis Hyman song 'How Long' as a follow-up to Linda's recent hit 'Baby I'm Yours' I was elated.  Being the long-time Linda Clifford fan that I am I decided to call Linda on the phone and ask her about this new release and her recent return to the charts!

Linda Clifford parlayed a jazz background, booming voice, and sassy manner into disco and contemporary R&B stardom in the Seventies and Eighties. A former Miss New York State, she sang with the 'Jerico Jazz Singers' and led her own trio in the '60s before switching to R&B and pop.

She signed with Curtis Mayfield's Curtom label and had her first hit in 1978 with 'Runaway Love,' a song that peaked at number three on the R&B charts. The highly stylized 'If My Friends Could See Me Now' was a club favorite that same year.

Her next hit was the soulful duet with Curtis Mayfield, 'Between You Baby and Me,' in 1979. She continued recording for RSO, Capitol, and Red Label in the Eighties.  The song 'He's All I Need' was originally written about Linda and her husband and Linda recorded it in 1982 for her 'I'll Keep On Loving You' album.  Whitney Houston had a number one hit with the song in 1992.

Since the early Nineties, Linda Clifford has recorded tracks with various producers including Rick Gianatos and Georgie Porgie.  

AM:  Linda, your new song 'How Long' is so sensational!  I just love it!!!  I know you recorded it a little bit ago didn't you?

LC:  Yes when you and I did our photo session is when I recorded it.  The song was released and it started to do well and then for whatever reason it didn't get the promo it needed.  Everybody kept saying how good the song was, so thank goodness Rick decided it was too good a song not to do anything with it. 

AM:  He was smart to think of re-releasing it.

LC:  They started remixing and re-mastering.

AM:  I have heard them and they are all sensational.

LC:  I just got them and was listening and every mix sounded better than the mix before!  I'm just freaked out!  I love it!

AM:  How did you feel about recording a cover of a Phyllis Hyman song?

LC:  I was so excited and happy to do it because Phyllis and I worked together for quite  a few years in the clubs.  We were regulars at Studio 54.  She and I got to be kind of close whenever we'd see each other on the road.  I really liked being close to Phyllis and talking with her.  When Rick approached me with this idea I thought it would be tremendous to do an homage to Phyllis Hyman. 

AM:  I like the idea of it being an homage to her.

LC:  She did such a great job on her original version and I had to try and follow in her footsteps.  I wanted to keep it real like she did.  The funny thing is our recording careers started at the same time.  I had her very first album and I was singing 'I Don't Want To Lose You' in my show.  I just loved her arrangement. 

AM:  Then it is full circle to be singing her song now.

LC:  I think about her every time I sing it.  Sometimes it's a little hard.  I just think about the happier days and keep going.

AM:  You're coming off a big hit!

LC:  Isn't that exciting? 

AM:  How did it feel to be back on top again?

LC:  It's amazing to me!  I'm so blessed to have met so many wonderful, talented and giving people in this industry, one of whom is Georgie Porgie.  He's been around the dance music industry for about seventeen years now with number one hit after number one hit. 

AM:  How did you meet him?

LC:  He was doing a food pantry benefit once a year in Chicago and  someone told him to call me and ask me to do the show so he did and I said, "Of course I'll do it."  At that time he told me we should do something together one day.  I thought it was a great idea and the next thing I know BAM! I got a hit record!  He wrote it for me. 

AM:  You are one of my favorites singers of all time!  Your music is timeless.  'I'll Keep On Loving You' is one of the best albums by anyone and it just came out on CD for the first time all remastered. 

LC:  Isn't that awesome?  I could not believe that when that album was originally released they didn't promote it.  They just put it on the shelf.  There's so many good songs on that album.

AM:  It sounds very current today.

LC:  Absolutely it does.  People ask me how it feels to record a Whitney Houston song and I go, "Yo, wait a minute!  That song was written for my husband and I in 1980 by Michael Gore.  Actually in a few days it will be our 34th Wedding Anniversary.  Gold Legion did a wonderful job putting it on CD and I am grateful to them for doing that!

AM:  Do you have any plans to record anything now?

LC:   I'm going to lay back and enjoy the holidays unless of course somebody wants to book me!  I'm more than willing to fly.  I do travel well.  I'd love to come to LA because my daughter lives there.

AM:  You do have to come to LA again and we have to take new photos.

LC:  I promise you the next time I am in LA I will let you know.  I would never pass up the opportunity to do a photo shoot with you.

To learn more about Linda Clifford visit her web site http://thelindaclifford.com/ and http://www.lindaclifford.biz/