Chaka Khan — I'm Every Woman
Chaka · 1978
Label: Warner Bros. · Genre: Funk / Funk / Disco · Country: USA · From: Chicago, IL, North America
Chaka Khan recorded her debut solo album after leaving Rufus, the band that had made her famous. I'm Every Woman was written for her by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson — the songwriting team behind Ain't No Mountain High Enough — and became one of the defining anthems of 1978. Arif Mardin produced the album, giving Khan the space to demonstrate a vocal range that was without parallel in funk or soul. The album established the template for every female funk-pop crossover that followed, from Whitney Houston to Mary J. Blige.
Did you know: I’m Every Woman was written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson and recorded in a single day in 1978. Chaka Khan was 25 years old when she cut it. Whitney Houston’s 1992 cover sold over five million copies, but Khan’s original remains the definitive version for musicians. Khan has cited Aretha Franklin as her primary influence; Franklin attended her recording sessions in the early years.
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