With her dynamic vocal range, soulful delivery and knock-out sex appeal, Ava Cherry was first introduced to the world as the muse and love interest of David Bowie during his plastic soul era of Young Americans. She was the lead vocalist for his dynamite backing group the Astronettes, which also included a then-unknown Luther Vandross, and a key ingredient to Bowie’s stylistic shift to songs like “Young Americans” and Fame.”
After spending much of the mid-1970’s touring the world, she met soul icon, singer-songwriter and producer Curtis Mayfield. He quickly signed her to his Curtom label, and she was soon working with producer-guitarist Bobby Eli, architect of the Philadelphia Sound and band leader of MFSB, whose contributions can be heard on records by the O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, the Trammps, and many other disco classics.
Ripe!!! kicks off with the classic Philly Sound of an infectious groove and lush, layered strings on “I Just Can’t Shake The Feeling,” but it’s Ava Cherry’s fiery delivery that take the song to the next level. The album also features the subtle anger of “Single Woman, Married Man” and the tightly syncopated “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire,” as well as its newly unearthed instrumental version.
Curtis Mayfield wrote and produced the ballad “Love Is Good News” specifically for Ava Cherry. He also gifted her “You Never Loved Me,” a scorching disco track arranged by Gil Askey, which should have been a big hit. The song is also featured as an instrumental, available for the first time.
The timing of Ripe!!! could not have been worse, as Curtom ceased operations later in 1980. Ava would later sign to Capitol Records, where she recorded the albums Streetcar Named Desire and Picture Me but Capitol could not figure out how to market her. She later found her stride touring the world with Luther Vandross, and in 1995, over twenty years after it was recorded, the world finally got to hear The Astronettes Sessions, a full album’s worth of Bowie-produced material.
Ava Cherry is active as ever, hot on the heels of 2020 single “Testify Love,” and is the subject of an upcoming documentary.
