Eighties Ladies -

Eighties Ladies were an American soul-pop act assembled by producer Roy Ayers. The project yielded the album Ladies of the ’80s on Ayer’s Uno Melodic Records in 1980. Vocalist Sylvia Striplin followed with a solo album.

Members: Sylvia Striplin, Susan Beaubian, Marva Hicks, Vivian Prince, Denie Corbett

Background

Eighties Ladies formed in New York in 1980 when producer Roy Ayers assembled singers Denie Corbett, Marva Hicks, Susan Beaubian, Sylvia Striplin, and Vivian Prince.

Corbett entered the quintet after two 1979 disco records, the solo single “What You Won’t Do for Love” and the Station Break single “Be What You Are,” which featured her as lead singer.

Marva Hicks grew up in Petersburg, Virginia, where she sang in the children’s choir at Good Shepherd Baptist Church. She graduated from Howard University with a BFA. Infinity issued her debut single “Looking Over My Shoulder” (b/w “Here I Go Again”) in November 1978.

Striplin grew up between Harlem and the Bronx and took piano lessons in grade school. She attended City College of New York before work as a backing singer and a performer with the road company of The Wiz. Aquarian Dream added Striplin as lead vocalist for the 1978 Elektra album Fantasy.

Ayers established Uno Melodic in 1980 and made Eighties Ladies the first album project on the label. Ayers and Edwin Birdsong produced and arranged the sessions that yielded Ladies of the Eighties.

Discography: