Carlena Williams (February 25, 1942 – November 13, 2013) was an American vocalist. Early in her career, she recorded under her name, Flora Williams, as an Ikette in the

Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner were an American musical duo consisting of husband and wife Ike Turner and Tina Turner. From 1960 to 1976, they performed live as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, supported by Ike Turner's band the Kings of Rhythm and backing vocal ...

Revue. In the 1960s she released a few singles as Carlena Weaver. She later toured with rock group

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

as a backing vocalist. Williams sang with various artists, including

The Carpenters The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters) were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen Carpenter, Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (musician), Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct ...

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

Etta James Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, and soul. Starting her career in 1954, sh ...

David Gilmour David Jon Gilmour ( ; born 6 March 1946) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and member of the rock band Pink Floyd. He joined as guitarist and co-lead vocalist in 1967, shortly before the departure of founding member Syd Barrett. P ...

, and Humble Pie. Williams was a member of Sunshine,

Donna Summer LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the " Queen of Disco", while her mus ...

's backing vocal group in the 1970s.

Life and career

Born on February 25, 1942, Flora Williams spent her childhood in

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. She began singing in church at the age of 13, and during high school she sang in the vocal group called the Delvettes. After graduation she relocated to

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

. In Buffalo, she sang at the nightclub the Shalimar Club where she opened for headliners. Williams sang in the Corinthian Gospel Singers with

Venetta Fields Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-born singer, musical theater actress and vocal coach. She was a backing vocalist for American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble Pi ...

who became an Ikette in the

Revue. Williams joined the revue in the early 1960s. She released a few singles written and produced by

Ike Turner Izear Luster "Ike" Turner Jr. (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, record producer, and talent scout. An early pioneer of 1950s rock and roll, he is best known for his work in the 1960s and 1 ...

on his labels

Teena Records Teena Records was a record label founded by R&B duo Ike & Tina Turner in 1963. Ike Turner named the label after his wife Tina Turner. Records on Teena were distributed by CIRCA distributing firm. CIRCA (Consolidated International Record Company o ...

and

Sonja Records Sonja Records was a Los Angeles-based record label founded by musician Ike Turner in 1963. Turner set up the label to release singles from the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, which included his then wife, R&B singer Tina Turner, as well as other artists ...

. After her tenure as an Ikette, she returned to Buffalo, and later toured with the Avengers which included two other vocalists Hank Mullen and Moe Jones. She released a single under the name Carlena Weaver on the homegrown Audel label in 1967. Some time after, she released another single on Mo Do Records, owned by William Nunn (father of R&B singer Bobby Nunn). Williams paired up with Venetta Fields as

The Blackberries The Blackberries were a female vocal trio composed of experienced backing vocalists. They backed various artists, including Pacific Gas & Electric (band), Pacific Gas & Electric, Humble Pie, Ringo Starr, and Pink Floyd. The Blackberries recorded ...

, which had been the name of a group Fields formed with singer

Clydie King Clydie Mae King (August 21, 1943 – January 7, 2019) was an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist. King also recorded solo under her name. In the 1970s, she recorded as Brown Sugar, and her single "Loneliness ( ...

. In 1973, they were working with Humble Pie when Pink Floyd guitarist

convinced them to sing with

. Fields sang on their

Dark Side of the Moon Tour The Dark Side of the Moon Tour was a concert tour by British rock band Pink Floyd in 1972 and 1973 in support of their album ''The Dark Side of the Moon'', covering the UK, US, Europe and Japan. There were two separate legs promoting the album ...

and Williams was on their 1974 French Summer Tour. Williams and Fields to provide vocals for Pink Floyd's album ''Wish You Were Here'' (1975). In 1975, Williams released a solo single on Venice Records. Through the latter part of the decade she sang backing vocals for various artists, including

Roy Buchanan Leroy "Roy" Buchanan (September 23, 1939 – August 14, 1988) was an American guitarist and blues musician. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan worked as a sideman and as a solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career and two lat ...

, and

. She also contributed vocals to

's first solo album ''

'' (1978). In 1984, she recorded for Broadcast Records located in North Carolina. Williams released her self-published autobiography, ''A Promise Is A Promise'', in 2006. She died on November 13, 2013.

Discography

Singles

Flora Williams

* 1963: "Love Me Or Leave Me" / "I'll Wait For You" (

Teena ''Teena'' is a comic strip about a teenage girl, created by Hilda Terry. It ran from July 1, 1944, to 1963, distributed by King Features Syndicate. The strip evolved from Terry's earlier Sunday feature, ''It's a Girl's Life'', a collection of ...

1704) * 1963: "Blue With A Broken Heart "/ "Mind In A Whirl" ( Sonja 2003)

Carlena Weaver

* 1967: "Jealousy" / "Heart Break" (Audel 363) * 1968/1969: "Smile A Rainbow" / "Happy Mood" (Mo Do 105)

Carlena Williams

* 1975: "Hey Radio" / "I Won't Be Completely Happy" (Venice 001) * 1984: "(When I'm) Touching You" / "When You're Near" (Broadcast 10705)

Album appearances

* 1992: The Ikettes – ''Fine Fine Fine'' (

Kent Records Kent Records was a Los Angeles-based record label, launched in 1958 by the Bihari brothers. It was subsidiary of Crown Records Corporation. Kent was a follow-up to Modern Records which ceased operations in 1958. The label reissued Modern's singles, ...

) * 2007: The Ikettes – ''Can't Sit Down... 'Cos It Feels So Good: The Complete Modern Recordings'' (Kent Soul) * 2007: The Ikettes – ''

Soul The Hits ''Soul The Hits'' is the debut album by American girl group the Ikettes, released on Modern Records in 1966. Background In 1960, Ike Turner wrote "A Fool in Love" for singer Art Lassiter. When Lassiter failed to show up for the recording sess ...

'' (

Modern Records Modern Records (Modern Music Records before 1947) was an American record company and label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. Modern's artists included Etta James, Joe Houston, Little Richard, Ike & Tina Turner and John Lee ...

) * 2012: ''A Woman Needs A Man To Love: Lady Soul 1965-1991'' ( P-Vine Records)

Backing vocal credits

* 1974:

– ''Come A Little Closer'' * 1974: Humble Pie – ''Thunderbox'' * 1974:

– ''In The Beginning'' *1974:

Richard "Dimples" Fields Richard "Dimples" Fields (March 21, 1942 – January 12, 2000) was an American R&B and soul singer, popular during the 1980s. Career He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He began singing professionally in the early 1970s, purchasing an Oakland ...

– ''Spoiled Rotten!'' *1974:

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

– ''Reel-To-Real'' *1975:

Country Joe McDonald Joseph Allen "Country Joe" McDonald (born January 1, 1942) is an American musician who was the lead singer of the 1960s psychedelic rock group Country Joe and the Fish.Richard Brenneman"Country Joe McDonald Revives Anti-War Anthem", ''Berkeley ...

– ''Paradise With An Ocean View'' * 1975:

– ''Wish You Were Here'' *1975:

The Righteous Brothers The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the Los ...

– ''The Sons Of Mrs. Righteous'' *1976:

Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded and played in the rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie, in a career spanning over two decades. Marriott was inducted pos ...

– ''Marriott'' *1976:

Dianne Brooks Gwendolyn Dianne Brooks (January 3, 1939 – April 29, 2005), was a soul, r&b and jazz singer from New Jersey. With the Three Playmates, Brooks recorded several songs in 1957. She moved to Toronto shortly thereafter. Her part in Canadian soul m ...

– ''Back Stairs Of My Life'' *1977:

– ''Once Upon A Time'' *1977:

– '' Sweet Forgiveness'' *1977:

– ''A Period Of Transition'' *1977:

– ''Passage'' *1978:

– ''David Gilmour'' *1978:

Paul Jabara Paul Jabara, also known as Paul Frederick Jabara, (January 31, 1948 – September 29, 1992) was an American actor, singer, and songwriter of Lebanese ancestry, born in Brooklyn, New York. He wrote Donna Summer's Oscar-winning " Last Dance" from ...

– '' Keeping Time'' *1978:

– ''Live And More'' *1979: Brooklyn Dreams – ''Sleepless Nights''

Books

* 2006: ''A Promise Is A Promise'' ()

References

External links

Carlena Williams Credits
on

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Carlena 1942 births 2013 deaths African-American women singers Singers from North Carolina Musicians from Buffalo, New York Ike & Tina Turner members Sonja Records artists American soul singers American rhythm and blues singers The Blackberries members