Pauline Henry (born 29 January 1961) is a Jamaican-British recording artist. She was the vocalist in the Scottish band
the Chimes
''The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In'', commonly referred to as ''The Chimes'', is a novella written by Charles Dickens and first published in 1844, one year after ''A Christmas Carol''. It is th ...
, best known for their 1990
cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
of
U2's "
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the second track from their 1987 album ''The Joshua Tree'' and was released as the album's second single in May 1987. The song was a hit, becoming the band's se ...
", between 1988 and 1991.
Following her departure from the group, Henry embarked on a solo career, and achieved five
UK top 40
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
between 1993 and 1996.
Early life
Henry emigrated from Jamaica to the United Kingdom when she was 10 years old, and settled in London.
[ Before commencing her recording career, she worked as a hair stylist and make-up artist, but also did occasional work as a ]session singer
Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a t ...
.[
]
Career
In early 1988,[ Edinburgh-based ]Mike Peden
Michael Peden is a British record producer, remixer and composer, best known for his work with the British musical duo Lighthouse Family. With his former band the Chimes, Peden had a hit single with their version of "I Still Haven't Found What I ...
and James Locke were looking to form a band to record some songs they had written, but had not yet found a suitable vocalist. Henry's name was passed on to them, and after hearing a tape of her voice played over the telephone, they arranged to meet her.[ Initially intending for Henry to record songs they had already written, the group soon evolved into a partnership where Henry also contributed to the songwriting.][ Naming themselves ]the Chimes
''The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In'', commonly referred to as ''The Chimes'', is a novella written by Charles Dickens and first published in 1844, one year after ''A Christmas Carol''. It is th ...
, the group were signed to CBS Records CBS Records may refer to:
* CBS Records or CBS/Sony, former name of Sony Music, a global record company
* CBS Records International, label for Columbia Records recordings released outside North America from 1962 to 1990
* CBS Records (2006), founde ...
after a representative from the label saw them perform live in Edinburgh.[
The group's first single, " 1-2-3", produced by ]Jazzie B
Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE, (born 26 January 1963) better known as Jazzie B, is a British DJ and music producer. He is the founder of Soul II Soul.
Life and career
Jazzie was born in London UK to parents of Antiguan descent in Hornsey, Londo ...
and Nellee Hooper
Nellee Hooper (born Paul Andrew Hooper on 15 March 1963) is a British record producer, remixer and songwriter known for his work with many major recording artists beginning in the late 1980s. He also debuted as a motion picture music composer w ...
, was released in August 1989 and peaked at No. 60 in the UK. Their version of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" found the group greater success, reaching No. 6 in the UK the following year.[ The Chimes' self-titled debut album was released in 1990, and reached the top 20 in the UK,][ Australia, Austria, and New Zealand. With subsequent singles faring less well on the charts, the band split up in 1991.][
Henry then embarked on a solo career, with her first solo single, "Too Many People", reaching No. 38 in the UK in September 1993.][ Her next single, a cover version of ]Bad Company
Bad Company are an English rock supergroup that was formed in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers, guitarist Mick Ralphs, drummer Simon Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell.Bad Company ''AllMusic'' Peter Grant, who managed the rock band Led Zeppelin, also ...
's " Feel Like Making Love", was a top 20 hit in the UK,[ Australia,][Australian (]ARIA
In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
) chart peaks:
*Top 50 peaks:
*Top 100 peaks to December 2010:
*"Too Many People": N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
*"Watch the Miracle Start" and ''Do Over'':
*"Love Hangover":
*All ARIA chart peaks to 6 February 2018: N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart. and New Zealand. Henry's debut album, ''Pauline'', was released in 1994, and reached the top 50 in the UK[ and Australia.][ A second solo album, ''Do Over'', consisting of ]cover version
In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s of others artists' songs, followed in 1996.
Henry then took a hiatus from her recording career, and obtained a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
degree and a master's degree in Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
.
In 2016, Henry recorded a new version of the Chimes' song "Heaven
Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...
" for the expanded re-issue of the Chimes' only album.[
]
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
Compilations
* 1998: ''Heaven – The Very Best of Pauline Henry & the Chimes''
Singles
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Henry, Pauline
1961 births
Living people
English soul singers
Singers from London
Jamaican emigrants to the United Kingdom
20th-century Black British women singers