Will Powers was the stage name used by celebrity

photographer A photographer (the Greek φῶς (''phos''), meaning "light", and γραφή (''graphê''), meaning "drawing, writing", together meaning "drawing with light") is a person who makes photographs. Duties and types of photographers As in other ...

Lynn Goldsmith Lynn Goldsmith (born 1948) is an American recording artist, film director, celebrity portrait photographer, and rock and roll photographer. She has also made fine art photography with conceptual images and with her painting. Books of her work hav ...

when she created a self-help comedy music

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

. The 1983 album, entitled ''Dancing for Mental Health'', used affirmations set to music to poke fun at the self-help entrepreneurs who "build the listener's inner self and encourage personal growth through the thought that anything is possible". Will Powers is portrayed by Goldsmith during the spoken word sections as well as in the sung sections, her voice shifted downward in pitch to sound male. Key musical collaborators were

Jacob Brackman Jacob Brackman (born 1943) is an American writer, journalist, and musical lyricist. After graduating from Harvard University in 1965, he went to work for ''Newsweek'' as a journalist. He remained there for six months and was then hired by ''The ...

and Steve Winwood. Additional contributors to the recording included Sting, Nile Rodgers,

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...

, Carly Simon and Tom Bailey. The album ''Dancing for Mental Health'' produced two hit singles, "

Kissing With Confidence "Kissing with Confidence" is a song by Will Powers (the stage name/persona of photographer-turned-singer Lynn Goldsmith) from her 1983 album ''Dancing for Mental Health''. It was written by Goldsmith, Jacob Brackman, Nile Rodgers, Todd Rundgren, ...

" and "Smile".

Discography

Albums

*''Dancing for Mental Health'' #"Adventures in Success" (Goldsmith, Sting) #"Dancing for Mental Health" (

, Goldsmith, Stevie Winwood) #"Opportunity" (Brackman, Goldsmith, Winwood) #"Kissing with Confidence" (Brackman, Goldsmith, Nile Rodgers,

, Winwood) #"Will Powers" (Brackman, Goldsmith, Winwood) #"All Thru History" ( Tom Bailey, Brackman, Goldsmith, Winwood) #"Happy Birthday" (Brackman, Goldsmith, Winwood) #"Smile" (Brackman, Goldsmith, Rodgers)

Singles

Three singles were released - "

", "Adventures in Success" and "Smile". The album credits "special thanks" to Steve Winwood, Todd Rundgren, Sting, Nile Rodgers, Carly Simon, Sly and Robbie, Jacob Brackman and the Will Powers Supporters: Chris Blackwell, Ellen and Pascual Nieves,

Ellen Foley Ellen Foley (born 1951) is an American singer and actress who has appeared on Broadway and television, where she co-starred in the sitcom '' Night Court'' for one season. In music, she has released five solo albums but is best known for her colla ...

, Andy Cavaliere, Donna Hellman,

Bashiri Johnson Bashiri Johnson (born May 12, 1955) is a New York City-based percussionist, whose work has appeared on many records, as well as in commercials, films, television, videogames, and concert performances. He is known to be one of the most recorded ...

Mary Beth Hurt Mary Beth Hurt (''née'' Supringer; born September 25, 1946) is an American actress of stage and screen. She is a three-time Tony Award-nominated actress. Notable films in which Hurt has appeared include '' Interiors'' (1978), ''The World Accord ...

, Maria Vidal Fernandez,

Meatloaf Meatloaf is a dish of ground meat that has been combined with other ingredients and formed into the shape of a loaf, then baked or smoked. The final shape is either hand-formed on a baking tray, or pan-formed by cooking it in a loaf pan. ...

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 19 ...

, Steve Stanley,

Griffin Dunne Thomas Griffin Dunne (; born June 8, 1955) is an American actor, film producer, and film director. Dunne studied acting at Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. He is kn ...

Karen Allen Karen Jane Allen (born October 5, 1951) is an American film and stage actress. After making her film debut in ''Animal House'' (1978), she portrayed Marion Ravenwood opposite Harrison Ford in '' Raiders of the Lost Ark'' (1981), a role she la ...

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director, ...

Glenn Close Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, Close has garnered numerous accolades, including two Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards ...

, Ian Hunter and Tom Bailey. Mixed by Todd Rundgren, "Kissing With Confidence" was released as a single in the UK, peaking at No. 17 in the

UK Singles Chart 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 ...

. Carly Simon was the uncredited lead singer.

References

External links

Trouser Press: Will Powers

CD Baby: Will Powers page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers, Will Living people American new wave musical groups Year of birth missing (living people)