Sunday January 23, 2022 “Just One Look” Doris Troy
Doris Troy, also known as Doris Payne co-wrote and sang her only top ten single “Just One Look”. And although it was her only solo effort onto the charts as a background singer for numerous artists she would frequently be hear on mega hits for artists like the Rolling Stone’s "You Can't Always Get What You Want", Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, and Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" among so many others.
Doris Troy spent her early teenage years as an usher at the Apollo Theater in NYC and knew from the moment she started there that her goal was to be on that stage singing. She started by writing songs and sent a demo of one of them, “Just One Look” to Atlantic Records who liked the song so much that they released it immediately…that is the they released her demo without re-recording it.
So today’s song of the day is a first take, rough rendition of the song.
Later signed to the Beatles Apple Records label Troy would record a solo album in 1969 produced by George Harrison which would feature an all-star cast including Harrison, Billy Preston, Peter Frampton, Stephen Stills, Klaus Voormann, Jackie Lomax, Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, and Delaney & Bonnie who all contributed.
Mama, I Want to Sing is a stage musical based on Doris Troy’s life which was co-written with her sister, Vy Higginsen, a popular New York City radio personality. It ran for 1,500 performances at the Heckscher Theater in Spanish Harlem. Troy played her own mother, Geraldine. Chaka Khan played her aunt in the London production, as did Deniece Williams. Mama, I Want to Sing! was also made into a motion picture, starring Ciara, Patti Labelle, and Hill Harper, and was released on DVD in 2012.
Stay safe and well...and so many artists covered “Just One Look” while both The Hollies and Linda Ronstadt had charting hits with it in addition to Doris Troy