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Video: An unforgettable song from Minnie Riperton, the late mother of Maya Rudolph
Was going to post this as a Lunch Break Video tomorrow but just could not wait.
It was not until earlier today that I became aware that the late Minnie Riperton, the unforgettable singer of the 1970s hit Lovin’ You, is the mother of Maya Rudolph of Saturday Night Live and Bridesmaids fame.
I just had no idea!
Miss Riperton had a most unique and remarkable voice which you will hear for yourself in this performance on NBC’s The Midnight Special. At the end of the song, she sings “Maya, Maya, Maya” over and over again.
Gorgeous.
One of my siblings had the Lovin’ You single – which reached #1 in 1974 – and I remember playing it over and over and would be amazed each time at the high note at the end of the chorus.
Miss Riperton was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 1976 and underwent a radical mastectomy. She was given a grim prognosis of six months to live because the cancer had metastasized.’
But she continued recording and touring and was one of the first celebrities to go public with her breast cancer diagnosis.
She far surpassed her prognosis of six months and in 1977, she became a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. The next year, she received the American Cancer Society’s Courage Award which was presented to her at the White House by President Jimmy Carter.
She died at age 31 on July 12, 1979 when her daughter Maya was just 7 years old.
Talent clearly runs in the family.
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
Sam says:
There was absolutely no doubt that Ms. Riperton brought the world closer to and in love from her eight octave magnificence. It made everyone around singing along whenever it was played. Even during a ski trip back then, as it piped through the speakers I could hear someone high up the lifts warbling the La, La, La’s! Mariah came close vocally, but there is only one Minnie. Thanks for the wonderful posting!
Bucky Reynolds says:
When I was living in Chicago in the late sixties, I was able to see Minnie Ripperton perform with Rotary Connection. Their first album, Rotary Connection, is available on CD. Minnie displays her five octave range brilliantly.
Into Soul says:
Minnie Riperton was a beautiful soul and her beautiful legacy lives on forever through her music and her children. Thank you for this sweet article.