Jazz Funk,Soul,Boogie & Dance
The Emotions ~ BEST OF MY LOVE
Sheila Hutchinson-Witt (born January 17, 1953) is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning vocal group The Emotions.
She is celebrated for her powerful, clear soprano and was a driving force behind the group’s transition from gospel roots to international pop stardom in the 1970s.
Sheila was born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of three sisters born to Joseph and Lillian Hutchinson. Her musical journey was a family affair from the beginning:
#thehutchinsonsunbeams: Under the mentorship of their father, a guitarist, Sheila and her sisters (Wanda and Jeanette) began performing gospel music as children.
They were so talented that by the late 1950s, they were already appearing on television (such as The Jerry Van Dyke Show) and opening for gospel legend #mahaliajackson.
In the late 1960s, the sisters transitioned to secular R&B and renamed themselves The Emotions.
They signed with Stax Records, where Sheila’s songwriting talent emerged. At just 16 years old, she wrote the group's first major hit, "So I Can Love You" (1969). They toured with many of the Stax artists, including #thestaplesingers and others including the Jackson 5, #slyandthefamilystone, The O'Jays and Stevie Wonder.
Their career reached its peak in the mid-70s when they began collaborating with Maurice White - EWF Legacy.
Major career highlights included:
"Best of My Love" (1977): This disco-infused track, primarily handled by Wanda Hutchinson, with strong harmonies and contributions from her sisters Sheila and Jeanette Hutchinson, and youngest sister Pamela Hutchinson, who joined for this hit, creating that iconic layered sound, spent five weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance.
"Boogie Wonderland" (1979): A massive collaboration with Earth, Wind & Fire that cemented the group's place in music history.
Beyond her group work, Sheila's voice has been sought after for guest features, including #garryglenn’s "Feels Good to Feel Good" (1987).
Sheila Hutchinson is often cited as one of the most influential female vocalists of the "Girl Group" era. Her ability to blend gospel-inflected "call and response" with sophisticated R&B arrangements became a template for future stars like Mariah Carey (who famously sampled "Best of My Love" for her hit "Emotions").
"Best of My Love" is a song by American band the Emotions from their fourth studio album Rejoice (1977). It was composed by Maurice White and Al McKay of Earth, Wind & Fire, and produced by White and Clarence McDonald.
Released as the album's lead single on June 9, 1977, the song topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and US Billboard R&B charts. It also reached the top five in the UK and Canada, the top 10 in New Zealand, and the top 20 in Australia.
"Best of My Love" won a Grammy at the 20th Annual Grammy Awards (1977) for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals; it also won an American Music Award for Favourite Soul/R&B Single.
"Best of My Love" has been covered by Mary J. Blige, #ellaeyre, #SheenaEaston, #Unchain and #samanthajade. It has been sampled by #delasoul, Lisa Lisa and #cultjam, Girl Talk, #kylieminogue, #candcmusicfactory, #KeyshiaCole, #mariahcarey and #Tamia. The song was also sampled in #PaulRussell's 2023 single, "Lil Boo Thang".
Maurice White and McKay wrote "Best Of My Love" specifically for the group. For White, writing this song was a way of expressing a positive feeling in a style much better suited for The Emotions than for his band. White says he would have never written this song for Earth, Wind & Fire.
That's Wanda Hutchinson going after the big high notes in this song. Maurice White had her sing an octave higher than what she was used to. Said Hutchinson, "When my range got higher, the intensity of my vibrato sharpened a little."
This was featured in the films Boogie Nights (1998) and Summer Of Sam (1999).
Songwriter Maurice White sued Mariah Carey and C+C Music Factory for plagiarizing this song for Mariah's 1991 #1 hit "Emotions" (C+C produced the song for Mariah). Said White, "Sampling is one thing, but she took the whole song." The lawsuit was settled out of court."
Song: Best Of My Love
Artist: The Emotions
Album: Rejoice
Label: Columbia
Released: June 9, 1977
Genres: Funk/Soul, R&B, Pop
Style: Disco, Disco Gospel, Dance-Pop, Chicago Soul.
Written By: Maurice White, Al McKay.
Producers: Maurice White, Clarence McDonald.
Personnel:
Lead Vocals: Wanda Hutchinson
Backing Vocals, Harmonies: Sheila Hutchinson, Jeanette, Pamela
Clarence McDonald: Piano, Clavinet
Paulinho da Costa: Percussion
Al McKay:Guitar
Larry Dunn: Synthesizer
Verdine White: Bass
Fred White: Drums
Tom Tom 84 (Thomas Washington): String and Horn Arrangements.
