The German Producer's Fascination With Black Singers.

[Disco Funk]

I hope this doesn't turn into a controversial topic. I just noticed that German producers seem to have a huge interest in black singers. I think it's interesting since I'm guessing the number of blacks in Germany are significantly less per capita than in the USA. Was their interest in black singers because they liked a soulful sound? Was it because they had better accents than German white singers (like Penny McLean or Jackie Robinson)? Or did they think the black singers would be thought of as American and be more accepted in the US than white German singers?'

Here are some black artists that made it big under German producers (by German, I'm referring to productions based in Germany):

Donna Summer
Claudja Barry
Roberta Kelly
Silver Convention (one black member)
Boney M
Eruption
Ronnie Jones
Metropolis - they didn't really have any visible members, but the vocalists were the Sweethearts of Sigma.
Gaz - same as Metropolis.

Disco Funk

[eddie]

Many soul singers went to Europe if they could not make it as a debuting artist in the US. Another prevalent group of Black singers were those who quickly fell out of favor when the styles changed. For instance, northern soul artists, Stax roster, and even 80's soul man Alexander O'neal went from gold records to selling under 40,000 units.

Why Germany?
Not really sure. But if Moroder and BMG are based there then maybe its an obvious spot. Germany was also a base for the US military because the US government wanted to keep an eye on the growing threat of communism in the 60's. Strategically the US needs a refueling station on friendly turf so they can fight and control what they consider "emerging threats". So there would be many tourists and people there who are English speaking.

[JussiK]

Interestingly, Judy Cheeks recalls that when she was doing the vocals for "Mellow Loving" in 1978 the German producers asked her to sound "less black".

[Disco Funk]

Germany was also a base for the US military because the US government wanted to keep an eye on the growing threat of communism in the 60's. Strategically the US needs a refueling station on friendly turf so they can fight and control what they consider "emerging threats". So there would be many tourists and people there who are English speaking.

Yes, I was also thought that the US military bases there probably had an influence on the singers they used.

Disco Funk

[Mr.Ree]

I doubt it's a matter of race, but the fact is that many Black vocalists (male AND female) hone their crafts in the church......that's where many get their first experiences and first exposure, and many retain the gospel flavor (Aretha, Martha Wash, Ann Nesby, Sylvester) even when they perform non-gospel types of music. That distinction is, in my opinion, what many if not most of today's one-named, sound-a-like "singers" lack and probably why most only last until someone with a better body comes along to replace them.

[PierreConstantin]

It's not really fascination, it's more like exotism or a clear way to say "American" because in the 70's the only black people living in Europe were from the US. Besides, it has its roots in the tradition of jazz singers (on the opposite, being a jazz singer and a white person wasn't easy: remember all the criticism singers like Anita O'Day had to fight against).

I doubt it's a matter of race, but the fact is that many Black vocalists (male AND female) hone their crafts in the church......that's where many get their first experiences and first exposure, and many retain the gospel flavor (Aretha, Martha Wash, Ann Nesby, Sylvester) even when they perform non-gospel types of music.

Yes, yes and yes. Of course it's not a matter or race :icon_biggrin:.

Singers like Josephine Baker and Donna Summer have told several times that acceptance for a black singer was easier in Europe than in the US.
I'm not American, so that is just my opinion from the outside but race issue still seems very complicated in the everyday life (and it's not something of the 40's of the 70's, when we see that 95% of the black people voted for Obama and only 5% for McCain).

Interestingly, Judy Cheeks recalls that when she was doing the vocals for "Mellow Loving" in 1978 the German producers asked her to sound "less black".

Black singers have to sound "less gospel" (basically what Davis did with Whitney Houston) but it's also used as an accusation and many singers had to deal with it (Houston again but many others too, big names like Ross, Summer, Michael Jackson, etc. even Sister Sledge, specially when they sang "All American girls").