Cherrill Rae - I'm Doing Fine

Born in England but raised in the Canadian province of Ontario, Cherrill Rae grew up on a steady diet of Motown and old school R&B, which left a lasting impression that she strongly identified with, and quickly realized that singing was something she had a natural affinity for. Cherrill decided to move back to the United Kingdom to continue her musical studies and actively pursue a professional singing career. It was in the UK that Cherrill met Robbie Rae when she performed on Robbie's popular television variety show in Wales, and were engaged soon afterward. Robbie and Cherrill moved to Canada, where they began to perform and record as duo. They scored their first hit in Canada as The Raes in 1977 with a disco styled remake of the popular Doris Day hit, "Que Sera, Sera." Their debut album, "Winning Combination," was released the following year. The now successful duo was nominated for two Juno awards and hosted their own network show called The Raes Variety Hour on CBC which lasted for three hit seasons but decided not to continue with the show so they could concentrate full time on their recording and performing career. Their second album, "Dancing Up A Storm," was picked up for US release by A&M and contained their biggest song, "A Little Lovin' (Keeps The Doctor Away)," which became a top-five hit on the US Billboard dance club chart, and soon after entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Robbie and Cherrill toured the US to promote the album and had appearances on the popular network shows Soul Train and American Bandstand. The duo released a follow up single, "(I Only Wanna) Get Up And Dance," which scored them another hit in Canada but didn't fare as well in the states. Robbie and Cherrill released one more album in Canada in 1980 before both their marriage and musical partnership dissolved. Cherrill continued her solo career and focused more on performance than recording. Recently she has become one of the most successful attractions on the Carnival Cruise Lines, which has revitalized her career. Cherrill's voice has grown even stronger over the years and she was approached and encouraged by famed Philly Soul producer Butch Ingram to record a proper solo album. A true labor of love, "I'm Doing Fine" finds Cherrill in remarkable form, performing some of her personal favorite pop hits from a wide array of artists and styles, putting her own unique stamp on everything she sings. The album also contains revitalized remakes of her two best known hits "A Little Lovin' (Keeps The Doctor Away)" and "Don't Turn Around," as well as two brand new original songs that she wrote specifically for the new album. Backed by the highly versatile Ingram Brothers band, the album reveals a more soulful feel, and Cherrill's voice is more than up to the task. It's been a long time coming, but certainly worth the wait.