DJDiscoCat's video: Laura Lee Women s Love Rights 1972 Soul Purrfection Version

Born Laura Lee Newton on 9 March 1945 in Chicago, Illinois is an American soul, gospel singer and songwriter, most successful in the 1960s and 1970s and influential for her records which discussed and celebrated women's experience. SHe with Della Reese were part of the first gospel groups to perform with instrumental backing tracks and toured the country. By 1965 Laura billed her self as Laura Lee for her career as a soul singer she signed with Chess Records and then recorded at Muscle Shoals where her career took off. The timing was right for her to collaborate with Holland Dozier Holland who left Motown to establish their own Hot Wax record label and she signed to the label which released her biggest pop hit "Women's Love Rights" produced by William Weatherspoon also ex of Motown. The song peaked at pop in 1971. Lee left Hot Wax in 1975 and signed with Ariola Records, but became seriously ill shortly afterward and retired from the music industry for several years. She returned in 1983 with a gospel album, Jesus Is The Light Of My Life, on which she worked with Al Green.[12] By 1990 she recovered from her illness and had been ordained as a minister. She has continued recording music, mostly gospel.