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{{short description|American musician}}
[[File:WendyMoten1995|Mediumpx|thumbnail|Moten's Album Cover for her "Time For Change"]]

'''Wendy Moten''' (born November 22, 1965, [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Tennessee]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[singing|singer]], best known for the single "[[Come In Out of the Rain]]", which was a #8 hit in the UK in February 1994.
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Wendy Moten
| image = Moten 2023 (cropped) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Wendy Moten at [[Wildhorse Saloon]], June 2023.
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|11|22}}
| birth_place = [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Tennessee]], US
| genre = {{hlist|[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]|[[Soul music|soul]]|[[Rock music|rock]]|[[Jazz music|jazz]]|[[country soul]]}}
| occupation = [[Solo artist]], vocalist, performer
| years_active = 1992–present
| label = [[EMI Records|EMI]], Vital, [[IRS Records|IRS]]
| website = [http://wendymoten.com/ wendymoten.com]
}}

'''Wendy Moten''' (born November 22, 1964) is an American jazz singer from [[Tennessee]]. Born in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] and based in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], Moten has had a successful career in music, including several major-label solo records, some international hit songs, and a second career as a touring musician.<ref name="mehrtn2022">{{cite news |last1=Mehr |first1=Bob |date=February 7, 2022 |title=Memphis Singer Wendy Moten Ready for Stardom Again After 'The Voice' |volume=118 |pages=2-A, 5-A |publisher=The Tennessean |agency=USA Today Network |issue=37 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/813861170 |access-date=August 4, 2022}}</ref>

At age 56, she entered the American national talent competition ''[[The Voice (American TV series)|The Voice]].'' She finished as the runner-up on the show, but her career was buoyed by the national exposure.<ref name="mehrtn2022" /> Moten is best known for the single "[[Come In Out of the Rain (song)|Come In Out of the Rain]]", which was a No. 8 hit in the UK in February 1994.<ref name="decostabook">{{cite book |last1=DeCosta-Willis |first1=Miriam |title=Notable Black Memphians |date=2008 |publisher=Cambria Press |location=Amherst, N.Y. |isbn=9781604975055 |page=374}}</ref>


==Early life and career==
==Early life and career==
Born in Memphis, Moten sang in [[church choir]]s as a child. She got her first break singing with [[Michael Bolton]] at a benefit [[concert]]; after signing with [[EMI]], in 1992 she released her [[Wendy Moten (album)|self-titled debut album]] and opened for Bolton on tour.<ref>[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p107899/biography|pure_url=yes}} Wendy Moten] at [[Allmusic]]</ref> Moten's biggest hit single was "Come In Out of the Rain", which, although a minor hit in 1992 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]], was a #5 [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|adult contemporary]] hit, and also reached the Top 10 in the [[UK Singles Chart]], where it peaked at #8 in 1994. A follow up single, "So Close to Love", reached #35 in the UK Top 40.


The daughter of a pastor, Moten began singing in a [[church choir]] as a child.<ref name="mehrtn2022"/> She attended [[Overton High School (Memphis, Tennessee)|Overton High School]] in Memphis and sang in the Overton Choir under the direction of the late [[Lulah McEwen Hedgeman|Lulah M. Hedgeman]].<ref name="decostabook"/> She won a Mid-South Fair singing competition at age 16, and got a job singing at a theme park.<ref name="mehrtn2022"/> She attended Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis)<ref name="decostabook"/> as a music business major at the [[Culture of Memphis, Tennessee#Music and the arts|Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Warthen |first1=Cassie |title=Memphis Alum Wendy Moten takes The Voice by storm |url=https://blogs.memphis.edu/bluenote/2021/11/29/memphis-alum-wendy-moten-takes-the-voice-by-storm/ |website=The Blue Note |access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref> She was discovered by promo man Dick Williams who heard her as she was singing on a [[jingle]] in a Memphis studio.<ref name="mehrtn2022"/> She got her first break singing with [[Michael Bolton]] at a benefit concert; after signing with [[EMI]], in 1992 she released her [[Wendy Moten (album)|self-titled debut album]] and opened for Bolton on tour.<ref name="decostabook"/> Moten's biggest hit single was "[[Come In Out of the Rain (song)|Come In Out of the Rain]]", which, although only peaking at #55 in 1993 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], was a No. 5 [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|adult contemporary]] hit, and also reached the Top 10 in the [[UK Singles Chart]], where it peaked at No. 8 in 1994. A follow-up single, "So Close to Love" did not chart in the U.S. but reached No. 35 in the UK Top 40. She had a starring role in an off-Broadway production, "Mama I Want to Sing". Moten also landed a feature song "Whatever You Imagine" in children's movie [[The Pagemaster]] starring [[Macaulay Culkin]] in 1994.<ref name="hueyallmus">{{cite web |last1=Huey |first1=Steve |title=Wendy Moten Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/wendy-moten-mw0000082621 |website=allmusic.com |publisher=Netaktion LLC |access-date=August 5, 2022}}</ref> In the late 1990s, with her personal career at a crossroads, she accepted an offer to tour with [[Julio Iglesias]], a working relationship that continued for the next 15 years.<ref name="mehrtn2022"/> She said, "I toured the whole world with him, singing in four languages . . . flying around in private jets and singing in front of massive audiencies."<ref name="mehrtn2022"/>
In 2006, Moten sang [[backing vocalist|back-up vocals]] on the [[Soul2Soul II Tour]] with [[Tim McGraw]] and [[Faith Hill]]. She contributed backing vocals to [[Bonnie Tyler]]'s 2013 album ''[[Rocks and Honey]]''.

In 2006, Moten sang [[backing vocalist|back-up vocals]] on the [[Soul2Soul II Tour]] with [[Tim McGraw]] and [[Faith Hill]]. She continued touring with McGraw and Hill from 2005-2018. She contributed backing vocals to [[Bonnie Tyler]]'s 2013 album ''[[Rocks and Honey]]''. She also toured with Martina McBride from 2014-2016 providing background vocals. Moten was a harmony singer for [[Vince Gill]] and was a member of his [[The Time Jumpers|Time Jumpers]] for several years, but in 2020, Gill took her on tour as a featured vocalist.<ref name="amsongwrmag">{{cite web |title=Vince Gill Tours Solo Again with 'Voice' Finalist Wendy Moten |url=https://americansongwriter.com/vince-gill-tours-solo-again-with-voice-finalist-wendy-moten/ |website=americansongwriter.com |date=March 22, 2022 |publisher=American Songwriter |access-date=August 4, 2022}}</ref>

==''The Voice''==

Moten said that in 2020, when the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]] shut down the touring business and live music venues, she found her career to be at a critical juncture.<ref name="mehrtn2022"/> She was not sure that her lucrative work as a backup singer on high-profile tours would be still be in existence.<ref name="mehrtn2022"/> When the chance for ''The Voice'' came, Moten said, "Deciding to do ''The Voice'' was hard. Because I've been on a certain level for like 30-plus years... and to be in a situation where you are trying to get people to love you and vote for you...it's tough. But decided to take a risk".<ref name="mehrtn2022"/> Moten competed in the [[The Voice (American TV series) season 21|21st]] season of ''[[The Voice (American TV series)|The Voice]]'' and finished as the runner-up of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Memphian comes in second on 'The Voice' season finale|url=https://dailymemphian.com/article/25950/the-voice-season-finale-memphian-wendy-moten-second-place|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News {{!}} Daily Memphian|language=en}}</ref> While working on the show, Moten fell over a monitor, fracturing her elbow. She was told at a Burbank hospital that it would require surgery, but she was determined to remain on the show for 3 more episodes and then had surgery to repair the fracture with titanium plates.<ref name="mehrtn2022"/> As of 2022, Moten is assembling a professional team to help re-launch her solo career following the surge in her media exposure on the show.<ref name="mehrtn2022"/>

{| class="wikitable collapsible autocollapse" style="width:90%; margin:1em auto 1em auto;"
|-
! colspan="7" style="background:#BFBFBF;"| Performances on ''The Voice'' season 21
|-
! Round
!Theme
! Song
! Original Artist
! Order
! Original Air Date
! Result
|-
! Blind Auditions
| rowspan="4" {{n/a}}
| "[[We Can Work It Out]]"
| [[The Beatles]]
| 1.11
| September 20, 2021
| All four chairs turned; [[John Legend]] blocked; joined [[Blake Shelton|Team Blake]]
|-
! Battles (Top 48)
| "[[If I Ever Lose My Faith in You]]" {{small|(vs. Manny Keith)}}
| [[Sting (musician)|Sting]]
| 9.9
| October 18, 2021
| rowspan=2| Saved by coach
|-
! Knockouts (Top 32)
| "[[Ain't No Way]]" {{small|(vs. Jonathan Mouton)}}
|[[Aretha Franklin]]
| 11.1
| October 25, 2021
|-
! Live Playoffs (Top 20)
| "[[I Will Always Love You]]"
| [[Dolly Parton]] ([[Whitney Houston]] cover)
| 15.20
| November 8, 2021
| rowspan=6|Saved by public's vote
|-
! Live Top 13
|"Dedications"
| "[[Blue Bayou]]"
| [[Linda Ronstadt]]
| 17.1
| November 15, 2021
|-
! Live Top 11
|"Fan Week"
| "[[Freeway of Love]]"
| Aretha Franklin
| 19.1
| November 22, 2021
|-
! Live Top 10
|"Challenge Week"
| "[[Jolene (song)|Jolene]]"
| Dolly Parton
| 21.2
| November 29, 2021
|-
! Rowspan=2|Live Top 8 (Semifinals)
|"'90s Duet with a fellow artist"
| "[[Change the World]]" {{small|(with Paris Winningham)}}
|[[Eric Clapton]]
| 23.3
| rowspan=2|December 6, 2021
|-
| {{n/a}}
| "[[You're All I Need to Get By]]"
| [[Marvin Gaye]] & [[Tammi Terrell]]
| 23.9
|-
! rowspan=3| Live Finale (Final 5)
|"Up-tempo Song"
| "[[How Will I Know]]"
| Whitney Houston
| 25.5
| Rowspan=2|December 13, 2021
| Rowspan=3 style="background:silver;"| Runner-Up
|-
|"Ballad"
| "[[Over the Rainbow]]"
| [[Judy Garland]] ([[Patti LaBelle]] cover)
| 25.10
|-
|"Duet with Coach"
| "[[Just a Fool]]" {{small|(with [[Blake Shelton]])}}
| [[Christina Aguilera]] & [[Blake Shelton]]
| 26.15
| December 14, 2021
|-
|}


==Discography==
==Discography==
{{Main|Wendy Moten discography}}
{{Main|Wendy Moten discography}}

;Studio Albums
*1992: ''[[Wendy Moten (album)| Wendy Moten]]''
* ''[[Wendy Moten (album)|Wendy Moten]]'' (1992)
*1995: ''[[Time For Change (Wendy Moten album)| Time for Change]]''
* ''[[Time For Change (Wendy Moten album)|Time for Change]]'' (1995)
*1996: ''[[Life's What You Make It (Wendy Moten album)| Life's What You Make It]]''
* ''[[Christmas Time (Wendy Moten album)| Christmas Time]]'' (1995 EP)
*2014: ''[[Timeless – Wendy Moten sings Richard Whiting]]''
* ''[[Life's What You Make It (Wendy Moten album)|Life's What You Make It]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Tis the Season (Wendy Moten album)|Tis the Season]]'' (2009)
;Holiday Albums
*1995: ''[[Christmas Time (Wendy Moten album)| Christmas Time]]''
* ''Timeless - Wendy Moten Sings Richard Whiting'' (2014)
* ''I've Got You Covered'' (2020)
*2009: ''[[Tis The Season (Wendy Moten album)| Tis The Season]]''


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
{{Authority control|VIAF=46425699}}
*[https://www.soulexpress.net/wendymoten_part1.htm The complete Wendy Moten Story with an interview in Soul Express]
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME = Moten, Wendy
{{The Voice (U.S.)}}
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =

| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American musician
| DATE OF BIRTH = November 22, 1965
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moten, Wendy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moten, Wendy}}
[[Category:American female singers]]
[[Category:American pop singers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Tennessee]]
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:American women pop singers]]
[[Category:American contemporary R&B singers]]
[[Category:American soul singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Tennessee]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:The Voice (franchise) contestants]]

Latest revision as of 04:59, 5 December 2024

Wendy Moten
Wendy Moten at Wildhorse Saloon, June 2023.
Wendy Moten at Wildhorse Saloon, June 2023.
Background information
Born (1964-11-22) November 22, 1964 (age 60)
Memphis, Tennessee, US
Genres
Occupation(s)Solo artist, vocalist, performer
Years active1992–present
LabelsEMI, Vital, IRS
Websitewendymoten.com

Wendy Moten (born November 22, 1964) is an American jazz singer from Tennessee. Born in Memphis and based in Nashville, Moten has had a successful career in music, including several major-label solo records, some international hit songs, and a second career as a touring musician.[1]

At age 56, she entered the American national talent competition The Voice. She finished as the runner-up on the show, but her career was buoyed by the national exposure.[1] Moten is best known for the single "Come In Out of the Rain", which was a No. 8 hit in the UK in February 1994.[2]

Early life and career

[edit]

The daughter of a pastor, Moten began singing in a church choir as a child.[1] She attended Overton High School in Memphis and sang in the Overton Choir under the direction of the late Lulah M. Hedgeman.[2] She won a Mid-South Fair singing competition at age 16, and got a job singing at a theme park.[1] She attended Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis)[2] as a music business major at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music.[3] She was discovered by promo man Dick Williams who heard her as she was singing on a jingle in a Memphis studio.[1] She got her first break singing with Michael Bolton at a benefit concert; after signing with EMI, in 1992 she released her self-titled debut album and opened for Bolton on tour.[2] Moten's biggest hit single was "Come In Out of the Rain", which, although only peaking at #55 in 1993 on the Billboard Hot 100, was a No. 5 adult contemporary hit, and also reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at No. 8 in 1994. A follow-up single, "So Close to Love" did not chart in the U.S. but reached No. 35 in the UK Top 40. She had a starring role in an off-Broadway production, "Mama I Want to Sing". Moten also landed a feature song "Whatever You Imagine" in children's movie The Pagemaster starring Macaulay Culkin in 1994.[4] In the late 1990s, with her personal career at a crossroads, she accepted an offer to tour with Julio Iglesias, a working relationship that continued for the next 15 years.[1] She said, "I toured the whole world with him, singing in four languages . . . flying around in private jets and singing in front of massive audiencies."[1]

In 2006, Moten sang back-up vocals on the Soul2Soul II Tour with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. She continued touring with McGraw and Hill from 2005-2018. She contributed backing vocals to Bonnie Tyler's 2013 album Rocks and Honey. She also toured with Martina McBride from 2014-2016 providing background vocals. Moten was a harmony singer for Vince Gill and was a member of his Time Jumpers for several years, but in 2020, Gill took her on tour as a featured vocalist.[5]

The Voice

[edit]

Moten said that in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the touring business and live music venues, she found her career to be at a critical juncture.[1] She was not sure that her lucrative work as a backup singer on high-profile tours would be still be in existence.[1] When the chance for The Voice came, Moten said, "Deciding to do The Voice was hard. Because I've been on a certain level for like 30-plus years... and to be in a situation where you are trying to get people to love you and vote for you...it's tough. But decided to take a risk".[1] Moten competed in the 21st season of The Voice and finished as the runner-up of the season.[6] While working on the show, Moten fell over a monitor, fracturing her elbow. She was told at a Burbank hospital that it would require surgery, but she was determined to remain on the show for 3 more episodes and then had surgery to repair the fracture with titanium plates.[1] As of 2022, Moten is assembling a professional team to help re-launch her solo career following the surge in her media exposure on the show.[1]

Performances on The Voice season 21
Round Theme Song Original Artist Order Original Air Date Result
Blind Auditions — "We Can Work It Out" The Beatles 1.11 September 20, 2021 All four chairs turned; John Legend blocked; joined Team Blake
Battles (Top 48) "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (vs. Manny Keith) Sting 9.9 October 18, 2021 Saved by coach
Knockouts (Top 32) "Ain't No Way" (vs. Jonathan Mouton) Aretha Franklin 11.1 October 25, 2021
Live Playoffs (Top 20) "I Will Always Love You" Dolly Parton (Whitney Houston cover) 15.20 November 8, 2021 Saved by public's vote
Live Top 13 "Dedications" "Blue Bayou" Linda Ronstadt 17.1 November 15, 2021
Live Top 11 "Fan Week" "Freeway of Love" Aretha Franklin 19.1 November 22, 2021
Live Top 10 "Challenge Week" "Jolene" Dolly Parton 21.2 November 29, 2021
Live Top 8 (Semifinals) "'90s Duet with a fellow artist" "Change the World" (with Paris Winningham) Eric Clapton 23.3 December 6, 2021
— "You're All I Need to Get By" Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 23.9
Live Finale (Final 5) "Up-tempo Song" "How Will I Know" Whitney Houston 25.5 December 13, 2021 Runner-Up
"Ballad" "Over the Rainbow" Judy Garland (Patti LaBelle cover) 25.10
"Duet with Coach" "Just a Fool" (with Blake Shelton) Christina Aguilera & Blake Shelton 26.15 December 14, 2021

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Wendy Moten discography

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mehr, Bob (February 7, 2022). "Memphis Singer Wendy Moten Ready for Stardom Again After 'The Voice'". Vol. 118, no. 37. The Tennessean. USA Today Network. pp. 2-A, 5-A. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d DeCosta-Willis, Miriam (2008). Notable Black Memphians. Amherst, N.Y.: Cambria Press. p. 374. ISBN 9781604975055.
  3. ^ Warthen, Cassie. "Memphis Alum Wendy Moten takes The Voice by storm". The Blue Note. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  4. ^ Huey, Steve. "Wendy Moten Review". allmusic.com. Netaktion LLC. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  5. ^ "Vince Gill Tours Solo Again with 'Voice' Finalist Wendy Moten". americansongwriter.com. American Songwriter. March 22, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  6. ^ "Memphian comes in second on 'The Voice' season finale". Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
[edit]
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