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Stephanie Mills: A Legendary Voice

Full Name and Common Aliases


Stephanie Mills is an American R&B singer-songwriter known professionally as The Songbird of Philadelphia.

Birth and Death Dates


Born on March 22, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York. Still active today.

Nationality and Profession(s)


American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer.

Early Life and Background


Growing up in a musical family, Mills was exposed to soul music from an early age. Her father, Charles Smith, played the piano and her mother, Lillie Mae Smith, sang in church choirs. This foundation laid the groundwork for Mills' future success. She began singing in local talent shows and competitions as a child.

Major Accomplishments


Mills released her debut album, _Stephanie Mills_, at just 15 years old (1974). The album included the hit single "Look No Further." Her subsequent albums solidified her position as one of R&B's brightest stars. The Wiz (1975) and _Whatcha Got Cookin'_ (1981) are notable examples. She continued to release critically acclaimed music throughout the 80s, including 'I Just Have to B-Curious' and 'Something in the Way (You Move)'.

Notable Works or Actions


Throughout her career, Mills has been recognized for her versatility as a performer. She began acting at an early age, appearing on Broadway in The Wiz alongside Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and other notable talent. This exposure led to roles in film and television, including the soap opera _Another World_.

Mills' contributions extend beyond her own music; she has been a vocal advocate for African American artists and has been involved in various charity initiatives throughout her career.

Impact and Legacy


Stephanie Mills is widely regarded as one of the greatest R&B singers of all time. Her smooth, rich vocals have influenced generations of musicians. Her impact on popular culture can be seen in the many artists who have covered her songs or drawn inspiration from her style.

Mills' legacy extends beyond the music industry; she has paved the way for future generations of women and minorities to pursue careers in entertainment.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Stephanie Mills is remembered for her captivating voice, effortless style, and dedication to her craft. Her influence can be seen in many contemporary artists who continue to draw inspiration from her music.

Her commitment to empowering others through the arts has cemented her place as a beloved figure in popular culture. Quotes from Stephanie Mills often highlight the importance of perseverance and pursuing one's passions – lessons that have resonated with audiences for decades.

Quotes by Stephanie Mills

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I believe entertainers should know what’s going on and do their own banking.
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This is something I love to do. I’ve never had any other job. I love singing and entertaining.
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It’s far too easy to qualify as an eccentric nowadays.
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It is said that the American vocabulary has declined by half in the past few decades. It’s a tragic instance of desertification following upon monocultural commodity production, the clear-cutting of written and spoken English.
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Respecting beings, places, and life ways would be a basis for a worthy systemic analysis. And such an analysis would be inherently conservative, assuming that technology – from the fire stick to the silicon chip – is apt to do more harm to the Whole than good.
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Everything that’s old is new, and everything that’s new is old.
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Enjoying the least things – a chill glass of water, a moment of play with the cat, the sight of sunlight caught in the frost spangling the locust twigs – is a form of prayer.
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Given all that history has shown us of the consequences of technology – from the atlatl spear to the A-bomb – why have so few groups of human beings managed to resist the incursions of technology? Or be choosy about the extent to which they’ll employ a technological innovation?
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It’s the artist’s duty to have an artist’s life, somehow to obtain time and freedom and then to muster the desire and discipline to make good work out of the life, whether that goodness is in the world’s aesthetics, its radicalism, its candor, its singularity, or its universality.
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What little wilderness remains displays the patterns we must return to, if our species and as many others as now remain are to persist here a while. Ideally this would call for a broad cultural rapprochment with the wild, a long overdue armistice in civilization’s war upon it.
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