Rita Coolidge is an American recording artist and songwriter. During the 70s and 80s, she charted hits on Billboard’s pop, country, adult contemporary and jazz charts and won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and former husband Kris Kristofferson. Coolidge was born in Lafayette, Tennessee. After singing around Memphis (including a stint singing jingles), she was discovered by Delaney & Bonnie, who took her to Los Angeles where, besides her work with Delaney & Bonnie, she became a popular background singer on many other people’s albums. She sang for Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills. She was featured in Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and album, singing Russell’s and Bonnie Bramlett’s song “Superstar.” She became known as “the Delta Lady” and inspired Russell to write a song of the same name for her. She lives in Fallbrook, California. |
