Anita Ward (born December 20, 1956) <small>(sources differ)</small> is an American singer and musician from Memphis, Tennessee. Beginning her professional music career in the late 1970s, Ward is best known for her 1979 million-selling chart-topper R&B/Disco hit "Ring My Bell": it was no. 1 on the United States Hot 100, R&B, and Dance charts, and in the United Kingdom.
Biography
Early life and education
Ward was born in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. in Holly Springs, Mississippi.
Career
Ward was a schoolteacher before signing a recording contract.
While recording her debut album, record label owner Frederick Knight presented her with a song he had written the previous year for Stacy Lattisaw. Her accompanying debut album, Songs of Love was released that same year. "Ring My Bell" has been remixed and released several times since its original release. After the huge success of "Ring My Bell", "Make Believe Lovers", which was the B-side on most 12" singles for "Ring My Bell", was released, but it failed to chart.
Ward released a second album later in the year; it was common in the 1970s to release albums several months apart. The album, entitled Sweet Surrender, featured the minor hit "Don't Drop My Love", which peaked at No. 87 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. On New Year's Eve 2005 she performed on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, singing "Ring My Bell" and several other disco songs. Ward appeared in Zagreb, Croatia, on January 4, 2006, the night before the FIS World Cup slalom race on nearby Sljeme, with some other groups and singers from disco era (Nile Rodgers and Chic, Village People, Thelma Houston and Rose Royce). In early 2011, it was announced that Ward was back in the studio and released a new single, "It's My Night".
Discography
Albums
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center;
!rowspan="2"|Year
!rowspan="2"|Title
!colspan="3"|Peak chart positions
!rowspan="2"|Record label
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
!style="width:40px;" align=centre|US<br />
!style="width:40px;" align=centre|US R&B<br />
!style="width:40px;" align=centre| US R&B<br />
!style="width:40px;" align=centre| UK<br />
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1979
|align=left| "Ring My Bell"
| 1
| 1
| 1
| 3
| 1
|
- BPI: Gold
|rowspan="1"| Juana Records
| "If I Could Feel That Old Feeling Again"
|rowspan="2"| Songs of Love
|-
|align=left| "Make Believe Lovers"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|rowspan="1"| TK Records
|rowspan="2"| "Spoiled by Your Love"
|-
|align=left| "Don't Drop My Love"
| 87
| 52
| 26
| —
| —
|
|rowspan="3"| Juana Records
|rowspan="3"| Sweet Surrender
|-
|rowspan="1"| 1980
|align=left| "Can't Nobody Love Me Like You Do"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
| "Caught Between a Good Thing and Good-Bye"
|-
|rowspan="1"| 1981
|align=left| "Cover Me"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
| "Can't Nobody Love Me Like You Do"
|-
|rowspan="1"| 1989
|align=left| "Be My Baby"
| —
| —
| —
| 164
| —
|
|rowspan="1"| Virgin Records
| "When a Woman Loves"
|rowspan="1"| Wherever There's Love
|-
|rowspan="1"| 1990
|align=left| "Ring My Bell" (UK reissue)
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 99
|
|
|
|rowspan="2"| Non-album single
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2011
|align=left| "It's My Night"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
|
|
|
|-
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="11"| <small>"—" denotes the single failed to chart</small>
|}
See also
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
- List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
- List of people from Memphis, Tennessee
- List of disco artists (A–E)
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of one-hit wonders on the UK Singles Chart