Ethel Beatty Barnes hails from New York.
Ethel Beatty was an actress and Soul singer, signed in the early Eighties, to Roy Ayers Uno Melodic Records imprint.
i know you care b/w it's your love
She released one 12” single for the label, which featured, the Roy Ayers/ Dee Dee Bridgewater penned, ‘It’s Your Love’, coupled with, Roy’s own composition, ‘I Know You Care’.
The single has gone on to become highly sought after, and in 2017, can reach around £400 a copy.
‘It’s Your Love’ is often sampled on the hip hop circuit, by the likes of Dope Gems.
‘I Know You Care’ was later sampled by the Sunburst Band.
Ethel had previous sung in the Broadway cast of the musicals ‘Eubie!’ in 1975 (with Gregory Hines), and ‘Bubbling Brown Sugar’ in 1976, singing solo a version of the Duke Ellington song ‘I Got it Bad (And That Ain’t Good)’.
She also appeared in stage versions of the musicals ‘Dreamgirls’ and ’Sugar Hill’ (as the lawyer, Beatrice DuBois).
Later in the Eighties, she can be heard singing backgrounds for the likes of Jonathan Butler (in 1987), Working Week (in 1987), Tyrone Brunson (in 1983) and Change (in 1982).
In 1992, she performed at a concert in New York, promoting African American women.
Single:
I Know You Care b/w It's Your Love (Uno Melodic Records 1981)
