Alison Limerick (original) (raw)

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British singer

Alison Limerick
Limerick at the stage in 2022Limerick at the stage in 2022
Background information
Born 1959 (age 64–65)
Origin Stepney, London, England
Genres House, dance, dance-pop, pop, soul, jazz
Occupation Singer-songwriter
Instrument Vocals
Years active 1980–present
Labels Arista/BMG, X-Es
Website Alison Limerick booking webpage

Musical artist

Alison T. Limerick (born 1959, Stepney) is a British singer-songwriter who scored success in the 1990s with the club anthem "Where Love Lives", which was her solo debut and a No. 3 hit on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play in 1991.

Limerick attended the London School of Contemporary Dance and switched to a music career, first as a backing vocalist, in the 1980s.[1] She sang on Grand Union Orchestra's 1986 world jazz album The Song of Many Tongues, written by Tony Haynes.[2]

In 1989, she made a brief appearance as an African sorceress in Bob Rafelson's film, Mountains of the Moon. She has also contributed to This Mortal Coil, singing on two of its albums: Filigree & Shadow (1986) and Blood (1991).[1] Another 4AD related contribution found her singing on the Pieter Nooten & Michael Brook album Sleeps with the Fishes (1987) on the song "Equal Ways." She appeared on Peter Murphy's album Holy Smoke and released her own first album in 1992.[1]

Limerick is best known for her 1990s club anthems, her most successful and best known track being "Where Love Lives," her only US release, which was originally a club success in 1991, and a UK Singles Chart No. 9 hit when remixed in 1996.[3] Her 1992 hit "Make It on My Own" reached No. 16 in the UK chart. These tracks were included on the album And Still I Rise, which was also released in 1992. Three further albums were released throughout the 1990s; With a Twist, Club Classics, and Spirit Rising. The single "Put Your Faith in Me" came out in 1997.[1][3]

"Where Love Lives" has made three separate appearances in the US Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1991 (#3), 1996 (#4) and 2003 (#16).[4] None of her albums were released in the US. Limerick was the featured vocalist on the 1995 James Taylor Quartet album In the Hand of the Inevitable, on the album's three solo vocal tracks. The tracks included the single "Love Will Keep Us Together" and the album remains the Acid Jazz label's biggest selling album.

Limerick has worked with many famous artists and songwriters such as George Michael, Courtney Pine and Lamont Dozier. In 1993 she sang backing vocals on M People's song "Melody of Life" from the album Elegant Slumming. She appears in the British movie Collusion as the jazz singer and she is also notable as one of the (uncredited) singers heard performing the closing title song on each episode of Blackadder the Third.[5]

She continues to record and perform live with Brooklyn Funk Essentials, for PAs, and with her own band. She can be heard singing soul and jazz, in various venues across Europe, and found being the Dance Diva in house music venues around the world performing her all-time classics like "Where Love Lives" and "Make It on My Own".

  1. ^ a b c d Ankeny, Jason. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  2. ^ Jazz, All About (9 November 2014). "Grand Union Orchestra: Grand Union Orchestra: The Song of Many Tongues album review @ All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 322. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ a b "Alison Limerick – US Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Howard Goodall official site". Howardgoodall.co.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 27 April 1991. p. 33. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 14 March 1992. p. 23. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 22 January 1994. p. 13. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 March 1994. p. 20. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 21 September 1996. p. 16. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Alison Limerick – UK Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 6 April 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Official UK Dance Singles Chart (30 June 1996-06 July 1996)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 29 February 1992. p. 22. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Official UK Dance Singles Chart (08 September 1996 - 14 September 1996)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40 17 August 1997 - 23 August 1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  17. ^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 18 December 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  18. ^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 26 February 1994. p. 10. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  19. ^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 15 June 1996. p. 6. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 09 March 2003 - 15 March 2003". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 (08 September 1996 - 14 September 1996)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 17 August 1997 - 23 August 1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  23. ^ "British certifications – Alison Limerick – Where Love Lives". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 May 2022.