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GenX Gon Give It To Ya is ultimately about spreading love and bridging generations. I’m broadening connections while scoopin up some old friends along the way. We’ll reminisce on tv, movies, music, entertainment and events that helped form our culture cause the bond is deep!
Come Play!
Deshanta (00:00)
Yes, yes, yes, I'm back y'all.
Happy New Year and happy Black History Month. I hope y'all will forgive my absenteeism. 2025 had some challenges, so I took a step back to reacclimate and better align with the universe. Thank you to everyone who reached out wanting to know when the next episode of GenX Gon Give It To Ya would drop.
That day has come people. During my hiatus, I did a lot of self reflection. Some of you know I'm very spiritual. Some of the messages I was receiving was to give the audience more of me. I've come to understand that that means expanding on this Black Party. So not only will I be catching up with old GenX friends from the Bronx, but friends I've made throughout the world. From the Netherlands to Africa, Turkey to Thailand to England.
I want to hear what the 70s, 80s, 90s were like for you. What shows, music, foods, and slang can we share? Can we revive some?
On today's episode, I will spotlight the amazing Irene Cara, who won many of our hearts to Sparkle. For some of y'all, it was as Coco Hernandez in fame. Maybe it her vocals on Flashdance, what a feeling. We'll take a look at the rise and fall of a shining star. I would like to give a special shout out to David Labay.
He's a moderator for the group Irene Cara fans on Facebook. He's also written a book, Cinderella Superstar, Remembering Irene. When I was near done with my research, I reached out and he happily answered some questions I couldn't find the answers to. Good looking, David.
So welcome back, and if this is your first time here, please hit that subscribe button, then tell your friends. Let's get into it.
Deshanta (01:29)
Irene Cara Escalera was born March 18, 1959 in the Bronx, New York. Her mother Louise was born to Cuban parents November 28, 1923 in Tampa, Florida.
Louise' mother, Margarita, would die when she was an infant. Her father, Sylvester would raise Luis on his own. Irene's father, Gasper, was born February 10th, 1917, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Gasper was a retired tenor saxophone player with the band Chorolo y su Combo Chorolo was the group's percussionist and musical director.
Gaspar is credited on three albums. The band would play salsa, bolero, descaga, and charanga. In interviews, Irene has stated that her father brought merengue to the US. After retiring from performing, Gaspar got a job as a steel factory worker.
Irene is the youngest of five siblings. She was nicknamed Carrot because she was born with red hair. Louise detected at a very early age that Irene was musically gifted. She could play piano by ear and when Irene was three, she became a finalist in the Little Miss America pageant.
Her mom then enrolled her in dance, then music classes soon after. the cost for lessons, Louise worked as a cashier and movie usher. Irene has said that her mom always wanted to be in show business, but her parents wouldn't allow it.
Her mom was a dancer when she was younger. She says both her parents encouraged her to pursue entertainment, but never felt pressured. It was a natural progression that she would really enjoy.
Because of this nurturing, her parents instilled an unwavering confidence in her talents. Her career started on Spanish TV when she would sing and dance. We would soon hear her on the original amateur hour in 1967 when she sings, Hola, Hola, Hola.
In this performance, which you can find on YouTube, it is clear Irene was destined for stardom. She's infectious. On December 7th, 1967, Irene would release a Spanish language album titled Esta es Irene.
When Irene was nine, she got a part in the Broadway play Maggie Flynn as Iris. The play would star Shirley Jones in the title role along with Jack Cassidy, Stephanie Mills, and 10-year-old Giancarlo Esposito. The play opened October 23rd, 1968 at the AMTA Playhouse, which is now the August Wilson Theater.
Maggie Flynn is inspired by a true story during the New York draft riots of 1863. It revolves around an Irish woman named Maggie who runs an orphanage that provides asylum to the children of refugee slaves. In the midst of all this, she marries Phineas Flynn. I don't know all the details, but apparently he leaves her to join the circus.
Maggot isn't here from him for a long time, so thinking that Phineas must be dead falls in love with Union Army Colonel John Faraday.
Then Phineas comes back and all types of drama unfold. Irene, Stephanie, and Giancarlo play orphans. The play would run for 82 shows with the last show on January 5th, 1969. On February 23rd, 1970, Irene would be the youngest performer at Madison Square Garden for a musical tribute to Duke Ellington called Sold on Soul. Sammy Davis Jr. was the master of ceremony with performances by Louis Armstrong,
Leslie Uggams, Ray Charles, Roberta Flagg, Stevie Wonder, along with Duke Ellington and his band.
In 1970, got her first TV role on the soap opera Love of Life as Daisy Allen. Irene's career would continue to flourish. On May 18th, 1970, the off-Broadway play, The Me That Nobody Knows, opens at the Orpheum Theater. We would see Irene display her singing and acting range. Irene plays Lily May along with up and coming stars Melanie Henderson
and Hattie Wilson. The trio will all go on to land a gig on The Electric Company.
The Me That Nobody Knows is credited as the first Broadway hit to give voice to the sentiments of inner-city American youth. The play tells various stories through song by 12 young cast members who are dealing with different life struggles. The musical was praised for its candidness and honesty by critics. The New York Times wrote an article on August 3rd, 1970 called, Child Actors Are Still Taking Cues From Their Mom, where Irene and her mom are interviewed along with three other young actors and their moms about performing
in the play, their future aspirations, and how moms will make it all happen. The Me That Nobody Knows would go on to receive an Obie Award. The Obie Award has been given since 1956 by the Village Voice to Off-Broadway Productions with American Theatre Wing becoming a joint presenter in 2014 It It is Off-Broadway's highest honor, similar to a Tony. It also won the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical.
It is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theater. It was credited in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, which honors Off Broadway productions and those in the vicinity. renamed in 1964, the Drama Desk Awards. considered a significant American distinction.
The Me That Nobody Knows closed off November 15th, 1970 with 208 performances. It would open on Broadway December 18th, 1970 at the Helen Hayes Theater.
It would close November 14th, 1971 at the Longacre Theater after 378 performances. The musical would create such a buzz that it was performed throughout the world. A German at the Bremenstadt Theater in Germany.
It was directed by Norman Foster with musical director Noel Jones. The cast would include a little known singer at the time who would become Thee Donna Summer.
In 1980, the musical was produced by the network Showtime as part of their Broadway series. Tisha Campbell would take over the reins as Lily Mae. Some of y'all may have seen that segment as it has been making its rounds on social media.
Now I don't know where she found the time, but on December 12th, 1970, the album Christmas Time with the Harlem Children's Chorus, which featured Irene, was released. In 1971, she became a show regular on the educational program, The Electric Company, as a member of the show's band, The Short Circus. She plays Iris, where she often played piano and keyboards. Irene appeared in 130 episodes
alongside beloved talents such as Lee Chamberlain, Rita Moreno, Louis Avalos, Bill Cosby and Morgan Freeman. in its second season.
On November 28th, 1972, Irene began co-starring on Broadway with Raul Julia, Melanie Chartoff and Ralph Carter of Good Times. in Viva Galactica at the Uris Theater, which is now named the Gershwin Theater.
It was a rock musical about a group of social outcasts living on an asteroid in the year 2972.
The main character Gabriel Finn is a space sanitation man who collects trash in a clamshell-shaped garbage ship. The production experienced many mishaps from the beginning, such as actors falling through soft trampoline flooring, to Raul getting stuck in the spaceship midair over the orchestra for 20 minutes, to Irene's character Claire unable to fly around the stage due to faulty rigging, to the new wireless
microphone somehow getting cross-wired with the local police precinct.
When actress Virginia Vestoff went to sing, everyone heard emergency calls about car accidents and arrests in Midtown. Viva Galactica got bad reviews and became one of the first musicals to lose $1 million. The show would close seven days later.
In 1975, Irene would star with Kevin Hooks in Erin Loves Angela, directed by Gordon Parks Jr. It is a reworking on the Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet. In 1976, Irene made a major breakthrough when she got a starring role as Sparkle.
The film would also star Philip Michael Thomas, Lynette McGee, Mary Alice, and Dorian Harewood. The film is loosely based off of the Motown group, The Supremes. It is set in the late 50s, early 60s Harlem.
It's the story of three sisters pursuing their dreams of successful singing careers while experiencing the price of fame. the number one R &B hit, Something He Can Feel,
That year, John Willis's Screen World Volume 28 named Irene one of 12 promising new actors of 1976. magazine named her top actress. She also appeared in an episode of Coljack. In 1977, Irene appeared in an episode of What's Happening as Rerun's love interest.
starred on Broadway with Nell Carter, Andre De Shields, Amelia McQueen, and Ken Page in the musical review, Ain't Misbehavin'.
The play is a musical tribute to singer, jazz pianist and composer, Fats Waller.
It centers around nightclub life in high society venues from the likes of the Cotton Club and the Savoy Room, with perspectives sometimes shifting to dives on Lennox Ave, also known as Malcolm X Boulevard. The play entertains the audience with raunchy humorous songs reflecting the mood of the era.
In 1979, we saw Irene reunite alongside Dorian Harewood as Alex Haley's parents in Roots, The Next Generations, which is based on the last seven chapters of Alex Haley's novel Roots. It would go on to win seven Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe.
1980 would prove to be Irene's breakout year. She co-stars with Powers Booth, Ned Beatty, Veronica Cartwright, Rosalyn Cash, Madge Sinclair LeVar Burton, and Brad Durif before he would terrorize us as Chucky,
along with many others in Guyana Tragedy, the Jim Jones story. Soon after on June 20th, Fame would be released in the US theaters and everyone would certainly remember her name. Fame is a musical drama set in New York City that explores the lives of students attending the High School of Performing Arts. We are introduced to various talented students such as Bruno Martelli, Ralph Garcy,
Doris Finsecker, Irene as Coco Hernandez, and Leroy Johnson played by the amazing Gene Anthony Ray. We will also be introduced to the multi-talented Debbie Allen as dance teacher Lydia. Comedy legend Anne Meara also has a supporting role as English teacher Mrs. Sherwood. Along with starring in Fame
Irene also sings the theme song for the soundtrack as well as lending her vocals to Out Here On My Own, I Sing The Body Electric, and Hot Lunch Jam. Fame had reached number four on Billboard's Hot 100s chart and the album reaching number seven on Billboard's 200s chart. The song Out Here On My Own reached number 19.
The movie Fame became a cultural phenomenon, inspiring thousands of teens pursue their performing arts dreams and aspirations. multi-platinum status. The single Fame would end up winning an Oscar for best original song in 1981.
Irene would be asked to sing two songs at the Oscars, something that had never been done.
She performed Fame and ballad, Out Here on My Own achieved so much success that it was given a TV show of the same name with Debbie Allen, Lee Carrere, and Jean Anthony Ray reprising their roles. Irene, wanting to pursue her music career, did not return and was replaced by Erika Gimbel.
In 1981, Irene got a chance at her own TV pilot called Irene with Kate Ballard, Teddy Wilson, Julia Duffy,
and Keenan Ivy Wayans, but unfortunately it wasn't picked up. This didn't stop the performer who grew up confident that she would reach superstardom.
In January 1982, released her first studio album, Anyone Can See, with the single charting at number 42 on Billboard Hot 100. Soon after, Irene would team up with actor George Siegel in one of the first Canadian films to go straight to video called
Killing Them Softly. The synopsis explains the movie is about a woman who falls in love with her boyfriend's killer. Now my first thought was, we just listen, we don't judge.
And I'm glad I didn't. The synopsis is all wrong. Irene's character, Jane's boyfriend, is accused of murder. Having been with her boyfriend at the time of the murder, Jane grows suspicious of a neighbor, so she begins her own investigation. In June 1982, she starred in Maya Angelou's Sister, Sister,
which also stars Queen's Diane Carroll and Rosalyn Cash as three sisters, each with their own ideas on the fate of their family home.
The film would go on to win an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding TV Movie Miniseries or Dramatic Special. Irene would win an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding actress in a Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special.
March 1983 fans would see Irene earn another notch on her acting belt where she would play Meryl Evers, the wife of civil rights activist, Medger Evers in the American Playhouse TV movie, For Us the Living, the Medger Evers story. The movie would go on to win the Writers Guild of America award. Irene would be nominated for best actress.
Later that month, Irene's career would enter another stratosphere when her and Keith Forsey are approached to provide lyrics and music to a movie They were shown only the last scene of an upcoming film to draw inspiration from, immediately after the movie they headed to the studio.
By the time they arrived, the duo had written most of the song that would become known as the time is classic, Flashdance What a Feeling. They explained that it was important for them to convey what it feels like when music inspires someone to dance. The song was released a few weeks later before the movie to create a buzz around the positive reviews. Flashdance was such an unexpected box office success that the record stores across the US sold out of the single and soundtrack in just a few days after the movie release. Flashdance What a Feeling
would spend six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It would go on to sell 20 million copies worldwide. Irene would become the youngest artist to receive an Oscar for songwriter. She would also make history by becoming the first Afro-Latina to win at the Grammys and Oscars for the same song.
In November of 1983, Irene released her second album, appropriately titled What a Feeling. It would include the singles Why Me, The Dream, Hold On to the Dream, Breakdance, and You Were Made for Me.
The album would reach number 77 on the Billboard chart. Riding high on success, Irene finished out 1983 by appearing as herself in the comedy DC Cab, starring Mr. T, Max Gale, and Adam Baldwin. In 1984, she would appear alongside Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds in City Heat as Ginny Lee.
Because of the success of Flashdance, Irene was left confused as to why she was receiving so little in royalty payments.
She was getting like $183. That's crazy. She would accuse the head of her label, Al Coury of Network Records of cheating her out of at least 2 million in royalties and earnings.
In February 1985, she filed a $10 million lawsuit accusing Coury of withholding royalties from the Flashdance soundtrack, as well as her first two solo albums.
a new label and convinced her to leave with him by signing what she was told a better contract. The contract would give her and Cory equal share of profits to her songs. She would later find out that she would be paid around
25,000 in royalties when Coury got over 60,000 in royalties
As reported by UPI Unified Payment System, the suit claims Corey took advantage of Kara's trust in him to get her to sign agreements that were patently one-sided, unfair, unjust, and oppressive. Coury was known as a major industry player. He had worked at Capitol Records developing professional relationships with artists like Linda Ronstadt, the Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, and Pink Floyd. He was nicknamed the man with the golden ears. He had so much power in the industry that he could
a song without even consulting the artist first.
Fortunately, he would be right many of the times. His label, RSO Records, would become home to acts like Eric Clapton, Andy Gibb, Yvonne Elliman, and the Bee Gees. The label also released soundtracks for Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Star Wars, Fame, and others. The company started to have financial issues when they produced a movie adaption of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band starring the Bee Gees. It would gross $20 million on a $13 million budget
budget.
The film would receive dismal reviews. The Bee Gees would go on to sue as well. The next year RSO absorbed by Polygram and the artist went to other labels. This is when Coury founded Network Records with Irene being one of its first big artists. She would tell Songwriter Universe,
All the other artists that had been on RSO went elsewhere. When that dissolved, the Bee Gees left and Yvonne Elliman left.
And I not having good management or a good lawyer, I thought I was obligated to this record president who signed me for a movie Fame She would go on to say, I had enough. had two of the biggest hits of the decade and I was not seeing a dime because Coury had a lot of power and industry backing. He was up for the financial and legal fight. It should also be noted that Irene was still legally under contract with him. Irene would learn that words like profits and gross revenue or receipts would prove to be detrimental.
Wording is everything.
It was during cross-examination of an expert witness by the defense that the scales of justice swayed in her favor. The expert would summarize the case as a whole mess of Hollywood accounting, opening up the door to admission of guilt.
Irene's lawyer Tom Nunziato would sum it up by saying, the truth of the matter is, it's how the industry is. They rip off young singers and it's not until the artist plays the game for a while and get to the point where they can renegotiate their contracts that they can start making a lot of money. Irene just was not willing to do that.
It was around that time that Irene says she was blackballed. Record
executives wouldn't meet with her and film producers wouldn't return her calls. Rumors about drug addiction left her being escorted out of offices. She would go on to say restaurants and hangout spots I frequented and felt comfortable in now looked at me with disdain. The glares and sneers of other LA celebrities have become so vicious that I knew I couldn't tolerate living there any further.
Not one to be easily swayed, Irene teamed up with Tatum O'Neill to star in Certain Fury, a gritty crime drama that unfolds after the two women end up on the run from the police after a courtroom shootout and mistaken identity. Though it was a commercial flop and panned by critics, Irene was a success in the love department.
During filming, she met stuntman and director Conrad Palmisano. They fell in love and got married April 13th, 1986. Later in 86, she stars with Paul Koufis and Stan Shaw. He's been in tons of movies since the 70s, but for many of us, it may be his scene-stealing moments as stuttering boxer Jack Jenkins in Harlem Nights.
Her husband, Conrad, would direct Busted Up.
Busted Up is about a gym owner, Earl Bird, who is harassed by corrupt developers after he refuses to sell.
and the rest of the neighborhood safe. Irene plays lounge singer Simone, who is Sarah's mother, who hopes to re-enter the girl's life regardless of Earl's protest. In 1987, the movie and music industry was still on their blackball BS.
So when Irene attempted to release her most recent album, Carasmatic, they took measures to prevent her from performing her old early music anywhere in the nation stopping distribution of Carasmatic in the US.
Carasmatic is a play off of her name and is her only album for Electra Records. It has contributions from popular musicians like James Ingram, Patrice Rushen Kenny Loggins, Bonnie Raitt, Michael Bolton, and Luther Vandross. Although it has a star roster, it didn't chart on the Billboard 200, but we know why.
In
In 1988, Irene guest starred in an episode of the TV series Bustin' Loose starring Jimmy Walker and Vonetta McGee, not to be confused with the movie Bustin' Loose starring Richard Pryor and Cicely Tyson, but it is loosely based on the movie. Jimmy plays an ex-con turned handyman who lives in the basement of a social worker played by McGee who fosters four kids. Jimmy's character quickly becomes an endearing addition to the household.
In episode 25, Irene plays Vivian, a gun-totin robber posing as an aspiring singer. I am today's old that I even found out about this show. It would last one season with 26 episodes.
In 1989, Irene would star and sing the theme to Caged in Paradiso. It would be later renamed Maximum Security. It's about women imprisoned on an island who band together to escape their captors. That same year, she would contribute her voice to Happily Ever After as Snow White.
By 1991, Irene was nearly broke. Most of her savings were nearly depleted from legal costs against her former label.
It was during this time that she and Conrad divorced. Some speculate that it was because of their 15 year age gap. Others have said it was because no child was produced.
I didn't find any definitive proof of either. A lot of her experiences left her angry and bitter. Wanting change, Irene moved to San Francisco where she worked on her spirituality. she reemerged, we would see her as resilient as ever. She continued to book voiceover gigs, which included Beauty and the Beast as Beauty, The Magic Voyage, The Jungle King, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
None of which were Disney productions, just to be clear. Irene also toured Europe and Asia after releasing successful singles. She also released a Eurodance compilation titled Precarious 90s.
In 1993, Irene toured the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. That same year, Irene's lawsuit against Al Coury would finally come to an end with her being awarded 1.5 million in compensatory damages and ownership of her masters. If I hadn't decided to go into an episode on her, I may not have learned that Irene continued to work and put out music on her terms.
I honestly didn't know what happened to her after like DC cab. How many of us knew she was blackballed?
We've always heard the term, but to learn that it happened to a cultural icon is crazy and just shows how diabolical people can be when they are challenged. This can be said about anybody. This can be said about anyone, anytime. It's not just a Hollywood thing. Ego and greed is a human thing. People should be able to defend themselves when mistreated without repercussions.
It makes sense as to why she became a recluse in her later years.
the industry that she made her livelihood in, turned their back on her.
Deshanta (22:55)
After touring abroad began to wind down, Irene formed the all-female group Hot Caramel in 1999, consisting of six members all having unique style of their own.
2001 would see Irene collaborate with Swiss artist DJ Bobo on the remix of What a Feeling. The video would be filmed in Germany. The song would introduce the mega talented singer to a new generation of fans. Irene has always expressed how much her fans meant to her, so this was very exciting.
In 2004, Hot Caramel released the single, Downtown,
a soulful remake of the Petula Clark classic. On June 16th, 2005, Irene appeared on the show, Hit Me Baby One More Time, where she performed What a Feeling solo, as well as I'm Outta Love with Hot Caramel by Anastasia. She would end up winning round three on that episode.
In 2006, she released the dance single, Forever My Love, for the compilation album, Gay Happening, volume 12.
Also in 2006, Irene provided an invigorating performance of what a feeling for the Australian Football League Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to a crowd of 100,000 people. Let that sink in, 100,000 people, y'all.
Everyone in attendance will remember her name because in addition to the performance Flashdance What a Feeling was also featured in an advertising campaign for Carlton drought beer by the event sponsor. In 2008 she performed on the General Jackson showboat the long-awaited album Irene Cara presents Hot Caramel is released in 2011 the album consists of 24 songs with Irene as executive producer
It's a blend of pop, soul and R &B, which features collaborations by Joseph Williams of Toto, Jason Chef of Chicago, and Joe Pizzullo of Sergio Mendes. Hot Caramel's debut album was well received and has attracted a dedicated fan base. In later years, Irene moved to Largo, Florida, while also maintaining a second residence in Newport, Ritchie, where Hot Caramel Productions Company was located. She would go on to say, I have a beautiful
home by the beach and life is good. I live off my royalties and work when I want to. I consider myself semi-retired.
In 2019, Irene launched her podcast called The Backstory. In it, she would tell the behind the scenes moments regarding production and collaborative efforts, as well as the experiences that motivated some of her songs. In episode one, she discusses her song, Anyone Can See, which was on her first album. This is when we learned that Luther Vandross re-recorded a version no one had heard till now. We would get to hear Irene on background.
She expresses how exhilarating it is to hear someone sing her songs, especially someone as talented as Luther, whom she's known since 15 and considered a mentor.
She also introduces a song, As Long As It Lasts, written by Susan Hamilton and David Buskin. It's about love lasting till the end of time, if both trust in love, and not focus on uncertainty. The August 16th episode, Hot Caramel performs Keep On Movin', originally performed by Soul to Soul.
Irene would also take time out to shout out new listeners.
on October 28th, 2019's episode titled Irene Cara featuring Hot Caramel Music,
The songstress introduces songs performed by the talented group, sometimes with special guests, starting with an upbeat tempo version of Downtown by Petula Clark.
then Caramel Dreams. She wanted the group to have a theme song.
Her, Chanda Leigh Bailey, and Audrey Martel team up.
They sing about champagne wishes and caramel dreams.
Next she explains she's a hopeless romantic as she introduces the next song which is a ballad. She goes on to say that she was crazy about someone she knew she never had a chance with. She says those are the songs that turn out to be great. She thanks acoustic guitarist
Manny Lopez, How Can I Make You Love Me.
The next song, Life in a Fast Lane, the group jams out to the rock classic originally sung by the Eagles.
Kiss and Walk Away, the next song is about a terrible breakup.
The group is joined by Brent Carter, whose voice Irene proclaims is up there with Donnie Hathaway and Luther. After hearing him, I would have to agree. On October 28th episode.
introduces Stop Frontin', a song about a couple having issues because the woman feels she continues to prove that she's a good thing. Meanwhile, he's still at the impressing his friends stage. She's over it and tells him to stop frontin'. Soulbeat
is a tribute to the people, land, and culture of Peru who always leaves an impression when she visits.
She would say it has a Latin pop feel. Next up, another ballad where she plays acoustic piano with the group called No One Can Love You More. She introduces One Step Closer, previously recorded by Gavin Christopher in 1984.
She will remake a song if she can see herself writing it or that speaks to her on an emotional level. It features Sisaundra Lewis, a finalist on season six of The Voice. In this song, she admits to being selfish but has grown and is now one step closer to uniting with the one she loves.
Misty Blue would be another remake on the album. It has been remade by many performers throughout the decades with Dorothy Moore's blues version charting the highest at number three in September 1976.
She closes out the episode with a jazz-infused song that was recorded live in the studio, featuring spoken word by Hot Caramel member, Lakia Jackson.
feature the backstory of 80s hits, a show on just ballads,
and material that we can only hear on the podcast.
The next episode that I found was September 29th, 2020. will take us back to 1985 where explains her album, Charismatic, was never officially released or promoted. She happily goes on to tell us that after finally winning the lawsuit in 1993, she got her masters to her music back and can now share it.
She gives props to Antonio Lopez for the album artwork. He's also known as a fashion icon in the 80s. She talks about Say Good Night Irene featuring John Farrar.
The song is about a brief romantic relationship with deep longing and desire, but it's destined to go nowhere.
The next song and last on the episode is, We're Gonna Get Up. In this song, she's crushing on a guy she's encountered. She beckons him with promises of song, dance and good times.
During her career, Irene has appeared on many media outlets like Ted Mack and the Original Amateur Hour in 1967, Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, John Kershaw's Rock Concert, David Letterman's Morning Talk Show, which lasted four months.
Irene sang Out Here On My Own
April 9th, 1977, she spoke at Donnell Library Center for New York City Youth Theater Festival to answer one-on-one questions. American Bandstand, shortly after the release of Fame, she appeared on Silent Gold three times,
Irene sings Fame at the Celebrity Skating Party. A Burger King Thank You America commercial. She was in Ray Parker Jr.'s Ghostbusters video, performed with Count Basie in 1983 at the Parrot Club.
She appears in A Christmas Moment with Irene Cara about traditions in Cuba from a TV promo in 1985. The dialogue is, Noches Buena
The holiday celebrated as Christmas in my ancestors' native Cuba occurs on December 24th.
That evening, families gather together, opening their homes and hearts to relatives and friends they may not have seen during the year. After gaily sharing good tiding, they sit down to a large feast made up of roast pork, black beans, rice, bread, and sparkling cider called Sidra However, the gift-giving waits until January 5th.
Here's some quotes from the iconic singer. "We all need inspiration at pivotal moments to help us navigate our often provided that to its fans and mirrored the inner voice we all have." "I'm a woman on a mission. I've learned to believe in myself, my vision, and to do things the way I want them done."
"It's against my nature. I like to continually do things different."
"I don't mean to sound immodest, but I never had any doubt that I'd be successful, nor any fear of success. I was raised as a little goddess who was told she would be a star."
"I am very intense. I can't help it. That's the way I am. You can't be in this business without being intense. The pressure and the tension gets you. It can't help but show on you."
I play piano and write better than I can sing."
"It's important for me to get back to my fans here and around the world. I feel very, very blessed that so many people have continued to write me and to pour out their love for me and my work. Your fear seems to hide deep inside your mind."
"Cara and I'm not going to tell you what it is, only because I do live in New York and enough people already know who my parents are."
The pandemic drove Irene to be even more reclusive. She was terrified of getting COVID. After not being heard from for weeks, her nephew requested a welfare check at her home and was found November 25th, 2022.
After the investigation, it was determined that she had been dead several weeks.
The last known contact was with her admin assistant on November 1st, 2022. A few days before that, Irene had spoken with her manager, Betty McCormick, and mentioned intestinal problems. It was determined that Irene died from hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
I remember hearing the news and was overcome with such sadness as if I'd known her personally. That's the type of impression she left on so many of us. Thank you, Irene Cara, for sharing your creativity, passion, commitment, and love with us. We will remember your name.
Deshanta (32:28)
On the next episode of GenX Gon Give It To Ya in two weeks, I pay homage to the man whose weapon of choice was a camera. Gordon Parks was a superhero in the form of a shapeshifter. He had the ability to transform depending on how he wanted his messages to be received. Sometimes photographer, sometimes writer, sometimes musician, sometimes composer, sometimes editor, sometimes director, always humane.
Join me as I go fangirl on the upcoming episode of Gen X Gon' Give It To Ya. And don't forget to like and subscribe.