Alicia Myers - I Appreciate (1984)

A performer since childhood, R&B artist Alicia Myers won a talent contest in her native Detroit at the age of 10, when she and her brother Jackie dueted on a cover of Ashford & Simpson's "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," a Motown classic popularized by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The Myers siblings performed in bands together, but Jackie eventually joined Chairmen of the Board, while Alicia became an integral member, a songwriter, and occasional front person, in Al Hudson & the Partners. She made an instant impact in the group as the co-writer and co-lead vocalist of the 1979 single "You Can Do It." After a group name change to One Way, she continued to contribute until 1981, when she made her solo debut with MCA -- the same label to which One Way was signed. From 1981 through 1984, she released four albums of sophisticated, funk-laced R&B: Alicia, Alicia Again, I Fooled You This Time, and I Appreciate. Three singles, all of which involved Hudson and/or fellow One Way member Kevin McCord, touched Billboard's R&B chart: the gospel crossover "I Want to Thank You," the number five hit "You Get the Best from Me (Say, Say, Say)," and "Appreciation." Additionally, album cut "If You Play Your Cards Right" found a home in quiet storm playlists. Myers rarely recorded after the mid-'80s, though she continued to perform. In 2011, she released Peace of Mind, co-produced with Surface's David Conley. © Andy Kellman