Tina Charles (born Tina Hoskins, 10 March 1954, Whitechapel, London) is an English singer, who achieved success as a disco artist in the mid to late 1970s.

Career

Charles began her career as a backing singer and session musician, and recorded her first solo single in 1969 with a then unknown Elton John singing backing vocals. In 1971 she recorded a record called "Joe" (about a little puppy); the same year she made appearances in the first series of The Two Ronnies, the famous BBC One sketch show starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett.

In 1974 Charles, and her friend Linda Lewis, were backing singers on the Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel chart topping song, "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)".

She provided the lead vocals for 5000 Volts' 1975 disco hit "I'm On Fire". Although not publicly acknowledged as a group member at the time, Charles was considered to have a stronger voice than the group's official lead singer. The song reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart, and number 26 in the Billboard Hot 100.

Charles' big break came in 1975, when Indian-British music composer and record producer Biddu, who had just enjoyed massive success worldwide writing the disco hit "Kung Fu Fighting" for Carl Douglas, produced the single "I Love To Love (But My Baby Loves To Dance)" for her. The single spent three weeks at number one on the UK chart in February 1976, and was major hit around the world. Biddu's collaboration continued on a future album and other huge hits like "Dance Little Lady Dance".

Further hits like "Love Me Like A Lover", "Dr Love", "Rendezvous" and "Love Bug" made her a pop star throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand but she was never able to achieve success in the U.S.

By 1979 her career was in decline, and disco music generally was losing some of its public appeal. Charles married and had a child, and devoted herself for some years to her family life, putting her singing career on the back burner. In the mid 1980s she had a resurgence with a remix of "I Love To Love" which was produced by Sanny X.

Since 2000, Charles has performed throughout Europe where disco music and her hit singles have been reappraised, and she has become a popular live performer.

She is enjoying yet another comeback and is featured on a Top 5 Billboard Hot 100 hit called "Higher". The song is produced by longtime friend and associate Sanny X. She has also signed a recording contract in the U.S. with Wizard Records, and has a new album entitled A New Beginning scheduled for release in 2007.

UK discography

Singles

• "I Love To Love (But My Baby Loves To Dance)" - (1976) - Number 1
• "Love Me Like A Lover" - (1976) - Number 28
• "Dance Little Lady Dance" - (1976) - Number 6
• "Dr Love" - (1976) - Number 4
• "Rendezouus" - (1977) - Number 27
• "Love Bug - Sweets For My Sweet (Medley)" - (1977) - Number 26
• "I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me" - (1978) - Number 27
• "I Love To Love (remix)" - (1986) - Number 67

Album

• I Love to Love - (1976)
• Rendezvous - (1976)
• Heart 'N' Soul - (1977) - Number 35

Reference

1. Trivia
   • Charles miraculously recovered from meningitis as a newborn.
   • She is the daughter of the actor, Charles Hoskins.
   • Charles is of Greek Cypriot descent[1]
   • Her brother is Warren Hoskins.
   • She did not use her real name, Hoskins, on stage since this could have caused confusion with Mary Hopkin, better known at the time. She chose Charles since it was her father's name.

   External links

   • Official Site
   • Myspace Site