Editing Rosetta Hightower

{{short description|American singer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name           = Rosetta Hightower
|image          = 
|caption        = 
|image_size     =
|background     = solo_singer
|birth_name     = Rosetta Jeanette Hightower
|alias          = Rosetta Hightower Green
|birth_date     = {{birth date|df=y|1944|6|23}}
|birth_place    = [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.
|death_date     = {{death date and age|df=y|2014|8|2|1944|6|23}}
|death_place    = [[Clapham]], London, England
|instrument     = Vocals
|genre          = [[R&B]], pop
|occupation     = Singer
|years_active   = 
|label          = [[CBS Records International|CBS]], [[Toast Records (UK label)|Toast]], Rivera, [[Polydor Records|Polydor]]
|past_member_of = [[The Orlons]]}}

'''Rosetta Jeanette Hightower''' (23 June 1944<ref name="LarkinSM">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music]]|editor=[[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]]|publisher=[[Guinness Publishing]]|date=1993|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-733-9|page=113}}</ref> – 2 August 2014) was an American singer and the lead singer of the 1960s [[girl group]] [[The Orlons]].<ref name=Billboard>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VBcEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44 |title=The Orlons|date=30 June 1962|page=44|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref> She was born in [[Philadelphia]].
==Background==
As lead singer of The Orlons, the Orlons recorded several Top 10 U.S. hits between 1962 and 1964, including "[[The Wah-Watusi]]", "[[Don't Hang Up (song)|Don't Hang Up]]",<ref name="LarkinSM"/> "[[South Street (song)|South Street]]", and "Not Me". In early 1962, The Orlons provided backing vocals on [[Dee Dee Sharp]]'s "[[Mashed Potato Time]]" (#2 pop, No. 1 R&B). That spring, they recorded "The Wah-Watusi" which, in July 1962, made it in the Billboard charts to the No. 2 spot.<ref name=Billboard/> Around the same time, they recorded back-up vocals on [[Dee Dee Sharp]]'s second hit, "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" which went to No. 9. The follow-up to "The Wah-Watusi", "Don't Hang Up" reached No. 4 pop and No. 3 R&B in the fall and winter of 1962. The Orlons' first major performance was at New York's Apollo Theatre with [[The Crystals]], [[Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans]], [[Chuck Jackson]], [[Tommy Hunt]], and [[Gene Chandler]]. In 1963, they had hits with "South Street" (No. 3 Pop, No. 4 R&B)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MQoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA60|title=Today's Top Talent|date=6 April 1963|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref> and "Crossfire" (No. 19 Pop, No. 25 R&B).

Hightower left the group in the late 1960s to pursue a solo career in the UK.<ref name="LarkinSM"/> She joined the ranks of the then-popular female session singers who backed many hit songs.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xgoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA24|title=Soul Sauce|author=Ochs, Ed|date=13 July 1968|page=24|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref> This group included [[Madeline Bell]], [[Lesley Duncan]], [[Kiki Dee]], and [[Sue and Sunny]]. She recorded with [[Joe Cocker]] on his ''[[With a Little Help From My Friends]]'' album.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xSgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76|title=Album Reviews|date=17 May 1969|page=76|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref>
==Career==
In 1968, Hightower released the single, "I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You" bw "Big Bird" on [[Toast Records (UK label)|Toast]] TT 509.<ref>Popsike - [https://www.popsike.com/ROSETTA-HIGHTOWERI-CANT-GIVE-BACK-THE-LOVE-I-FEEL-FOR-YOUTOAST-1968/305678669347.html ROSETTA HIGHTOWER,I CANT GIVE BACK THE LOVE I FEEL FOR YOU,TOAST 1968.]</ref>

Moving permanently to England in 1970, Hightower married musician-producer Ian Green. She represented the US in [[Belgium]] for the first international singing contest ever held.<ref>{{cite book|title=Intl Singfest in Belgium|date=11 July 1970|publisher=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bykEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA74|page=74|accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X0UEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32|title=US Captures Belgium Finale|date=1 August 1970|page=32|publisher=Billboard|accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref> She released numerous singles and at least two albums. In 1971, she was a backing vocalist for [[John Lennon]]'s "[[Power to the People (song)|Power to the People]]".<ref>{{cite book|title=John Lennon: Listen To This Book|editor-last=Blanet|editor-first=John|publisher=Paper Jukebox|year=2005|page=350|isbn=978-0-9544528-1-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZuCZR7MiDA0C&pg=PA70|accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref>

==Death==
Rosetta Hightower Green died in [[Clapham, London|Clapham]], London, on 2 August 2014, aged 70.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/groups/1459994147620507 "In Memory of Rosetta Hightower Green"], ''Facebook''. Retrieved 21 August 2014.</ref> Her son, Ian Green, Jr., works as [[Paul Oakenfold]]'s main co-producer and remixer.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Portal|Biography|Philadelphia}}

{{Authority control}}

==External links==
* Discogs  - [https://www.discogs.com/artist/356005-Rosetta-Hightower Rosetta Hightower]
* 45Cat - [https://www.45cat.com/artist/rosetta-hightower#google_vignette Rosetta Hightower]
* AllMusic - [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rosetta-hightower-mn0000825815 Rosetta Hightower]
* Rate Your Music - [https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/rosetta_hightower Rosetta Hightower]
* Facebook - [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1459994147620507/ Facebook In Memory of Rosetta Hightower Green]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Hightower, Rosetta}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:American expatriates in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Singers from Philadelphia]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women]]
[[Category:Toast Records (UK label) artists]]
[[Category:CBS Records artists]]