Jennifer Warnes
Jennifer Warnes possesses one of the most distinctive and emotionally resonant voices in modern music, a true master of interpretation whose work has graced iconic film soundtracks and deeply personal albums alike. Her artistry has earned her multiple Grammy and Academy Awards, cementing her legacy as a vocalist who can elevate any song. Join us as we explore the remarkable journey of this extraordinary singer, from her early days to her enduring influence. Jennifer Warnes is an acclaimed, multi-award-winning vocalist, widely recognized for her powerful contributions to some of cinema's most beloved soundtracks. Her unique relationship with legendary artist Leonard Cohen led to profound collaborations and a definitive album of his songs, showcasing her interpretive brilliance. Warnes's career is marked by a meticulous approach to recording and a commitment to artistic integrity, making her work resonate across decades and genres.
AI Summary
Jennifer Warnes possesses one of the most distinctive and emotionally resonant voices in modern music, a true master of interpretation whose work has graced iconic film soundtracks and deeply personal albums alike. Her artistry has earned her multiple Grammy and Academy Awards, cementing her legacy as a vocalist who can elevate any song. Join us as we explore the remarkable journey of this extraordinary singer, from her early days to her enduring influence.
- Jennifer Warnes is an acclaimed, multi-award-winning vocalist, widely recognized for her powerful contributions to some of cinema's most beloved soundtracks.
- Her unique relationship with legendary artist Leonard Cohen led to profound collaborations and a definitive album of his songs, showcasing her interpretive brilliance.
- Warnes's career is marked by a meticulous approach to recording and a commitment to artistic integrity, making her work resonate across decades and genres.
The Voice Behind the Scenes
Born Jennifer Jean Warnes in Seattle, Washington, in 1947, her family soon moved to Anaheim, California. Even as a young child, it was clear she possessed an extraordinary gift — a voice so captivating that at just seven years old, she was offered her first recording contract. Her father, however, wisely declined, wanting her to have a normal childhood.
Her early years were filled with singing in church and local pageants, honing her natural talent. By age 17, her vocal prowess was undeniable, earning her an opera scholarship to Immaculate Heart College. But her spiritual path was just as strong; after high school, she briefly entered a convent, contemplating a life of religious devotion.
From Folk to Fame
Ultimately, the call of music pulled her back to the secular world, specifically the burgeoning folk scene. Inspired by artists like Joan Baez, she embraced folk music. After several years performing in musical theater and clubs, she signed with Parrot Records in 1968, releasing her debut album and joining the cast of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
Early in her career, industry advisors suggested she adopt the stage name 'Jennifer Warren' to sound more marketable. She even briefly performed simply as 'Jennifer.' However, she soon realized her birth name was her true identity, returning to Jennifer Warnes to forge her unique path.
In November 1968, Warnes took the stage as the female lead in the Los Angeles production of the groundbreaking musical Hair. Her performance even inspired her castmate Bert Sommer to write a song titled 'Jennifer,' which he famously performed at Woodstock.
A Fateful Collaboration
A pivotal moment arrived in 1971 when Warnes met the enigmatic Canadian poet and songwriter, Leonard Cohen. This encounter sparked a lifelong friendship and an incredibly fruitful artistic partnership. She would go on to tour Europe with Cohen's band in the 1970s, evolving from a backup singer to a vocal arranger and guest vocalist on many of his albums.
Warnes’s voice became almost synonymous with Cohen's music, a perfect counterpoint to his deep, gravelly tones. Their collaborations span numerous albums, including Live Songs, Recent Songs, Various Positions, I'm Your Man, and The Future, truly shaping the sound of his later career.
In a remarkable tribute to their bond, Warnes released the critically acclaimed album Famous Blue Raincoat in 1987. This collection of Cohen's songs, to which he even contributed two new compositions, is widely considered one of the finest interpretations of his work ever recorded, featuring iconic tracks like 'First We Take Manhattan' with guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Chart Success and Oscar Nods
After her debut, Warnes released her third album, Jennifer, in 1972, produced by the legendary John Cale. While initially obscure, it was finally reissued in Japan in 2013, a testament to its enduring quality. Then, in 1976, her self-titled album Jennifer Warnes yielded her breakthrough single, 'Right Time of the Night.'
'Right Time of the Night' soared, hitting number one on Billboard's Easy Listening (Adult Contemporary) chart in April 1977 and reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a clear indication that her powerful voice had found a broad audience.
Her talent soon caught the attention of Hollywood. In 1979, she recorded 'It Goes Like It Goes' for the film Norma Rae, a song that would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. That same year, her single 'I Know a Heartache When I See One' became a Top 10 Country hit, also charting in the Pop and Adult Contemporary categories.
Warnes received her second Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song in 1981 with her performance of Randy Newman's 'One More Hour' from the motion picture Ragtime. Her ability to imbue film songs with such depth was becoming her hallmark.
Iconic Duets and Global Recognition
The 1980s solidified Warnes's status as a soundtrack queen. In 1982, she teamed up with Joe Cocker for the unforgettable duet 'Up Where We Belong' from An Officer and a Gentleman. This soaring ballad became a global phenomenon, winning the Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
'Up Where We Belong' topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and was certified platinum, selling over two million copies in the United States. Its enduring popularity perfectly illustrates the magic that happens when two extraordinary voices unite.
Her voice also became a familiar sound on television, notably on the theme song for the popular sitcom Growing Pains. She recorded multiple versions of 'As Long As We Got Each Other' with B. J. Thomas and even Dusty Springfield, with her rendition returning for several seasons of the show.
Just five years after her first Oscar-winning duet, Warnes struck gold again with Bill Medley on '(I've Had) The Time of My Life' from Dirty Dancing. This electrifying track also won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a Grammy, becoming another number one hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary charts. It truly defined a generation.
In 1987, she added her signature vocals to another legendary performance: Roy Orbison's star-studded television special, A Black and White Night. Surrounded by musical giants, her presence was a testament to her revered status among her peers.
Continuing Legacy
The 1990s saw Warnes continue to lend her voice to meaningful projects. In 1991, she recorded a poignant duet of the Lennon-McCartney classic 'Golden Slumbers' with Jackson Browne for For Our Children, an album benefiting the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
In 1992, Warnes released her seventh studio album, The Hunter. This critically acclaimed work featured the Adult Contemporary hit 'Rock You Gently' and showcased her ongoing collaboration with Leonard Cohen on the track 'Way Down Deep.' Her voice remained as clear and captivating as ever.
Recognizing the timeless quality of her work, Shout Factory Records began reissuing her classic albums in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Famous Blue Raincoat, The Hunter, and The Well were all remastered, often featuring bonus tracks and released on high-quality vinyl and 24K gold discs, allowing new generations to discover her artistry in pristine sound.
These reissues often included delightful surprises, such as previously unreleased recordings like 'La Luna Brilla' and 'A Fool for the Look (in Your Eyes)' from The Well sessions. The re-released The Well even featured a second duet with Bill Medley, 'Show Me the Light,' a hidden gem from a 1998 movie soundtrack.
After a hiatus, Warnes delighted fans with her first album in 17 years, Another Time, Another Place, released in 2018. The album, a thoughtful collection of ten tracks, included a soulful cover of Pearl Jam's 'Just Breathe' and new interpretations of songs by Mickey Newbury, John Legend, Mark Knopfler, and even one of her own compositions, 'The Boys And Me.'
Article
Jennifer Warnes
Jennifer Jean Warnes (born March 3, 1947) is an American singer and songwriter who has performed as a vocalist on a number of film soundtracks. She has won two Grammy Awards, in 1983 for the Joe Cocker duet "Up Where We Belong", and in 1987 for the Bill Medley duet "(I've Had) The Time of My Life". Warnes also collaborated closely with Leonard Cohen.
Early life
Jennifer Warnes
Warnes was born on March 3, 1947, in Seattle, Washington and raised in Anaheim, California. Her desire and ability to sing came early; at age seven she was offered her first recording contract, which her father declined. She sang in church and local pageants until age 17, when Warnes was offered an opera scholarship to Immaculate Heart College. She was so committed to her Catholic faith that for a while she entered a convent after graduating from high school.
Warnes chose to sing folk music as it became popularized by Joan Baez in the mid-1960s. In 1968, after a few years with musical theatre and clubs, she signed with Parrot Records (a London Records subsidiary) and recorded her first album. That year, she joined the cast of the television show The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
Early in her career, industry advisors suggested Warnes change her name to "Warren", but then realized that there was already an actress named Jennifer Warren, so she performed briefly as simply 'Jennifer', though she was credited as Jennifer Warren when she provided duet vocals for the singer-guitarist Mason Williams on his 1968 album, The Mason Williams Ear Show. Soon, however, she returned to her birth name.
In November 1968, Warnes (as "Jennifer Warren") portrayed the female lead in the Los Angeles, California, production of the stage musical Hair. She had a related UK single release as "Jennifer" on London HLU 10278 in June 1969 with "Let The Sunshine In" and "Easy to Be Hard", licensed from the US Parrot label. Her fellow Hair castmate Bert Sommer wrote a song inspired by her entitled "Jennifer," and performed it at Woodstock.
Career
1970s
In 1971, Warnes met Canadian songwriter and poet Leonard Cohen, and the two remained friends. She toured Europe with Cohen's band in 1972 and 1979 — first as a back-up singer and then as a vocal arranger and guest singer on Cohen's albums Live Songs (1973), Recent Songs (1979), Various Positions (1985), I'm Your Man (1988), The Future (1992), Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979 (2001), and Old Ideas (2012). Warnes also recorded a critically acclaimed album of Cohen songs, Famous Blue Raincoat, in 1987.
In 1972, Warnes released her third album, Jennifer, which was produced by John Cale. It was unavailable after the LP was deleted, until it was finally reissued in Japan in 2013 (Reprise WPCR-14865). In 1976, Warnes released the album Jennifer Warnes (Arista 4062), which contained her breakthrough single, "Right Time of the Night", which hit number 1 on Billboard's Easy Listening (Adult Contemporary) chart in April 1977 and number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1977.
Warnes recorded the song "It Goes Like It Goes" for the 1979 motion picture Norma Rae. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Her 1979 single "I Know A Heartache When I See One", was a Top 10 Country hit and reached the Top 20 on both the Pop and Adult Contemporary charts.
1980s
Warnes recorded the Randy Newman composition "One More Hour" for the 1981 motion picture Ragtime. This became her second song performance nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Warnes teamed up with Joe Cocker to record "Up Where We Belong" for the 1982 motion picture An Officer and a Gentleman. Written by Buffy Sainte-Marie, Will Jennings and Jack Nitzsche, the song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, as well as a Golden Globe Award. The song also won Warnes and Cocker the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, which was released as a single and hit No. 1 (for three weeks running) on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was certified platinum for over two million sales in the United States. That same year, she recorded James Taylor's "Millworker" for the American Playhouse PBS production of Working.
In 1985, she recorded a duet version with B. J. Thomas of the song "As Long As We Got Each Other", the theme for the TV show Growing Pains. It was used as the opening theme for the second and third seasons. For the fourth season, the song was once again re-recorded with Thomas and Dusty Springfield. However, the Warnes version made its return for the fifth season and the seventh (final) season of the show. The same year, she recorded vocals for Leonard Cohen's record Various Positions, getting equal vocals credits with Cohen in the inside booklet. After releasing a praised tribute LP of Leonard Cohen's songs in 1987, Famous Blue Raincoat, to which Cohen contributed two new compositions, "First We Take Manhattan", which featured Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar, and "Ain't No Cure for Love", she contributed vocals to Cohen's 1988 hit LP I'm Your Man, most notably to "Take This Waltz" and "Tower of Song".
Warnes teamed with Bill Medley to record "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" for the 1987 motion picture Dirty Dancing. This marked the third song performed by Warnes to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song and second for the Golden Globe Award in the same category. The song also won Warnes and Medley the Grammy Award for Duo or Group with Vocal. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
On September 30, 1987, at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles, she contributed vocals for Roy Orbison's star-studded television special Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night.
1990s to present
In 1991, Warnes recorded the Lennon-McCartney song "Golden Slumbers" as a duet with Jackson Browne, included in the album For Our Children which was released by Disney as a benefit for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
Warnes released her seventh studio album, The Hunter, in June 1992. The LP featured the AC No. 13 single "Rock You Gently", and also featured the track "Way Down Deep" co-written by Warnes and Leonard Cohen. She recorded the track "Cold Enough To Snow" for the 1993 film, Life With Mikey.
In August 2007, the Shout Factory Records label re-released the 20th anniversary edition of Famous Blue Raincoat with a 24-page booklet and four additional songs. The Hunter was re-released in 2009, and The Well was re-released in September 2010.
All remasters were issued on high quality vinyl and 24K gold discs. Famous Blue Raincoat was released with four bonus tracks. The Hunter was released without bonus material. The re-released The Well, however, contains a total of 14 tracks. These include two previously unreleased recordings from the original session: "La Luna Brilla", "A Fool for the Look (in Your Eyes)", and one extra bonus selection, "Show Me the Light" (a second duet with Bill Medley, which was originally featured on the 1998 movie soundtrack Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer-The Movie).
In 2018, Warnes released her first album since 2001, Another Time, Another Place. The first cut from the new album, "Just Breathe" was released on March 1, 2018. Written by Eddie Vedder, the song was originally recorded by Pearl Jam. The album includes 10 tracks, among them a new version of "So Sad" by Mickey Newbury, "I Am The Big Easy" by Ray Bonneville, "Once I Was Loved" by John Legend, "Why Worry" by Mark Knopfler, and "The Boys And Me" by Warnes herself and Michael Smotherman.
Discography
Albums
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Album</th><th>Peak chart positions</th><th>Label</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>US</td><td>US Country</td><td>AUS</td><td>CAN</td><td>UK</td></tr><tr><td>1968</td><td>I Can Remember Everything</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Parrot</td></tr><tr><td>1969</td><td>See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Heal Me</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1972</td><td>Jennifer</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Reprise</td></tr><tr><td>1976</td><td>Jennifer Warnes</td><td>43</td><td>—</td><td>92</td><td>26</td><td>—</td><td>Arista</td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>Shot Through the Heart</td><td>94</td><td>13</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1986</td><td>Famous Blue Raincoat</td><td>72</td><td>—</td><td>21</td><td>8</td><td>33</td><td>Cypress</td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td>The Hunter</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>76</td><td>—</td><td>Private Music</td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>The Well</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Music Force/Cisco</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>Another Time, Another Place</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>BMG Rights Management</td></tr></tbody></table>
Compilation albums
• Best of Jennifer Warnes (Arista, 1982) – US No. 47 • Just Jennifer (Deram, 1992) • Best: First We Take Manhattan (unauthorized German compilation, 2000) • Platinum and Gold Collection (2004) – with errors in actual tracks, not Warnes singing; recalled • Love Lifts Us Up: A Collection 1968–83 (Raven, 2004)
Singles
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Peak chart positions</th><th>Album</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>US</td><td>US AC</td><td>US Country</td><td>AUS</td><td>CAN</td><td>CAN AC</td><td>CAN Country</td><td>UK</td></tr><tr><td>1969</td><td>"Easy to Be Hard"</td><td>128</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me, Heal Me</td></tr><tr><td>1976</td><td>"Right Time of the Night"</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>17</td><td>33</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>18</td><td>54</td><td>Jennifer Warnes</td></tr><tr><td>1977</td><td>"I'm Dreaming"</td><td>50</td><td>9</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>67</td><td>6</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>"I Know a Heartache When I See One"</td><td>19</td><td>14</td><td>10</td><td>—</td><td>46</td><td>—</td><td>12</td><td>—</td><td>Shot Through the Heart</td></tr><tr><td>"Don't Make Me Over"</td><td>67</td><td>36</td><td>84</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>"When the Feeling Comes Around"</td><td>45</td><td>15</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1981</td><td>"Could It Be Love"</td><td>47</td><td>13</td><td>57</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>The Best of Jennifer Warnes</td></tr><tr><td>1982</td><td>"Come to Me"</td><td>107</td><td>40</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>"Up Where We Belong" (duet with Joe Cocker)</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>—</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>—</td><td>7</td><td>An Officer and a Gentleman</td></tr><tr><td>1983</td><td>"Nights Are Forever"</td><td>105</td><td>8</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Twilight Zone</td></tr><tr><td>"All the Right Moves" (duet with Chris Thompson)</td><td>85</td><td>19</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>5</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>All the Right Moves (soundtrack)</td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td>"Simply Meant to Be" (duet with Gary Morris)</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Blind Date</td></tr><tr><td>"Ain't No Cure for Love"</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>86</td><td>—</td><td>23</td><td>1</td><td>17</td><td>—</td><td>Famous Blue Raincoat</td></tr><tr><td>"First We Take Manhattan"</td><td>—</td><td>29</td><td>—</td><td>32</td><td>43</td><td>6</td><td>—</td><td>74</td></tr><tr><td>"Bird on the Wire"</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>16</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" (duet with Bill Medley)</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>—</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>—</td><td>6</td><td>Dirty Dancing</td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td>"Rock You Gently"</td><td>—</td><td>13</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>50</td><td>7</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>The Hunter</td></tr><tr><td>"True Emotion"</td><td>—</td><td>43</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>"The Whole of the Moon"</td><td>—</td><td>49</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr></tbody></table>
Other media appearances
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Song / Album</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1973</td><td>David Blue, Nice Baby and the Angel (vocals)</td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>With Steve Gillette, "Lost the Good Thing We Had" on A Little Warmth. No. 76 on Billboard Country Chart in 1980.</td></tr><tr><td>1981</td><td>James Taylor, Dad Loves His Work (vocals)</td></tr><tr><td>1982</td><td>Bert Jansch, Heartbreak</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>Harry Belafonte, Paradise in Gazankulu</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night (TV special)</td></tr><tr><td>1989</td><td>With David Benoit, "When the Winter's Gone (Song for a Stranger)"/"Urban Daydreams"</td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td>Tanita Tikaram, Everybody's Angel (vocals)</td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>"Up Where We Belong" (live version with Joe Cocker) – Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume III</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td>Tanita Tikaram, Lovers in the City (vocals)</td></tr></tbody></table>
Awards and nominations
Jennifer Warnes
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Association</th><th>Category</th><th>Nominated work</th><th>Result</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1983</td><td>Grammy Award</td><td>Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals</td><td>"Up Where We Belong" with Joe Cocker</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>"(I've Had) The Time of My Life" with Bill Medley</td><td>Won</td></tr></tbody></table>