Jody Watley
Jody Vanessa Watley (born January 30, 1959) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and artist, whose music crosses genres including pop, R&B, jazz, dance and electronic soul. During the late 1970s and early 1980s she was a member of the R&B/funk band Shalamar, who scored many hits, notably so in the UK. In 1988, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist (as a solo artist) and has been nominated for three Grammy awards.
In 2008, she was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from Billboard magazine, and was also prominently featured in the historic black issue of Vogue Italia in 2008.
In December 2016, Billboard ranked her as the 21st-most-successful dance artist of all time,[13] and in 2017 Black Music Honors TV special recognized Watley as Crossover Music Icon Honouree for her groundbreaking achievements and influence.