Priscilla Coolidge (1941 – October 2, 2014) was an American recording artist and sister of singer Rita Coolidge.
Coolidge was born in Lafayette, Tennessee. Between 1969 and 1979, she was married to Booker T. Jones, who produced Coolidge’s first solo album, 1970’s Gypsy Queen. Then the pair collaborated as a duo on three albums: 1971’s Booker T. & Priscilla; 1972’s Home Grown; and 1973’s Chronicles, which included the song “Time”, written by her sister Rita, which was allegedly “borrowed” by drummer Jim Gordon (formerly of Eric Clapton’s band Derek and the Dominos and Rita’s former boyfriend) and became the famous instrumental piano coda at the end of “Layla”). Jones produced Priscilla’s final solo album, Flying, in 1979; their marriage ended that year.
In 1981 Coolidge married TV journalist/broadcaster/reporter Ed Bradley. Her marriage to Bradley ended in divorce, and she later married Michael Seibert.
In 1997, Coolidge was one of the founding members of Walela, a Native American music trio, that also included Coolidge’s sister Rita, plus Priscilla’s daughter Laura Satterfield. The trio released studio albums in 1997 (Walela) and 2000 (Unbearable Love), a live album and DVD (Live in Concert) in 2004 and a compilation album (The Best of Walela) in 2007. Walela means hummingbird in Cherokee. Coolidge considered this group important not only in honoring her Cherokee ancestors, but also in bringing their culture to others.
Seibert and Coolidge were found dead in their home in Thousand Oaks, California. On October 2, 2014, in what the local police later described as a murder–suicide, after the couple were heard by neighbors in a heated argument. Seibert shot Priscilla in the head, and soon after killed himself. (wikipedia)
And here is her debut album:
Truly flabbergasted at low this album is rated. This is a wonderful album, full of colorful instrumentation and soaring soulful vocals. I’m convinced that someday this will be re-visited and hailed as a “lost classic”. (Mr. Loser)
Nice country rockish album, in the same vein as sister Rita. Check out “Long River Flows”. The cover is a classic representation of the year 1970. (jimslim11)
Booker T. Jones exited Stax Records before it came to a complete crash and married singer Priscilla Coolidge, Rita’s sister, and the two hooked-up musically as well. Great things were expected from this project. Jones led his namesake, Booker T. & the MG’s, to some success at Stax. The four-pieces also served as the label’s most prominent house band, and, in addition, Jones shared co-writer credit on some great songs. Coolidge, like her sister, sang with an abundance of soul. Rita recorded for A&M, and the label had issued a solo album on Priscilla, which originally came out on Sussex Records. Few people will tell you this is a bad album, cause it’s not. The lovebirds are all over the place theme-wise — love, social problems, ethnic issues, and other twists and spins on a multitude of subjects. (by Andrew Hamilton)
Peronnel:
Ray Brown (bass)
Priscilla Coolidge (vocals)
Herb Ellis (guitar)
Chris Ethridge (bass)
Jim Gordon (drums)
Joel Scott Hill (guitar)
Booker T. Jones (keyboards, harmonica)
Earl Palmer (drums)
Ray Stinnett (guitar)
Sam Watson (drums)
+
background vocals;
Rita Coolidge – Donna Weiss
Tracklist:
01. On The Road (Coolidge) 3.53
02. Let It Shine (Coolidge) 3.06
03. Gypsy King (Coolidge) 3.38
04. Come On Sweet (Coolidge) 2.59
05. Salty Haze (Coolidge) 2.59
06. T My T (Coolidge) 2.07
07. Good Morning Freedom (Cook/Greenaway/Hammond) 4.01
08. Now The Children Remind You (Weiss, Unobsky) 2.47
09. Long Rivers Flow (Ray Stinnett) 3.325
10.Spring Rain (Ray Stinnett) 2.32
11.Hummingbird (Leon Russell) 6.00
ManyFantasticColors 