She was a singer born in Vicksburg, Mississippi. As a child her family moved to Watts, California, where her father was a pastor. She sung in the church choir and eventually in the Southern Californian State Choir.
Her first professional singing job was working with Sly and the Family Stone in the Batman’s Cave at the Wayne’s Manor Club. She was introduced to Paul Anka by Edwin Hawkins and went off to have several hit songs with him including “She’s Having My Baby” and “I Don’t Like to Sleep Alone”.
She sang with John Denver on his 1971 hit “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. In 1975 she released her self-titled solo album which produced a hit with her remake of ELO’s hit “Showdown” in 1976. She later went back to session working and the church.
She died of breast cancer, age 49, on 19th May 1991.
Paul Anka Recordings
(I Believe) There’s Nothing Stronger Than Our Love (Paul Anka)
(United Artists UA-XW685-Y, UA 16040M/S) (US promo 45)
Here she is singing her hit version of “Showdown”…
Source:
- discomuseum.com/OdiaCoates.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odia_Coates
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/530081-Odia-Coates