Born in Jamaica, this weeks Tunesday artist moved to the GWN as a child; always a ham at family get-togethers one smart relative FINALLY suggested vocal lessons and by the age of fifteen her natural gift landed her spots on various local shows. Word spread and soon the teenager was headlining her OWN shows and setting her sights on something bigger.... something musical.... something South of the border.

After Graduation she headed for New York where she eventually landed a role in the hit musicals "Hair" and "Catch My Soul" - the former toured Europe the following year and when the run ended our little singer found herself out of work in Germany. She DID manage to land a few jobs as a studio vocalist and it was during one of these late night sessions she met Frank Farina who had just scored a European hit with "Baby Do You Wanna Bump". She spent the next year touring and singing for Farina..... the name of their group?

[align=center]Boney M.[/align]

She left the group in '76 and soon hooked up with producer Jürgen Korduletsch and the two set to work on what would be her first solo album... her self titled, five track disc for Lollipop Records soon became a hit in underground German clubs with the singles "Sweet Dynamite" and "Love For The Sake Of Love".

Bouyed by her success across the pond she returned to her native Toronto and soon cut a deal with Salsoul Records to remix and redistribute her freshman effort, adding five new tracks in the process. SWEET DYNAMITE, thanks to the inception of the new 12' singles, soon became a club favorite on THIS side of the pond.

Returning once again to Munich and the friendly confines of Arco Studios the decision was made to "broaden" her appeal. The result, 1978s album simply entitle C*****A actually confused much of her fan base who thought of her as strictly a "disco-Div". But the disc highlighted her versatility with such tracks as a remake of the Gladys Knight & the Pips classic "Every Beat Of My Heart" and the raucous Motown classic remade three years earlier by the Doobie Brothers - "Take Me In Your Arms" but it was the club mixes "Dancin' Fever" and Johnny Johnny Please Come Home" that pushed this disc to Gold.

Returning ONCE AGAIN to that GWN Korduletsch decided to release the next record on his own; this second, self titled disc would turn out to be this artists most succesful.. and it was the 12 inch version of this featured tune that would "set the dance floor on fire" and would burn so hot that Chrysalis Records quickly snatched up the US rights just before the record went Gold. Strangly enuff Chrysalis decided against including the semi hit "I Wanna Be Loved By You" on its US release, a song once made infamous by Actress Marilyn Monroe and instead included the studio track "Forget About You." Rounding out a FANTASTIC year she found herself up for Two Junos but lost Most Promising Female Vocalist to Lisa Dalbello and Female Vocalist to Patsy Gallant.

From the highs to the lows; FEEL THE FIRE hit the shelves just a year later but it was like the public ahd forgotten who she was. Disappointment rang throughout the offices at Chrysalis, as aside from the track "You Make Me Feel The Fire", nothing charted and nothing seemed to catch the attention of a now-changing dance club scene. "Stop, He's A Lover" and "One Night Queen" kept her Euro-disco sound alive but the disc hit the bargain bin soon after its release.

Undaunted, Polygram Canada released a "Greatest Hits" package later that year and apparently her #1 hit wasnt completely forgotten; this time around she won the Juno for Most Promising Female Vocalist.

By 1981 disco was onits last legs and this artist found herself at a musical crossroads and had a tough time finding North American distribution. She released a 12 single of "Radio Action" that year, scoring a HUGE hit in, of all places, the gay club circuit. A follow up release of MADE IN HONG KONG produced a title track hit as well as mucho radio play with "Love Control" but lack of American distribution eventually hurt its overall success.

Trying to shed her "Disco Queen" image by, which this time in the music industry, was almost taboo, she release a duet with fellow "Lollipop" member Ronnie Jones; "The Two Of Us", released south of the 49th on Handshake records renewed some interest and later that year she released a dance version of Harry Belafontes classic "Banana Boat (Day-O)" and Atlantic stepped up with "If I Do It To You" and "Up All Night". Oddly enuff the success of these extended singles didnt lead to a full album.


While her musical career seemed to be on the donwslide her acting ability hadnt been forgotten; in 1985 she landed a small role in the Mario Van Peebles movie "Rappin" and soon after wrap she received a call from Epic Records who wanted to release a 12 version of "Down And Counting" which was a smash hit in the dance clubs.

Over the next few years small singles kept her name in the wind and in 1994 she released her most ecclectic effort yet; DISCO ROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE!

Her status as one of Canada's greatest disco exports is undeniable, scoring more hits worldwide and selling more albums than any other performer of that genre or time frame and in 1996 was installed in the Caribbean Hall of Fame along with another famous "Canadian".... Donovan Bailey.

[align=center]She is....

Claudja Barry

and her DISCO SMASH.

Boogie Woogie Dancin Shoes

(click HERE to download this song and sing along)

I've been workin' all week, savin' my emotions
for saturday night when I use my potion
to put on a face, pretty clothes
I'm dressed to kill
it's the one night a week I feel free to obey my will

A magic spell that will tie and tango
magic shoes and will diamond spangle
it will hypnotize your mind by the way that I move
when you see a thousand stars dance around my shoes

Boogie oogie, boogie woogie dancing shoes
keep me dancing all night
Boogie oogie, boogie woogie dancing shoes
make me queen for a night

Saturday night is my night of power
when the music's playing, comes my magic hour
it's a close encounter with the force that's controlling my feet
it's a once in a lifetime feeling that returns every week


Boogie oogie, boogie woogie dancing shoes
keep me dancing all night
Boogie oogie, boogie woogie dancing shoes
Make me queen for the night
Boogie oogie, boogie woogie dancing shoes
keep me dancing all night

Boogie oogie, boogie woogie dancing shoes
keep me dancing all night
Boogie oogie, boogie woogie dancing shoes
make me queen for a night[/align]