Ruby Turner

Ruby Turner has done a lot in her time as an British R&B/Soul diva and artist. She has worked and recorded with many musician. Though, for Ruby Turner it all started in Jamaica as at age nine she moved with her family to Birmingham.

“(laughs) It was such a long time ago my love”, she says on the matter.

“Yes, it was a bit of a culture shock but in time, how can I say? It was an adventure, it really was just that. I was just as excited as I was afraid, you know. As time went by you sort of started to reminice about home, you know. So you have more of an understanding”

She finishes by saying “But it was really quite an adventure for me”.

Ruby Turner explains her early success, “When I got my recording contract to be honest. Other than that I was just out having a good time, getting some drinks and literally just enjoying the gift and the experience”, says Ruby Turner.

“It was only until I had the contract that it became more serious, and more compitative. You realize your in a race of some sort you know what I mean?”

This British soul artist says, “Creativity is what really drives me, I have no motions about fame or fortune, I was just absolutely enjoying the art really. I actually started out in acting, which inspires me and then from that my voice developed or came through.

And on fame?

“Not at all my dear, I have no intension’s about nothing, I was like a kid in a sweet shop and I was having the best time with it, you know”

After Ruby Turners experience with the pop band Culture Club, she finally released a record on a Zomba Group label called Jiva Records.

Ruby Turner says, “Up until this point I worked five years on the road, I had my own band, doing session work and session work with Culture Club, which was fantastic. They were the biggest pop band going and I was apart of it, so it was quite an exciting time for someone starting out and I was having a hard time myself but then I wasn’t having a hard time it was just a question of getting a deal and that was kind of hard to come by. So the distraction was to work with somebody else, which is a great distraction”.

She continues, “I got looked after well, which was fantastic. I got to play at Madison Square Gardens, and Wembley, so it was just fantastic. Then I came back home and the record deal happened and I was really happy about that because I was years on the road looking for a recording contract and it came about” says Ruby Turner. “Then my life changed again because I became an artist in my own right and then it all took off from there really”. Ruby Turner released a Motown Songbook album.

Ruby Turner explains, “The recording contract instigated the idea really, Jiva was the insight and foresight and had the concept of the album. Where by you team up with other people and focus on one style of music. The initial idea was my idea to work with the other Motown artists. I was a big fan of Motown and I didn’t want to touch these songs because you can’t better them”, she proceeds, “If you cover a song and can’t do it as well then you shouldn’t touch it. My thing was if they get some of the Motown artists to appear then I was able to pull it off, and they did, so it was great”

Ruby Turner would soon find herself a developing USA fan base, as she scored an R&B chart hit in the American R&B charts with It Will Be Alright. What were her ingredients in breaking through the tough to please American market?

“Because it was a great song and it sounded relevant to the American market and the American people. I went over there and promoted the single for about three weeks. While I was there the song was getting heavy air play and doing well in the charts”, she expresses. “What I wasn’t expecting was how positive the song was and how they could relate to it and it was just one of those things. It was a great song to that market”

Did you have success in the UK charts?

“Yes, When You Can Hold Me was a hit. I had a couple of hits, more recently Stay With Me Baby, was a top 40 hit, so yeah, I’ve had quite a few in this country”

What makes a good song for you?

“Sweet heart if I knew I’d be a million air! I’m a lyricist so that’s where I go. I can get off on a groove but its the lyrics that reach my ears first”

A lot of the modern songs have no concentration on the lyrics, I pointed out, “It has no lyrics”, says Ruby Turer. I think its also very visual...“It is visual and its a beat so there you have it, I must be one of my own then!”

Your the rare professional!

“Oh thank-you very much sir!”

With that said did this experienced soul voice have music industry views?

“I have my views but they are quite irrelevent. Who wants to hear my views? And further more as a musician myself there is no weight, you know what I mean? So its kind of wrong for another artist to criticize another artist for what they do. I’m no pioneer, I came in this industry and there were people before me and there were people behind me. As long as you make your contribution to life, who’s to say your right or wrong?”

She continues, “Right now the industry is going through a stage because where now in this time but when we rap back to the 60s it was the industry of there time just like it was the music of there time”

What was most important in her life?

“Oh good friends, good health, genuwin friendships, you know, they are hard to find”

Lastly with the departure of Ruth Brown I wondered if she knew of it and what she felt about it?

“Aah deeply saddened because I spent a lot of time listening to her records and she has been a great inspiration over the years”, says Ruby Turner.

Soulisms 2008