CAFFE` LATTE` TOP 2000 TRACKS

THE TOP 100

#98 TOGETHER WE ARE BEAUTIFUL

FERN KINNEY

(1980)

Writer: Ken Leray

Fern Kinney began singing in church. After winning a local talent competition, her musical aspirations focused on becoming a performer. The Mississippi born vocalist quit school in 1967 to join Dorothy Moore, as 1 of the backup singers,The Poppies. The group split the following year, so Kinney decided to attempt a solo career. Her debut single flopped. Kinney married and relocated. Years later, she was ready to give her musical ambitions another chance, landing work as a backing singer for Frederick Knight, the producer responsible for creating "Ring My Bell", a disco hit for Anita Ward in 1979. Kinney's next release was a cover of Floyd King's "Groove Me". Her disco-flavoured remake made inroads on the US Pop and R&B charts in 1979. The follow-up was "Together we are Beautiful", a sweet R&B love song with a subtle disco groove.
Ken Leray, the song's composer, also recorded the original version. His single flopped. Kinney's was produced by Carson Whitsett, Tommy Couch and Wolf Stephenson. Initially, the track was the B-side for "Baby Let Me Kiss You". After that A-side flopped, the singles were switched and re-packaged. 
Released in 1980, Kinney was finally scaling the pop charts; not in the USA, but in Britain. "Together..." reached #1 there in mid-March. The single also peaked at #20 on the Australian Top 40. Sadly, this was to be Kinney's sole hit in both territories.    

This is a list made up of the songs I enjoy the most, ranked in order of preference: the higher we go, the more I cherish them. Some were released as singles, others as album tracks. Some are obscure; others were worldwide hits or have universal appeal. They aren't always the most famous or popular, but simply a personal choice. I have excluded songs from the last few years in order to get a better idea of a song's lasting impression. I hope you find some new tracks to love, or re-discover some past favourites.

A new song from the remaining Top 100 is added each weekday, while another 2 are also included from positions 1501-2000 daily. Check back here every 12 hours for an update of the 2000.