Teena Marie

"Luv Letter"

Before her untimely death at the age of 54 on the day after Christmas 2010, Teena Marie, known as the Ivory Queen of Soul or simply Lady Tee as one of the only white artists ever signed to Motown Records, wrote, produced, arranged and sang on 13 albums that have sold 2.5 million copies. Starting with her 1979, Rick James-produced debut, Wild and Peaceful, Teena Marie's many soul and R&B hits include "Square Biz," "Behind the Groove," "I Need Your Lovin'," "Fire and Desire," "Lovergirl" and "Ooo La La La," a song famously sampled by the Fugees. Teena Marie was working on her 14th and latest album for Universal Music Enterprises, Beautiful, at the time of her passing, the follow-up to 2009′s Congo Square, which peaked at #4 on the R&B chart and went to #20 on the album chart, producing the Top 12 Urban AC hit, "Can't Last a Day." Recorded at her own Pasadena home studio and finished except for final mixes, Beautiful was seen through to its conclusion by Teena's 20-year-old daughter Alia Rose, who sings on three of the tracks (joining her mom on "Rare Breed" and "Sweet Tooth," both of which she co-wrote-along with "Beautiful"-as well as a cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Give Me Your Love"). The first single, "Luv Letter," which has just gone to radio, is just that, an homage to Tee's Motown roots, with nods to Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," and a dedication to Alia's father, who just happened to be a postman, like in the Marvelettes' song of the same name. The album comes out Jan. 15, 2013.