Surely one of the most talented one-hit wonders of the
rock era,
Doris Troy hit the Top Ten with "Just One Look" in 1963, but also recorded many other fine
pop-soul sides for Atlantic between 1963 and 1965. Unlike many
soul performers of the time,
Troy wrote most of her own material (under the pseudonym Payne), and had already written for other artists and sung backup with
Dionne and
Dee Dee Warwick and
Cissy Houston on New York soul records before striking out on her own. More melodically ambitious and stylistically eclectic than many of her peers, her Atlantic sides blend elements of
gospel,
girl group,
blues, and pop into a rich New York soul sound.
Troy never reached the charts again after "Just One Look," but was more appreciated in England, where she toured occasionally and where
the Hollies covered her "What'cha Gonna Do About It" on their first album. Moving to Britain, she recorded an album for Apple in 1970 with assistance from
George Harrison and
Billy Preston. In the early '70s, she sang backup vocals for British rock groups, most notably the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, in addition to recording a couple more albums. In the '80s she starred in Mama I Want to Sing, a musical based on her life story. The musical became a touring success, one which
Troy remained involved with until 1998. She continued to perform in Las Vegas until her death from emphysema on February 17, 2004. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
