Bettye Swann, born Betty Jean Champion on October 24, 1944, in Shreveport, Louisiana, is an American soul singer, renowned for her distinctive voice and emotive performances. She grew up in Arcadia, Louisiana, before moving to Los Angeles in the early 1960s to pursue her musical career. Swann struck gold with her 1967 hit single "Make Me Yours," which topped the R&B charts and broke into the Top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. This track remains her signature song and a classic of the Southern soul genre.

Throughout the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, Swann released a series of singles that would cement her as a respected purveyor of Southern soul, even though mainstream success proved fleeting after "Make Me Yours." Transitioning to the Atlantic label brought about a change in her musical style, incorporating elements of country-soul into her sound, as exemplified by "The Complete Atlantic Recordings." Sadly, her recording career waned towards the mid-1970s, but her legacy endures through reissues and compilations, such as "The Money Recordings," which showcase the breadth and depth of her emotive vocal performances across the R&B, soul, and country-soul genres.

Genres

Southern Soul

Related Artists

Candi Staton

Aretha Franklin

Irma Thomas

Etta James

Gladys Knight

Fontella Bass

Mavis Staples

Carla Thomas

Betty Wright

Otis Redding

Tina Turner

Sam Cooke

Latest Release

Make Me Yours (Slowed Down)

Bettye Swann

Single - Released February 13, 2023