Founding Mothers: Linda Clifford

Linda Clifford's Biggest Hit Was 1978's "Runaway Love" (Curtom, 1978)

Linda Clifford is a New York-born singer and actress who secured Founding Mother status with some notable R&B-infused dance cuts during the late 1970s.

A precocious performer, Linda Clifford was singing on TV programs before her age had reached double digits. At 17, she was named Miss New York State and, in turn, embarked on an acting career. Dissatisfied with her few acting roles, Clifford focused on singing, a move that saw her signed with Paramount Records in 1973.

After her song “(It’s Gonna Be) A Long Winter” saw marginal success on the R&B chart (faltering at #75), Clifford moved to Curtom to record her biggest album, If My Friends Could See Me Now. Propelled by the title cut (which hit #1 on the dance chart) and the tune “Runaway Love,” which went #3 R&B, the record jumped to #22 on the pop chart and #9 on the R&B chart.

Capitalizing on her success, Clifford released five albums from 1979 through 1981, a catalog that yielded three #1 dance hits and a pair of R&B Top 20′s (including her duet with Curtis Mayfield, “Love’s Sweet Sensation”).

As disco gave way to pop in the early 1980s, Clifford cache diminished, her last album being 1985′s My Heart’s on Fire. In 2001, Clifford spent time on the UK charts with her cut, “Ride the Storm.”

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