Genya Ravan
- Soundtrack
Genya Ravan is an American rock singer and producer. She was lead singer of The Escorts, Goldie and the Gingerbreads, and Ten Wheel Drive.
Genya was born in Lódz, Poland, and arrived in the United States in 1947, accompanied by her parents and sister. Genya Ravan's career started in 1962 on a dare in a Brooklyn club called The Lollipop Lounge, which is also the title of her autobiography published by Billboard Books. On a dare in a bar, she jumped up to sing. She was asked to join the band The Escorts, Richard Perry being one of the members. After signing to Decca Coral records and being produced by Henry Jerome, there was some success, they covered "Somewhere" from West Side Story and it went to number one in parts of the Mid-West. In 1963 she formed Goldie and The Gingerbreads after Genya met drummer Ginger Bianco in a Greenwich Village bar.
After seeing the band at a party for the Rolling Stones, Atlantic Records Chairman Ahmet Ertegun signed them to Atlantic subsidiary Atco Records. Goldie & the Gingerbreads were the first all-girl rock band in history to be signed to a major label and climb the charts. Goldie and The Gingerbreads toured with The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Kinks, and Manfred Mann. They reached the charts with their hit "Can't You Hear My Heart Beat" in 1965. The song reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart. The band stayed in London for two years.
Genya Ravan performed at the Atlanta Pop Festival, twice at Carnegie Hall and twice at Madison Square Garden, along with various clubs in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia.
In 2011, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum included Goldie and the Gingerbreads in their Women in Music exhibit which traveled from state to state. Genya Ravan toured in 2013, selling out New York City's Iridium and is going back by popular demand.
Genya was born in Lódz, Poland, and arrived in the United States in 1947, accompanied by her parents and sister. Genya Ravan's career started in 1962 on a dare in a Brooklyn club called The Lollipop Lounge, which is also the title of her autobiography published by Billboard Books. On a dare in a bar, she jumped up to sing. She was asked to join the band The Escorts, Richard Perry being one of the members. After signing to Decca Coral records and being produced by Henry Jerome, there was some success, they covered "Somewhere" from West Side Story and it went to number one in parts of the Mid-West. In 1963 she formed Goldie and The Gingerbreads after Genya met drummer Ginger Bianco in a Greenwich Village bar.
After seeing the band at a party for the Rolling Stones, Atlantic Records Chairman Ahmet Ertegun signed them to Atlantic subsidiary Atco Records. Goldie & the Gingerbreads were the first all-girl rock band in history to be signed to a major label and climb the charts. Goldie and The Gingerbreads toured with The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Kinks, and Manfred Mann. They reached the charts with their hit "Can't You Hear My Heart Beat" in 1965. The song reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart. The band stayed in London for two years.
Genya Ravan performed at the Atlanta Pop Festival, twice at Carnegie Hall and twice at Madison Square Garden, along with various clubs in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia.
In 2011, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum included Goldie and the Gingerbreads in their Women in Music exhibit which traveled from state to state. Genya Ravan toured in 2013, selling out New York City's Iridium and is going back by popular demand.