Josephine Superstar


Josephine Superstar is a disco concept album by American actress Phylicia Rashad, released by Casablanca Records in 1978. It is a musical biography, dedicated to Josephine Baker, detailing Baker's life as she runs away from home and finds fame and love in St. Louis, Broadway, and eventually Paris. It was performed by Rashad, and produced by Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo.
It was Rashad's only album, and was created during her brief marriage to Village People lead vocalist Victor Willis.
Village People and The Ritchie Family contributed background vocals.

Production

The album was produced by Morali and Benlolo's Can't Stop Productions, Inc. with Sigma Sound Studios.
Album photography was done by John Galluzzi, who also photographed contemporaneous album covers such as Village People's Macho Man and The Ritchie Family's African Queens.
The prologue states Rashad's intentions for the album:
My name is Phylicia Allen. It gives me great honor to dedicate this album to the first Black female international star, Miss Josephine Baker. May her spirit live forever.

Track listing

Release and reception

The album was released on August 5, 1978. It peaked on August 19, 1978 at #28, running for 5 weeks on the Dance Club Songs chart. During its peak day, it was superseded by contemporary chart-toppers such as "Dance " by Sylvester, "Boogie Oogie Oogie" by A [Taste of Honey |A Taste of Honey], "Last Dance" by Donna Summer, "In The Bush" by Musique, "Miss You" by The Rolling Stones, "American Generation" by The Ritchie Family, and "You Got Me Running" by Lenny Williams.

Personnel

In 1989, as-yet-unidentified song appeared in the revue Phylicia Rashad & Co. in Las Vegas, Nevada, which featured the actress and her costar Bill Cosby.