Page "Yvonne Elliman" Paragraph 5

In 1971 Elliman moved to New York City for the Broadway production of Jesus Christ, Superstar, where she met her first husband, Bill Oakes, who worked with Robert Stigwood as President of RSO Records.

Aged 19, she married Bill Oakes soon after, and was asked to sing backing vocals on Eric Clapton's version of the Bob Marley song " I Shot the Sheriff " in 1974.

She then went on tour as part of Clapton's band, and soon afterwards got her own recording contract with RSO Records.

She would continue to work with Clapton, performing on his albums from 1974 to 1977, including 461 Ocean Boulevard, There's One in Every Crowd, E. C. Was Here, No Reason to Cry, and Slowhand albums.

A first album for the RSO label ( her third in all ), Rising Sun, produced by Steve Cropper, produced no hit singles, but her next album, Love Me, produced by Freddie Perren, gave her two top-20 hits, " Love Me " ( written by Barry and Robin Gibb ), and a Barbara Lewis cover, " Hello Stranger.

" " Hello Stranger " topped the U. S. Adult Contemporary charts for four weeks, and was also a # 15 Pop hit in 1977, while " Love Me " was a # 14 Pop hit in late 1976 / early 1977.