Minnie Julia Riperton ( November 8, 1947 – July 12, 1979 ) was an American singer-songwriter best known for her vocal range of five-and-a-half octaves, and her 1975 single " Lovin ' You ".

Riperton was one of the first celebrities to go public with her breast cancer diagnosis, but did not disclose she was terminally ill.

In 1978, Riperton also received the American Cancer Society's Courage Award which was presented to her at the White House by President Jimmy Carter.

Jeffery also trained Riperton to use her full range.

Raynard Miner, a blind pianist, heard Riperton singing during her stint with Hyde Park's A Cappella Choir and became her musical patron.

While a part of Studio Three, Riperton met her mentor, producer Billy Davis.

Some months after her Andrea Davis singles hit the radio, Riperton joined Rotary Connection, a funky rock-soul group creation of Marshall Chess, the son of Chess Records ' founder Leonard Chess.

Perfect Angel went gold, and Riperton was finally revered as the " lady with the high voice and flowers in her hair.

Near the end of the unedited " Lovin ' You ", Riperton sings " Maya, Maya, Maya "; in concert, near her death, she changed this to " Maya, Maya, Ringo, Maya.

In 1977, Riperton lent her vocal abilities to a track named, " Yesterday and Karma ," on Osamu Kitajima's album, " Osamu.

In 1978, Riperton's attorney Mike Rosenfeld and her husband, Richard Rudolph, orchestrated a move to Capitol Records for Riperton and her CBS Records catalogue.

In April 1979, Riperton released her fifth and final album, Minnie.

At the time of her diagnosis, Riperton found out her cancer had already spread to the lymphatic system, and was given about six months to live.

On Thursday, July 12 at 10 am, while lying in her husband's arms, Riperton died while listening to a recording Stevie Wonder had made for her.

After Riperton died, several artists contributed vocals to tracks she had recorded before her death, to help compile Richard Rudolph's final tribute to his wife, Love Lives Forever.

Aside from her various hits, Riperton is perhaps best remembered today for her ability to sing in the whistle register, in which she had rare facility.

Riperton possessed a five-octave vocal range ( the liner notes to her Petals legacy album ascribe five-and-a-half octaves to her ).

While studying under Jeffery, Riperton sang operettas and show tunes, in preparation for a career in opera.

Sidney Barnes, a songwriter within the Chess organization, also joined, as did Judy Hauff and a Chess receptionist named Minnie Riperton, who would later be successful in her own solo career.

Riperton had a short successful solo career ( most notably the 1975 hit " Lovin ' You ") until breast cancer ended her life in 1979.

* February 15 – Minnie Riperton appears on the Grammys as a presenter with Stephen Bishop.

Stepney had previously worked with The Dells, The Rotary Connection, Terry Callier, Minnie Riperton, and the Ramsey Lewis Trio, to name a few.

In 1969 Riperton, along with Rotary Connection, played in the first Catholic Rock Mass at the Liturgical Conference National Convention, Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, WI, produced by James F. Colaianni.

In January 1976, Riperton was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a radical mastectomy.

Riperton signed with Epic Records, and the family moved to Los Angeles, California.

Richard Rudolph wrote the song, " Now That I Have You " for Riperton, but she never got the chance to record it ; he gave the song to Teena Marie, who recorded it ( and coproduced it with Rudolph ) on Marie's second LP, Lady T. Finally, in 1981, Capitol Records released The Best of Minnie Riperton, a greatest hits collection.

It included interviews with her husband Richard, son Marc, daughter Maya ( Maya Rudolph ), sister Sandra Riperton, and many others who worked with Riperton.

Epic's commercial success continued to grow in the 1970s with releases from ABBA, Boston, Cheap Trick, The Clash, Charlie Daniels, Heart, The Isley Brothers, The Jacksons, Labelle, Meat Loaf, Johnny Nash, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, Minnie Riperton, Pegasus, Charlie Rich, Sly & the Family Stone, Steve Vai and Edgar Winter.

Songs like ' Lovin ' You ' by Minnie Riperton and ' The Morning After ' by Maureen McGovern were topping the pop charts with alarming regularity, leaving many rock-and-roll fans feeling like they were left out in the cold without a jacket.

* " Here We Go ", with Minnie Riperton

He has worked with such artists as The Crusaders, Minnie Riperton, Lionel Richie, Simply Red, Hugh Masekela, Dr. John, Randy Crawford, B. B.

* Minnie Riperton's song, " Alone in Brewster Bay ," refers to when Riperton and her husband, producer Dick Rudolph, vacationed on Cape Cod during the early 1970s, prior to the release of her 1975 hit single, " Lovin ' You ".

Richard Stamos sings " Lovin ' You ", a 1975 hit single by singer-songwriter Minnie Riperton.

Besides Hunt and Riperton, the school also produced a girl group called Coffee who recorded the 1980 hit " Casanova ".

Later members included Mable John, Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Minnie Riperton, Susaye Greene, Beverly LeSure and Rita Graham who recorded the album Rita Graham Vibrations produced by Ray Charles on his Tangerine label, the only major recording production Ray Charles produced on a single female artist on that label.

Her first popular single was the Minnie Riperton song " Inside My Love ," featured on the 1997 platinum-selling film soundtrack Love Jones.

* July 12 – Minnie Riperton, American R & B singer ( Lovin ' You ) ( b. 1947 )

According to the liner notes from Riperton's Petals compilation CD, the melody to " Lovin ' You " was created as a distraction for Maya when she was a baby, so Riperton and Richard Rudolph could spend time together.

Actors Eddie Murphy and Denzel Washington were among the 120 wedding guests ; Shanice serenaded the couple by singing the Minnie Riperton classic " Lovin ' You ".

# Lovin ' You-Minnie Riperton

Riperton incorporated the sadness of the ending of a relationship while suddenly shifting to cries of " I don't want to go ," " save me ," " now I'm slippin ' fast ," " thought it was over ; here I go again ," and " travelin ' down, faster than the speed of sound.