René & Angela
| Industry | Music |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1977 |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Products | R&B music |
| Parent | Capitol Records (early), Mercury Records (later) |
René & Angela were an American R&B pair composed of René Moore and Angela Winbush, established in 1977 and dissolved by 1986. Their most notable track is the 1985 single "I'll Be Good".
Career
The pair produced three albums under Capitol Records: their initial 1980 release René & Angela, followed by Wall to Wall, and then Rise in 1983. Subsequently, they joined Mercury Records and launched the well-received 1985 album Street Called Desire. Despite its commercial success, internal disagreements led to their separation by late 1986.
Strains developed partly due to Winbush's work with other musicians, including co-writing and producing The Isley Brothers' 1987 album Smooth Sailin'. Winbush cited Moore's aggressive conduct, highlighted by an onstage episode in Cleveland in 1986, and the fact she performed lead vocals on their chart-topping R&B song "Your Smile" as reasons for the split.
Reflecting on the breakup, Winbush stated:
"It was unfortunate to part ways just as we were gaining momentum. PolyGram opposed the breakup. However, continuing was impossible for me."
Their separation was contentious, necessitating legal intermediaries for communication.
Following their split, both artists embarked on prosperous solo endeavors. Moore contributed as a songwriter and producer on Michael Jackson’s albums Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995), later founding Multi-Media Communications to oversee radio stations from 2008 through 2012. Meanwhile, Winbush secured five top ten R&B solo hits and collaborated as a writer or producer with The Isley Brothers, Sheena Easton, Stephanie Mills, and Lalah Hathaway.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | Highest chart positions | Certifications | Record label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||||
| 1980 | René & Angela | — | — | Capitol | |
| 1981 | Wall to Wall | 100 | 15 | ||
| 1983 | Rise | — | 33 | ||
| 1985 | Street Called Desire | 64 | 5 |
|
Mercury |
| "—" indicates releases that did not chart or were unavailable in that region. | |||||
Compilation albums
- The Best of René & Angela: Come My Way (1996, Capitol)
- Classic Masters (2002, Capitol)
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart Rankings | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
US Dan |
BEL (FL) | NLD | UK | |||
| 1980 | "Do You Really Love Me" | — | 43 | — | — | — | — | René & Angela |
| 1980 | "Everything We Do" | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1981 | "I Love You More" | — | 14 | 31 | — | — | — | Wall to Wall |
| 1981 | "Wall to Wall" | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | "Imaginary Playmates" | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1983 | "Banging the Boogie" | — | 33 | — | 23 | — | — | Rise |
| 1983 | "My First Love" | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1985 | "Save Your Love (For #1)" | 101 | 1 | 3 | — | 17 | 66 | Street Called Desire |
| 1985 | "I'll Be Good" | 47 | 4 | 7 | — | 21 | 22 | |
| 1985 | "Secret Rendezvous" | — | — | — | — | — | 54 | |
| 1985 | "Your Smile" | 62 | 1 | 47 | — | — | — | |
| 1986 | "You Don't Have to Cry" | 75 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1986 | "No How – No Way" | — | 29 | — | — | — | ||