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Little Ann (born Ann Bridgeforth; 22 March 1945 – 26 January 2003)[2] was an American soul singer. Her recording career was short-lived but her work was 'rediscovered' shortly before her death.

Little Ann
Birth name	Ann Bridgeforth
Also known as	A. Bridgeforth, Ann Bridgeforth, Ann Bridgeworth, Little Anne[1]
Born	(1945-03-22)March 22, 1945 Chicago, US
Died	January 26, 2003(2003-01-26) (aged 57) Michigan, US
Genres	Soul, Northern soul
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	c1960-69, 2003
Labels	Ric-Tic, Kent Records, Deep Soul

Life and career

Originally from Chicago, but growing up in the small town of Mount Clemens in Michigan, "Little Ann" Bridgeforth performed regularly as a singer, including at her cousin's club, Michelle's Playroom. When she was getting gigs elsewhere, she changed her name to Little Ann - how she was known within the family, as the youngest of seven brothers and sisters.[3]

In 1967 in Detroit, she recorded "Deep Shadows", produced by Dave Hamilton, but it was not released, and was almost lost to history.[4] In 1969, she recorded an album's worth of her soulful singing, with Hamilton. The record company, Ric-Tic, released only one song, "Going Down a One Way Street", as a single (Ric-Tic142). It was to be her only release for a long time. (One of the executives of the company was Joanne Bratton-Jackson, with whom Little Ann is sometimes, erroneously, identified.)[3]

In the early 1980s, an acetate of a Little Ann song was discovered by someone in England. Under the title "When He's Not Around" by Rose Valentine, it became a big hit in the Northern soul scene.[3]

Then in 1990, that original master tape, including the song, which was really called "What Should I Do?", was discovered at Hamilton's home, leading to a release of the single on Ace/Kent Records.[5]

"Deep Shadows" was finally heard by the world on the CD compilation Dave Hamilton's Detroit Dancers, Vol 1 in 1998, along with two other, at-that-time unreleased, tracks. It has since been covered several times and has featured in a Nike Jordan trainers ad in the US.[4][6] Further unreleased tracks appeared on Detroit Dancers Volumes 2[7] and 3,[8] in 1999 and 2006 respectively, before the tracks were compiled on vinyl in 2009 with the release of the entire Deep Shadows album on Helsinki's Timmion Records.[3][9]

Finally, with the release of some of her music, Little Ann performed in the UK, shortly before her death in 2003.[1]

Little Ann (Bridgeforth) is not to be confused with Little Ann (Sandford) who recorded with Tarheel Slim between 1959 and 1965.[10][11]

Discography

• "Going Down a One-Way Street (The Wrong Way)"/"I'd Like to Know You Better" 7" (1968)
• Deep Shadows LP (2009)

References

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