Anita Ward

[Boo]

Biography by Greg Prato
Perhaps more so than any other genre in the history of popular music, the '70s disco scene was littered with countless one-hit wonders, including Anita Ward. Born during 1957 in Memphis, TN, Ward developed an interest in music at an early age, although it was gospel and not the up-tempo dance style she'd become synonymous with years later. Ward went on to sing with the Rust College A Cappella Choir (which included recording alongside renowned Metropolitan Opera vocalist Leontyne Price), as well as issuing an obscure album recorded by her own gospel quartet. But after graduation, Ward didn't automatically set out to pursue a career in music and instead became a substitute teacher in the Memphis elementary school system. It wasn't long before Ward realized music was too much a part of her life to ignore and her manager put her in contact with singer/songwriter Frederick Knight (who had scored a substantial hit on his own in the summer of 1972 with "I've Been Lonely for So Long"). Knight signed on to help produce a three-song demo session with Ward, but once the tape was rolling, Knight became so taken by Ward's singing ability that the sessions soon produced an album's worth of material.

Upon listening back to their work, both agreed that they were still one song short, which resulted in Knight digging up an old track titled "Ring My Bell" that he had originally penned for a young teenybopper singer, Stacy Lattisaw (who would later score several hits in the early '80s). The song's original lyrics dealt with teens chatting away on the phone and even though Knight gave the track a quick lyrical overhaul, Ward was less than enthusiastic about the song. Still, she agreed to record it (with Knight providing most of the musical accompaniment himself, including one of the first uses of synth drums on a record), which only took a total of two days to record. "Ring My Bell" turned out to be the best track of the bunch, resulting in a recording contract with the TK label, and the release of Ward's debut album, Songs of Love, in 1979. It didn't take long for "Ring My Bell" to scale the charts and it peaked at number one during the summer (out-gunning such other future disco-classics as Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" and "Bad Girls," plus Sister Sledge's "We Are Family," all of which were in the Top Five) and remained on the charts for five months solid.

[Edie Antoinette]

What I remember was the square half-pint and pint bottles that they would drink out the brown paper bags with the top of the bag twisted around to keep it closed in their back pocket...LOL

[KnightD12]

THIS IS HOW WE USED TO DRINK IT... BACK IN DA DAY!

[Boo]

Hey glad you like,it took a min. to find.

[Cherene Snow]

OMG!!!!!!That were advertising Ripple in Black and White!!!! Who knew!!!! This is my first time ever seeing this!!! Amazing!!!

[Edie Antoinette]

I'll find Ripple (the group) for you and let you hear my favs... As for the wine...lawd that brings back some memories. When we lived on 95th Street in Chicago in the 60's, that's all they drank around my neighborhood. Empty Ripple bottles 'everywhere'! LOL
...that and the harmonic Doo-Woppin outside my bedroom window. They would drink Ripple then start harmonizin...*sigh...ahhhhh, the memories*

[Shelley "SoleMann" King]

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA....Oh Lawd

[Edie Antoinette]

Ripple isn't produced anymore :( but I found these pics! LOL

[Shelley "SoleMann" King]

If you can find a unopened bottle of Ripple nowdays, it would be called UnRipple....LOL

[Shelley "SoleMann" King]

QUESTION

If One Had An Original, Unopened Bottle Of "Ripple" Brand Wine, Would It Be Worth Selling? Does It Have Any Value?

My father happens to own a unopened bottle of a "Ripple" brand wine which he asked me to find the value of one day, among some other items. I was surprised to find that (from what I have read online) bottles of Ripple wine are quite rare. Knowing rarity does not mean the item has value, I was wondering if anyone knows, what the value of a bottle of unopened ripple red may be? Is it even worth selling?

ANSWERS

The true value for an unopened Bottle Of "Ripple" Brand Wine can only be acknowledged by an avid wine drinker so you have to sell it to those type of people.Its value can be any where from 20 dollars to as much as 80 dollars.

How much would you be willing to sell your bottle for? I am a very big fan of Sanford and Son and having a bottle of ripple would be amazing.

My father whom owns the bottle recently decided to put the bottle of ripple up on Ebay. It should be up in a few weeks (never used Ebay before). I'm unsure what he will set the price at, but if you would like I could e-mail you all the details / link to the ebay page when it goes online.

I doubt that aging Ripple would increase its value. It was a cheap wine to begin with. Usually aging of such a wine will turn it sour or vinegary. It may be collectible since it was Fred Sanford's drink of choice on Sanford and Son, a tv show in the 70's.


HERE IS MY UNOPENED BOTTLE OF RIPPLE....ROFLMBO

[Edie Antoinette]

HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! I can see it now..your name plastered on eBay for selling a bottle of Inglenook with a Ripple label glued on top!!! I think Ripple is selling for $1800 on eBay!!! Unreal!!!!! Prolly taste like red vinegar by now..lol