Sydney Youngblood

Sydney Youngblood (born Sydney Ford, 2 December 1960, San Antonio, Texas) is an American-German singer, who had several successful dance/funk hits during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Career

Youngblood had four Top 40 hits in the UK and Europe in 1988 and 1989, including "Sit and Wait", "I'd Rather Go Blind" and his debut "If Only I Could". "If Only I Could" used the bassline and drumbeat from the Raze track "Break 4 Love", and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart.

In the U.S., the song "I'd Rather Go Blind" (originally sung by Etta James) enjoyed heavy rotation on the dance scene and made the Top 10 in the "Billboard Dance Charts". "Sit and Wait" reached number 16 in the UK in December 1989.

Youngblood continued his success with the album, Feeling Free, which also contained his earlier single, "Ain't No Sunshine".

Sydney Youngblood vs Soul II Soul

Minor controversy ensued during Youngblood's chart reign. Due to his musical style of soul vocals over hip-hop rhythms, he had been accused by some in the music press of copying the sound of Soul II Soul, an influential British black music group who had reached number one with their hit "Back To Life". Youngblood responded by releasing a remix of his earlier hit "Feeling Free" (featuring Elaine Hudson) called "The Jazzy Who? remix" in reference to Soul II Soul's Jazzie B. The track featured piano lead that sounded similar to "Happiness" by Soul II Soul, and used a beat identical to "Jazzies Groove".

Discography

Studio albums

• Feeling Free (1989) – UK #23, AUS #59, AUT #7, GER #9, NED #56, NZ #19, SWE #5, SWI #9
• Sydney Youngblood (1990) (North American release of the "Feeling Free" album) – US #185
• Passion, Grace and Serious Bass... (1991) – AUT #40, GER #60, SWE #39
• Just the Way It Is (1993)
• The Hat Won't Fit (1994)
• Black Magic (2014)

Singles