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Margaret's time: Singer Cox finally puts together first solo CD
Jon Bream, Star Tribune
Published April 6, 2003

Jesse Johnson dubbed her TaMara. Prince billed her as Margie Cox. Now, after more than 25 years of singing in Twin Cities bars, the singer generally known as Margaret Cox has released her first solo album, "Margie's Little Demo."

"I wanted to call it 'Demo' because it's the first time I've ever done anything that's completely mine," Cox said.

She recorded an album with Raggs circa 1980, then sang on a local "Bar Wars" compilation LP and on the final Lipps, Inc. album. In 1985, she was lead vocalist of TaMara & the Seen, produced by former Time guitarist Johnson. It yielded the hit "Everybody Dance," which went to No. 3 on Billboard's R&B chart. In the early '90s, she recorded more than 25 songs with Prince for a band to be called M.C. Flash. An album never was released, but one Margie Cox track, "Standing at the Altar," was featured on a Paisley Park compilation CD, "1-800-NEW-FUNK" in '94.}}}

The 13 songs on "Margie's Little Demo" have been written and recorded over the past dozen years at nine different Twin Cities studios. The music is mostly full-throated funk, augmented by soulful balladry and Cox's flair for pop melodies. There are shades of Chaka Khan and Prince all over the CD, but the disc also will remind listeners of Cox's longtime group, the Legendary Combo, which plays Mondays at Bunkers in Minneapolis.

On Saturday, backed by the Combo, she will stage a CD-release party at, of course, Bunkers. The album actually came out in September (thanks to a loan from her mother, Nancy, a vocal teacher) but Cox never got around to having a CD-release gig because almost all the members of the Combo perform in other bands on weekends. (She fronts Vanguard, which plays weddings and other private functions.) Moreover, the musicians had to learn several new songs.

Cox, 40ish, made her Twin Cities nightclub debut in ninth grade, singing at Bootlegger Sam's in Dinkytown (where she lived and attended Marshall-University High School). She graduated to other bands, including Raggs, the Doug Maynard Band, the T.C. Jammers, the Peterson-Cox Band (with Patty Peterson), Rupert's Orchestra and, in 1987, Dr. Mambo's Combo (now just the Legendary Combo). She has never had a "day job."

She was "a star for a minute" with TaMara & the Seen, though she said she didn't see royalties -- just a salary and $10,000 when she signed with A&M Records. With Johnson, she cowrote a tune, "I Need You," that ended up on Paula Abdul's blockbuster album "Forever Your Girl," but Cox said she never got a penny from it. Starting in 1990, she worked with Prince for a couple of years but remained under contract until '96 -- and didn't see much in the way of royalties.

When it came to business, she said she was naïve; her lawyer was also Johnson's lawyer. "I didn't know about conflict of interest then," said Cox, who now handles the Combo's payouts and tax statements.

As for her Prince experience, she said, "it's a sob story again, but at the same time I feel strong. It didn't get me down; it didn't make me quit."

On the liner notes to "Margie's Little Demo," she says "thanks but no thanks to Jesse and Prince." The CD's graphic designer encouraged her to keep that left-handed compliment.

"I regret it," she says of the shot at her two former bosses. She said when she presses the next batch of CDs, she'll remove that comment from the liner notes.

Cox, who plays keyboards in the studio but not onstage, already has a bunch of songs for a second CD. But to the chagrin of Michael Bland, her frequent studio collaborator and the Combo's drummer, none of them is dark or depressing.

"I'm too happy right now," she said late Monday night after the Combo's gig. "I just bought my first house and put out my first CD. Man, I'm in heaven."

Good luck to her, double standards Prince?.

SHe's will over 40 and still is nobody. The closet she has come to being a star is when she worked for Jesse and was Tamara. If she is able to do it without Jesse and Prince, why hasnt she? What song did dhe write with Prince that she deserves money for? If she didnt get royalties that she deserved, her beef is with lawyers; not artist or producers that she has worked with.

Yet another ungrateful wanna be that only exists because of her time with Jesse and Prince. No one would even care what stinky, redneck bar in MN she was singing in if it were not for Tamara and the Seen or Margie Cox 1800 NEWFUNK. No one is going to be this CD and I suppose that will be Jesse's and Prince's fault as well.

How do you get hold of a copy? I love how these CD release parties happen all over the Twin Cities and no one ever mentions where you can buy the actual CDs. Where do I get a copy of Milenia's CD. Where do I get a copy of Kip Blackshire's CD? Derrick Hughes? Etc...

Why bother with these reports if they aren't trying to sell the CDs?

LaMont said:

Be that is it may...she was still one of the most talented singers he worked with. She should have been a star. If Standing At the Alter hadn't been released too many years too late, it should have been a huge hit. I know too many adult contemporary pop heads who loved that cut when I played it.

Whats up with the haters?!... Margie did, and does, have a FANTASTIC soulful voice... Anyone remember her from P's Saturday Night Live "Electric Chair" performance?... Bet she's still fine too.

Jestyr said:

Yeah, and what about the Funky baldheads, or the Sons of Almighty ?

nickfunk

All Fonky Baldheads and Kitchen Record releases are available at www.kaj.us.

I've also had the opportunity to see Margie sing live with Dr. Mambo's Combo during the early 90's (when Michael B and Tommy B were part of the NPG, but also moonlighted with Mambo's). She does have a GREAT voice, and is also a very nice person. I remember talking with her many times as well as super guitarist Billy F. (who should've been playing lead guitar for somebody big as well!). Anyway, I did give them both a copy of my demo tape, but that's another story. Most of the MPLS music folks I met were cool, laid back, midwestern people. All with the upper midwest accent as well (just like Prince). It just goes to show you that making it in the music business requires more than just talent.

LaMont said:

***

If it was not for 1800NEWFUNK most people (me included) wouldn't even know her name. Prince even released 'Standing at the Altar' as a single for 1800NEWFUNK in the UK. It was (to my knowledge) the only fully released single from the set that was released.

She may be talented, but such a bitter attitude is not attractive. Particularly when over 50% of her potential audience are Prince fans. Dumb move ...

LaMont

Just because Margie Cox is a nobody DOES NOT MEAN she has no talent!, personally I'd take those MC Flash tracks over any of the Mayte shit that Prince released..now that is one untalented bimbo.