(Photo: Howard is fourth from the left)

December 19, 2012

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Singer Linda Howard, a member of the late-70's/early-80's Motown group High Inergy, passed away late last week from unknown causes.

The singer died in Los Angeles and was working on her first solo album, featuring the single ''I'm Not Mad at You'', which was released last summer.

Howard, sisters Vernessa and Barbara Mitchell and Michelle Martin were discovered while performing in their hometown of Pasadena, CA by Gwen Gordy Fuqua, a key member of Motown A&R, signing with the label in 1977.

The Mitchell sisters had a singing background while Howard and Martin came from the dancing world.

Motown executives were positioning the group to be the "new Supremes" and they hit later that year with You Can't Turn Me Off (In the Middle of Turning Me On) which went to number 2 on the R&B and 12 on the Pop charts. It would be their one and only big hit with 1978's ''Love Is All You Need'' being the closest followup (#20 R&B/#89 Pop).

The group broke up in 1984.

R.I.P.

Damn another death to add to the Motown masouleum. RIP

Damn.. as a kid i loved that song " You Keep Turnin Me Off"

RIP

[Edited 12/19/12 9:48am]

"You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)" is a CLASSIC I have two copies of that album on vinyl.I remember one other (minor) hit from this group....1983's "He's A Pretender",which they performed on the Motown 25th TV special.

R.I.P,Linda Howard

Extended version of "You Can't..."

"I'm Not Mad (At You)", Linda's solo single released this past summer.

Really enjoyed their work