Biography

Australian pop singer Samantha Sang is best known for her '70s albums recorded with the Bee Gees, as well as singles she recorded under the name Cheryl Gray in the late '60s. Born Cheryl Lau Sang in Melbourne in 1951, Sang was introduced to music by her father, Reg Sang, a singer and vocal coach who performed under the name Reg Gray. Initially, Sang got her start by winning several vocal contests and in 1966 released the HMV single "The Real Thing" under the name Cheryl Gray. The recording was followed by several more HMV singles, including "In a Woman's Eyes" and "You Made Me What I Am." Also during this time, Sang began appearing regularly on Australian television shows. In 1969, hoping to expand her career beyond Australia, Sang relocated to England, where she caught the ear of the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb. Gibb introduced her to his manager, Robert Stigwood, who then signed Sang to a record deal and encouraged her to change her professional name to Samantha Sang. That same year, Sang released the Barry and Maurice Gibb-penned single "Love of a Woman." She then followed up with the Labi Siffre-penned "Nothing in the World Like Love," before her visa expired and she returned to Australia. By 1975, Sang had signed to Polydor and released the album Samantha Sang and Rocked the World. She then recorded the single "When Love Is Gone" for the 1977 cult film Bilitis and starred in the stage musical The Magic Show. In 1978 Sang traveled to France, where she reconnected with the Bee Gees during the recording of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. It was during these sessions that Barry and Robin Gibb wrote the song "Emotion" for Sang. Released in 1978 as a single and included as the title track on her album, "Emotion" became a worldwide hit single, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Several other Bee Gees songs were also featured on the album, including "Charade." In 1979, Sang returned with the album From Dance to Love. Aside from her solo work, over the years Sang has also performed backing vocals on recordings by such artists as David Wolfert, Francis Lai, Carole Bayer Sager, and Eric Carmen. Although "Emotion" would remain her biggest success, Sang has a loyal fan base and continues to perform and record around the world. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi