Rene & Angela

René & Angela were an early-'80s soul duo from Los Angeles. Before forming in 1977, René Moore -- the brother of <a href="spotify:artist:3MCjwjfIor5FkK3h639qkW">Rufus</a>' Bobby Watson -- played with <a href="spotify:artist:6h3rSZ8VLK7a5vXjEmhfuD">the Brothers Johnson</a>; <a href="spotify:artist:1EIgKOrzyOQRB3l43EfymN">Angela Winbush</a> had sung backup vocals for <a href="spotify:artist:32vWCbZh0xZ4o9gkz4PsEU">Dolly Parton</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5VcrwzYyoX3WUTbkaqcIvN">Lenny Williams</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5swBKHtsRDaCBmdpYRYOg1">Jean Carn</a>. René & Angela had their first R&B hit for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Capitol+Records%22">Capitol Records</a> in 1980 and proceeded to have seven other hits over the next three years. Along with Watson, they collaborated as songwriters and producers for the likes of <a href="spotify:artist:1YLsqPcFg1rj7VvhfwnDWm">Rufus & Chaka Khan</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4qwGe91Bz9K2T8jXTZ815W">Janet Jackson</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0AXcHQoyytYSnYCzKbFGKp">Plush</a>. In 1985, the duo switched to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Mercury%22">Mercury</a>, where they had the number one R&B hit "Save Your Love (For #1)" -- their first single from the album Street Called Desire. Over the next year, the group had three other Top Ten hits -- including the number one R&B single "Your Smile" and the number two "You Don't Have to Cry" -- before pursuing solo careers. Moore released a solo album in 1988 and co-wrote <a href="spotify:artist:3fMbdgg4jU18AjLCKBhRSm">Michael Jackson</a>'s "Jam," while <a href="spotify:artist:1EIgKOrzyOQRB3l43EfymN">Winbush</a> enjoyed more success during the tail-end of the decade and the first half of the '90s. <a href="spotify:artist:1EIgKOrzyOQRB3l43EfymN">Winbush</a> also wrote and produced material for <a href="spotify:artist:6W9RUw7xnNRYtgh8dimg7L">Ronald Isley</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:53QzNeFpzAaXYnrDBbDrIp">the Isley Brothers</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0PcIlEZa7rreM7729ot05g">Stephanie Mills</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:0uNEy4544VZq2KOl7BsLuo">Lalah Hathaway</a>; she and <a href="spotify:artist:6W9RUw7xnNRYtgh8dimg7L">Isley</a> were briefly married. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi