Retta Young

In the 1960s, Young was a member of the Superbs,[1] later renamed The Devotions.[2][3] "Sending Out An S.O.S." was released on the All Platinum label in 1975[4][5] and peaked at #88 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number #28 on the UK Singles Chart.[6] Two weeks later, the song was ranked #9 on the Top Audience Response in New York discos. Downstairs Records and Colony Records, both New York record shops, ranked the song's retail sales at #1 and #7, respectively.[7] "My Man Is on His Way" and "Really, Really" were released in 1978. The former appears on Soul Jazz Records' compilation album Disco: A Fine Selection of Independent Disco, Modern Soul and Boogie 1978-82.[8][9][10] Young's 1977 album Young and Restless was re-released by Expansion Records in 2017 on both vinyl LP and CD. The CD version includes bonus non-album tracks.[11][12]

She was married to Ray, Goodman & Brown member Al Goodman, who she was introduced to by Paul Kyser.[15]

The Devotions, originally The Superbs, were a female group from New York. They were signed with Colossus Records and released exclusively on Paul Kyser's Silver Dollar label.[16][17] Their singles "Dawning of Love" and "So Glad You're Home" (1970) were written by Kyser and co-produced by him and Tom Vetri.[18][19][20] Young, Bertha Addison, and Madge Quince are credited with composing "Stuck To You Like A Magnet".[21] Young's first Devotions recording was "The Saga of Will-E Jones" (1971), which was composed by Kyser and Vetri.[2] This song's 1971 release suggests that Young did not sing on earlier recordings such as "The Dawning of Love."

Early membership of the group is unclear. At some stage, Rhonda Franklin, Phillis Harris and her sister, and Arnita were part of The Superbs, which was signed to Symbol Records. The name change appears to have occurred sometime between 1969 and 1970; at that time, Young, Addison, and Quince had joined the lineup. When they departed, Kyser replaced them with new vocalists, who continued to perform under the name The Devotions.