Angela Bofill

Angela Bofill (born Angela Tomasa Bofill in New York City on 2 May 1954; died 13 June 2024) was an American singer-songwriter of Cuban-Puerto Rican heritage who is remembered for singles such as "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", "Angel of the Night", and "I Try". In 2023, Bofill was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. Bronx-born Bofill sang with Ricardo Morrero & the Group and the Dance Theater of Harlem chorus before her 1978 debut. With her strong, distinctive alto, she has carved a niche as an outstanding interpreter of soul ballads. Between 1978 and 1984, Bofill had consistent success on the R&B charts, with six albums making the Top 40 (five of which made the Top 100 on the pop charts as well), including two, Angel of the Night (1979) and Too Tough (1983), that made the Top Ten. During this period, she also placed seven singles in the R&B Top 40, with "Too Tough" making the Top Ten. Bofill's career cooled off after 1984, but she returned to the R&B charts with Intuition (1988), I Wanna Love Somebody (1993), and Love in Slow Motion (1996). With a Cuban father and Puerto Rican mother, Bofill was exposed to a variety of musical styles, from Motown to Aretha Franklin to Tito Puente and Celia Cruz. By the age of eighteen, Bofill was an accomplished singer and songwriter, jamming with the likes of Cannonball Adderley, Herbie Hancock, Nat Adderley Jr and Dizzy Gillespie to name a few. She was a featured soloist with the Dance Theater of Harlem, majored in theater at the University of Hartford and majored in voice at the Hartt College of Music. She held a Bachelor of Music degree from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music where she was classically trained in opera. Bofill's solo recording career began in 1978 with her self-titled album, Angie. The hits "This Time I’ll Be Sweeter" and "Under The Moon and Over the Sky" blended jazz and R&B. Signed to GRP records, she released her sophomore recording titled, Angel of the Night. With hits like I Try and the title track, both her albums were simultaneously topping the pop, jazz and R&B charts in 1979 for months. After suffering a massive stroke in 2006, Bofill recuperated in her California home. On July 10, 2007, Bofill suffered a second massive stroke. A benefit concert was organized to pay her hospital bills. The show, planned by manager Rich Engel along with NY radio stations Kiss FM and CD 101.9, was held on March 11 at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, NJ. Similar events followed, and other aid was being sought from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. Her album Live in Manila (recorded in 2004) was released during this time. Although unable to sing, Bofill returned to the stage (at the suggestion of manager Engel) in The Angela Bofill Experience. The show consisted of Bofill recounting her life and career, joined by artists such as Maysa Leak, Phil Perry and Melba Moore performing Bofill's biggest hits and signature songs. In 2012 Bofill was profiled and interviewed for the TVOne Documentary series, Unsung. In 2023, Bofill was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.