- Born
- Died
- Birth nameOra Denise Allen
- Denise LaSalle was born on July 16, 1934 in The Island, LeFlore County, Mississippi, USA. She was married to James E. Wolfe Jr., Bill Jones and Artic Craig. She died on January 8, 2018 in Jackson, Tennessee, USA.
- SpousesJames E. Wolfe Jr.(July 16, 1977 - January 8, 2018) (her death, 3 children)Bill Jones(1969 - 1974) (divorced)Artic Craig(1956 - 1969) (annulled)
- When she was 13, she moved to Chicago to live with her older brother and sang with a gospel group, the Sacred Five. She began writing poetry and songs. She took the name LaSalle from a French character in a comic strip.
- Her biggest hit recording was "Trapped by a Thing Called Love" which topped the Billboard R&B chart in 1971. She wrote and performed songs that dealt humorously with sex. She also recorded country and gospel songs.
- Has three children Ray Knight, Dawn Beard, and Bridgette Wolfe.
- Denise and her first husband were only together a short time, but didn't formally end their marriage until right before she married Bill.
- I may be working in a club one night and here comes a lady that will come up and tell me her problems, and lay it on my shoulder as though I'm Dear Abby. So I've become Dear Abby for these people. I get a story out of what she's saying, and put myself in that situation and what would I do about this man or this situation. And I write a song about it.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content