Early Career
Newton was born in Lakehurst, New Jersey, United States, and graduated from First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In the early 1970s, Newton, Otha Young and Tom Kealey formed a band that would eventually be called Juice Newton and Silver Spur that was signed to RCA Records. The group released two RCA albums in 1975 and 1976, and scored only one charting country single with "Love Is a Word." The band signed with Capitol Records in 1977, but disbanded shortly after releasing one album.
In late 1977, Newton went solo (but remained with Capitol Records), although Silver Spur would remain the name of her backup band until 1982. Later in 1977, "It's a Heartache" became Newton's first solo record and a major hit in Mexico, where it was eventually certified Gold. In 1978, Newton released the song in the United States, and it became the first of her 11 "Hot 100" pop hits. Also in 1978 The Carpenters' version of the Newton/Young-penned song "Sweet, Sweet Smile" reached the Top 10 on both the Country and Adult Contemporary charts, and No. 44 on the Hot 100 chart.
Newton's solo debut album, Well Kept Secret, was released later in 1978. and stands as Newton's most rock-oriented record, to date. Neither the record nor its sole single ("Hey Baby") charted, though Capitol Records proceeded to renew Newton's contract. Capitol's investment in Newton began to pay off in 1979, when Newton had her first Top-40 Country hit with "Let's Keep It That Way" (another one-off single). Later that year, the album Take Heart featured five modestly charting singles: "Until Tonight"; "Any Way That You Want Me"; "You Fill My Life"; "Lay Back In The Arms of Someone"; and "Sunshine." The latter became Newton's second top-40 single on the country charts in 1980, with "You Fill My Life" reaching No. 41 and "Until Tonight" reaching No. 42. Both of Newton's initial solo efforts performed with modest success but failed to have lasting impacts on the album charts.
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