R&B singer Charlene – born Charlene Oliver on June 1, 1950, in Los Angeles, California – is best known for her hit single “I’ve Never Been to Me,” which was originally released in 1976 but did become an international hit until 1982. Charlene signed to Motown Records in 1973 and released two singles – “Relove” and “All That Love Went to Waste” – under her married name, Charlene Duncan, but spent most of the next few years writing songs and recording demos for other artists. She released her self-titled debut album in 1976, which included the song “I’ve Never Been to Me,” the track that would eventually become her signature song. In 1977, her debut album was repackaged as Songs of Love, although there were several changes to the tracks including an edit to “I’ve Never Been to Me.” While the song was not released as a single when the Charlene album was released, it was finally issued to promote Songs of Love. The single looked like it was going to be a hit, but it stalled at number 97 on Billboard’s Hot 100. Charlene recorded an album for Motown in 1980, but it was never released so she left the label and moved to England. However, in 1982, a radio DJ in Tampa, Florida began playing the original, unedited 1976 version of “I’ve Never Been to Me,” which became a regional hit. This surprise success reached Motown Records and Charlene was re-signed to the label and Motown officially reissued the song as a single. It became a worldwide hit and climbed to number 1 in the US, UK, Australia, and Ireland. It also reached the Top 10 in Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Norway. In 1982, Charlene released three albums for Motown: I’ve Never Been to Me (a Top 40 in the US, UK, Norway, Australia, and the Netherlands), The Sky Is the Limit, and Used to Be. However, she was not able to capitalize on her international hit. After the release of her 1984 album Hit & Run Lover, she left Motown Records. Charlene continued to write and record, releasing several digital-only singles between 2012 and 2022.
