Teena Marie: Ivory Queen of Soul

The Definitive Biography of the Ivory Queen of Soul

De: Kevin S.W. Baxter

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Born Mary Christine Brockert in 1956 and rising from Venice, California, Teena Marie transformed from a self-taught prodigy into one of the most distinctive voices in American music. Teena Marie: Ivory Queen of Soul traces her extraordinary journey from local talent shows to the heart of Motown, capturing how a young girl with perfect pitch became the Ivory Queen of Soul.

Drawing from archival research, press interviews, studio records, and eyewitness accounts, this definitive biography follows Teena through her decades-long evolution—her discovery by Motown producers, her creative partnership with Rick James, and her landmark legal fight that reshaped the recording industry. Each chapter situates her story within the broader fabric of race, gender, and artistic independence in twentieth-century American culture.

The book explores her development as a songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer, revealing the precision of her craft and the emotional intelligence behind every chord progression. Readers witness her relentless pursuit of autonomy, from the groundbreaking Irons in the Fire and Starchild albums to her later triumphs with La Doña and Congo Square, where she fused classic soul with modern edge.

Beyond the stage lights, Teena Marie: Ivory Queen of Soul delves into Teena’s humanity—her spirituality, motherhood, and resilience in the face of loss and reinvention. It reveals how she navigated fame, identity, and artistry without compromise, building a bridge between Black musical traditions and cross-cultural understanding through sheer integrity of sound.

Richly detailed and vividly written, the biography restores Teena Marie to her rightful place among the innovators of American popular music. It situates her not as anomaly but as architect—a visionary who expanded the meaning of soul through devotion, discipline, and grace.

For music historians, soul enthusiasts, and readers drawn to stories of defiance and transformation, Teena Marie: Ivory Queen of Soul offers a definitive portrait of a woman who changed not only how music was made, but what it could mean. Her rhythm still echoes, unbroken and eternal.