Phyllis Nelson (October 3, 1950 – January 12, 1998) was
an American singer, most famous for her 1985 song, "Move Closer",
which topped the charts in the United Kingdom. Her son is the singer and record
producer, Marc Nelson.
Nelson was born in Indiana. She worked and recorded for
several 
years from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. Her records were mostly
dance oriented. She also recorded numerous records during the disco era.
years from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. Her records were mostly
dance oriented. She also recorded numerous records during the disco era.
In 1984, she recorded a self-written ballad entitled
"Move Closer". It was a complete departure from the type of music she
had been recording. The lyrics of "Move Closer" were based on a
long-term love affair she had with a much younger man in Philadelphia, who was
struggling to start his own computer business. They lived together for several
years, raising Nelson's two children (Marc and Kenya) that she had from
previous relationships.
Phyllis released her debut album, "Move Closer"
on Carrere Records, which was released in the UK and Germany. The album managed
to peak at #10 on the UK Albums chart. The ballad “Move Closer” was released as
a single. While it failed to find an audience in her native United States, it
was highly successful in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at the top of the
UK Singles Chart in April 1985. The song remained on the chart for almost six
months, and became one of Britain's highest-selling singles of the year.
Based in France, Nelson recorded a single with the French
actor, Alain Delon: "I Don't Know". It was included in the original
soundtrack of the 1985 French film, Parole De Flic (Cop's Honor). Her
subsequent releases failed to make any impression (except "I Like
You" which made #81), and she is remembered as a one-hit wonder.
Nelson died in January 1998 from breast cancer in Los
Angeles, California, where she had been living since her divorce. She was 47
years old. (Info mainly Wikipedia)
