Alex Henderson

Ren Woods
Out of the Woods

1979 was a busy year for Ren Woods. That year, the singer/actress performed the psychedelic flower power anthem “Aquarius” in a hit film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Hair,” and it was also in 1979 that Woods recorded her first solo album, Out of the Woods. Although Woods (b. January 1, 1958) was only 21 when Out of the Woods was released by ARC/Columbia Records, she already had an impressive résumé. Woods was best known for her 1977 portrayal of Fanta in the ABC television mini-series “Roots” and her portrayal of Dorothy in a national tour of “The Wiz,” although she had also enjoyed roles in the films “Carwash” and “Youngblood”—and on the musical side, she had been a member of the Portland, Oregon-based female vocal group Sunday’s Child, which she joined as a pre-teen. Woods (rennwoodsmusic.com) went on to become a solo artist, and her musical solo career looked promising when she signed with ARC/Columbia (distributed by CBS Records, now Sony Music) and entered the studio with Earth, Wind & Fire guitarist Al McKay.

At first, it looked like Out of the Woods might be produced by Maurice White, the former jazz drummer turned R&B superstar who made EWF one of the top-selling soul/funk bands of the 1970s. White was not only the founder and leader of EWF—he was also a successful producer/songwriter who had helped score major hits for the Emotions and Deniece Williams. White, who co-wrote the Emotions' 1977 smash “Best of My Love” with McKay, thought highly of Woods’ singing. But White had a lot on his plate in 1979, which saw the release of EWF’s I Am album and the single “Boogie Wonderland” (a #2 R&B/#6 pop smash in Billboard that featured the Emotions and was easily EWF’s most overtly disco-minded hit).

“I remember that Maurice was overcommitted,” Woods recalled in a September 2013 interview. “I remember meeting with Maurice and talking with him, and then, I got a phone call from Al. I liked Al right away, and he liked me right away. So I said, ‘OK, let’s do it.’”

McKay, in a separate September 2013 interview, explained that he admired Woods’ work as a singer and actress long before he went into the studio with her. “I saw Ren in the group Sunday’s Child in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s,” McKay noted. “I also saw her in ‘The Wiz,’ and she blew me away again. We met in the late ‘70s after Earth, Wind & Fire had just recorded I Am for CBS. I was looking for an artist for my production company back then, and Ren and I hit it off.”

In addition to producing Out of the Woods, McKay co-wrote five of the eight songs that appeared on the original 1979 LP: “Hooked on a Love Groove,” “Sticks and Stones,” “Everybody Get Up,” “Sweeter as the Day Goes By” and “I Like the Way You Do It.” Another important contributor to Out of the Woods is Jon Lind, who in 1979, was best known for co-writing “Boogie Wonderland” with fellow songwriter Allee Willis. Together, Lind and Willis co-wrote the lush ballad “I Need Someone to Touch Me” for Out of the Woods, and they co-wrote “Sticks and Stones” with McKay.

“I love ‘I Need Someone to Touch Me,’” enthuses Woods. “That’s my favorite song on the record. I think it’s the most beautiful song I’ve done. I always liked Jon Lind. I had a good relationship with Jon, and Jon had a good relationship with Al.”

Asked to describe some of the things about Woods that appealed to him back in 1979, McKay replied: “Her huge voice, for openers. When she combined her theater voice with her song voice, it gave me chills. Jon Lind and I used to joke with Ren to bring her out of some mood she may have been in. Sometimes, she would come right to the recording studio from the film studio, and if she had a bad day filming, it would affect her performance—until she flashed that big, warm smile, and it was on.”

In 1979, disco was huge. That year saw the release of definitive disco classics like Chic’s “Good Times,” Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls” and Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” and Out of the Woods reflected disco’s popularity. Many of the selections are energetic and danceable, including “Sticks and Stones,” “Straight to Love” and the single “Everybody Get Up” (all of which have a strong disco-soul aesthetic). However, “I Need Someone to Touch Me” goes for maximum quiet storm appeal, while “I’m in Love with You” is a romantic slow jam. And “Hooked on a Love Groove” is mid-tempo soul with a definite Motown Records influence and hints of the Holland/Dozier/Holland sound.

FunkyTownGrooves’ expanded 2013 edition of Out of the Woods marks the album’s first release on CD. Offered as bonus tracks are the 12” single and instrumental versions of “Everybody Get Up” as well as the single version of “Straight to Love.”

Despite McKay’s participation, Out of the Woods slipped through the cracks commercially—and in 1982, Woods reemerged on Elektra Records with her second solo album, Azz Izz. In contrast to the heavy disco-soul factor on Out of the Woods, Azz Izz emphasized ballads and slow jams. Azz Izz also went largely unnoticed, and Woods took an extended break from recording but kept busy as an actress.

“After Azz Izz, I was very disillusioned by the record industry,” Woods asserted. “I was heartbroken as an artist, and I consciously turned away from the record industry. I remember people asking me, ‘Do you have new product?,’ and I would say ‘No.’ I didn’t even want any new product because I was heartbroken.”

But 34 years after Out of the Woods and 31 years after Azz Izz, Woods (who is now 55) has returned to recording and is presently working on her third solo album. In fact, a remake of Alexander O’Neal and Cherrelle’s 1985 hit “Saturday Love” is being released independently as a single.

“I’m very excited to be recording again,” Woods asserted. “I have a lot to be grateful for.”

—Alex Henderson, October 2013

Alex Henderson’s work has appeared in Billboard, Spin, Creem, The L.A. Weekly, JazzTimes, Jazziz, Salon.com, AlterNet, Cash Box, HITS, CD Review, Skin Two, Black Beat, The Pasadena Weekly, Black Radio Exclusive (BRE), Music Connection, Latin Style, The New York City Jazz Record, Jazz Inside Magazine and many other well-known publications. Henderson (alexvhenderson.com) also contributed several thousand CD reviews to The All Music Guide’s popular website and series of music reference books.