Rochelle Fleming’s voice travelled far beyond the Philadelphia disco scene where she first made her mark, finding an audience in Jamaica and influencing generations of musicians across R&B, hip-hop and dance music. The celebrated lead singer and founding member of First Choice died in Philadelphia on November 5, aged 72, with news of her passing announced by her manager, George Correia, through a statement on her official Instagram account. Her death marks the loss of a vocalist whose recordings transcended generations, genres and geographical boundaries.
Fleming’s musical journey began at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, where she joined fellow students Annette Guest and Wardell Piper to form a singing group initially known as the Debonettes. With assistance from local radio personality Georgie Woods, the trio connected with producer Norman Harris and songwriter Allan Felder, eventually becoming First Choice. The group broke through in 1973 with Armed and Extremely Dangerous, which reached No. 11 on the US Billboard R&B chart and No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other notable recordings included Smarty Pants, The Player (Part 1), Doctor Love and Let No Man Put Asunder.
First Choice’s music also enjoyed considerable popularity in Jamaica, where recordings such as I Love You More Than Before and A Boy Named Junior received significant airplay on stations including Kool 97 FM and RJR 94 FM. Meanwhile, the group’s 1977 recording Let No Man Put Asunder became an influential club favourite, particularly within the emerging house music scene, receiving renewed attention through remixes and DJ sets. The song was also covered by R&B superstar Mary J. Blige on her 1999 album Mary, while rapper J. Cole sampled First Choice’s Wake Up to Me on his 2019 hit Middle Child, introducing elements of the group’s catalogue to another generation of music fans.
Following First Choice’s split in 1980, Fleming continued recording as a solo artist, releasing dance tracks including Love Itch, Danger! and Suffer (The Consequences). Her connection to the group endured, with Fleming reuniting with former members for a performance in New York in 2014. Her home church, Christian Hope Baptist Church in Philadelphia, also paid tribute, remembering her as the founding member and lead singer of the group and highlighting her enduring connection to the congregation.
Confirming her passing, Correia remembered Fleming as someone who brought “light, laughter and love to the world”. She died in Philadelphia on November 5, with no cause of death disclosed. Details of services celebrating her life are expected to be announced at a later date. While her passing closes a chapter in Philadelphia’s rich soul and disco history, Fleming’s voice lives on through recordings that continue to connect audiences across Jamaica, the United States and beyond
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