Sophie B. Hawkins

Singer/songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins was best for known for her 1992 hit "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover," but she went on making music long after her name disappeared from the spotlight. Born on November 1, 1964 in New York, NY, Hawkins released her debut album, Tongues and Tails, on Columbia Records in 1992 and became a smash straight out of the gate. With the exception of the Bob Dylan cover "I Want You," all the songs were penned by Hawkins, and the cinematic but danceable pop tune "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" became a No. 5 single, with the video for the song establishing a ubiquitous presence on MTV as well. The follow-up album, Whaler, was released two years later, and the single "As I Lay Me Down scored Hawkins a No. 6 hit. But when it came time for her to put out her third album, Timbre, Hawkins had a major dust-up with Columbia. The label wasn't satisfied with the tracks and tried to convince Hawkins to make changes. She dug in her heels and declined to alter the tunes. The record finally came out in 1999 but the label did little to push it, and it pretty much sank without a trace. This more or less put an end to Hawkins' commercial viability but did little to dampen her artistic impulses. She put out her next album, 2004's Wilderness, on her own Trumpet Swan imprint. She followed that with a live album, Bad Kitty Board Mix, in 2006 and her fifth studio effort, The Crossing, in 2012. A self-described "omnisexual," Hawkins also became known for her activism in the area of LGBT rights, and has made numerous appearances in supportive of progressive political causes over the years.