Minnie Julia Riperton (November 8, 1947 – July 12, 1979) was an American singer-songwriter best known for her vocal range of five-and-a-half octaves[1] and her 1975 single "Lovin' You". She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in the summer of 1979. They had two children - music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedienne Maya Rudolph.[2] Riperton grew up on Chicago's southside. As a child, she studied music, drama, and dance at Chicago's Lincoln Center. Read more on Last.fm