The Ladies of Axel F: Jane Eugene

Music writer and Axel F fam W. Jacarl Melton helps us continue the celebration of the Ladies of Axel F. Be there on March 24 to hear them all night.

Without question, there are scores of Axel F women who held their own during the era.

Teena. Evelyn. Chaka. You know who they are.

But what about ladies like Jane Eugene of Loose Ends?

Much like another Axel F icon, Jody Watley, Jane was the lone woman in a trio. And like Jody, the two dudes effectively played second chair to the group's female focal point. Carl McIntosh was also key, but Jane's vocals were the center piece of their bigger tracks.

While Eugene and her colleagues hailed from the UK, folks stateside ate up the Loose Ends' sound. In 1985, "Hangin' On A String" became the first track by a British group to reach #1 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Almost off the bat, Jane asserts herself. Remember: She is not your play thing.

I'd be remiss if I didn't point out a lesser known but beautifully orchestrated Loose Ends' joint highlighting Jane: "Choose Me"

While she wasn't a stand-alone artist, Jane Eugene's vocal prowess was on par with her solo-tracking peers which allowed her to shine on every song she graced.