Marcia Hines

Marcia Hines (born July 20, 1953) is an American-born singer who achieved great success in her adopted homeland of Australia. She is best known for her hit singles in the 1970s, and as a judge on Australian Idol since 2003. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she moved to Australia to play a featured role in the Australian production of Hair. Hines was then approached to play Mary Magdalene in the Australian production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Hines became the first black woman to play Mary Magdalene, and achieved a second major success. A record contract followed and her first single released in 1974 was a cover version of James Taylor's "Fire And Rain". Most of her hit singles were released between 1976 and 1979, and included her cover versions of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", and The Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash", and "What I Did For Love" (from A Chorus Line). Her biggest hit was the single that made number 2 in the charts in Australia: "You"; an up-tempo dance song, later covered in the United States by Rita Coolidge. She continued to record and achieved a few more hits including the dance track "Your Love Still Brings Me To My Knees" in the eighties. "Flashdance, What A Feeling" (originally recorded by Irene Cara), and "Time of Our Lives" were both hits for Hines in 1999.