Rene Moore and Angela Winbush
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis weren’t the first production duo to try to work their magic for Janet Jackson. That distinction belongs to Rene & Angela, the R&B/pop duo fondly remembered for songs such as “I’ll Be Good” and “Save Your Love (For #1).” After recording their debut self-titled album in 1980 to great recognition but little success, Rene Moore and Angela Winbush were drafted by Joe Jackson to help his youngest daughter craft her debut album.
The talented team ended up producing the lion’s share of her first album with fellow producer Bobby Watson of Rufus & Chaka Khan fame. This included Janet’s debut single “Young Love,” which asserted the artist’s no nonsense personality that we would get to know and love well into her career. It peaked at No. 65 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the other singles produced by the team failed to make an impact beyond the R&B charts. Rene & Angela would go on to find success on their own albums, and most notably separately, with Angela becoming the Angela Winbush we know and love and Rene going on to write for Janet’s brother, Michael Jackson.
