When televisions first began to appear in people’s living rooms with regularity in the late 1940s, talent shows were already waiting for the new viewers. Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts began as radio programs, but jumping mediums and allowing a mass audience to actually see the acts made a huge difference. Even in the 21st century, the basic format remains popular and mostly unchanged, and every decade has produced a hit show, from Star Search in the 1980s to today’s America’s Got Talent.

The 1970s didn’t disappoint, spawning a kitschy, low-budget, in-on-the-joke, masterpiece of Me Generation weirdness called The Gong Show. Created by Chuck Barris, the main gimmick — and the reason for the title — involved the judges banging a giant gong for those contestants whose talents were deemed unworthy. The gong got a lot of work.

The show wasn’t intended as a launchpad to stardom, more of a “look at what these wacky people can do” exhibition. But many of the contestants did have actual talent and would eventually find success years later, including Pee Wee Herman, the band Oingo Boingo (featuring composer Danny “Tim Burton’s BFF” Elfman), and the actor who played the Predator in the first film of that name.

Overnight sensations were a rarity, but The Gong Show produced a couple. Andrea McArdle appeared on the show in 1976, shortly before winning (and originating) the role of Annie in the Broadway musical. That same year, a sheltered 19-year old who had grown up listening exclusively to church music took her boyfriend’s advice and tried out for the show. Not only did she make it on — she won. Her name was Cheryl Lynn and her life was about to turn upside down.

All the major labels immediately courted Lynn and she signed with Columbia, who then teamed her up with David “I bless the rains down in Africa” Paich. The two of them began songwriting sessions at his home studio, and one of the songs they came up with was titled “Got To Be Real.” After transferring into a professional recording studio and completing all the tracks, Lynn took a cassette with the five candidates for the first single and played it over and over while driving around Los Angeles. To her mind, there was a clear favorite.

Released as a single in the September of 1978, “Got To Be Real” just missed the Top 10 on the US Hot 100, but climbed up to #1 on the R&B chart in early 1979. Once again, Lynn sang her song and heard no gong.

So know that your love’s for real … with Cherl Lynn.