The album, entitled Sweet Surrender, featured the minor hit 'Don't Drop My Love', which peaked at No. Ward released a second album later in the year it was common in the 1970s to release albums several months apart. After the huge success of 'Ring My Bell', 'Make Believe Lovers', which was the b-side on most 12' singles for 'Ring My Bell', was released, but it failed to chart.

'Ring My Bell' has been remixed and released several times since its original release. Her accompanying debut album, Songs of Love was released that same year.

The single reached number one in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada in 1979. The song, which was originally a juvenile-targeted tune about teens talking on the telephone, was rewritten with more 'adult' lyrics and the result was the single ' Ring My Bell'. Ward did not like the song, but Knight insisted that a dance track was needed to capitalize on the current disco trend, and Ward relented.

While recording her debut album, record label owner Frederick Knight presented her with a song he had written the previous year for Stacy Lattisaw. Before signing a recording contract, Ward obtained a degree in psychology from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, and had become a schoolteacher.