Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds

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Babyface
Birth name Kenneth Brian Edmonds
Also known as Kenneth Edmonds
Born April 10, 1958 (1958-04-10) (age 49)
Origin Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Genre(s) R&B, quiet storm, urban, adult contemporary, dance, pop, Soft rock
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, record producer, film producer, and entrepreneur
Instrument(s) Guitar, mandolin, keyboard
Label(s) SOLAR Records (1983?-????), Epic (1989?-2000), Arista (2001-2005), Island (2007-present)
Associated
acts		 After 7, The Deele, Milestone
Website www.babyfacemusic.com

Kenneth Brian "Babyface" Edmonds (born April 10, 1958 in Indianapolis, Indiana), is an American R&B and pop singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, record producer, film producer, and entrepreneur.

Contents

Edmonds, who is the fifth of six brothers (Kevon Edmonds also had a solo album), attended North Central High School and as a shy youth, wrote songs to express his emotions. Edmonds later played with funk megastar Bootsy Collins, who tagged him "Babyface" while he was still a teen, and the nickname has stuck with him throughout his life. He also played in the groups Manchild (which had a 1977 hit "Especially for You" with band member Daryl Simmons), then in the light-funk and R&B group The Deele (which also included Antonio "L.A." Reid), with whom he would later form a successful partnership. In 1988, both Babyface and Reid left the group.

In the late 1980s, he was responsible for contributing to the creation of new jack swing and was responsible for writing music for the likes of Bobby Brown, Karyn White, Pebbles and Paula Abdul. In 1989, Edmonds co-founded LaFace Records with Reid. Two of the label's first artists Toni Braxton and TLC achieved massive success. Braxton's eponymous 1993 debut album went on to sell over eight-million copies, and earned her a Grammy Award as the year's best new artist in 1994. Meanwhile, TLC's two albums on LaFace — 1992's Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip and 1994's CrazySexyCool — combined to sell more than 15 million copies, and CrazySexyCool won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best R&B album.

Babyface was also instrumental in forming the popular late-90's R&B group, Az Yet.

Edmonds is also behind some of the biggest successes in contemporary music. “I’m Your Baby Tonight”, produced for Whitney Houston, is his first #1 hit in the US. He also wrote and produced Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" and "I'll Make Love To You", both of which established records for the longest stay at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He co-wrote, co-produced, and provided backing vocals on Madonna's 1995 7 week-#1 hit "Take a Bow", he shared billing with Eric Clapton on the chart-topping Grammy winner "Change the World" from the Phenomenon soundtrack. He also wrote and produced the #1 hit "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" for Whitney Houston as well as the rest of the critically acclaimed 10 million selling Waiting to Exhale soundtrack in 1995, which spawned additional hits for Houston, Brandy and Mary J.Blige. Additionally, he has produced and written music for many artists including Toni Braxton, Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Pebbles, Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston, Brandy, Mary J.Blige, Tamia, Janet Jackson, Shola Ama, Sisqo, Dru Hill, Céline Dion, Katharine McPhee, Mariah Carey, Vanessa L. Williams, En Vogue, Eric Clapton, Madonna, Aretha Franklin, Japanese singer Ken Hirai, Pink, Sheena Easton, Marc Nelson and Phil Collins among others, and he has received an amazing three consecutive Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year, in 1995–1997.

In the mid-1990s, Edmonds and his then wife, Tracey Edmonds, expanded into the business of motion pictures, setting up "Edmonds Production Company" and producing films such as Soul Food (1997) and Josie and the Pussycats (2001). They are the current executive producers of the hit BET reality series College Hill. Edmonds also worked with David Foster to compose "The Power of the Dream", the official song of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Linda Thompson provided the lyrics.

In 1999, a 25-mile (40-km) stretch of Interstate 65 that runs through Indianapolis was renamed Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Highway.

In October 2005, Edmonds and his wife, Tracey, announced that they were ending their marriage of thirteen years. They have two sons.

Babyface also participated as a duet partner on the FOX reality show Celebrity Duets.

Babyface has been in the studio for about two years with Ashanti to produce her forthcoming album The Declaration.[citation needed]

Babyface has recently signed a new deal with Island Records to release his new album, His new album, Playlist, consist of eight cover songs which includes Bob Dylan’s "Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door," Dan Fogelberg’s "Longer," Dave Loggin's "Please Come To Boston", Bread's "Diary", Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle," Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and James Taylor’s "Fire & Rain" and "Shower The People". The two original works in the album are entitled "Not Going Nowhere" and "The Soldier Song". It was released on September 18, 2007. It will be the first album on the newly re-launched Mercury Records Label.[1]

Year Title Chart Positions Album
US US R&B UK Singles Chart
1986 "Lovers" - 42 - Lovers
1987 "I Love You Babe" - 8 - Lovers
1987 "If We Try" - 65 - Lovers
1987 "Mary Mack" - 29 - Lovers
1989 "Love Saw It" (duet with Karyn White) - 1 - Karyn White's Karyn White (original version)
A Closer Look (remix version)
1989 "It's No Crime" 7 1 - Tender Lover
1989 "Tender Lover" 14 1 86 Tender Lover
1990 "Whip Appeal" 6 2 - Tender Lover
1990 "My Kinda Girl" 30 3 - Tender Lover
1990 "Love Makes Things Happen" (duet with Pebbles) 13 1 - Pebbles' Always (original version)
A Closer Look (remix version)
1992 "Give U My Heart" (duet with Toni Braxton) 29 2 - Boomerang soundtrack
1993 "For the Cool in You" 81 10 - For The Cool In You
1993 "Never Keeping Secrets" 15 3 - For The Cool In You
1994 "And Our Feelings" 21 8 - For The Cool In You
1994 "Rock Bottom" - - 50 For The Cool In You
1994 "When Can I See You" 4 6 35 For The Cool In You
1994 "Dream Away" (with Lisa Stansfield) - - - The Pagemaster soundtrack
1995 "Someone to Love" (with Jon B) 10 7 - Jon B's Bonafide
1996 "This Is for the Lover in You" (featuring LL Cool J, Jody Watley, Howard Hewett, and Jeffrey Daniel) 6 2 12 The Day
1997 "Everytime I Close My Eyes" (featuring Mariah Carey and Kenny G) 6 5 13 The Day
1997 "How Come How Long" (featuring Stevie Wonder) - - 10 The Day
1997 "Sunshine" (with Jay-Z and Foxy Brown) - - 25 -
1998 "Fire" (duet with Des'ree) - - - Hav' Plenty soundtrack
2000 "Reason for Breathing" - 59 - A Collection of His Greatest Hits
2001 "There She Goes" 31 10 - Face 2 Face
2001 "What If" 80 28 - Face 2 Face
2004 "The Loneliness" - 49 - Grown & Sexy
2005 "Sorry for the Stupid Things" - 65 - Grown & Sexy
2005 "Grown & Sexy" - 51 - Grown & Sexy

  1. ^ Babyface official website on Island Records. n/a. Island Records (January 20, 2007).

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