Rock On The Net: Babyface (original) (raw)
Babyface (Kenneth Edmonds) was born on April 10, 1959, in Indianapolis, Indiana as the youngest of six brothers (two of which are After 7). He got his nickname from bassist Bootsy Collins, and is also sometimes called "Face." Babyface has become one of the biggest producers and songwriters in the 90s, as well as a major singing talent. With a succession of hits and LPs, Babyface has established his smooth R&B sound that has become his trademark with singing and producing.
In the late 70s, Babyface was a member of several groups including Tarnished Silver, Crowd Pleasers, and Manchild (who released Manchild).
In the 80s, Babyface was a founding member of the group The Deelewhich had some success on the pop and R&B charts.
Babyface went solo and released his debut LP, Lovers. Babyface and another Deele member, Antonio Reid, then progressed into producing music for talents such as The Whispers, Bobby Brown, Pebbles, and Paula Abdul.
# 60Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface and Reid formed their own record label, LaFace Records. The label has been credited for introducing 2 of the 90s biggest new acts, Toni BraxtonandTLC.
Babyface was nominated for a Grammy AwardincludingBest R&B Song (awarded to songwriter) ("Don't Be Cruel")Babyface released Tender Lover.
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "It's No Crime."
Babyface hit the Top 10 with "It's No Crime."
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "Tender Lover."
Babyface was named Songwriter of the year by BMI.
# 26 Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist.
Babyface was nominated for 4 Grammy Awards including Best R&B Instrumental Performance ("It's No Crime"), Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter), ("Every Little Step" and "Superwoman" with L.A. Reid), and Producer of the Year (with L.A. Reid).
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "Whip Appeal."
Babyface hit the Top 10 with "Whip Appeal."
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "My Kinda Girl."Babyface was again named Songwriter of the year by BMI.
Babyface was nominated for 2 Grammy Awardsfor Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male ("Whip Appeal") and Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) (Johnny Gill's "My, My, My").
A Closer Look was released.Babyface won another BMI Award for Songwriter of the Year and was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("Whip Appeal") and Best R&B Song (songwriter for "My My My" performed by Johnny Gill).
# 135 Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface hit the Top 40 with the track "Give U My Heart" with Toni Braxton from the Boomerang soundtrack.
# 121Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface won 2 Grammy Awardsfor Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("End Of The Road" with L.A. Reid and Daryl Simmons) and Producer of the Year (with L.A. Reid).
Babyface released For The Cool In You which contained his biggest pop hit, "When Can I See You."
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "Never Keeping Secrets."
# 9Singles Artist of the Year (# 1 Male Artist of the Year)
Babyface hit the Top 10 with "Never Keeping Secrets."
Babyface was nominated for an American Music Awardfor Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "And Our Feelings."
Babyface won a BMI Award for Songwriter of the Year, 2 Grammy Awards for Album of the Year (producer of The Bodyguard soundtrack) and Producer of the Year (non-classical), and was also nominated for 2 other Grammy Awards: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (For The Cool In You) and Best R&B Song (songwriter for "Can We Talk" performed by Tevin Campbell).
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "When Can I See You."
Babyface hit the Top 10 with "When Can I See You."
Babyface could be heard on the sountrack for The Pagemaster with Lisa Stansfield on the track "Dream Away."
# 118 Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface won an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.
Babyface won 2 Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("When Can I See You") and Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("I'll Make Love To You") and was nominated for Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("When Can I See You" and "You Mean The World To Me" with L.A. Reid & Daryl Simmons).
Rolling Stone said of Babyface: "...this is black utopia... Babyface continues the nearly-forgotten tradition of solo R&B lover men..."
Babyface hit the Top 40 helping out Jon B. with "Someone To Love" from Jon B's Bonafide.
Babyface hit the Top 10 with Jon B. with "Someone To Love."As Babyface became more successful with his LPs, the caliber of clients to produce and/or songwriter for also increased with the likes of Madonna, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton, Boyz II Men,Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, and Gladys Knight. Babyface is often credited for giving Madonna, Boyz II Men, and Whitney Houston their biggest hits.
Babyface produced the soundtrack music for Waiting To Exhale as well as composing the musical score and writing or co-writing a majority of the songs. Babyface was brought into the movie project early and was an integral part of the musical production right through the editing of the film. For the soundtrack, Babyface brought in an impressive line-up of diverse female soul "divas" to round-out the all-female soundtrack. The LP was a huge success for all involved and the music was credited for much of the film's success. Babyface was applauded for bringing the strength and empowerment of the film's characters into the music on the soundtrack.Babyface won a BMI Award for Songwriter of the Year.
# 63 Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface won a Grammy Awardfor Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) and was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals ("Someone To Love" with Jon B.), and also had 2 nominations in the Best R&B Song category as songwriter for the tracks "Red Light Special" and "You Can't Run."
Babyface extended his success with the LP, The Day. The LP contained the hits "Everytime I Close My Eyes," "This Is For The Lover In You," and a song he sings with Stevie Wonder about domestic violence and inspired by the Nicole Brown Simpson case, "How Come, How Long." Babyface received additional input on his LP from artists including Eric Clapton, Mariah Carey, Sheila E., L.L. Cool J, and Jody Watley.
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "This Is For The Lover In You."
Babyface hit the Top 10 with "This Is For The Lover In You."Babyface could also be heard on Quincy Jone's single, "Slow Jams" from Jones' Q's Jook Joint.
Babyface won a BMI Award for Songwriter of the Year.
# 19 Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "Everytime I Close My Eyes."
Babyface won 3 more Grammy Awards for Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"), Producer of the Year (non-classical), and Record of the Year (producer of "Change The World") and was also nominated for Best Pop Album (producer of the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack), Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group ("Slow Jams" with Tamia, Portrait, and Barry White), Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture (for "Count On Me," "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," and "It Hurts Like Hell"), Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("Sitting Up In My Room" and "You're Makin' Me High"), and Song of the Year (songwriter) ("Exhale (Shoop Shoop)."
Babyface hit the Top 10 with "Everytime I Close My Eyes."
Babyface hit the Top 40 with "How Come, How Long" - a track Stevie Wonder helped out on.Babyface was named as one of Time magazine's 25 most influential people in America. The magazine called Babyface the "yin to gansta rap's yang." The listing was based on talent and vision, and not on hype.
Entertainment Weekly named Babyface as one of the Top 100 most creative people in the entertainment industry.
Babyface's next venture was as a film-maker. He finished a film which he co-produced called Soul Food, directed by his wife, Tracey, and starring Vanessa Williams released in the fall. The movie also spawned a hit soundtrack (and eventually a ShowTime television series). The movie was a collaboration with his wife, Tracey.
Babyface was nominated for 2 MTV Video Music Awards including Best Male Video("Everytime I Close My Eyes") and Best R&B Video ("How Come, How Long" with Stevie Wonder).
When GQ magazine announced their GQ Men of the Year, Babyface was named Solo Artist of the year.
Babyface released MTV Unplugged NYC 1997 which contained many hits Babyface had written for other artists.Babyface won a Black Entertainment Television Walk of Fame Award, and a BMI Award for Songwriter of the Year.
# 149 Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface won 2 American Music Awards for Favorite Rock/Pop Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.
Babyface won a Grammy Awardfor Producer of the Year (non-classical) and was nominated for Album of the Year (The Day), Best Male Pop Vocal Performance ("Everytime I Close My Eyes,")Best R&B Album (The Day), Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or for Television for "A Song For Mama" (from Soul Food), and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals (with Stevie Wonder) and Best Music Video, Short Form ("How Come, How Long").
With the success of their first venture Soul Food, the film production of Babyface and his wife Tracy, showed their next effort Hav' Plentyat the Sundance Film Festival. The soundtrack yielded the duet/remake of "Fire" with Des'ree which hit the Top 40.
Babyface released a holiday LP, Christmas With Babyface, with his version of such classics as "Little Drummer Boy," "Silent Night," and "The Christmas Song."Other awards Babyface received during the year included a Billboard Music Award for Hot R&B Songwriter, a BMI Award for Songwriter of the Year, and 4 NAACP Image Awards for Entertainer of the Year, Outstanding Album (Soul Food soundtrack), Outstanding Male Recording Artist, and Outstanding Motion Picture as producer of Soul Food.
At the start of the year, Babyface's lyrics could be heard on the movie screen with The Prince Of Egypt and the radio with "When You Believe" sung by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.
Babyface was nominated for a Grammy Awardfor Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals ("How Come, How Long" (with Stevie Wonder)).
Babyface was saying publicly that the Oscar nomination for The Prince Of Egypt track "When You Believe" intentionally left his name off the songwriting credits. The nomination for Best Song went to Stephen Schwartz for the version heard in the film (not in the closing credits when Babyface's version is heard). Babyface also has stated publicly that it was Schwartz who refused to sign an application that would have allowed credit to go to Babyface as well.
Babyface was nominated for a Grammy Awardfor Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media ("The Prince Of Egypt (When You Believe)" with Steve Schwartz).
Babyface released a hits collection, Collection Of His Greatest Hits with 3 new tracks including "Reason For Breathing."
# 135 Singles Artist of the Year
Tender Lover was certified 3x platinum.
Babyface was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music (Soul Food).
Babyface teamed up with former president Bill Clinton to fight AIDS in Africa with the International AIDS Trust campaign.
Love Songs was released.
Babyface's next LP, Face 2 Face, was released.
# 73 on the Top Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years chart.
Babyface released Grown & Sexy.
Babyface could be heard on the compilation LP So Amazing... An All-Star Tribute To Luther Vandross with "If Only For One Night."
Babyface released Playlist.
Babyface could be heard on the Lil Wayne LP Tha Carter IIIon the track "Comfortable."
Babyface teamed up with Toni Braxton and released Love, Marriage & Divorce.
Babyface topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with Toni Braxton with Love, Marriage & Divorce.
- September 16: Babyface could be heard on the Barbra StreisandLPPartners on the track "Evergreen."
- February 8: Babyface won a Grammy Awardfor Best R&B Album (Love, Marriage & Divorcewith Toni Braxton).
- December 4: Babyface releasedReturn Of The Tender Lover.
- February 15: Babyface was nominated for a Grammy Awardfor Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("Let It Burn").
- October 21: Babyface releasedGirls Night Out.
- February 5: Babyface was nominated for a Grammy Awardfor Best Traditional R&B Performance ("Keeps On Fallin'").
- February 4: Babyface won a Grammy Awardfor Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("Snooze"), and was nominated for Best R&B Album (Girls Night Out), and Best Traditional R&B Performance ("Simple").
LoversReleased: 1986 Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "You Make Me Feel Brand New" - "Lovers" - "Chivalry" - "I Love You Babe" - "Mary Mack" - "Faithful" - "If We Try" - "Take Your Time" | |
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Tender LoverReleased: July, 1989 US: 3x Platinum Billboard peak: # 14 Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "It's No Crime" - "Tender Lover" - "Let's Be Romantic" - "Can't Stop My Heart" - "My Kinda Girl" - "Where Will You Go (Prelude)" - "Whip Appeal" - "Soon As I Get Home" - "Given A Chance" - "Sunshine" - "Where Will You Go" | |
A Closer LookReleased: November, 1991 Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "Mary Mack" - "Two Occasions" (live) - "I Love You Babe" - "Chivalry" - "Lovers" - "It's No Crime" - "Love Saw It" - "Love Makes Things Happen" - "My Kinda Girl" - "Whip Appeal" - "Lovers" (Jazz Lover's Mix) | |
For The Cool In YouReleased: August, 1993 US: 3x Platinum Billboard peak: # 16 Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "For The Cool In You" - "Lady, Lady" - "Never Keeping Secrets" - "Rock Bottom" - "And Our Feelings" - "Saturday" - "When Can I See You" - "Illusions" - "A Bit Old-Fashioned" - "You Are So Beautiful" - "I'll Always Love You" - "Well Alright" - "For The Cool In You" (Quiet Storm Vocal Mix) - "When Can I See You" (Urban Soul Basement Mix) - "For The Cool In You" (Midnight Luv Instrumental Mix) | |
Amazon.mp3 | The DayReleased: October, 1996 US: 2x Platinum Billboard peak: # 6 Tracks: "Everytime I Close My Eyes" - "Talk To Me" - "I Said I Love You" - "When Your Body Gets Weak" - "Simple Days" - "All Day Thinkin'" - "Seven Seas" - "Day (That You Gave Me A Son)" - "How Come, How Long" - "This Is For The Lover In You" - " - "Every Time I Feel The Groove" |
MTV Unplugged NYC 1997Released: November, 1997 US: Gold Billboard peak: # 106 Unplugged Tracks: "Change The World" (Instrumental) - "Talk To Me" (Instrumental) - "Whip Appeal" - "Breathe Again" - "Exhale (Shoop, Shoop)" - "I'll Make Love To You / End Of The Road" - "I Care About You" - "Day (That You Gave Me A Son)" - "Gone Too Soon" - "How Come, How Long" | |
Christmas With BabyfaceReleased: October, 1998 Billboard peak: # 101 Tracks: "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" - "Winter Wonderland" - "Christmas Song" - "White Christmas" - "Little Drummer Boy" - "I'll Be Home For Christmas" - "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear / The First Noel" - "Sleigh Ride" - "Silent Night" - "You Were There" | |
Collection Of His Greatest HitsReleased: November, 2000 Billboard peak: # 75 Tracks: "For The Cool In You" - "It's No Crime" - "Whip Appeal" - "Never Keeping Secrets" - "Everytime I Close My Eyes" - "When Can I See You" - "Reason For Breathing" - "This Is For The Lover In You" - "How Come, How Long" - "Change The World" - "I Love You Babe" - "Soon As I Get Home" - "Where Will You Go" - "When Men Grow Old" | |
Love SongsReleased: August, 2001 Tracks: "I Said I Love You" - "All Day Thinkin'" - "This Is For The Lover In You" - "Lady, Lady" - "For The Cool In You" - "Bit Old Fashioned" - "Never Keeping Secrets" - "When Can I See You" - "Whip Appeal" - "Soon As I Get Home" - "Given A Chance" - "Sunshine" - "Everytime I Close My Eyes" - "When Your Body Gets Weak" - "Lovers" - "You Make Me Feel Brand New" | |
Face 2 FaceReleased: September, 2001 Billboard peak: # 25 Tracks: "Outside In / Inside Out" - "There She Goes" - "What If" - "Stressed Out" - "Baby's Mama" - "How Can U Be Down" - "Work It Out" - "I Keep Callin'" - "With Him" - "Wish U Was My Girl" - "U Should Know" - "Don't Take It So Personal" - "Still In Love With U" - "Lover And Friend" | |
Grown & SexyReleased: July, 2005 Billboard peak: # 10 Rolling Stone: Tracks: "Tonight It's Goin' Down" - "Grown & Sexy" - "Mad Sexy Cool" - "Can't Stop Now" - "Goin' Outta Business" - "Drama, Love & 'Lationships" - "Sorry For The Stupid Things" - "Good To Be In Love" - "Loneliness" - "She" - "God Must Love U" - "Gettin' To Know U" - "She's Intentional" | |
PlaylistReleased: September, 2007 Billboard peak: # 48 Entertainment Weekly: B Tracks: "Shower The People" - "Fire And Rain" - "Not Going Nowhere" - "Time In A Bottle" - "Wonderful Tonight" - "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" - "Longer" - "The Soldier Song" - "Please Come To Boston" - "Diary" | |
iTunes Amazon.mp3 | Love, Marriage & Divorce(withToni Braxton)Released: February 4, 2014 Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 4 Billboard #1: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, R&B Albums Grammy Winner: Best R&B Album Tracks: "Roller Coaster" - "Sweat" - "Hurt You" - "Where Did We Go Wrong?" - "I Hope That You're Okay" - "I Wish" - "Take It Back" - "Reunited" - "I'd Rather Be Broke" - "Heart Attack" - "The D Word" |
iTunes Amazon.mp3 | Return Of The Tender LoverReleased: December 4, 2015 Tracks: "We Got Love" - "Fight For Love" - "Exceptional" - "Walking On AIr" (featuring El DeBarge) - "I Want You" (featuring After 7) - "Love And Devotion" - "Standing Ovation" - "Something Bout You" - "Our Love" |
Girls Night OutReleased: October 21, 2022 Grammy Nominee: Best R&B Album Tracks: "Intro" - "Liquor" (featuring Ari Lennox) - "Seamless" (featuring Kehlani) - "Keeps On Fallin'" (featuring Ella Mai) - "Game Over" - "Simple" - "Say Less" - "Whatever" - "Don't Even Think About It" - "The Recipe" - "One Good Thing" (featuring Amaarae) - "G Wagon" (featuring Sevyn Streeter & Tkay Maidza) - "Girls Night Out" |
Note: Song title and position links lead you to the song's Top 40 chart run (from the ARC Weekly Top 40) and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often including track listings and sound samples). |
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