  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
Deele which
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.
 # 60
Singles 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 Braxton and
TLC.
Babyface was nominated for a Grammy Award including
Best 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 Awards for
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.
 # 121
Singles Artist of the Year
Babyface won 2 Grammy
Awards for 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."
 # 9
Singles 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
Award for 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
Award for 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 Award for
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'
Plenty at 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 Award for
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 Award for
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 III on 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.
|
Lovers
Released: 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" |
|
Tender Lover
Released: 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 Look
Released: 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 You
Released: 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 Day
Released: 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
1997
Released: 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 Babyface
Released: 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 Hits
Released: 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 Songs
Released: 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 Face
Released: 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 & Sexy
Released: 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" |
|
Playlist
Released: 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 (with
Toni
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
Lover
Released: 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 Out
Released: 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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