Alexander O'Neal

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Alexander O'Neal
Alexander O'Neal (14357799480) (cropped).jpg
O'Neal performing in 2014
Background information
Born (1953-11-15) November 15, 1953 (age 71)
Natchez, Mississippi, U.S.
Origin Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • arranger
InstrumentVocals
Years active1973–present
Labels

Alexander O'Neal (born November 15, 1953) [1] is an American R&B singer, songwriter and arranger who rose to prominence in the mid-1980s as a solo artist, with eleven top 40 singles on the US R&B chart, three of which also reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. However, he enjoyed more mainstream success in the United Kingdom, achieving fourteen top 40 singles on the UK Singles Chart between 1985 and 1996, along with three top ten albums on the UK Albums Chart.

Contents

O'Neal released his debut album, the eponymous Alexander O'Neal , in 1985, which spawned the commercially successful singles "Innocent", "If You Were Here Tonight", "A Broken Heart Can Mend" and "What's Missing". In 1985, he collaborated with Cherrelle on the single "Saturday Love" which reached the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100. In 1987, he released his critically acclaimed second solo album Hearsay which continued his production partnership with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Hearsay was a major commercial success, peaking at number twenty-nine on the Billboard 200 and number two on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. [2] The album was even more successful in the United Kingdom, peaking at number four. It was certified gold by the RIAA on October 20, 1987. [3] In the UK, it sold more than 900,000 copies, being certified 3× Platinum by the BPI.

The late 1980s marked the peak of O'Neal's career, scoring several appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 with singles including "Fake", "Criticize" and "Never Knew Love Like This". Other commercially successful singles released during this period include "The Lovers" and "(What Can I Say) To Make You Love Me". In 1991, he released "All True Man" as the lead single from his fourth solo album of the same name. The album was a major commercial success in the United Kingdom, peaking at number two, however, in the United States fared less favourably following a peak position of forty-nine on the Billboard 200. In 1993, he released his first album without production input from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – Love Makes No Sense . The lead single from the album missed the Billboard Hot 100 charts, but reached the top forty in the United Kingdom.

Subsequent albums Lovers Again (1996), Saga of a Married Man (2002), Alex Loves... (2008) and Five Questions: The New Journey (2010) achieved moderate success in the United Kingdom. AllMusic described O'Neal as having a "tough voice [that] has the same grain and range as that of Otis Redding." [1]

Early life

Alexander O'Neal was born November 15, 1953, in Natchez, Mississippi, United States, [1] just a few months after his father died. After graduating from high school in Natchez, he attended Alcorn State University. [4] At the age of 20, he relocated to Minneapolis, where he performed with several bands including the Mystics and Wynd Chymes. [5] [6] He became a member of Enterprise for a brief period before joining Flyte Tyme, a band which included Monte Moir, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. [5] [6]

After a relationship of over 30 years, O'Neal married Cynthia in 2024. [7]

Career

The Time (1980–1981)

O'Neal was originally a member of the Prince (pictured) formed band The Time, but was dismissed and replaced with Morris Day Prince 1981.jpg
O'Neal was originally a member of the Prince (pictured) formed band The Time, but was dismissed and replaced with Morris Day

According to Jimmy Jam, around 1980–1981, O'Neal (along with fellow members of the band Flyte Tyme) met with Prince and Morris Day at Perkins restaurant in Minneapolis to discuss forming a band that would be called The Time that would be signed to Prince under the Warner Bros. label. Following a disagreement with Prince, O'Neal was replaced as lead singer by Morris Day. It was later discovered that Prince believed that O'Neal was "too black" to be in the band, which ultimately lead to his dismal as replacing with Morris Day. [8]

O'Neal subsequently formed an R&B band called Alexander and recorded a couple 12" singles, "Do You Dare/Playroom" and "Attitude" for a Chicago area independent label, based in Merrillville, Indiana, called Erect Records. [8]

In 1984, O'Neal signed a deal with Clarence Avant's Tabu Records. [4] He did some backing vocals for other artists on the same label, including The S.O.S. Band and Cherrelle. [8]

Debut solo album (1985–1987)

In 1985, O'Neal released his self-titled debut album under the production of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis as well as Monte Moir. [9] It included three singles that reached the Top 20 of the R&B Singles Chart.

After release, the album was received favourably by the majority of music critics. One of O'Neal's most commercially successful solo albums, in the United States it went on to peak at number 92 on the Billboard 200 [2] and number 21 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. [2] The album launched four charting singles in the United Kingdom. "If You Were Here Tonight" peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart; "A Broken Heart Can Mend" peaked at number 53; "What's Missing" at number 90; "You Were Meant to Be My Lady (Not My Girl)" at number 98. [10] In the UK, the album sold more than 100,000 copies and was certified gold by the BPI. [11]

The same year, he also scored his first R&B Top 10 single with "Saturday Love", a duet with Cherrelle from her High Priority album. The song peaked at No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 26 on the pop chart, while also beginning a string of UK hit singles for O'Neal by peaking at No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart in early 1986. This UK success continued when "If You Were Here Tonight", which had previously peaked at No. 81, re-entered the charts to reach No. 13 in March 1986. [12]

Hearsay and success (1987–1991)

In 1987, O'Neal released the album Hearsay , a concept album, based around the attendees of a house soirée being hosted by O'Neal, [13] which was certified gold in the US and yielded his biggest US hit in "Fake", which topped the R&B chart and reached No. 25 on the pop chart. [14] The song also peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard dance chart. The follow-up single, "Criticize", peaked at No. 4 on the R&B chart and No. 70 on the pop chart. The third single, "Never Knew Love Like This", another duet with Cherrelle, peaked at No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 28 on the pop chart. However, by this time O'Neal was enjoying much greater success in the UK, [15] where Hearsay peaked at No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart, eventually being certified triple platinum and spawning six Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart. The most successful of these gave O'Neal his biggest UK hit when "Criticize" peaked at No. 4 on the chart in late 1987. "Fake" became a UK Top 40 hit twice, first in 1987 followed by a remix ("Fake '88") in 1988. [16] The "Hit Mix" (a megamix of O'Neal's hits) also reached the UK Top 20 in December 1989. [17]

Among retrospective assessments, Ron Wynn of AllMusic wrote that Jam and Lewis provided "their finest and tightest production for any O'Neal record", adding that "the beats were catchy, the songs hook-laden, and O'Neal's voice alternately explosive, sensitive and bemused." [18] Daryl Easlea of the BBC wrote that Hearsay was "[d]ismissed by the cognoscenti but adored by the masses." He deemed it O'Neal's best work and a filler-free record which, whilst "very much of its time", has not dated, adding: "It sounds as fresh now as it did then. Had it been 20 years earlier, Alexander O'Neal would have been compared to Otis Redding." [19] In a piece on Jam and Lewis for Stylus Magazine , Marcello Carlin described the "epic" Hearsay as "Jam and Lewis' absolute masterpiece; sexual but nasty tirades blasting out over uncompromising avalanches of the unreal." He added that, as "a seamless marriage between old school and cold rationalist new," the album is equalled only by Son of Bazerk's Bazerk Bazerk Bazerk (1991), a record whose futuristic, "hot-blooded minimalism" he deemed unimaginable without Jam and Lewis' influence. [20]

In December 1988, O'Neal released a Christmas album, My Gift to You , featuring a cover of "The Christmas Song" that reached the UK Top 40. [15]

Continued success (1991–1996)

In 1991, O'Neal released his fourth album, All True Man . [15] The album was certified gold in the US, with the title track reaching No. 5 on the R&B chart and No. 43 on the pop chart. The album became his highest charting release in the UK, reaching No. 2 and going gold, although it ultimately sold fewer copies than Hearsay. The title track reached No. 18 on the UK Singles Chart. In 1992, his first greatest hits album, This Thing Called Love: The Greatest Hits of Alexander O'Neal , became another Top 5 success in the UK. [15]

In 1993, O'Neal's final album with the Tabu label, Love Makes No Sense , was released. This was the first album made without production from Jam and Lewis. Although it reached the UK Top 20 and two singles from the album reached the UK Top 40, sales were not as strong as his earlier releases. After leaving Tabu O'Neal signed for Motown, but no singles or albums were released. [21] In 1995, another greatest hits compilation, The Best of Alexander O'Neal, was released. A year later the compilation was re-released with three added tracks from O'Neal's short period with Motown. [22]

Lovers Again and decline (1996–2014)

O'Neal performing in Bristol, 2014 Alexander O'Neal (14357857838).jpg
O'Neal performing in Bristol, 2014

In 1996, his first album with One World Records, Lovers Again , was released. The album did not chart in the UK, though the single "Let's Get Together" reached the UK Top 40. In 2001, he released an album on Eagle Records, Saga of a Married Man . The album was produced by former Prince drummer, Bobby Z. In 2005, he recorded his first live album, Alexander O'Neal Live at Hammersmith Apollo, featuring songs from throughout his career. [23]

In 2006 O'Neal appeared on the Weakest Link, All Singing All Dancing Edition, where he was the 5th contestant voted off the show. In 2006 and 2007, O'Neal participated on the British reality singing contest show Just the Two of Us . In 2008 O'Neal took part in a Wife Swap UK special, swapping his wife Cynthia with broadcaster and TV personality Jilly Goolden. The programme included an in-depth interview with O'Neal by noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning magazine Blues & Soul . The interview was featured in full in the August 2008 issue of the magazine. [24] In 2008, O'Neal released Alex Loves... , his first studio album in six years. The album peaked at No. 49 in the UK, and was his first charting album of new material in 15 years.

In 2011 the TV One series Unsung profiled O'Neal's rise to fame, along with the story of Cherrelle. [25] In 2014, O'Neal signed a new management deal with Howard Perl Management (Beverly Hills), [26] which awarded him extensive tours and a cast member on Celebrity Big Brother.

Recent works (2014–present)

In 2015, O'Neal took part in the Channel 5 reality series Celebrity Big Brother . On Day 12, O'Neal decided to leave the show. [27] In June 2016, O'Neal collaborated with Manchester-based funk band, Mamma Freedom, on the single, "Fake", a re-recording of his 1987 single of the same name. The single was released shortly before O'Neal embarked upon a UK tour, with Mamma Freedom providing support.[ citation needed ] In 2017, O'Neal collaborated with Mamma Freedom on the album Hearsay30, a re-recording of his 1987 album. The album was released on December 1, 2017.

In 2019, O'Neal made an appearance alongside Cherrelle at the Soul Train Awards [28] to pay tribute to long-time collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. In 2021, O'Neal made an appearance alongside Whyso, O'Mega Red, and J Dore of The High Children on "Say His Name", a song dedicated to the memory of George Floyd. [29]

Honors and awards

Star honoring Alexander O'Neal on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue Alexander O'Neal - First Avenue Star.jpg
Star honoring Alexander O'Neal on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue

O'Neal was honored with a star on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue, [30] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the iconic venue. [31] Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh. [32]

Discography

Tours

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Alexander O'Neal Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic . Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "US Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 3, 2020.
  3. ↑ "RIAA searchable database". Archived from the original on 2007-06-26.
  4. 1 2 Ebony Man: EM. Vol. 6. Johnson Publishing Company, Incorporated. November 1990. p. 72. UP-FRONT Alexander O'Neal the All True Man Returns in much the same fashion that legendary Motown singer Marvin Gaye ... Upon finishing high school in Natchez, he attended predominantly Black Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, before moving to . [...] In 1984, he inked a contract with Tabu/Epic Records, and the rest, as they say, is history.
  5. 1 2 Robert E. Rosenthal; Portia K. Maultsby (1985). Who's who in Black music. Edwards Print. Co. p. 180. Performed with local bands The Mystics, Wynd Chymes, Enterprise, and Flyte Tyme before joining he Time under Prince's direction. The Time recorded "Ice Cream Castles," "The Bird," and "Jungle Walk." O'Neal then formed Alexander, ...
  6. 1 2 Adam White; Fred Bronson (1993). The Billboard Book of Number One Rhythm & Blues Hits. Billboard Books. p. 393. ISBN   978-0-8230-8285-8. O'Neal was born in Natchez, Mississippi, but moved to Minneapolis when he was 20. He joined a ... After being replaced as lead vocalist by Morris Day, he formed a rock and roll band called Alexander. [...] O'Neal spent a short time in a group called Enterprise before being recruited into Flyte Tyme, a band that included Jam and Lewis as well as Monte Moir.
  7. ↑ "Alexander O Neal Marries Cynthia at Royal Albert Music Hall" – via YouTube.
  8. 1 2 3 Mineo, Mike (19 November 2015). "Alexander O'Neal: Master of R&B & More". Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  9. ↑ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 9, 1985. p. 33. ISSN   0006-2510. Alexander O'Neal's self-titled debut on Epic-distributed Tabu Records is quite impressive. ... Bred lo install Morris Day as lead singer of The Time, has a strong, masculine voice that is well produced by the Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis team with the aid of another ex-Time member, Monte Moir
  10. ↑ Roberts, David (2002). Guinness World Records British Hit Singles (15th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Ltd. ISBN   0-85112-187-X., p.360
  11. ↑ "UK Certified Awards Search > Alexander O'Neal". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2013-05-01. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
  12. ↑ "IF YOU WERE HERE TONIGHT". Official Charts. 17 August 1985. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  13. ↑ "BBC - Music - Review of Alexander O'Neal - Hearsay". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  14. ↑ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 22, 2003. p. 30. ISSN   0006-2510.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 913. ISBN   1-85227-745-9.
  16. ↑ "FAKE '88". Official Charts. 24 September 1988. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  17. ↑ "HITMIX (OFFICIAL BOOTLEG MEGA-MIX)". Official Charts. 9 December 1989. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  18. ↑ "Hearsay - Alexander O'Neal | Album | AllMusic". All Music. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  19. ↑ Easley, Daryl. "Dismissed by the cognoscenti but adored by the masses". BBC iPlayer Music. BBC. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  20. ↑ Carlin, Marcello (April 21, 2006). "Not So Fast We Can't Slow Down: Jam and Lewis - A Warped British Perspective". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Alexander O'Neal". Soultracks.com. May 5, 2007. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  22. ↑ "The Best of Alexander O'Neal releases". Discogs.com. 1995. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Live at the Hammersmith Apollo London - Alexan... | AllMusic". All Music. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  24. ↑ Pete Lewis (August 2008). "ALEXANDER O'NEAL: Life swap!". Bluesandsoul.com.
  25. ↑ Douglas, William (June 3, 2011). "TV series puts 'Unsung' black music stars back in the spotlight". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  26. ↑ "| PR on datsyn - data syndication platform". Datsyn.com. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Day 12: Alexander leaves the Celebrity Big Brother House". Bigbrother.channel5.com. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Soul Train Awards 2019: Watch All The Performances Here". Vibe. November 17, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Say His Name ft Alexander O'Neal, Whyso, O'Mega Red, and J Dore". 21 August 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2022– via YouTube.
  30. ↑ "The Stars". First Avenue & 7th Street Entry. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  31. ↑ Bream, Jon (May 3, 2019). "10 things you'll learn about First Avenue in new Minnesota History Center show". Star Tribune . Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  32. ↑ Marsh, Steve (May 13, 2019). "First Avenue's Star Wall". Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
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