Felix Weber (songwriter)

Last updated
Felix Weber
Birth nameFelix Weber
Born(1960-12-01)December 1, 1960
Hassfurt, Bavaria, Germany
Origin Hassfurt, Bavaria
Genres Pop, R&B, gospel, new-age
Occupation(s) Composer, songwriter, record producer
Instrument(s) Piano, keyboards
Years active1977 – present
Website Official website

Felix Weber (born December 1, 1960, in Hassfurt, Bavaria) is a German composer, songwriter and record producer.

Contents

Early life

At the age of six Weber began a professional training as a classical pianist. At 14 he played in his first garage band and when 17 he toured with American cover bands through the US Army clubs in Bavaria performing for soldiers stationed in Germany. During this time he met his longtime songwriting partner Irmgard Klarmann, who he produced his first record with in 1978 at the Galgenberg Studio in Stuttgart, Germany.

Early songwriting in Germany

Over the next years Weber worked in different German recording studios but mostly at the Rainbow and Paradise Studios in Munich. During his work in Munich he met drummer/producer Todd Canedy [1] whose production skills inspired and motivated Weber to build and eventually work in his own recording studio where he and his partner Klarmann penned many songs under the name Klarmann/Weber. In 1981, Weber became keyboard player of the popular German band "Relax". During this time he made contacts in the record industry, which resulted in song releases for popular German artists such as Mandy Winter, Bernie Paul, Gry Johansen (aka Bo Anderson), Veronika Fischer, Guillermo Marchena, Kristina Bach and others. In 1987 after six years of working with Relax, he left the band to focus on his career as an international composer and producer. Shortly after he was signed to Sony Music and after his two-year contract expired he signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music Germany where he stayed for 15 years.

International songwriting

Weber who was attracted to American music since his teenage years began to compose exclusively for the American music market, which brought him his first Billboard Top 40 hit in 1988 with singer Tracie Spencer ("Symptoms of True Love"). [2] In 1989 Paul Anka recorded Weber's song "Turning My Mind Back to You" on his Somebody Loves You album, [3] produced by Humberto Gatica. In 1990 Toni Braxton together with her sisters ("The Braxtons") released Weber's song "Good Life". [4] In 1992 Weber had his first #1 hit in the US with singer Chaka Khan ("Love you all my lifetime"). [5] [6] Khan's album "The Woman I Am" [7] received a Grammy award for best vocal performance and Weber's song was awarded the ASCAP award. Billboard called Weber and his partner the "most successful German songwriters." [8] Also in 1992 Randy Crawford released Weber's song "A Lot That You Can Do" [9] which reached #74 in the Billboard R&B charts. [10] Over the next years more songs were recorded by artists such as La Toya Jackson ("Bad Girl"), [11] Leo Sayer, [12] La Bouche (Weber's song "I'll be there" was released on the double platinum album "Sweet Dreams" in 1996, which sold over 8 million copies worldwide), [13] [14] Beverley Knight (The B-Funk), [15] Jennifer Rush (album: Wings of Desire, song: "For all that" [16] [17] produced by Phil Ramone), Christian artist Kathy Troccoli (album: Kathy Troccoli), song: "I'll be there for you", [18] Canadian singer/songwriter Sheree Jeacocke (album: Sheree, song: "Forever you, forever me"), [19] Lory Bianco (album: "Lonely is the night", song: "Heartbreaker" [20] produced by Jeff Lorber), Japanese music idol Seiko Matsuda (album: Seiko, song: "He's so good to me"), Exposé, Nancy Wilson; a collaboration with his late mentor Skip Scarborough ( Earth, Wind & Fire , Anita Baker ), [21] Penny Ford (a co-production with American Idol judge Randy Jackson), saxophonist Boney James and Australian singer Vanessa Amorosi.

Weber moved to the USA in 2000 where he started a music production company.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaka Khan</span> American singer (born 1953)

Yvette Marie Stevens, better known by her stage name Chaka Khan, is an American singer. Known as the "Queen of Funk", her career has spanned more than five decades beginning in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. With the band she recorded the notable hits, "Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing", "Do You Love What You Feel" and the platinum certified "Ain't Nobody". Her debut solo album featured the number-one R&B hit, "I'm Every Woman". Khan scored another R&B charts hit with "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me" before becoming the first R&B artist to have a crossover hit featuring a rapper, with her 1984 cover of Prince's "I Feel for You". More of Khan's hits include "Through the Fire" and a 1986 collaboration with Steve Winwood produced a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, "Higher Love".

Klarmann/Weber is a German songwriting and record production duo, consisting of Irmgard Klarmann and Felix Weber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Temperton</span> English songwriter, producer and musician (1949–2016)

Rodney Lynn Temperton was an English songwriter, producer and musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Every Woman</span> 1978 single by Chaka Khan

"I'm Every Woman" is a song by American singer Chaka Khan, released as her debut solo single from her first album, Chaka (1978). It was Khan's first hit outside her recordings with the funk band Rufus. "I'm Every Woman" was produced by Arif Mardin and written by the successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. The single established Chaka's career outside the group Rufus, whom she would leave after their eighth studio album Masterjam was released in late 1979.

Kathleen Troccoli is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, author, and speaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hit the Freeway</span> 2002 single by Toni Braxton featuring Loon

"Hit the Freeway" is a song by American recording artist Toni Braxton, released as the lead single from her fourth studio album, More Than a Woman (2002). The song, which features American rapper Loon, was written by Pharrell Williams and Loon himself, while production was handled by Pharrell's production duo The Neptunes. It is a hip hop and R&B song, with lyrics about an ex trying to rekindle with Braxton, but Braxton claims she's not interested in him anymore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't Nobody</span> 1983 single by Rufus and Chaka Khan

"Ain't Nobody" is a song by American funk band Rufus and American singer Chaka Khan. It was released on November 4, 1983, as one of four studio tracks included on their live album, Stompin' at the Savoy (1983). "Ain't Nobody" quickly gathered popularity, and reached number one on the US Billboard R&B chart and number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 1984 at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, "Ain't Nobody" won for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. It has become one of Khan's signature songs.

Sheree Jeacocke is a Canadian singer-songwriter.

<i>What Cha Gonna Do for Me</i> 1981 studio album by Chaka Khan

What Cha' Gonna Do for Me is the Gold certified third solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1981.

<i>Naughty</i> (Chaka Khan album) 1980 studio album by Chaka Khan

Naughty is the second solo album by American R&B and funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980.

<i>Chaka Khan</i> (album) 1982 studio album by Chaka Khan

Chaka Khan is the fourth solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1982.

<i>Chaka</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Chaka Khan

Chaka is the debut solo album by singer Chaka Khan. It was released on October 12, 1978 through Warner Bros Record label.

<i>Destiny</i> (Chaka Khan album) 1986 studio album by Chaka Khan

Destiny is the sixth studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1986.

<i>The Woman I Am</i> 1992 studio album by Chaka Khan

The Woman I Am is the eighth studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1992. It was Khan's first studio album since 1988's CK and due to artistic differences between Khan and Warner Bros. Records it was also to be her final full-length release for the label. The entire album is dedicated to her friend Miles Davis, who died the previous year.

<i>Ask Rufus</i> 1977 studio album by Rufus featuring Chaka Khan

Ask Rufus is the platinum-selling fifth studio album by funk band Rufus, released on the ABC Records label in 1977. The album spent three weeks atop the Billboard R&B Albums Chart in 1977.

<i>Masterjam</i> 1979 studio album by Rufus & Chaka

Masterjam is the platinum-selling eighth studio album by funk band Rufus, their debut on the MCA Records label following their purchase and dissolution of ABC Records, released in 1979.

<i>The Very Best of Rufus with Chaka Khan</i> 1982 greatest hits album by Rufus with Chaka Khan

The Very Best of Rufus with Chaka Khan is a greatest hits album by funk band Rufus and singer Chaka Khan, originally released on the MCA Records label in 1982. The collection comprises ten of the group's biggest hits on the ABC/MCA labels, including "You Got the Love", "Sweet Thing", "At Midnight ", "Do You Love What You Feel", "Tell Me Something Good", "Stay", "Hollywood" and "Dance Wit Me".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaka Khan discography</span>

American R&B/soul singer Chaka Khan has released thirteen albums during her solo career. Her first solo single was "I'm Every Woman", also released in 1978. She has released a total of 46 solo singles throughout her career. Khan has placed four albums in the top twenty of the Billboard albums chart, scored one top 10 and four additional top-40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. On the Billboard R&B Songs chart, Khan hit the top 10 ten times including five number ones (including two as a featured artist. On Billboard's Dance Club Chart, Khan had six number ones and another number one as a featured artist. On the UK Singles Chart, she has scored three top 10s, eight additional top 40 singles.

<i>Heart and Soul</i> (Kathy Troccoli album) 1984 studio album by Kathy Troccoli

Heart and Soul is the second studio album by singer-songwriter Kathy Troccoli. This album received a Grammy nomination in 1984, and contains songs written by Michael W. Smith. It featured music popular with CCM, as well as synthpop friendly songs, "I Belong to You", "Holy Holy", and "Hearts of Fire". The album features the songwriting skills of Brown and Debbie Bannister, Amy Grant, Gary Chapman, Michael W. Smith, as well as others. The music is a blend of contemporary pop, synthpop, and gospel music. Heart and Soul climbed to the top 10 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.

Paul Boutin is a French-born American music mixer, audio engineer and a long-time collaborator with producer/songwriter/artist Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.