Fonzi Thornton | |
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Background information | |
Born | New York City, New York, United States |
Genres | R&B, pop, rock, gospel |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter/producer, vocal contractor |
Instrument(s) | Vocals |
Years active | 1970–present |
Labels | RCA |
Alfonso "Fonzi" Thornton is an American vocalist, songwriter, producer and vocal contractor. In a career spanning 40 years, Thornton has sung backing vocals for top artists across many genres of music. His vocal credits can be found on the recordings of Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Mick Jagger, Bryan Ferry, Roxy Music, Chic, Diana Ross, Garth Brooks, Ray Charles, Mariah Carey, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Robert Palmer, Patti LaBelle, Al Jarreau, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Phoebe Snow, Scritti Politti, Bette Midler, Lady Gaga and many others. In 2008, Thornton joined the musical entourage of Aretha Franklin as backing vocalist and vocal contractor and continued to accompany her in concert, on recordings and TV until her death in 2018.
Born in East Harlem, New York, in his early teens, Alfonso {Fonzi} joined neighborhood vocal group, Shades of Jade and befriended a young Luther Vandross. Thornton and Vandross became soloists with Listen My Brother, the Apollo Theater’s 16 member artist development workshop and sang on camera during the second season of the children's show Sesame Street.
Later, Thornton gained a following on the NYC night club circuit with his band and self-titled vocal trio Fonzi. He and his group (renamed F360) toured England with Candi Staton and The Stylistics, then appeared with heavyweight Joe Frazier in a Miller Lite commercial.
In the late 1970s, approached by producers, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, Thornton joined the Chic organization as male vocalist on six albums and national concert tours. He can be heard on many of Chic's original recordings including "Good Times" and "My Forbidden Lover" from their 1979 Risqué. Thornton also appeared as the soloist on "You Can't Do It Alone" on Real People (1980).
After Chic disbanded in the early 1980s, Rodgers and Edwards continued to use the distinct backing vocals of Thornton on chart topping productions for artists like Mick Jagger, Diana Ross, David Bowie, The Power Station and Robert Palmer. In 2010, Nile Rodgers included remixes of "I Work For A Living" and "I'll Change My Game" [1] (from Thornton's unreleased 1980 album produced by Rodgers and Edwards) on the Chic box set, Savoir Faire, [2] released in France on Warner Bros. Most recently, Thornton provided backing vocals on Chic's 2015 release "I'll Be There".
From 1980 through 1982, Thornton rejoined his childhood friend Luther Vandross as a backup singer for his first two national tours. Besides singing on all of Vandross’ gold and platinum recordings, Thornton served as vocal contractor for every album, appeared on numerous TV shows, sat in on the singer's concerts and co-wrote songs on Luther's final four albums.
Crossing musical boundaries, in 1982 Thornton sang solo backing vocals on Roxy Music’s Avalon album and their world tour that followed. He performed with Bryan Ferry on several solo albums, on Saturday Night Live in 1987 and in 1985, at Live Aid. In 2007, Thornton reunited with Ferry on the Late Show with David Letterman for US debut of his CD Dylanesque, and in 2011 joined Ferry on his first U.S. tour in 15 years. In 2014, Thornton again joined Ferry, providing vocals on his most recent Avonmore album.
In the spring of 1983, RCA Records released Thornton's debut urban soul-pop album The Leader [3] (co-written and produced) featuring the lead single "Beverly", which reached number 43 on Billboard's R&B chart. Thornton's second solo album, titled Pumpin', [4] was released in summer 1984 was representative of the dance/funk-rock vibe of the time. Both albums were re-released on UK Funkytown Grooves (2014).
Thornton performs repeatedly at two events honoring life achievement in the arts – the Kennedy Center Honors (2003-2007 & 2015) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2001-2015).
He maintains his career as a session singer and appeared regularly in concert with Aretha Franklin. In October 2014, Thornton appeared with Aretha on the David Letterman Show to a standing ovation for her performance of Adele's Rolling in the Deep. Most recently, Thornton sang backup for Aretha's 2015 Kennedy Center Honors tribute to Carole King.
Thornton rejoined Bryan Ferry in concert on his 2014-2015 "Avonmore Tour" throughout Europe and the UK. [5] He continued with Ferry on the 2016 "Avonmore Tour with shows in the UK, Europe and North America.
Thornton performed live on stage with Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden on June 24-25, 2008 singing backup vocals on songs "All Night" "Who You Are" and "W.M.A."
Thorton provided backup vocals for Roxy Music's 50th anniversary tour 2022.
Chic
Roxy Music
Bryan Ferry
Aretha Franklin
Luther Vandross
Solo albums
Videos
Bryan Ferry is an English singer and songwriter who was the frontman of the band Roxy Music and also a solo artist. His distinctive voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to The Independent, Ferry and his contemporary David Bowie influenced a generation with both their music and their appearances. Peter York described Ferry as "an art object" who "should hang in the Tate".
Bernard Edwards was an American musician, songwriter and record producer, known primarily for his work in disco music with guitarist Nile Rodgers, with whom he co-founded Chic. In 2017, Edwards was selected as the 53rd greatest bassist of all time by Bass Player magazine.
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Heart Still Beating is the third live album by Roxy Music and was released on 22 October 1990. It is credited as a recording of a concert in Fréjus, France on 27 August 1982, as part of their tour to promote the band's final studio album, Avalon. The album cover photograph features model Amanda Cazalet.
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"Fascination" is a song written by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie and the American musician Luther Vandross for Bowie's Young Americans album in 1975. The song originated from a Vandross song called "Funky Music " which The Mike Garson Band used to play before Bowie concerts in 1974.
Jump to It is the twenty-eighth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, produced by Luther Vandross and released on July 26, 1982, by Arista Records.
Get It Right is the twenty-ninth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on July 14, 1983, by Arista Records. It was produced by Luther Vandross, following his successful teaming with the singer for the Gold-certified album, Jump to It, in 1982. Get It Right was not as commercially successful, and Franklin did not have Vandross produce any further albums.
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Chic, currently called Nile Rodgers & Chic, is an American disco band that was formed in 1972 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It recorded many commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " (1977), "Everybody Dance" (1977), "Le Freak" (1978), "I Want Your Love" (1978), "Good Times" (1979), and "My Forbidden Lover" (1979). The group regarded themselves as a rock band for the disco movement "that made good on hippie peace, love and freedom". In 2017, Chic was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the eleventh time.
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Les Plus Grands Succès De Chic: Chic's Greatest Hits, also known as The Best of Chic, is a greatest hits album by the American R&B band Chic, released on Atlantic Records in late 1979. It includes the biggest hits from their first three albums: Chic (1977), C'est Chic (1978) and Risqué (1979).
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