Kenny Lattimore

Last updated

Kenny Lattimore
Kenny Lattimore.jpg
Lattimore in 1998
Background information
Born (1970-04-10) April 10, 1970 (age 54)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1988–present
Labels
Spouse(s)
(m. 2002;div. 2011)
(m. 2020)
Website kennylattimore.com

Kenny Lattimore (born April 10, 1970) is an American R&B singer.

Contents

Early life

Lattimore first developed his interest for music in the high school band program at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland. He often acknowledges Dr. Barbara Baker for setting him on his current path. Lattimore spoke at the 2005 Eleanor Roosevelt High School Graduation. [1] He is an alumnus of Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Career

1988–1991: Maniquin

A stint as session vocalist for R&B group Maniquin led to an official place in the group as lead singer. [2] D'Extra Wiley of the 1990s R&B group II D Extreme was also a member of Maniquin, briefly before signing to MCA Records. The group released a lone self-titled album for Epic Records in 1989. Its lead single "I Wanna Ride" was an answer to the hit single "Mercedes Boy" by Pebbles in both sound and lyric. Both artists' singles were produced and co-written by Charlie Wilson of Gap Band fame. [3] Lattimore soon left Maniquin to pursue a solo career, and the group subsequently disbanded. [4]

1994–1999: Kenny Lattimore and From the Soul of Man

Lattimore signed with Columbia Records in late 1994 and released his own debut album Kenny Lattimore in 1996. [2] That set included a pair of Top 20 hits: "Never Too Busy" and the Grammy-nominated "For You", [2] written by high school friend Kenny Lerum. The album earned Lattimore a win for Best New Artist at the NAACP Image Awards in 1996, [5] and eventually achieved Gold sales status.

He followed up his debut with From the Soul of Man , another critically acclaimed set of classically styled soul music in 1998, [2] yielding the hits "Days Like This" and "If I Lose My Woman" along with a standout cover of The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".

2000–2006: Arista Records and Weekend

After a short hiatus, the singer re-emerged on Arista Records when then-president Clive Davis signed him to a new contract. [2] He eventually released a more contemporary R&B album, 2001's Weekend under L.A. Reid's regime, as Davis was only allowed to take a small defined number of artists to his next venture, J Records. The title track and first single was anchored by a sample of Blondie's "Rapture" and became a radio favorite on both sides of the Atlantic. [6] Davis may have had a different vision for his career, but he ended up recording three albums for Arista Records as Reid also had a vision that included a modern-day version of a classic soul duo with his new bride, the Gold-level artist Chante Moore whom he recorded two duet albums that were both critically and commercially acclaimed. In keeping with the "lover man" image that came to the fore with the hits that launched his career, Lattimore is known for his dramatic stage shows, vocal agility and romantic ambiance. The New York Times called him as a "modern soul man" on stage. [7] The singer has long established in interviews his personal mission to show the "strong, but sensitive and caring side of Black men." [8]

In 2003, Lattimore and his then-wife Chante Moore released a duet album titled Things That Lovers Do consisting of classic soul songs from the 1970s and 1980s plus two new original songs. The standout singles were the smooth and contemporary "Loveable (From Your Head to Your Toes)" and a cover of René & Angela's "You Don't Have To Cry". Lattimore and Moore continued promoting the album with a successful touring stage show.

Following Things That Lovers Do, Lattimore released another collaborative album with Moore. The duo released their second collaborative album titled Uncovered/Covered (2006). The album peaked at number-ten on the Billboard R&B Charts and number-two on the Billboard Gospel charts. The duo's cover version of "You're All I Need to Get By" served as the theme song for the BET reality series The Family Crews .

2008–present: Recent activities

Lattimore released a cover album with Verve Records titled Timeless on September 9, 2008. The lead single "You Are My Starship" was originally performed by Norman Connor featuring Michael Henderson. [9] Lattimore was also featured on the uptempo dance song "Another Love" by Brian Culbertson.

Lattimore started his own record company SincereSoul Records in 2012. He released his album Back 2 Cool on January 22, 2013. [10] The album's first single "Find a Way" (produced by Ivan "Orthodox" Barias & Carvin "Ransum" Higgins) hit radio on Valentine's Day 2012. The second single "Back 2 Cool" featured Kelly Price.

Personal life

In January 2002, Lattimore married singer Chanté Moore in Jamaica. [11] On April 10, 2003, Moore gave birth to their son Kenny Lattimore Jr. In July 2011, it was announced that the two had divorced. [12]

On March 8, 2020, Lattimore married American judge Faith Jenkins. [13] In late 2022, it was announced they were expecting their first child together. [14] The pair welcomed a daughter in January 2023. [15]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam & Dave</span> American soul and R&B duo

Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Cox</span> Canadian musician and actress (born 1974)

Deborah Cox is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before becoming a professional backing vocalist for Celine Dion. In 1994, Cox relocated to the United States and was signed to Arista Records by Clive Davis, releasing her self-titled debut album the following year. Her second studio album, One Wish (1998), was certified platinum in the United States. It was marked by the commercial success of the pop crossover single "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", which would become her most successful entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two and remaining there for eight consecutive weeks. Cox signed with J Records for her third studio album The Morning After (2002), which saw moderate commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angela Winbush</span> American singer

Angela Lisa Winbush is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who rose to fame first in the 1980s R&B duo René & Angela, also scoring hits as a solo artist. To date, Winbush has sold over 10 million albums and singles worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angie Stone</span> American singer and actress (born 1961)

Angela Laverne Brown known professionally as Angie Stone, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. She rose to fame in the late 1970s as member of the hip hop trio The Sequence. In the early 1990s, she became a member of the R&B trio Vertical Hold. Stone would later release her solo debut Black Diamond (1999) on Arista Records, which was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and spawned the single "No More Rain ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chanté Moore</span> Musical artist

Chanté Torrane Moore is an American singer-songwriter, television personality, and author. Rising to fame in the early 1990s, Moore established herself as an R&B singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keshia Chanté</span> Canadian actor and musician (born 1988)

Keshia Chanté Harper is a Canadian singer, television host, actress, songwriter, businesswoman and philanthropist. As a teenager, Chanté gained recognition with the release of her singles "Unpredictable," "Bad Boy," "Does He Love Me," "Been Gone," "2U," and "Fallen," featuring Drake and has since released four albums. In 2013, she rose to international prominence as co-host of BET's 106 & Park with Bow Wow, launching her career as a TV Host and Television Personality. Chanté is also known as Drake's first girlfriend and musical muse who he refers to as "KIKI" in his song In My Feelings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If Only You Knew</span> 1983 single by Patti LaBelle

"If Only You Knew" is a single written and produced primarily by Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs for American singer Patti LaBelle's sixth solo album, I'm in Love Again. It was released as the album's official first single in 1983, spending four weeks at #1 on the U.S. R&B chart during January and February 1984; it reached #46 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chanté's Got a Man</span> 1999 single by Chanté Moore

"Chanté's Got a Man" is a song by American singer Chanté Moore. It was written by Moore, Big Jim Wright, and duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for her third studio album, This Moment Is Mine (1999). The song features an interpolation of the 1971 Osmonds song "One Bad Apple," written by George Jackson. Released as the album's lead single, it became Moore's first top-10 single on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 10, while also reaching number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Ballad (L.T.D. song)</span>

"Love Ballad" is a song by R&B/Funk band L.T.D. Jeffrey Osborne is the lead singer.

<i>From the Soul of Man</i> 1998 studio album by Kenny Lattimore

From the Soul of Man is the second studio album by American singer Kenny Lattimore. It was released by Columbia Records on September 8, 1998 in the United States.

<i>Weekend</i> (Kenny Lattimore album) 2001 studio album by Kenny Lattimore

Weekend is the third studio album of American singer Kenny Lattimore. It was released by Arista Records on October 9, 2001 in the United States. It marked Lattimore's first album with the label, following his transition from Columbia Records.

<i>Things That Lovers Do</i> 2003 studio album by Kenny Lattimore & Chanté Moore

Things That Lovers Do is a collaborative studio album by American singers and real-life couple Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore. It was released by Arista Records on February 11, 2003. The album includes covers of classic 1970's and 1980's soul duets by singers Karyn White and Babyface, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and more. It peaked at number thirty-one on the US Billboard 200 and number three on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with first week sales of 47,000 units. Things That Lovers Do was preceded by two singles: "Loveable " and "You Don't Have to Cry".

<i>Uncovered/Covered</i> 2006 studio album by Kenny Lattimore & Chanté Moore

Uncovered/Covered is a collaborative studio album by American singers and then-real-life couple Kenny Lattimore and Chanté Moore. It was released by LaFace Records and Verity through Sony BMG on October 10, 2006 in the United States. Formatted as a double album, the two-disc set consists of Uncovered, a disc of R&B songs, and Covered, a disc of gospel songs that were primarily produced by Fred Hammond. Uncovered/Covered received a Stellar Award nomination for Best Contemporary Group/Duo of the Year.

<i>Timeless</i> (Kenny Lattimore album) 2008 studio album by Kenny Lattimore

Timeless is the sixth studio album by American singer Kenny Lattimore. It was released by Verve Records on September 9, 2008 in the United States. His first album solo album since 2001's Weekend, it followed Lattimore's duet albums with his wife Chanté Moore, Things That Lovers Do (2003) and Uncovered/Covered (2006).

"So Amazing" is a 1983 song by Dionne Warwick. It was written by Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller and produced by the former for her studio album How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye (1983). Three years later, Vandross himself covered the song for his fifth studio album Give Me the Reason (1986). Released as a single, it entered the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart and earned a Soul Train Music Award nomination in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love T.K.O.</span> 1980 single by David Oliver

"Love T.K.O." is a song written by Cecil Womack and Gip Noble, Jr. It was written for soul singer David Oliver, and appeared first on his album Here's to You in 1980. Cecil and Linda Womack recorded the song themselves as Womack & Womack and it appeared simply as "T.K.O." on their debut album Love Wars in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LaFace Records</span> Record label

LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achieved its greatest commercial success during the 1990s, dealing largely in the field of urban music. It was originally distributed by its co-creator Arista Records from 1989 through 2001, after which it was shuttered and absorbed into Arista. In 2004, the label was rebooted, and it began operating through Jive Records until both were absorbed into RCA Records in 2011. Today, the label's back catalog and reissues are managed by Legacy Recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chanté Moore discography</span>

The discography of American R&B and jazz singer Chanté Moore consists of six studio albums, two collaborative albums, twenty-three singles, twenty collaborations and eleven music videos. Moore has had four record deals with MCA Records, Arista Records/LaFace Records, Peak Records and Shanachie Records, before founding CM7 Records.

<i>The Rise of the Phoenix</i> 2017 studio album by Chanté Moore

The Rise of the Phoenix is the seventh studio album by American singer Chanté Moore. It was released on September 29, 2017 through CM7 Records, her own record label. Moore's debut release with CM7, the album coincided with the 25th release anniversary of her debut album Precious (1992). A breakaway from her previous albums, Moore worked with a smaller team of collaborators on the album, involving chief producer Lil' Ronnie and his team as well as LRoc and frequent contributor Kwamé.

<i>Christmas Back to You</i> 2017 studio album by Chanté Moore

Christmas Back to You is the eighth studio album by American R&B artist Chanté Moore. It was released on November 3, 2017, through Moore's own CM7 Records. The album was preceded by the release of the single "Cover Me in Snow." Christmas Back to You marked Moore's first full-length Christmas album; following "Christmas Morn", released on the MCA Records compilation, My Christmas Album (1999) and the Boney James release, "Santa Baby" from the album Christmas Present (2007).

References

  1. "The Kenny Lattimore Picture Pages". Superiorpics.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 227. ISBN   0-7535-0427-8.
  3. Charlie Wilson on Discogs.com
  4. "What Men Don't Tell Biographies". MEI Productions. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008.
  5. "Kenny Lattimore Awards". The Envelope. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
  6. "Listen Out For 2002". SoulWalking.co.uk.
  7. Pareles, Jon (January 1, 2002). "POP REVIEW; Two Brothers Who Are Carrying On the Family Act". The New York Times . Retrieved May 7, 2010.
  8. "'97 Super Bachelors – Eligible African American Bachelors". Ebony. June 1997. Archived from the original on April 27, 2008.
  9. Timeless on Amazon.com
  10. "Amazon.com: Kenny Lattimore: Back 2 Cool: Music". Amazon. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  11. "Singers Chanté Moore and Kenny Lattimore wed in Jamaica". Jet. February 4, 2002. Archived from the original on March 14, 2007.
  12. "BREAKING: Singer Chante Moore Announces Divorce From Kenny Lattimore". Vibe. August 4, 2011.
  13. "Judge Faith Jenkins and Kenny Lattimore's Wedding Dance Routine to the Jackson 5 and Soulja Boy Will Make You Move". BET .
  14. "Kenny Lattimore, Judge Faith Jenkins Expecting First Child". BET. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  15. Elizabeth Ayoola (January 24, 2023). "'I'm A Mom Now': Judge Faith Jenkins And Kenny Lattimore Welcome Daughter Skylar". Essence. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  16. "Here to Stay". Apple Music .