Stokley Williams

Last updated

Stokley
140218-F-VU439-229 Stokley Williams, Mint Condition lead singer, Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, 2014.jpg
Williams in 2014
Background information
Birth nameStokley Williams
Born (1967-07-15) July 15, 1967 (age 56) [1]
Origin St. Paul, Minnesota [2] [3]
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Drummer
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • producer [4]
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • bass guitar
  • guitar
  • keyboards
Years active1980–present
LabelsBluraffe Ent

Stokley Williams (born July 15, 1967) also known simply as Stokley, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and drummer. Williams is best known as the lead singer and studio drummer of the band Mint Condition. [5]

Contents

Career

In 2011, he was featured on Kelly Price's song "Not My Daddy" from her album Kelly which earned him his first Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance. [6]

In 2017 Williams joined The Revolution on tour, to pay tribute to Prince. [7] Also in 2017, Williams released his Bluraffe/Concord Records solo debut Introducing Stokley, with production by himself as well as the Philadelphia production team Carvin & Ivan.

In 2019, Jam & Lewis' did a joint venture with Bluraffe ent /Perspective Records to release his second solo album, Sankofa.

In March 2020, Stokley earned his first #1 solo hit, with "She..." going number #1 on the Adult R&B Chart (Billboard) for two consecutive weeks and high radio play on stations such as WAMO, WDAS, & WHUR.

[8]

Influences

Williams has declared his main influences as being Cliff Alexis Sr., Prince, and Maurice White. [9]

Discography as a session musician

The Boys - The Boys (1990) [10]

Sounds of BlacknessThe Evolution of Gospel (1991)

Karyn WhiteRitual of Love (1991)

Mo' Money – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1992)

Janet Jacksonjanet. (1993)

Johnny GillProvocative (1993)

Color Me BaddTime and Chance (1993)

Jason's Lyric – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1994)

Karyn White – Make Him Do Right (1994)

Sounds of Blackness – Africa to America: The Journey of the Drum (1994)

J. Spencer – Blue Moon (1995)

Solo – Solo (1995)

Soultry – Soultry (1995) [12]

Janet Jackson – Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 (1995)

New EditionHome Again (1996)

Ann Nesby – I'm Here For You (1996)

Jesse Powell - Jesse Powell

4.0 – 4.0 (1997)

Luther VandrossOne Night with You: The Best of Love, Volume 2 (1997)

Jon Secada – Secada (1997) [13]

Sounds of Blackness – Time for Healing (1997)

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida (1999)

Jordan KnightJordan Knight (1999)

Yolanda AdamsMountain High...Valley Low (1999)

Usher8701 (2001)

Blu CantrellSo Blu (2001)

Deborah CoxThe Morning After (2002)

Toni BraxtonMore Than a Woman (2002)

Ann Nesby – Put It on Paper (2002)

Ali Shaheed MuhammadShaheedullah and Stereotypes (2004)

PrinceMusicology (2004)

Jill Scott- The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 (2007)

Brother AliUs (2009)

Tech N9neAll 6's and 7's (2011)

Kelly PriceKelly (2011)
Mint Condition7... (2011)

ElzhiElmatic (2011)

Brother Ali – The Bite Marked Heart (2012)

The World Famous Tony Williams- King or the Fool (2012)

The Robert Glasper ExperimentBlack Radio (2012)

U-Nam & Friends – Weekend in L.A (A Tribute To George Benson) (2012)

Brian Culbertson – Dreams (2012)

WaleThe Gifted (2013)

Lil' John Roberts – The Heartbeat (2014)

Wale – The Album About Nothing (2015)

Boney James – futuresoul (2015)

Maysa - Back 2 Love (2015)

PJ Morton - Christmas with PJ Morton (2018)

Zo! - FourFront (2019)

After 7 - Unfinished Business (2021)

Discography as a group member

with Mint Condition

Meant to Be Mint (1991)
From the Mint Factory (1993)
Definition of a Band (1996)
The Collection (1991–1998) (1998)
Life's Aquarium (1999)
Livin' the Luxury Brown (2005)
Live from the 9:30 Club (2006)
E-Life (2008)
7... (2011)
Music @ the Speed of Life (2012)
Healing Season (2015)

with Ursus Minor

Nucular (2007)
Zugzwang (2010)
I Will Not Take "But" for an Answer (2010)
What Matters Now (2016)

Solo album

Introducing Stokley (2017)
Sankofa (2021)

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References

  1. "BBC Music – Stokley Williams". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  2. Bediako, Titilayo. "Stokely and Sylvia Williams: African American giants". Insightnews.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  3. Denman, Jamal (July 17, 2013). "Mint Condition front man focusing more on production". Spokesman-recorder.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  4. "MMG's Wale Helps Shift Career Path For Stokley Williams of Mint Condition". Singersroom.com. June 11, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  5. "Stokely Williams". AllMusic . Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  6. "Mint Condition's Lead Singer Stokley Williams Receives 2 Grammy Nominations!". Theurbanmusicscene.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  7. Aswad, Jem (April 29, 2017). "The Revolution Pay Tribute to Prince With an Emotional New York Concert". Variety.com.
  8. "Stokley Strips Down & Celebrates Women In 'She…' And Announces New Album 'Sankofa'". soulbounce.com. SoulBounce. October 14, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  9. "Mint Condition's Stokley Williams takes solo leap". Rollingout.com. February 25, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  10. The Boys - The Boys (CD liner notes). Motown Record Company, L.P. MOTD-6302
  11. "Time and Chance - Color Me Badd | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  12. Soultry - Soultry (CD liner notes). Motown Record Company L.P. 314530553-2
  13. "Secada* - Too Late, Too Soon (The Mixes)". Discogs.com. 1997. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  14. Phillips, Noel (July 16, 2013). "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: STOKLEY WILLIAMS SPEAKS ON PRODUCING WALE'S "THE GIFTED" LP". Respect-mag.com. Retrieved May 10, 2014.