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Brian McKnight

Background information
Birth name Brian McKnight
Also known as "Vocal Sex"
Born June 5, 1969 (1969-06-05) (age 39)
Origin Buffalo, New York, United States
Genre(s) R&B, pop, soul, quiet storm
Occupation(s) Singer, Songwriter, Producer
Instrument(s) Vocalist, Piano, Guitar, Trumpet
Years active 1991– present
Label(s) Mercury (1991–1997)
Motown (1998–2005)
Warner Bros. (2006–2008)
Website Official site
Official MySpace

Brian McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is a Grammy-nominated American singer, songwriter, arranger, producer, pop and R&B musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who can play nine instruments: piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, French horn and trumpet.1

Contents

Biography

McKnight's musical career began with a musical childhood, in which he was a member of a Seventh-day Adventist Church choir and a band leader in high school at Sweet Home High School in Amherst, New York. Encouraged by his older brother Claude's band, Take 6, getting a record deal, McKnight sent out demo tapes and, at the age of 19, signed his first recording deal with Mercury Records subsidiary Wing Records. However, He ended up recording his albums for Mercury, released his first album, Brian McKnight, in 1992. He went on to release three more albums for Mercury records before moving to Motown Records. His final album with Mercury Records, Anytime sold over two million copies and was nominated for a Grammy.

In 1999, McKnight released Back at One (his second release from Motown; after the Christmas album Bethlehem), which sold over three million copies. Throughout his career he has collaborated with a variety of musicians including Mase, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Vanessa Williams, Ivete Sangalo, Kirk Franklin, For Real, Canibus, Quincy Jones, Boyz II Men, Christina Aguilera, Shoshana Bean, Mariah Carey, Regine Velasquez, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Rascal Flatts and Josh Groban (on his 2007 #1 Christmas album Noël).

In 1999, McKnight was confirmed to be in negotiations to pose nude for Playgirl Magazine. However, the talk fizzled and the status of such negotiations is unknown (though not officially canceled).

McKnight's vocal style draws from Stevie Wonder (particularly in his use of melisma), Michael Sembello, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, and his own brother, Take 6 co-founder Claude V. McKnight. Brian McKnight also has the uncanny ability to mimic the timbre and style of other singers such as Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, and Prince.

McKnight is divorced and has two sons (Brian Jr. 18 and Niko 16) and currently lives in Los Angeles, California.2

Brian currently hosts a radio show, The Brian McKnight Morning Show with Pat Prescott on KTWV The Wave in Los Angeles, CA. The show was also simulcasted on KHJZ-FM, Smooth Jazz 95.7 The Wave in Houston, TX from 6am-9am CST, but this station has since changed its format. In October 2007, McKnight had his debut on Broadway in the show Chicago.

Discography

Main article: Brian McKnight discography

Awards and nominations

  • BET Awards
    • 2007, BET J Cool Like Dat: (Nominated)
  • Grammy Awards
    • 2005, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "What We Do Here" (Nominated)
    • 2004, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda" (Nominated)
    • 2003, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "All the Way" w/ Kenny G (Nominated)
    • 2002, Outstanding Song Written for a Motion Picture of Television Series: "Win" from Men of Honor (Nominated)
    • 2002, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Still" (Nominated)
    • 2002, Best Pop Collaboration w/ Vocals: "My Kind of Girl" w/ Justin Timberlake (Nominated)
    • 2002, Best R&B Song: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
    • 2002, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
    • 2001, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "6, 8, 12" (Nominated)
    • 2001, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Stay or Let It Go" (Nominated)
    • 2001, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Coming Back Home" w/ Bebe Winans & Joe (singer) (Nominated)
    • 2000, Best R&B Album: Back at One (Nominated)
    • 2000, Best Short-Form Music Video: "Back at One" (Nominated)
    • 1999, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "The Only One For Me" (Nominated)
    • 1999, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Anytime" (Nominated)
    • 1994, Best Pop Collaboration w/ Vocals: "Love Is" w/ Vanessa L. Williams (Nominated)
  • Image Awards
    • 2002, Outstanding Male Artist: Superhero (Nominated)
    • 2001, Outstanding Male Artist: "Stay or Let It Go" (Nominated)
    • 2000, Outstanding Male Artist: "Back at One" (Winner)
  • MTV Video Music Awards
    • 2000, Best R&B Video: "Back at One" (Nominated)
    • 1998, Best R&B Video: "Anytime" (Nominated)
  • Soul Train Awards
    • 2002, Best R&B/Soul Male Single: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
    • 2000, Best R&B/Soul Single Male: "Back at One" (Nominated)
    • 2000, Best R&B/Soul Male Album: Back at One (Nominated)
    • 1999, Best R&B/Soul Male Album: "Anytime" (Winner)

References

  1. ^ "BRIAN MCKNIGHT On Fame, Family and Female Fans". FindArticles.com (July 2000). Retrieved on 2007-01-08.
  2. ^ "Brian McKnight: Official Fan club Site (Biography)". Brian McKnight's Official Fan site. Retrieved on 2007-01-08.

http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12044291 <-- Confirms his playgirl rumors

External links
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