Claytoven Richardson

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Claytoven Richardson
Background information
Born (1956)
Origin Berkeley, California
Genre(s) R&B, Pop, Jazz
Years active 1979-Present
Label(s) Prestige (1979-1980)
MCA (1980-1982)
Fantasy(1983-1984)
Qwest (1985)
Website www.claytoven.com

Claytoven Richardson (born 1956, in Berkeley, California) is an American singer, instrumentalist, producer, songwriter, and author.

Contents

[edit] Career

His musical career spans nearly three decades, during which he has been awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards.

In 1979 Claytoven made his recording studio and recording artist debut as a part of the group Bill Summers and Summers Heat. The group recorded one album for Prestige Records and three albums for MCA Records. The group saw moderate success with the songs, "Call It What You Want" and "Jam The Box".

After Summers Heat, Claytoven went on to become a premier session musician with his first major start singing background vocals for producer Narada Michael Walden on the hit George Benson single "Kisses In the Moonlight". His second recording session was as a guest vocalist and background vocalist on the breakout album "Duotones" for saxophone great, Kenny G. He has since performed on countless gold and platinum recordings featuring Tevin Campbell, Michael Bolton, Elton John, Peabo Bryson, New Kids on the Block, Ricky Martin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, and many others.

After being in the music business for some time he realized a need to increase the pool of well trained professional vocalists. So in 2000 Claytoven also stepped into the role of teacher by founding the "Studio Training Workshop for Vocalists", a workshop designed to help aspiring singers pursue a career as a professional recording vocalist by bridging the gap between the academic and professional music worlds. He currently teaches this and other workshops at San Francisco State University and for various other music programs across the country.

In his efforts to further create growth in the professional music community he has also penned a book that is fast becoming the go to professional guide for singers, "The Professional Studio Vocalist". Though he is involved with many educational and literary projects, he remains active as a prolific session musician.

[edit] Selected Discography

[edit] Artist Albums

Year Title Artist
1979 "On Sunshine" Bill Summers & Summers Heat
1980 "Call It What You Want" Bill Summers & Summers Heat
1981 "Jam The Box" Bill Summers & Summers Heat
1982 "Seventeen" Bill Summers & Summers Heat
1983 "Private Eye" Private Eye
1985 "Nside" Makoto

[edit] Session Work

Year Title Artist
1982 "Keep It Live" The Dazz Band
1983 "Love For Love" The Whispers
1986 "While The City Sleeps" George Benson
- "Duotones" Kenny G
1987 "Whitney" Whitney Houston
1988 "One Moment In Time" Whitney Houston
1989 "Through The Storm" Aretha Franklin
- "A Collection" Barbra Streisand
1990 "I'm Your Baby Tonight" Whitney Houston
1991 "So Intense" Lisa Fischer
- "Time, Love & Tenderness" Michael Bolton
1992 "Heaven And Earth" Al Jarreau
1993 "Duets" Elton John
1995 "Take me Higher" Diana Ross
1996 "Soulful Strut" Grover Washington
1997 "Butterfly" Mariah Carey
1998 "In & Out Of Love" Patti Austin
1999 "Marc Anthony" Marc Anthony
2000 "Sound Loaded" Ricky Martin
2001 "Renaissance" Lionel Ritchie
2002 "A New Day Has Come" Celine Dion

[edit] Soundtracks

Year Title
1987 "Beverly Hills Cops II"
1989 "Everybody’s All American"
1992 "The Bodyguard"
1993 "Mr Wonderful"
1994 "Street Fighter"
- "Jason's Lyric"
- "Crooklyn"
1996 "The Associate"
1997 "A Smile Like Yours"
- "Hercules"
- "In & Out"
- "The Hunchback Of Notre Dame"
1999 "Our Friend Martin"
2001 "Snow Dogs"
2005 "Rent"


Persondata
NAME Claytoven Richardson
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Claytoven
SHORT DESCRIPTION American musician
DATE OF BIRTH 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH Berkeley, California
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH