Karyn White
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| Karyn White | ||
|---|---|---|
 Karyn White in a promotional photo (1990).
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| Background information | ||
| Born | October 14, 1965 | |
| Origin |  Los Angeles, California, USA |
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| Genre(s) | R&B, Urban, Pop, dance | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer | |
| Years active | 1986-1995 2006- |
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| Label(s) | Warner Bros. (1986–1995) | |
Karyn White (born October 14, 1965) is a Grammy Award-nominated R&B singer who became popular during the late 1980s.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Karyn Layvonne White was born in Los Angeles, the youngest of five children. She sang in a church choir and worked as a backing singer, then sang on Jeff Lorber's single "Facts of Love" before signing to Warner Bros. Records and, after graduating from Howard University, released her self-titled debut album in 1988. Produced by Babyface, Karyn White sold about 2 million copies, and contained the hit singles "The Way You Love Me," "Secret Rendezvous," "Superwoman" and "Love Saw It", a duet with Babyface. Her follow-up album was Ritual of Love in 1991. It had songs produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and featured the hit single "Romantic", which hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Other singles from the album include "The Way I Feel About You," "Walkin' the Dog," and "Do Unto Me." The famous photographer and director Matthew Rolston directed the hit video for the single Romantic. The late photographer and stylist Michael Walls, who is credited as stylist on the Ritual of Love album, worked closely with Karyn White and Matthew Rolston on the look for the Ritual of Love cover and 3 of the music videos released for the album. Walls brainstomed the idea for the Chanel inspired simple pearls and black dress used on the album cover, the french maid look and multiple wardrobe changes for the "The Way I feel About You" video, and the colorful "Walkin' the Dog" video, which was based on a scene from the film Sweet Charity.
White married Terry Lewis in 1992 and together they had a daughter, Ashley Nicole. After divorcing Lewis, White has since remarried to producer/musician Bobby G, a virtuoso guitarist who has played in her band and with such artists as Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Her next album was Make Him Do Right in 1994. The album did not sell particularly well, although she did chart with the singles "Hungah" and the Babyface-penned "Can I Stay with You", which became her final U.S. R&B top-ten hit thus far in early 1995. "I'd Rather Be Alone" was a moderate hit peaking at #50 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. White left Warner Bros. Records in 1995 and dropped out of the music public eye for many years. She currently resides in Sacramento, California and is working on her first album in over twelve years. The album, titled Action Fighter, was slated for release in the fourth quarter of 2007.[citation needed]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Karyn White (1988) The Billboard 200: #18 U.S.; U.S. sales: 2x Platinum
- Ritual of Love (1991) The Billboard 200: #30 U.S.; U.S. sales: Gold
- Make Him Do Right (1994) The Billboard 200: #99 U.S.
- Sweet & Sensual (1995)
- Rhino Hi-Five: Karyn White - EP (2005)
- Action Fighter (2007)
- Superwoman: The Best - April 3, 2007
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Album | U.S. | U.S. R&B | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Facts Of Love" (Jeff Lorber featuring Karyn White) | Private Passion (Jeff Lorber) | 27 | 17 | 95 |
| 1987 | "True Confessions" (Jeff Lorber featuring Karyn White) | Private Passion (Jeff Lorber) | - | 68 | - |
| 1988 | "The Way You Love Me" | Karyn White | 7 | 1 | 42 |
| 1988 | "Superwoman" | Karyn White | 8 | 1 | 11 |
| 1989 | "Love Saw It" (duet with Babyface) | Karyn White | - | 1 | - |
| 1989 | "Secret Rendezvous" | Karyn White | 6 | 4 | 22 |
| 1989 | "Slow Down" | Karyn White | - | 36 | - |
| 1989 | "Not Thru Being With You" (duet with Michael Jeffries) | Michael Jeffries (Michael Jeffries) | - | 32 | 99 |
| 1991 | "Romantic" | Ritual of Love | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| 1991 | "The Way I Feel About You" | Ritual of Love | 12 | 5 | 65 |
| 1992 | "Walkin' The Dog" | Ritual of Love | - | 34 | - |
| 1992 | "Do Unto Me" | Ritual of Love | - | 24 | - |
| 1994 | "Hungah" | Make Him Do Right | 78 | 18 | 69 |
| 1994 | "Can I Stay With You" | Make Him Do Right | 81 | 10 | - |
| 1995 | "I'd Rather Be Alone" | Make Him Do Right | - | 50 | - |
[edit] Awards & nominations
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 1989 | American Music Award nomination for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist |
| 1989 | Billboard Music Award win for No. 1 R&B Single of the Year ("Superwoman"). [1] |
| 1989 | Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("The Way You Love Me"). |
| 1989 | American Music Award nomination for Favorite Soul/R&B Album - (Karyn White). [2] |
[edit] See also
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
[edit] External links
Categories: Articles with unsourced statements since April 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1965 births | African-American singers | American rhythm and blues singers | American pop singers | American female singers | Living people | Rhythmic contemporary musicians | American dance musicians
