Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress, in 1983. In 1986, she rose to stardom following the release of her Platinum-selling second album, Rapture, which included the Grammy-winning single “Sweet Love”. As of 2017, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards and has four Platinum albums, along with two Gold albums. Baker is often mistaken for a contralto, but has the vocal range of mezzo-soprano, with a range of nearly three octaves. [More]

As a singer, producer, songwriter, and label executive, Babyface has been an inescapable presence in virtually every major facet of pop music since his commercial emergence in the late ’80s. His solo recordings, highlighted by the all-platinum streak of Tender Lover (1989), For the Cool in You (1993), and The Day (1996), helped rejuvenate the R&B tradition of the smooth, sensitive crooner and made his voice a staple of urban contemporary radio. Their considerable success has been augmented by an even richer body of outside songwriting and production work. [More]

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