Three of the label's early artists, TLC, Usher, and Toni Braxton, were very successful. In 1989, Edmonds co-founded LaFace Records with Reid. Other ventures Įdmonds performing in 2009 Writing and producing įrom the late 1980s to the early 90s, he wrote R&B and dance songs, writing and producing music for Bobby Brown (' Roni'), Karyn White (' Love Saw It'), Pebbles (' Girlfriend', ' Mercedes Boy'), The Whispers (' Rock Steady', 'In the Mood'), The Deele (' Two Occasions'), Johnny Gill (' My My My'), After 7 (' Ready or Not'), The Boys (' Dial My Heart'), Damian Dame ('Right Down to It') and Sheena Easton. On February 4, 2014, he released a Grammy Award-winning duet album with Toni Braxton titled Love, Marriage & Divorce on Motown Records.

It was the first album on the newly re-launched Mercury Records label.

His album Playlist consists of eight cover songs and two original works. Babyface remained in the Deele until 1988, when both he and Reid left the group. The tune was on Midnight Star's 1983 double-platinum No Parking on the Dance Floor album. One of his first major credits as a songwriter for outside artists came when he wrote the tune 'Slow Jam' for the R&B band Midnight Star in 1983. He played keyboards and guitar in the light-funk and R&B group the Deele (which also included drummer Antonio 'L.A.' Reid, with whom he would later form a successful writing and producing partnership). He also performed in the group Manchild (which had a 1977 hit 'Especially for You' with band member Daryl Simmons) as a guitarist. Music career Įdmonds later met funk performer Bootsy Collins, who tagged him 'Babyface' because of his youthful look. At this stage, Edmonds became determined to have a career in music. When he was in eighth grade, Edmonds' father died of lung cancer, leaving his mother to raise her sons alone. Edmonds, who is the fifth of six brothers (including future After 7 band members Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, the latter of whom went on to have a modestly successful solo career), attended North Central High School in Indianapolis, and as a shy youth, wrote songs to express his emotions. Barbara was a production operator at a pharmaceutical plant. Edmonds was born on April 10, 1959, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Marvin and Barbara Edmonds.

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