Image via WikipediaThe first time I heard of Anita Baker, “No More Tear” was playing on KBLX 102.9 FM Radio in the early 80‘s. I thought wow this girl can sing and how unique her voice was. I seen her in concert with George Benson in 1983, that was a great concert.Anita Baker grew up in Detroit, Anita Baker almost gave up singing, because of the record labels executives negative reviews. Thank goodness she didn’t, we wouldn’t have the beautiful songs like “No More Tears” and “Angel” from The Songstress album. “Sweet Love” which won Anita a Grammy Award for best R an B Female Vocalist and Best R&B Song. After that first Grammy Anita Baker was on a roll. Anita did a duet with the Winans “Ain’t No Need to Worry” this won her another Grammy. There was no stopping Anita Baker, “Giving You The Best That I Got” was on the top of the Soul and Pop charts. Baker won three more Grammies, this established Anita Baker as the number one Lady of Soul.
In 1990 Anita Baker released Compositions this album she wrote seven of the nine songs. The Compositions was cut live musicians played while Anita sang. Anita had some good great musicians which include Greg Phillinganes, Natan East, Paulinho da Costa Vernon Fails, Ricky Lawson and Stephen Ferrone. Touring for five years straight Anita took a break. She enter the studio in 1993 to do a duet with Frank Sinatra “Witch Craft”. Anita released “Rhythm of Love” in 1994. She recorded this album at home because she was pregnant. Anita Baker won another Grammy for “I Apologize” in
1996 for Best Female R an B Vocal Performance for a single. Rhino Records released The Best of Anita Baker known as Sweet Love in 2002. In 2004 Anita signed with Blue Note Records, that same year she released “My Everything”. The album was number four on Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R an B/Hip Hop Albums. Anita released a Christmas album in October
2005 “Moonlight Sleigh ride”, “Family of Man”, and “Christmas Fantasy”
received a Grammy nomination in in 2007 for Best Traditional R an B Vocal Performance. Anita Baker went on a concert tour in 2008, entitled An Evening with Anita Baker. I missed that tour. Anita Baker is coming out with a new album, it’s supposed to be the fall 2010.
I must say Anita Baker is truly a Songstress. I am glad she didn’t quite when she first started, because we would not have the beautiful songs she as sang over the decades. Songs that have a will be around for ever.
LM
http://www.soultracks.com/anita_baker.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Baker
