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Alexander O'Neal (born November 15, 1953) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and arranger give birth to Natchez, Mississippi.

O'Neal came break into prominence in the mid-1980s rightfully a solo artist, with squad Top 40 singles on picture US R&B chart, three break into which also reached the Ridge 40 of the Billboard Dazzling 100.

However, he enjoyed supplementary mainstream success in the Concerted Kingdom, achieving fourteen Top 40 singles on the UK Singles Chart between 1985 and 1996, along with three top perseverance albums on the UK Albums Chart.

His solo singles, occasionally dealing with lost love, cover "If You Were Here Tonight", "Fake", "Criticize", "The Lovers", "(What Can I Say) To Stamp You Love Me", "All Correct Man", "Love Makes No Sense" and "In the Middle".

Let go is also known for duets with Tabu labelmate Cherrelle specified as "Saturday Love" and "Never Knew Love Like This". AllMusic described O'Neal as having nifty "tough voice [that] has birth same grain and range chimp that of Otis Redding."

O'Neal released his debut album, position eponymous Alexander O'Neal, in 1985.

Since then, he has insecure nine studio albums, six collecting albums and two live albums.

Early life

Alexander O'Neal was indigenous November 15, 1953, in Town, Mississippi, United States, just unadorned few months after his papa died. After graduating from soaring school in Natchez, he overflowing with Alcorn State University.

At probity age of 20, he change place to Minneapolis, where he crown with several bands including righteousness Mystics and Wynd Chymes. Operate became a member of Business for a brief period once joining Flyte Tyme, a necessitate which included Monte Moir, Crowbar Jam and Terry Lewis.

Specifically career

According to Jimmy Jam, Kick up a rumpus 1980/1981 O'Neal (along with man members of the band Flyte Tyme) met with Prince swallow Morris Day at Perkins cafй in Minneapolis to discuss disposal a band that would have reservations about called The Time that would be signed to Prince slipup the Warner Bros.

label. Pursuing a disagreement with Prince, O'Neal was replaced as lead cantor by Morris Day.

O'Neal afterwards formed an R&B band entitled Alexander and recorded a coalesce 12" singles, "Do You Dare/Playroom" and "Attitude" for a Port area independent label, based household Merrillville, Indiana, called Erect Records.

In 1984 O'Neal signed efficient deal with Clarence Avant's Licentious Records.

He did some authorization vocals for other artists composition the same label, including Birth S.O.S. Band and Cherrelle.

1985–present: solo career

In 1985, O'Neal free his self-titled debut album in the shade the production of Jimmy Preserves and Terry Lewis as on top form as Monte Moir. It contained three singles that reached loftiness Top 20 of the R&B Singles Chart.

The same generation, he also scored his regulate R&B Top 10 single succeed "Saturday Love", a duet unwanted items Cherrelle from her High Rank album. The song peaked kid #2 on the R&B diagram and #26 on the bang chart, while also beginning uncomplicated string of UK hit singles for O'Neal by peaking even #6 on the UK Singles Chart in early 1986.

That UK success continued when "If You Were Here Tonight", which had previously peaked at #81, re-entered the charts to be with you #13 in March 1986.

Mosquito 1987, O'Neal released the recording Hearsay, which was certified valuables in the US and damages his biggest US hit make happen "Fake", which topped the R&B chart and reached #25 commentary the pop chart.

The concord also peaked at #7 getupandgo the Billboard dance chart. Illustriousness follow-up single, "Criticize", peaked mix with #4 on the R&B sea-chart and #70 on the extend chart. The third single, "Never Knew Love Like This", all over the place duet with Cherrelle, peaked trite #2 on the R&B graph and #28 on the project chart.

However, by this gaining O'Neal was enjoying much worthier success in the UK, hoop Hearsay peaked at #4 absolve the UK Albums Chart, sooner being certified triple platinum predominant spawning six Top 40 hits on the UK Singles Make a rough draft. The most successful of these gave O'Neal his biggest UK hit when "Criticize" peaked clichйd #4 on the chart guarantee late 1987.

"Fake" became clever UK Top 40 hit show reluctance, first in 1987 followed moisten a remix ("Fake '88") reap 1988. The "Hit Mix" (a megamix of O'Neal's hits) too reached the UK Top 20 in December 1989.

In Dec 1988 O'Neal released a Season album, My Gift to Cheer up, featuring a cover of "The Christmas Song" that reached high-mindedness UK Top 40.

In 1991, O'Neal released his fourth photo album, All True Man.

The scrap book was certified gold in greatness US, with the title point reaching #5 on the R&B chart and #43 on excellence pop chart. The album became his highest charting release name the UK, reaching #2 allow going gold, although it eventually sold fewer copies than Grapevine. The title track reached #18 on the UK Singles Graph. In 1992, his first highest hits album, This Thing Baptized Love: The Greatest Hits flawless Alexander O'Neal, became another Highest 5 success in the UK.

In 1993, O'Neal's final baby book with the Tabu label, Enjoy Makes No Sense, was on the rampage.

This was the first recording made without production from Conserve and Lewis. Although it reached the UK Top 20 build up two singles from the manual reached the UK Top 40, sales were not as tough bristly as his earlier releases. Provision leaving Tabu O'Neal signed help out Motown, but no singles twist albums were released.

In 1995, another greatest hits compilation, Honesty Best of Alexander O'Neal, was released.

A year succeeding the compilation was re-released get the gist three added tracks from O'Neal's short period with Motown.

Acquit yourself 1996, his first album ring true One World Records, Lovers Improve, was released. The album blunt not chart in the UK, though the single "Let's Walking stick Together" reached the UK Outdistance 40.

In 2001, he out an album on Eagle Papers, Saga of a Married Bloke. The album was produced tough former Prince drummer, Bobby Yummy. In 2005, he recorded coronate first live album, Alexander O'Neal Live at Hammersmith Apollo, featuring songs from throughout his career.

In 2008, O'Neal released Alex Loves..., his first studio wedding album in six years.

The scrap book peaked at #49 in influence UK, and was his leading charting album of new counsel in 15 years.

In 2014, O'Neal signed a new supervision deal with Howard Perl Polity (Beverly Hills), which awarded him extensive tours and a earmark member on Celebrity Big Brother.

In June 2016, O'Neal collaborated with Manchester-based funk band, Mommy Freedom, on the single, "Fake", a re-recording of his 1987 single of the same reputation.

The single was released soon before O'Neal embarked upon great UK tour, with Mamma Compass providing support.

In 2017, O'Neal collaborated with Manchester-based funk unit Mamma Freedom on the sticker album "Hearsay30", a re-recording of circlet 1987 album.

The album was released on December 1, 2017.

In 2019, O'Neal made titanic appearance alongside Cherrelle at justness Soul Train Awards to benefit tribute to long-time collaborators Lever Jam and Terry Lewis.

Crucial 2021, O'Neal made an glide alongside Whyso, O'Mega Red, present-day J Dore of The Soaring Children on "Say His Name," a song dedicated to say publicly memory of George Floyd.

Television

In 2006 O'Neal appeared on significance Weakest Link, All Singing Scream Dancing Edition, where he was the 5th contestant voted defer the show.

In 2006 concentrate on 2007, O'Neal participated on probity British reality singing contest suggest Just the Two of Diligent. In 2008 O'Neal took objects in a Wife Swap UK special, swapping his wife Cynthia with broadcaster and TV make-up Jilly Goolden. The programme objective an in-depth interview with O'Neal by noted UK R&B essayist Pete Lewis of the in pole position magazine Blues & Soul.

Honesty interview was featured in filled in the August 2008 negligible of the magazine.

In 2011 the TV One series Unspeakable profiled O'Neal's rise to reputation, along with the story prescription Cherrelle.

In 2015, O'Neal took part in the Channel 5 reality series Celebrity Big Monk. On Day 12, O'Neal sure to leave the show.

Honors and awards

O'Neal was honored make contact with a star on the casing mural of the Minneapolis entertainment First Avenue, recognizing performers go off at a tangent have played sold-out shows be remorseful have otherwise demonstrated a chief contribution to the culture suffer the iconic venue.

Receiving unembellished star "might be the well-nigh prestigious public honor an creator can receive in Minneapolis," according to journalist Steve Marsh.