Eric Benét
Encyclopedia
Eric Benét, is an American singer. His duet with Tamia
, "Spend My Life With You
" was a number one song for three weeks on the US
Billboard
R&B
chart
and was nominated for a Grammy Award
in 2000.
Benét sang with a Top 100-style group called Gerard in the late 1980s. Benét, his sister Lisa, and his cousin George Nash Jr. formed a band called Benét and released a self-titled album in 1992, but it only sold 100,000 copies.
Benét's career, however, was interrupted by a series of personal tragedies. His father died of cancer. His girlfriend Tami Marie Stauff died on 29 April 1993 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident; their daughter, India, was born in 1991.
From 2001 to 2005, he was married to Halle Berry
. On 31 July 2011, he married Prince
's ex-wife, Manuela Testolini, who is pregnant with their first child.
, releasing his solo debut album, True to Myself
, in 1996. Individual songs from the album were successful, including the top-ten R&B hits "Spiritual Thang", "Femininity" and "Let's Stay Together," which appeared on the soundtrack of the film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
.
In between albums, Eric collaborated with Something For The People on their 1997 album "This Time It's Personal" singing leads on the single "Act Like You Want It". His next album, A Day in the Life
, was released in 1999. Its first single, "Georgy Porgy
(featuring Faith Evans
)" received significant airplay, but the second single, "Spend My Life With You
(featuring Tamia
)", became a smash hit. "Spend My Life With You" rose to number one on the American R&B charts, was certified gold
, and nominated for a 2000 Grammy Award
for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. The album, A Day in the Life also won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Male.
Benét also recorded for Earth, Wind, and Fire's 30th anniversary CD. He contributed vocals to the post-Katrina charity single, "Heart of America" along with Michael McDonald, Wynonna Judd, and Terry Dexter. He has also lent his vocals to many jazz albums for such artists as Wayman Tisdale, George Duke, Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, Boney James, etc.
Benét recorded his following album Better and Better
in 2001, but Warner Bros. rejected to release this album and forced him to stay in R&B genre. Due to the controversy about music style and creative freedom, Benét changed to Reprise
-distributed label Friday Records and recorded next album, Hurricane
. Hurricane
was his third studio album released on June 21, 2005 in the US. "I Wanna Be Loved
" was the song that received the most airplay. The single reached No. 2 on the Urban Adult Contemporary chart.
His fourth album Love & Life was released on September 9, 2008. This album debuted at No. 11 on Billboard 200
and No. 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart, making his own highest peak position since A Day in the Life
in 1999. The first single "You're The Only One" is also his first top twenty hit on the R&B chart in two years.
Lost in Time
was Benét's fifth studio album which was released in the US on November 30, 2010. The first single "Sometimes I Cry" reached No. 1 on the Hot Adult R&B Songs Chart. With its musical direction representing Benet's homage to the sweet soul sound of the early to mid 1970s, the album featured duets with Faith Evans
; Chrisette Michelle; Ledisi
; and Eddie Levert
of The O'Jays
.
For Your Love
(1998–2002). He made his film debut alongside Mariah Carey
in Glitter
(2001). He has a recurring role on the MTV scripted show "Kaya" (2007) where he plays a music producer. Benet appeared on Half & Half
in which he portrayed Reece Wilcox in 2005.
His second feature film role "Trinity Goodheart" premiered at the American Black Film Festival on July 9th, 2011 and is set to premiere on GMC on August 20th, 2011.
The Definitive Eric Benet, music and interview with JM Part2
The Definitive Eric Benet, music and interview with JM Part3
The Definitive Eric Benet, music and interview with JM Part4
Tamia
Tamia Hill , and known professionally as Tamia, is a four-time Grammy-nominated Canadian R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as an occasional actress.She is best known for her 2000 hit "Stranger In My House" and Fabolous' 2003...
, "Spend My Life With You
Spend My Life With You
"Spend My Life with You" is a Grammy-nominated R&B song by R&B singer Eric Benét, featuring R&B singer Tamia. Released as the second single from Benét's second studio album A Day in the Life, the song spent three weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was...
" was a number one song for three weeks on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
and was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in 2000.
Biography
Benét was his mother's maiden name, and he was born in Mobile, Alabama and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is the youngest of five siblings.Benét sang with a Top 100-style group called Gerard in the late 1980s. Benét, his sister Lisa, and his cousin George Nash Jr. formed a band called Benét and released a self-titled album in 1992, but it only sold 100,000 copies.
Benét's career, however, was interrupted by a series of personal tragedies. His father died of cancer. His girlfriend Tami Marie Stauff died on 29 April 1993 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident; their daughter, India, was born in 1991.
From 2001 to 2005, he was married to Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
. On 31 July 2011, he married Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's ex-wife, Manuela Testolini, who is pregnant with their first child.
Career
In 1994, Benét signed with Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
, releasing his solo debut album, True to Myself
True to Myself (Eric Benét album)
True to Myself is the debut album of R&B singer Eric Benét, originally released on September 24, 1996 on Warner Bros. Records.-Track listing:#"True To Myself"#"I'll Be There"#"If You Want Me to Stay" #"Let's Stay Together"...
, in 1996. Individual songs from the album were successful, including the top-ten R&B hits "Spiritual Thang", "Femininity" and "Let's Stay Together," which appeared on the soundtrack of the film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate is a 1996 dark comedy-romance film that was directed and co-written by Martin Lawrence, who also stars in the film. Lawrence co-wrote the screenplay alongside Kenny Buford, who has also written for Lawrence's hit television sitcom, Martin...
.
In between albums, Eric collaborated with Something For The People on their 1997 album "This Time It's Personal" singing leads on the single "Act Like You Want It". His next album, A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life (Eric Benét album)
A Day in the Life is the Platinum-selling second studio album by R&B singer Eric Benét, originally released on April 27, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. as the second album, A Day in the Life, Eric Benet's follow-up to his debut album, True to Myself...
, was released in 1999. Its first single, "Georgy Porgy
Georgy Porgy (song)
For other uses, see Georgy Porgy"Georgy Porgy" is a song written by David Paich, released on Toto's self-titled debut album in 1978. It was released as a single and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as on both the R&B and the Dance charts.The lead vocals are performed by guitarist Steve...
(featuring Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
)" received significant airplay, but the second single, "Spend My Life With You
Spend My Life With You
"Spend My Life with You" is a Grammy-nominated R&B song by R&B singer Eric Benét, featuring R&B singer Tamia. Released as the second single from Benét's second studio album A Day in the Life, the song spent three weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was...
(featuring Tamia
Tamia
Tamia Hill , and known professionally as Tamia, is a four-time Grammy-nominated Canadian R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as an occasional actress.She is best known for her 2000 hit "Stranger In My House" and Fabolous' 2003...
)", became a smash hit. "Spend My Life With You" rose to number one on the American R&B charts, was certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
, and nominated for a 2000 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. The album, A Day in the Life also won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Male.
Benét also recorded for Earth, Wind, and Fire's 30th anniversary CD. He contributed vocals to the post-Katrina charity single, "Heart of America" along with Michael McDonald, Wynonna Judd, and Terry Dexter. He has also lent his vocals to many jazz albums for such artists as Wayman Tisdale, George Duke, Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, Boney James, etc.
Benét recorded his following album Better and Better
Better and Better (Eric Benét album)
Better & Better is an unrealesed studio album by Eric Benét in 2001-Track listing:# I Can't Stop Thinking About You# R&B# I Wanna Be Loved# Pretty Baby# Better & Better# Love Don't Love Me# Spanish Fly# Can I Just Call You...
in 2001, but Warner Bros. rejected to release this album and forced him to stay in R&B genre. Due to the controversy about music style and creative freedom, Benét changed to Reprise
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
-distributed label Friday Records and recorded next album, Hurricane
Hurricane (Eric Benét album)
- Musicians :* Spanky Alford – guitar, soloist* Eric Benét – audio production, vocal bass, percussion, producer, vocals* Chris Boardman – string arrangements* Chris Botti – soloist, trumpet* Randall Bowland – guitar * David Campbell – string arrangements...
. Hurricane
Hurricane (Eric Benét album)
- Musicians :* Spanky Alford – guitar, soloist* Eric Benét – audio production, vocal bass, percussion, producer, vocals* Chris Boardman – string arrangements* Chris Botti – soloist, trumpet* Randall Bowland – guitar * David Campbell – string arrangements...
was his third studio album released on June 21, 2005 in the US. "I Wanna Be Loved
I Wanna Be Loved
"I Wanna Be Loved" is a popular song with music by Johnny Green and lyrics by Edward Heyman and Billy Rose, published in 1933.The song is a standard, with many recorded versions.Grant Green plays on the song on his album Am I Blue....
" was the song that received the most airplay. The single reached No. 2 on the Urban Adult Contemporary chart.
His fourth album Love & Life was released on September 9, 2008. This album debuted at No. 11 on Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and No. 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart, making his own highest peak position since A Day in the Life
A Day in the Life (Eric Benét album)
A Day in the Life is the Platinum-selling second studio album by R&B singer Eric Benét, originally released on April 27, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. as the second album, A Day in the Life, Eric Benet's follow-up to his debut album, True to Myself...
in 1999. The first single "You're The Only One" is also his first top twenty hit on the R&B chart in two years.
Lost in Time
Lost in Time (Eric Benét album)
Lost in Time is the fifth studio album by American R&B recording artist Eric Benét, released November 30, 2010 on Reprise Records. It is the follow-up to Love & Life . Production for the album took place during 2010 at various recording studios and was handled by Benét, George Nash, Jr., and...
was Benét's fifth studio album which was released in the US on November 30, 2010. The first single "Sometimes I Cry" reached No. 1 on the Hot Adult R&B Songs Chart. With its musical direction representing Benet's homage to the sweet soul sound of the early to mid 1970s, the album featured duets with Faith Evans
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B...
; Chrisette Michelle; Ledisi
Ledisi
Ledisi Anibade Young is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Her first name means "to bring forth" or "to come here" in Yoruba. Ledisi is known for her jazz influenced vocals. In 1995, Ledisi formed the group known as Anibade. After unsuccessfully trying to get the group signed to a major...
; and Eddie Levert
Eddie Levert
Edward "Eddie" Levert is an American singer, and is the lead vocalist of the soul/funk/R&B vocal group, The O'Jays.Levert was born in Bessemer, Alabama, but was raised in Canton, Ohio. While attending high school, he met buddies Walter Williams, Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, and William Powell...
of The O'Jays
The O'Jays
The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005...
.
Acting career
Benét has also been active as an actor; he had a recurring role on the television programTelevision program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
For Your Love
For Your Love
-Album reissues:The Yardbirds' 2001 compilation album Ultimate! contains eight of the eleven tracks from the original album. For Your Love has been reissued by several record labels, including JVC, Castle, and Repertoire...
(1998–2002). He made his film debut alongside Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
in Glitter
Glitter (film)
Glitter is a 2001 film starring R&B singer, songwriter Mariah Carey. It was produced by 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures and directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. It centers on the life and times of a struggling singer from the early club music scene in the 1980s.-Production:Carey has said about...
(2001). He has a recurring role on the MTV scripted show "Kaya" (2007) where he plays a music producer. Benet appeared on Half & Half
Half & Half
Half & Half is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006. The show focuses on the lives of two paternal half-sisters in their twenties who were estranged throughout their childhood, and are finally developing a close relationship...
in which he portrayed Reece Wilcox in 2005.
His second feature film role "Trinity Goodheart" premiered at the American Black Film Festival on July 9th, 2011 and is set to premiere on GMC on August 20th, 2011.
Awards and nominations
- Grammy Awards
- 2000, Nominee (Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group) "Spend My Life with YouSpend My Life With You"Spend My Life with You" is a Grammy-nominated R&B song by R&B singer Eric Benét, featuring R&B singer Tamia. Released as the second single from Benét's second studio album A Day in the Life, the song spent three weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was...
" (with TamiaTamiaTamia Hill , and known professionally as Tamia, is a four-time Grammy-nominated Canadian R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as an occasional actress.She is best known for her 2000 hit "Stranger In My House" and Fabolous' 2003...
) - 2009, Nominee (Best R&B Male Performance) "You're the Only One"
- 2009, Nominee (Best R&B Album) Love & Life
- 2000, Nominee (Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group) "Spend My Life with You
- NAACP Image Awards
- 1997, Nominee (Outstanding New Artists) "True To Myself"
- 2000, Nominee (Outstanding Male Artist) "A Day In The Life"
- 2000, Winner (Outstanding Song) "Spend My Life With You" - Songwriter: Eric Benet
- 2000, Nominee (Outstanding Album) "A Day In The Life"
- 2001, Nominee (Outstanding Male Artist) "When You Think of Me" (featuring Roy Ayers)
- 2001, Nominee (Outstanding Music Video) "When You Think of Me" (Directed by Prentice Smith)
Albums
| Year | Album details | Chart positions | Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales threshold) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US R&B Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
||||||||
| 1996 | True To Myself True to Myself (Eric Benét album) True to Myself is the debut album of R&B singer Eric Benét, originally released on September 24, 1996 on Warner Bros. Records.-Track listing:#"True To Myself"#"I'll Be There"#"If You Want Me to Stay" #"Let's Stay Together"...
|
174 | 38 |
|
|||||
| 1999 | A Day In The Life A Day in the Life (Eric Benét album) A Day in the Life is the Platinum-selling second studio album by R&B singer Eric Benét, originally released on April 27, 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. as the second album, A Day in the Life, Eric Benet's follow-up to his debut album, True to Myself...
|
25 | 6 |
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... : Gold |
|||||
| 2001 | Better And Better Better and Better (Eric Benét album) Better & Better is an unrealesed studio album by Eric Benét in 2001-Track listing:# I Can't Stop Thinking About You# R&B# I Wanna Be Loved# Pretty Baby# Better & Better# Love Don't Love Me# Spanish Fly# Can I Just Call You...
|
— | — | ||||||
| 2005 | Hurricane Hurricane (Eric Benét album) - Musicians :* Spanky Alford – guitar, soloist* Eric Benét – audio production, vocal bass, percussion, producer, vocals* Chris Boardman – string arrangements* Chris Botti – soloist, trumpet* Randall Bowland – guitar * David Campbell – string arrangements...
|
133 | 27 |
|
|||||
| 2008 | Love & Life
|
11 | 2 | ||||||
| 2010 | Lost In Time Lost in Time (Eric Benét album) Lost in Time is the fifth studio album by American R&B recording artist Eric Benét, released November 30, 2010 on Reprise Records. It is the follow-up to Love & Life . Production for the album took place during 2010 at various recording studios and was handled by Benét, George Nash, Jr., and...
|
33 | 8 | ||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
U.S. R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
|||
| 1996 | "Let's Stay Together" | - | 45 | True to Myself |
| "Spiritual Thang" | - | 41 | ||
| 1997 | "Femininity" | - | 24 | |
| "True to Myself" | - | 43 | ||
| 1999 | "Georgy Porgy Georgy Porgy (song) For other uses, see Georgy Porgy"Georgy Porgy" is a song written by David Paich, released on Toto's self-titled debut album in 1978. It was released as a single and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as on both the R&B and the Dance charts.The lead vocals are performed by guitarist Steve... " (featuring Faith Evans Faith Evans Faith Renée Evans is an American singer-songwriter, recording artist, record producer, actress and author. Born in Florida and raised in New Jersey, Evans relocated to Los Angeles during 1993 for a career with the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B... ) |
56 | 15 | A Day in the Life |
| "Spend My Life with You Spend My Life With You "Spend My Life with You" is a Grammy-nominated R&B song by R&B singer Eric Benét, featuring R&B singer Tamia. Released as the second single from Benét's second studio album A Day in the Life, the song spent three weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was... " (featuring Tamia Tamia Tamia Hill , and known professionally as Tamia, is a four-time Grammy-nominated Canadian R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, model, entrepreneur and philanthropist, as well as an occasional actress.She is best known for her 2000 hit "Stranger In My House" and Fabolous' 2003... ) |
22 | 1 | ||
| 2000 | "When You Think of Me" | - | 46 | |
| 2001 | "Love Don't Love Me" | - | 38 | Better & Better (Unreleased) |
| 2005 | "I Wanna Be Loved" | - | 28 | Hurricane |
| "Hurricane" | - | - | ||
| 2006 | "Where Does the Love Go" (with Yvonne Catterfeld Yvonne Catterfeld Yvonne Catterfeld is a German singer, actress and TV host.-Biography:Catterfeld was born in Erfurt, Thuringia, then in East Germany, in 1979. At the age of 15 she started playing the piano and the flute, simultaneously taking first dance and vocal lessons... ) |
- | - | |
| "Pretty Baby" | - | 44 | ||
| 2008 | "You're the Only One" | 106 | 17 | Love & Life |
| "The Hunger" | - | 49 | ||
| 2009 | "Chocolate Legs" | - | 36 | |
| 2010 | "Sometimes I Cry Sometimes I Cry "Sometimes I Cry" is a song by American singer Eric Benét. It is the lead single from his fifth album Lost In Time. The song has peaked at number 20 so far on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.- Charts :... " |
107 | 16 | Lost in Time |
| "Never Want to Live Without You" | - | 43 | ||
External links
The Definitive Eric Benet, music and interview with JM Part1The Definitive Eric Benet, music and interview with JM Part2
The Definitive Eric Benet, music and interview with JM Part3
The Definitive Eric Benet, music and interview with JM Part4