Brian McKnight - Biography
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Brian McKnight grew up in a close knit family where musical talent and music came naturally. He became a member of the church choir at a young age along with his immediate family; his grandfather was the musical director. With a strongly based in gospel upbringing, McKnight also decided to explore other genres and styles of music. Still in his early teens, he exercised his writing ambitions and showed off his budding talent by penning instrumentals (soft jazz, easy listening). He formed a band and began performing his originals at local venues. By the age of 18, McKnight had secured a publishing deal. His calling to the national scene manifested itself when his older brother Claude and the group he was a member of, Take 6, signed a recording contract with a major label.
After sending out numerous demos to various record companies, McKnight’s tape drew the interest of Mercury Records president Ed Eckstine (son of Billy Eckstine). Eckstine was so impressed with McKnight’s sound that the young artist was signed to a deal within two weeks. McKnight’s first release on Mercury was “The Way Love Goes,” peaking at number 11 after 19 weeks on the Billboard R&B charts. His two follow-up singles barely cracked the Billboard R&B Top 60, including “Love Is,” a duet with Vanessa Williams featured on Beverly Hills 90210. Ironically, that single peaked at number three on the Billboard pop charts, introducing McKnight to a crossover audience.
In addition to being a top album selling singer, McKnight is a well versed songwriter, multi-talented musician (playing several instrument including the piano, guitar and trumpet), a gifted arranger, and talented producer. The many successes he has been able to achieve as a producer and solid songwriter on his own album projects has facilitated his popularity as a producer and songwriter for other professional artists. However, the Buffalo, New York native retained the services of golden-touched hip-hop producer Sean “Puffy” Combs on the release of his 1997 CD Anytime, which features the club-flavored single “You Should Be Mine.” A Christmas album, Bethlehem, followed in 1998, and a year later McKnight returned with his huge success Back at One. Superhero from 2001 kicked off with the surprisingly rock title track while 2003’s U Turn was a fairly straightforward and ballad-filled affair. A divorce and some time playing guard for the California ABA basketball team the Ontario Warriors kept McKnight out of the musical picture for a couple years before the lush Gemini from 2005 marked his return