Alexander O'Neal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alexander O'Neal |
|
|---|---|
O'Neal performing live in Bristol, England, 2014
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | November 15, 1953 Natchez, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Origin | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels |
|
Alexander O'Neal (born November 15, 1953) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and arranger. He is from Natchez, Mississippi.
Alexander O'Neal became famous in the mid-1980s as a solo artist. He had many hit songs on the US R&B chart. Three of his songs also made it into the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He was even more successful in the United Kingdom. There, he had fourteen Top 40 songs between 1985 and 1996. He also had three albums reach the top ten on the UK Albums Chart.
Some of his well-known solo songs are "If You Were Here Tonight", "Fake", and "Criticize". He is also famous for his duets with Tabu labelmate Cherrelle. These include "Saturday Love" and "Never Knew Love Like This". The music website AllMusic said O'Neal has a "tough voice" that sounds like Otis Redding.
O'Neal released his first album, named Alexander O'Neal, in 1985. Since then, he has released many more albums. These include nine studio albums, six compilation albums, and two live albums.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Alexander O'Neal was born on November 15, 1953, in Natchez, Mississippi, United States. His father passed away a few months before he was born. After finishing high school, he went to Alcorn State University.
When he was 20, he moved to Minneapolis. There, he sang with different bands like the Mystics and Wynd Chymes. He also joined a band called Flyte Tyme for a short time. This band included famous musicians like Monte Moir, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
How He Almost Joined The Time
In the early 1980s, Alexander O'Neal and other members of Flyte Tyme met with Prince and Morris Day. They talked about forming a new band called The Time. This band would sign with Prince's label, Warner Bros.. However, O'Neal had a disagreement with Prince. Because of this, he was replaced as the lead singer by Morris Day.
After this, O'Neal started his own R&B band called Alexander. They recorded a few songs for an independent record label. In 1984, O'Neal signed a deal with Clarence Avant's Tabu Records. He also sang backup for other artists on the same label, like The S.O.S. Band and Cherrelle.
Alexander O'Neal's Solo Career
In 1985, O'Neal released his first solo album. It was called Alexander O'Neal. The album was produced by Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Monte Moir. Three songs from this album became Top 20 hits on the R&B Singles Chart.
That same year, he had his first Top 10 R&B hit with "Saturday Love". This was a duet with Cherrelle from her album High Priority. The song reached number 2 on the R&B chart. It also became a hit in the UK, reaching number 6 on the UK Singles Chart. Another song, "If You Were Here Tonight", also became a UK hit.
Major Success with Hearsay
In 1987, O'Neal released the album Hearsay. This album was very successful in the US. His biggest US hit, "Fake", came from this album. It reached number 1 on the R&B chart. The next song, "Criticize", also did very well. "Never Knew Love Like This", another duet with Cherrelle, was a big hit too.
Hearsay was even more popular in the UK. It reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. It sold so many copies that it was certified triple platinum. Six songs from Hearsay became Top 40 hits in the UK. "Criticize" was his biggest UK hit, reaching number 4.
In December 1988, O'Neal released a Christmas album called My Gift to You. It included a cover of "The Christmas Song".
Later Albums and Collaborations
In 1991, O'Neal released his fourth album, All True Man. The title song reached number 5 on the R&B chart. This album was his highest-charting release in the UK, reaching number 2. In 1992, his first greatest hits album, This Thing Called Love: The Greatest Hits of Alexander O'Neal, also became a Top 5 success in the UK.
In 1993, O'Neal released Love Makes No Sense. This was his last album with the Tabu label. It was also his first album not produced by Jam and Lewis. After leaving Tabu, O'Neal signed with Motown.
In 1996, he released Lovers Again. In 2001, he released Saga of a Married Man. This album was produced by Bobby Z., a former drummer for Prince. In 2005, he recorded his first live album.
In 2008, O'Neal released Alex Loves.... This was his first studio album in six years. It was his first album of new songs to chart in the UK in 15 years.
In 2016, O'Neal worked with the band Mamma Freedom on a new version of his 1987 song "Fake". In 2017, they also re-recorded his 1987 album, calling it "Hearsay30". In 2019, O'Neal appeared with Cherrelle at the Soul Train Music Awards. They honored their long-time collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Television Appearances
Alexander O'Neal has appeared on several TV shows. In 2006, he was on the UK game show Weakest Link. He also took part in the British singing contest Just the Two of Us in 2006 and 2007.
In 2008, O'Neal was on a UK special of Wife Swap. In 2011, the TV One series Unsung told the story of O'Neal's rise to fame.
In 2015, O'Neal was a part of the reality show Celebrity Big Brother on Channel 5. He decided to leave the show after 12 days.
Honors and Awards
Alexander O'Neal has been honored with a star on the outside wall of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue. This star recognizes performers who have sold out shows or greatly contributed to the culture of the famous venue. Getting a star there is considered a very special public honor in Minneapolis.
Discography
Studio albums
- Alexander O'Neal (1985)
- Hearsay (1987)
- My Gift to You (1988)
- All True Man (1991)
- Love Makes No Sense (1993)
- Lovers Again (1996)
- Saga of a Married Man (2002)
- Alex Loves... (2008)
- Five Questions: The New Journey (2010)
- Hearsay 30 (2017)
Tours
- 30 Years of Hearsay Tour (2017)
- A Time To Say Goodbye Tour (2023)
Images for kids
-
O'Neal performing live in Bristol, England, 2014
-
Star honoring Alexander O'Neal on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue
See also
In Spanish: Alexander O'Neal para niños
