Anita Baker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anita Baker
Baker in 1998
Background information
Birth name	Anita Denise Baker
Born	(1958-01-26) January 26, 1958 (age 67) Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Soul jazz quiet storm smooth jazz soul R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Ariola Beverly Glen Elektra Atlantic Blue Note

Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She is famous for her beautiful, soulful songs, especially from the 1980s. This time was known as the "quiet storm" period in music.

Anita Baker started her music journey in the late 1970s with a funk band called Chapter 8. Her first solo album, The Songstress, came out in 1983. She became very famous in 1986 with her second album, Rapture. This album sold millions of copies and included the hit song "Sweet Love", which won a Grammy Award. As of 2017, Anita Baker has won eight Grammy Awards. She also has four albums that sold over a million copies (Platinum albums) and two albums that sold over half a million copies (Gold albums). She is known for her strong voice, called a contralto, which has a wide range.

Who is Anita Baker?

Early Life and Music Start

Anita Baker was born on January 26, 1958, in Toledo, Ohio. When she was two years old, her mother left her. She was then raised by a foster family in Detroit, Michigan. When Anita was 12, her foster parents passed away, and her foster sister took care of her.

By the age of 16, Anita began singing R&B music in nightclubs in Detroit. After one show, a bandleader named David Washington discovered her. He invited her to try out for his funk band, Chapter 8.

Anita joined Chapter 8 in 1975. The band toured and eventually signed a record deal in 1979. Their first album, Chapter 8, came out that same year. It featured songs like "Ready for Your Love" and "I Just Want to Be Your Girl," which Anita sang. After the record company was sold, Chapter 8 was dropped. The company thought Anita, as the lead singer, didn't have what it takes to be a big star.

Anita went back to Detroit and worked as a waitress and receptionist. But in 1982, a former music associate convinced her to start a solo career.

Rising to Stardom

Anita Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress, in May 1983. This album had popular songs like "Angel," which became a top ten R&B hit.

Even with this early success, Anita faced problems with her first record label. She felt she wasn't getting paid fairly. After some legal discussions, she was allowed to sign with a new label, Elektra Records, in 1985. This new contract let her have more control over her music.

In March 1986, Anita released her second album, Rapture. At first, sales were slow. But then, the song "Sweet Love" was released. It became her first pop hit, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album also had other popular songs like "Caught Up in the Rapture" and "No One in the World".

Anita toured a lot in 1986 and 1987 to promote Rapture. By 1988, the album had sold over 8 million copies worldwide. This success earned her two Grammy Awards in 1987. In 1987, she also won another Grammy for her song "Ain't No Need to Worry" with The Winans.

Her next album, Giving You the Best That I Got, came out in October 1988. It was an instant hit, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The main song, "Giving You the Best That I Got", became her highest-charting single. This album brought her three more Grammy Awards.

Music, Motherhood, and More Hits

In 1990, Anita Baker released Compositions. For this album, she was more involved in writing and producing the songs. It also featured more jazz sounds. The album sold over a million copies.

After touring for Compositions in 1991, Anita took a break from music. She wanted to spend time with her husband and start a family. During this time, her first album, The Songstress, was re-released.

After singing on Frank Sinatra's album Duets, Anita returned with her album Rhythm of Love in 1994. This album included "Body and Soul", which was a pop hit. Another song, "I Apologize", won her an eighth Grammy Award. Rhythm of Love sold over two million copies, making it her fourth album to sell that many. She then went on the Rhythm of Love World Tour from 1994 to 1995.

Anita took another break to raise her two sons. She returned to performing live in 2002. In 2004, she signed with Blue Note Records. Her album My Everything came out that September. It reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified gold.

In 2005, Anita released Christmas Fantasy, a holiday album. She also received an honorary music degree from Berklee College of Music. From 2007, she went on a two-year concert tour called An Evening with Anita Baker. She sometimes sang the American national anthem at sports events.

Recent Years and Legacy

Since 2010, Anita Baker has been working on new music. In 2012, she released her version of Tyrese's song "Lately". This song was played every hour on the radio, which was a big deal for an artist.

In February 2013, Anita performed "Lately" and "Same Ole Love" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. "Lately" was also nominated for a Grammy Award that same month. In 2017, Anita announced she was retiring, but she returned to music in 2018.

In 2021, Anita had a disagreement with Elektra Records about the rights to her music recordings. She asked her fans not to buy or stream her music until she owned her master recordings. In September 2021, she announced that the issue was solved and she now owned her music.

Anita Baker sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a big football game in Philadelphia in 2023. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine listed her as one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Personal Life

Anita Baker married Walter Bridgforth Jr. in 1988. They separated in 2005 and finalized their divorce two years later. They have two sons, Walter Baker Bridgforth (born in 1993) and Edward Carlton Bridgforth (born in 1994). Anita Baker currently lives in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan.

Her Music Albums

Studio albums

• The Songstress (1983)
• Rapture (1986)
• Giving You the Best That I Got (1988)
• Compositions (1990)
• Rhythm of Love (1994)
• My Everything (2004)
• Christmas Fantasy (2005)

Concert Tours

• The Rapture Tour (1986–87)
• The Heat: Luther & Anita Live! (with Luther Vandross) (1988)
• Anita Baker in Concert (1989)
• Compositions World Tour (1990)
• Rhythm of Love World Tour (1994–95)
• Anita Live! (2002–04)
• An Evening with Anita Baker (2007–09)
• Anita Baker: Farewell Concert Series (2018–19)
• The Songstress Tour (2023)

Awards and Honors

In 2013, Anita Baker was added to the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

BET Awards

The BET Awards celebrate African Americans in music, acting, and sports. Anita Baker received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are given out every year for achievements in music. Anita Baker has won eight Grammy Awards from 18 nominations.

American Music Awards

The American Music Awards are an annual awards show. Anita Baker has won four awards from nine nominations.

Soul Train Music Awards

The Soul Train Music Awards honor the best in African American music and entertainment.

Other honors

See also

In Spanish: Anita Baker para niños