Reggie Calloway facts for kids

Reggie Calloway (born January 23, 1955) is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He has been working in the entertainment industry for over 50 years! He is known for starting the music group Midnight Star. Their album No Parking on the Dance Floor was a huge hit, reaching #2 on the R&B charts and selling millions of copies.

Reggie later formed the R&B duo Calloway with his brother Vincent. Their song I Wanna Be Rich became a top hit, reaching #2 on the Pop charts. Reggie also wrote and produced Casanova for the group LeVert, which was nominated for a Grammy Award. He has worked with many famous artists like Natalie Cole, NSYNC, and Teddy Pendergrass. His song Love Overboard, sung by Gladys Knight & the Pips, even won a Grammy Award! Many artists, including Snoop Dogg and Usher (musician), have used parts of his music in their own songs.

Reggie Calloway also works to support artists' rights in the music world. He is involved with several organizations, including the California Copyright Conference Scholarship Fund. In 2022, he was honored by being added to the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Reginald LeVon Calloway was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming. His family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio in 1964. As a kid, Reggie worked in his mom's flower and ice cream shop. He also played basketball, football, and the trumpet in school.

In 1975, Reggie and his brothers, Vincent and Gregory, started a jazz-fusion group called SunChild. They even released their first song on their own record label. Reggie went to Kentucky State University to study music. He was a top student and started an electro-funk band called Midnight Star with other music students. His brother Vincent joined the band later. The band eventually moved to Cincinnati and lived at Reggie's mom's house, where she became their manager.

Reggie Calloway's Music Career

Reggie Calloway is a talented singer, songwriter, and music producer. He also owns his own record label, Spiral Galaxy Entertainment.

Midnight Star: A Bright Beginning

Reggie formed Midnight Star in 1976. The band included Reggie, Belinda Lipscomb, Melvin Gentry, and others. Reggie was the leader, writing and producing many of their songs. He carefully studied popular songs and what people liked to dance to.

In 1979, the band signed with Solar Records. Reggie learned a lot about producing music by working with experienced producers. He even had a short but important meeting with the legendary Quincy Jones, which helped Midnight Star create their big hit, "No Parking on the Dance Floor."

Midnight Star became known for their unique "techno-funk" sound. This sound mixed R&B, funk, and pop, often using synthesizers and Vincent Calloway's special vocoder voice. They had many top songs like Operator, Freak-A-Zoid, and Wet My Whistle. Their album No Parking On the Dance Floor was a huge success. Reggie and Vincent left the group in 1986 to work on new music projects.

Calloway: A Duo's Success

After leaving Midnight Star, Reggie and his brother Vincent formed the duo Calloway. They released two albums, All the Way and Let's Get Smooth. Their song I Wanna Be Rich was a massive hit, selling millions of copies and reaching #2 on the Pop charts.

Reggie also released his own solo album in 2009 called Bring Back the Love, which was well-received.

Songs for a Cause

Reggie and Vincent Calloway have also used their music to help others.

• In 2017, they released a song called Houston to help schools in Houston that were damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Other artists like The Whispers and Kathy Sledge also joined in. All the money from the song went to the Houston Independent School District.
• In 2020, they released Politics to encourage people to register and vote.
• In 2021, Reggie sang on a charity song called People Get Ready with stars like Stevie Wonder and Ray Parker Jr.. All the money from this song went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which helps children with serious illnesses. This song was so popular it reached #1 on the World Indie Music Charts.

Writing and Producing for Other Artists

Reggie Calloway has a talent for writing and producing hit songs for many different artists.

• He helped sign the group The Deele (which included future stars Babyface and LA Reid) to Solar Records. He produced their 1983 album Street Beat, which had the hit song Body Talk.
• In the early 1980s, he worked with The Whispers, writing and producing songs like Contagious.
• By the mid-1980s, Reggie was a very popular writer and producer. In 1987, his song Jump Start helped restart Natalie Cole's music career.
• His song Love Overboard for Gladys Knight & the Pips won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Group or Duo with a Vocal.
• He also wrote and produced Casanova for LeVert, which was nominated for a Grammy.
• In 1988, Reggie wrote and produced Joy for Teddy Pendergrass, which became a #1 hit. He wrote several other songs for Teddy Pendergrass, including holiday songs.

Helping Artists with Their Money

Reggie Calloway has also worked to help artists manage their money and keep ownership of their music. He has been involved with companies that help artists get advances without giving up their creative rights.

Reggie Calloway's Hit Songs

Reggie Calloway has been involved in many hit songs, either as a writer, singer, musician, or producer. Here are some of the songs he helped create:

Top Songs on the Charts

Many of the songs Reggie Calloway worked on became very popular and appeared on music charts. Here are some of his biggest hits:

Albums Reggie Calloway Worked On

Reggie Calloway has contributed to many albums throughout his career. Here are some of them:

Albums on the Billboard Charts

Many albums Reggie Calloway worked on were very successful and appeared on the Billboard music charts. Some even sold enough copies to earn special awards!