Regina Belle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Regina Belle
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Belle in concert on the Holland America Line ship, 2008
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| Born | July 17, 1963 Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Education | Rutgers University |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
| Spouse(s) |
John Battle
(m. 1991) |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | Bernard Belle (brother) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels |
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Regina Belle (born July 17, 1963) is an American singer and songwriter. She started her music career in the mid-1980s. Regina is famous for her hit songs like "Baby Come to Me" and "Make It Like It Was".
She is also well-known for singing three popular duets with Peabo Bryson. These include "Without You" from the movie Leonard Part 6. Another big hit was "A Whole New World", the main song from Disney's animated movie Aladdin. Regina Belle and Peabo Bryson won a Grammy Award for this song. Their third duet was "I Just Can't Imagine".
In 1995, the song "Far Longer than Forever" from the animated movie The Swan Princess was nominated for a Golden Globe award. Regina sang this song with Jeffrey Osborne.
Contents
About Regina Belle
Her Early Life and School
Regina Belle was born in Englewood, New Jersey. She started singing in church at a young age. When she was eight, she sang her first solo song at Mount Calvary Baptist Church.
She went to Dwight Morrow High School. There, she learned to play musical instruments like the trombone, tuba, and steel drums. After high school, Regina studied opera at the Manhattan School of Music. She then went to Rutgers University. At Rutgers, she became the first female singer in the school's jazz band.
Regina was inspired by many great singers. Some of her musical heroes include Phyllis Hyman, Billie Holiday, and Nancy Wilson.
Starting Her Music Career
Regina Belle met the music group the Manhattans through a New York radio DJ. She started performing as their opening act. She also sang a duet with them called "Where Did We Go Wrong". This song helped her get noticed by Columbia Records. She later signed a record deal with them.
In 1987, Regina released her first album, All by Myself. This album included her first hit songs "So Many Tears" and "Show Me the Way". That same year, she sang her first successful duet with Peabo Bryson, "Without You". This song was from the movie Leonard Part 6. It was her first song to reach the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Her next album, Stay with Me, came out in 1989. In 1991, she sang another duet, "Better Together", with Johnny Mathis. Regina continued to sing duets with Peabo Bryson. They sang "I Can't Imagine" in 1991 and "A Whole New World" in 1992.
In 1993, Regina released her third album, Passion. This album sold over a million copies and included the famous Disney song "A Whole New World". She then released Reachin' Back in 1995 and Believe in Me in 1998.
In 2001, Regina's cover of "Just the Two of Us" became popular again. She then signed with a jazz music label called Peak-Concord Jazz. She released the album This Is Regina!, which had the hit song "Ooh Boy". In 2004, she released a jazz album called Lazy Afternoon. This album featured covers of classic songs.
In 2008, Regina released her first gospel music album, Love Forever Shines. It included songs with other gospel artists. In 2012, she released her second gospel album, Higher. Regina has performed with many famous musicians. These include Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, and Stephanie Mills.
Regina Belle's Family Life
Regina Belle has been married two times. Her first marriage was to saxophonist Horace Alexander Young. They adopted a daughter named Tiy. In 1991, Regina married former NBA basketball player John Battle. They have four children together. Two of their children, Winter and Jayln, are adopted. They also have two daughters, Sydni and Nyla. Regina has two grandchildren from her daughter Winter.
In 2009, Regina faced a serious health challenge. She had a brain tumor. She successfully recovered, but she lost her hearing in her left ear. Regina and her husband live in Atlanta, Georgia. Her husband, John, is a pastor at a church in Atlanta.
Awards and Nominations
Regina Belle has won and been nominated for several awards for her music.
- American Music Award
- 1991, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist (Nominated)
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Make It Like It Was" | Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| 1994 | "A Whole New World" (with Peabo Bryson) | Record of the Year | Nominated |
| Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals | Won | ||
| 1999 | Believe in Me | Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album | Nominated |
| 2002 | This is Regina | Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album | Nominated |
- MTV Movie Awards
- 1993, Best Song From a Movie: "A Whole New World" (with Peabo Bryson) (Nominated)
See also
In Spanish: Regina Belle para niños
- List of number-one hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100
