Tevin Campbell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tevin Campbell
Campbell in 1996
Background information
Birth name	Tevin Jermod Campbell
Born	(1976-11-12) November 12, 1976 (age 48) Waxahachie, Texas, U.S.
Origin	Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul pop new jack swing
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Spectra Qwest Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Quincy Jones Prince Siedah Garrett Stevie J

Tevin Jermod Campbell (born November 12, 1976) is an American singer and songwriter. He started singing gospel music in his church when he was very young.

In 1988, Tevin got a chance to audition for jazz musician Bobbi Humphrey. This led to him signing with Warner Bros. Records. In 1989, he worked with famous producer Quincy Jones and sang on the song "Tomorrow".

Tevin released his first album, T.E.V.I.N., which sold over a million copies. It included his biggest hit, "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do". This song reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other popular songs from this album were "Alone With You" and "Goodbye".

His second album, I'm Ready, came out in 1993 and sold two million copies. It featured hits like "Can We Talk" and the title track "I'm Ready". Both songs reached number 9 on the Hot 100 chart.

Tevin also acted in movies and TV shows. He appeared in Prince's film Graffiti Bridge. He also had guest roles on popular TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Moesha. Kids might know his voice from Disney's 1995 animated movie A Goofy Movie. He was the voice of the pop star Powerline and sang the songs "Stand Out" and "I2I". Later, in 2005, he performed on Broadway in the musical Hairspray.

Tevin Campbell has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. He has sold over 5 million records in the United States.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Tevin Campbell was born in Waxahachie, Texas. He was the second child of Rhonda Byrd, who later became his manager. Tevin's mother sang in the choir at Jacob's Chapel, a Baptist church in Waxahachie. Tevin started singing gospel music there when he was very young. He first sang in the choir and then became a soloist.

When he was 12, a family friend helped him sing for jazz singer Bobbi Humphrey. She arranged for him to perform in Manhattan. A manager named Benny Medina saw the performance tape. He flew to Texas and signed Tevin shortly after. Tevin's family then moved to Encino, Los Angeles. Tevin went to a private school in Sherman Oaks.

Music Career Highlights

Benny Medina introduced Tevin to Quincy Jones, a very famous music producer. In 1989, Tevin sang on Jones's song "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)". This song became number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart in 1990. "Tomorrow" was the first song from Jones's album Back on the Block, which won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1991. After working with Jones, Tevin recorded more music with other producers like Narada Michael Walden and Babyface.

First Solo Hits and Debut Album

Tevin's first solo hit was "Round and Round". It reached number 3 on the R&B chart in 1990. This song was produced by Prince and was featured in Prince's movie Graffiti Bridge.

After his movie appearance, Tevin guest-starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1991. He played a teen idol named "Little T". The song "Round and Round" earned Tevin a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Tevin released his first album, T.E.V.I.N., in November 1991. It included the R&B hits "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do" (his number 1 R&B hit), "Alone with You", and "Goodbye". The album reached number 38 on the Billboard 200 chart. It sold over 1 million copies in the United States and was certified Platinum. T.E.V.I.N. also earned Tevin another Grammy nomination.

I'm Ready and Continued Success

Tevin's second album, I'm Ready, was released in October 1993. Tevin wanted this album to show he was growing up. He told Billboard magazine that the album reflected his experiences.

I'm Ready had several hit songs. "Can We Talk" reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the R&B chart. The song "I'm Ready" also hit number 9 on the Hot 100. "Always in My Heart" was another popular song. The album sold 2 million copies and was certified double Platinum. Many people consider I'm Ready to be the peak of his career, even though he was only 16 when he recorded it. The album received three Grammy nominations.

In 1995, Tevin voiced the character Powerline in Disney's animated movie A Goofy Movie. He sang the popular songs "I 2 I" and "Stand Out" for the film.

Later Albums and Broadway

Tevin's third album, Back to the World, came out in 1996. While it was certified gold, it wasn't as successful as his first two albums. The main song, "Back to the World", was a moderate hit.

His fourth album, Tevin Campbell, was released in 1999. This album explored a new style called neo-soul. It included a Top 30 song called "Another Way".

After 2002, Tevin kept a low profile for a few years. In 2005, he joined the Broadway musical Hairspray as the character Seaweed J. Stubbs. He performed in the show until 2011, including productions in Australia.

Return to Music and Television

In 2014, Tevin Campbell began performing concerts again. He performed at B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill in New York and the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. It was announced that he was working on a new album with producers like Teddy Riley and singers like Faith Evans.

In 2015, Tevin made a rare appearance at the Anaheim Convention Center for a reunion of the A Goofy Movie cast. He performed "I 2 I" from the movie's soundtrack. He also performed "Can We Talk" at the 2015 Soul Train Music Awards as part of a tribute to Babyface.

Tevin released a new song called "Safer on the Ground" in 2016. He said the song reminded him of his earlier hit "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do". He also mentioned that he wants his new music to be "authentic" and different from current R&B sounds.

In 2019, Tevin appeared on the TV show Queen Sugar. This happened after the show's director, Ava DuVernay, mentioned wanting to include him in an episode.

Vocal Style

Tevin Campbell is known for his amazing voice. He is an altino countertenor and has a vocal range of almost four octaves. This means he can sing very low notes and very high notes. For example, in his song "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do", his voice spans from a very low E to a very high D. Early in his career, people often compared his smooth voice and impressive range to Michael Jackson. Tevin said this was a "big compliment" but also put some pressure on him.

Discography

Studio albums

• T.E.V.I.N. (1991)
• I'm Ready (1993)
• Back to the World (1996)
• Tevin Campbell (1999)

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Tevin Campbell para niños