Tony Rich facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Rich
Background information
Birth name	Antonio Jeffries
Also known as	The Tony Rich Project
Born	(1971-11-19) November 19, 1971 (age 53)
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Francis-Lyn, LLC , Rich Media, Hidden Beach, LaFace

Antonio Jeffries (born November 19, 1971), known to many as Tony Rich or The Tony Rich Project, is an American singer and songwriter. He won a Grammy Award and is famous for his popular song "Nobody Knows".

Tony Rich's Early Music Career

Tony Rich was born in Detroit, Michigan, in the United States. He first got noticed thanks to a music production team called Tim & Bob. They helped him get an audition over the phone with Perri "Pebbles" Reid. She was married to L.A. Reid, who helped start LaFace Records.

Tony Rich was then hired as a songwriter for LaFace Records. He wrote hit songs for many famous artists. These included Toni Braxton, Boyz II Men, and TLC. Later, Eddie F, a new Vice President at the company, convinced L.A. Reid to sign Tony Rich as a music artist. Tony Rich then started mixing different music styles like jazz, rock, and soul music into his own songs.

The Tony Rich Project Takes Off

After signing with LaFace Records, Tony Rich began working on his first album. The first song from this album was "Nobody Knows". It came out in November 1995 and quickly became a big hit. The song reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the next year.

Tony Rich released his first album, Words, in early 1996. He used the name "The Tony Rich Project" for this album. Both the album and the song "Nobody Knows" sold over a million copies, earning them platinum awards. Another song from the album, "Like a Woman," also did well. Tony Rich also added the song "Highway" to the movie soundtrack for Fled in 1996. He also contributed "You're a Winner" to a special album for the 1996 Olympic Games.

Grammy Award Success

In 1997, Tony Rich was nominated for four Grammy Awards. These included Best New Artist and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Nobody Knows." He was also nominated for Best R&B Album for Words and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Like a Woman." He won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.

Later in 1997, a third song from his first album, "Leavin'," was released. It also appeared on the Hot 100 chart. That same year, he wrote and produced songs for other artists like Michael Bolton.

Tony Rich also acted in a movie. He played the famous musician Duke Ellington in the 1997 crime movie Hoodlum. He also recorded a song called "Harlem is Home" for the movie's soundtrack.

New Albums and Projects

After his first album's success, Tony Rich started working on his next one. The first song from this new album, "Silly Man," came out in 1998. His second album, Birdseye, was released on August 8, 1998. Music critics liked it a lot, but it didn't sell as many copies as his first album. This was partly because of issues with his record label. In the same year, he helped produce remixes for the Spice Girls' song "Viva Forever". He also worked with artists like CeCe Winans and Eric Clapton.

After his Birdseye album, Tony Rich took some time to work on different projects. In 1999, he recorded a new version of the song "If This World Were Mine" for a tribute album. For a few years, he wrote songs for gospel artists. He also contributed to the Guy reunion album Guy III. One song from that album, "Why You Wanna Keep Me from My Baby," became a single.

In 2003, Tony Rich released his third album, Resurrected. This was his first album released as an independent artist. The album had a very different sound, with more rock music and a focus on his guitar playing. The first song, "Traveling Alone," became popular. Another song, "Red Wine," was also released from the album.

In 2006, Tony Rich released his fourth album, Pictures. This album focused on the theme of relationships. Fans really liked it, as it returned to his earlier R&B sound.

In 2007, he signed with Hidden Beach Recordings. He then started working on his fifth album, Exist. The first song from this album, "Part the Waves," was released digitally. The full album came out on September 23, 2008.

After promoting Exist with tours and TV performances, one of his songs, "Sweet Addiction," was featured on a compilation album called Hidden Beach Valentines Vol. 1.

In 2009, he planned to release a new album called Speak Me. It was scheduled for March 19, 2013. The first song, "Fade Away," was sent to smooth jazz radio stations. The album was later delayed and eventually not released. However, small parts of the album were shared online.

The most recent album from The Tony Rich Project is Encaustic, which was released in October 2017.

Tony Rich's Music Albums

Compilation Albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Tony Rich para niños