Tony Rich facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Rich
Tony Rich in 2011
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 on November 19, 1971, is a talented American singer and songwriter. He is widely known as Tony Rich or The Tony Rich Project. Tony Rich has won a Grammy Award and is famous for his popular song "Nobody Knows".

Tony Rich's Music Journey

Starting Out in Detroit

Tony Rich was born in Detroit, Michigan. He first got noticed by a music production team called Tim & Bob. They helped him connect with Perri "Pebbles" Reid, who was married to L.A. Reid, a co-founder of LaFace Records. Tony impressed them with his music over the phone.

Becoming a Songwriter

After that, Tony Rich was 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 Vice President at LaFace, convinced L.A. Reid to sign Tony as a music artist himself. Tony then started mixing different styles like jazz, rock, and soul music into his own songs.

The Tony Rich Project Takes Off

First Album Success

After signing with LaFace Records, Tony Rich started working on his first album. The main song from the album, "Nobody Knows", came out in November 1995. It quickly became a huge hit, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the next year.

His first album, called Words, was released in early 1996. He released it under the name "The Tony Rich Project." 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 also contributed songs to the movie Fled and the 1996 Olympic Games album.

Grammy Award Win

In 1997, Tony Rich was nominated for four Grammy Awards. These included Best New Artist and Best R&B Album for Words. He won the Grammy for Best R&B Album.

After his big success, Tony released another song from his first album, "Leavin'". He also worked on songs for other artists like Michael Bolton and Aaron Neville. In 1997, he even acted in a movie called Hoodlum, playing the role of Duke Ellington. He recorded a song for the movie's soundtrack too.

Second Album and Beyond

Tony Rich then started working on his second album. The first song from it, "Silly Man," was released in 1998. His second album, Birdseye, came out on August 8, 1998. Critics liked it, but it did not sell as many copies as his first album. He also produced remixes for the Spice Girls and worked with Eric Clapton.

After a break, Tony Rich returned in 2003 with his third album, Resurrected. This was his first album released independently. It showed a different side of his music, with more rock influences and guitar playing. The song "Traveling Alone" became popular.

In 2006, he released his fourth album, Pictures. This album was well-received by fans because it returned to his R&B style. In 2007, he signed with Hidden Beach Recordings and released his fifth album, Exist, in 2008.

Tony Rich continued to work on new music. His album Speak Me was planned for release in 2013, but it was eventually put on hold. The latest album from The Tony Rich Project is Encaustic, which was released in October 2017.

Tony Rich's Music Albums

Compilations

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Tony Rich para niños