Tony Thompson (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Thompson
Thompson circa 1992
Background information
Birth name	Anthony Ulysses Thompson, Jr.
Born	September 2, 1975 Waco, Texas, U.S.
Origin	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	June 1, 2007(2007-06-01) (aged 31) Waco, Texas, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul pop new jack swing
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1989–2007
Labels	Jive Giant Bad Boy
Associated acts	Hi-Five Tevin Campbell DeVante Swing P. Diddy Babyface

Anthony Ulysses Thompson, Jr. (born September 2, 1975 – died June 1, 2007) was an American singer and songwriter. He was most famous as the lead singer of the R&B group Hi-Five. This group had popular songs like "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)" and "I Can't Wait Another Minute". After Hi-Five broke up in 1994, Tony Thompson started a solo career. His first solo album, Sexsational, came out in 1995.

Tony Thompson's Early Life and Music Career

Tony Thompson was born in Waco, Texas. He grew up in Oklahoma City. He was named after his father, Anthony Thompson, Sr.

Tony started singing solos in his local church choir when he was eight years old. He then began singing in local talent shows. A local artist named William Walton noticed Tony's talent. Tony was also discovered by the first R&B group from Waco, Texas, to sign with Jive Records.

Joining the Group Hi-Five

The original members of this group were Toriano Easley, Marcus Sanders, Russell Neal, and Roderick "Pooh" Clark. Toriano Easley left the group before their first album was released. Treston Irby joined in late 1990, making it a five-member group. They decided to call themselves Hi-Five. The group signed with Jive Records in 1989.

Their first album, Hi-Five, was released in September 1990. It sold over a million copies, which is called going "platinum". This album had several hit songs. These included "I Like the Way (The Kissing Game)", "I Can't Wait Another Minute", and "Just Another Girlfriend".

In 1992, the group released their second album, Keep It Goin' On. This album featured songs like "She's Playing Hard to Get" and "Quality Time". Their third album, Faithful, came out in 1993. A "Greatest Hits" album for Hi-Five was released in October 1994. Tony Thompson was the lead singer for Hi-Five for five years. The group broke up in 1994, and Tony decided to focus on his own music.

Solo Music and Group Challenges

Tony Thompson's only solo album was Sexsational. It was released by Giant Records in 1995. After working with Bad Boy Records for three years (1997-2000), Tony started his own record label called N'Depth.

He then brought Hi-Five back together with four new members. This new version of the group released an album called The Return in 2005. They also released a special Christmas album in 2004 called "Five Days to Christmas".

Legal Issues Over the Group Name

In November 2005, while Tony and the new Hi-Five members were promoting their music, they faced a problem. Some former members of Hi-Five sent a letter saying they owned the rights to the group's name. This meant Tony's new group could not use the "Hi-Five" name.

This legal issue stopped the new album from being sold. A lawsuit was filed in court to prevent Tony, even though he was an original member, from using the "Hi-Five" name. The lawsuit claimed that an agreement made when the members were younger meant the name could only be used if all five original members were part of the recordings. The legal case continued for a long time. It was not officially closed until August 2009, which was more than two years after Tony Thompson passed away.

Tony Thompson's Passing

On June 1, 2007, Tony Thompson's body was found in Waco, Texas. He was 31 years old. An examination later showed that he had died from inhaling a harmful substance. Tony Thompson is buried at Doris Miller Memorial Park in Waco, Texas. A special ceremony was held on June 10, 2010, for the installation of his grave site headstone.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Music Videos