Regina Belle

Regina Belle

Regina Belle (born July 17, 1963) is a Grammy award winning singer who sings adult contemporary, quiet storm, smooth jazz, urban contemporary, Broadway, and contemporary R&B songs. She is most notable for her Grammy award winning duet with Peabo Bryson, "A Whole New World".

Biography

Early life

Regina Belle was born in Englewood, New Jersey. It was at Englewood's Mount Calvary Baptist Church, and then Paterson's Friendship Baptist Church (presided over by Belle's uncle, the Reverend Fred Belle), that Regina Belle began attracting attention with her vocal abilities. She sang her first solo in church at age 8; and by age 17, she was the church's star singer. Belle attended Dwight Morrow High School where she studied trombone, tuba and steel drums. After graduation, she studied opera at the Manhattan School of Music. At Rutgers University, she became the first female vocalist with the school's jazz ensemble. Belle's musical influences include Phyllis Hyman, Billie Holiday, Donny Hathaway, and Nancy Wilson.

She was introduced to the Manhattans by New York radio DJ Vaughn Harper and began working as their opening act. She recorded the duet "Where Did We Go Wrong" with the group which helped to attract the attention of Columbia Records. They eventually signed her to a record deal.

Career

In 1987, she released her debut album All By Myself, which included two near-number 1 hits on the R&B chart: "Please Be Mine" and "Show Me the Way." Her follow-up album, Stay with Me, released in 1989 was much more successful than the debut; the album achieved the number 1 spot on the R&B album chart..

Belle recorded a duet in 1991 with singing superstar Johnny Mathis, "Better Together" which appeared on his album Better Together: The Duet Album. Continuing her tradition of duets, Belle teamed up with Peabo Bryson for the song "A Whole New World", which was the featured pop single from the soundtrack to the 1992 Disney movie Aladdin. The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy Award in 1993 for "Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal as well as a "Best Song" Oscar in the same year.

Later in 1993, Belle released her Platinum selling third album, Passion. The album featured the Disney hit"A Whole New World", "Dream In Color" and "If I Could", which reached # 9 on the R&B charts..

After a five-year hiatus, Belle released Believe in Me in 1998. Although the album had two hit singles, the album did not meet MCA Records sales expectations and in 1999 was dropped from the label.

Regina Belle performs for President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush during a Black Music Month celebration in the East Room of the White House on June 30, 2001.

In 2001, Regina Belle's cover of "Just the Two of Us" from the tribute album To Grover, with Love made a surprising return to the billboard charts, within months Belle would sign with the jazz oriented independent label Peak-Concord Jazz. she released the album This Is Regina!, which featured the R&B hit single, "Ooh Boy." also released were, "Don't Wanna Go Home" and "From Now On" with Glenn Jones. the album was RIAA Certified Gold in 2003.

In 2004, she released a jazz standard album, "Lazy Afternoon" produced by George Duke. The album included covers of the Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You" and Tony Bennett's "If I Ruled the World". In 2007, she collaborated with smooth jazz saxophonist Paul Taylor, co-writing and singing on his album "Ladies Choice".

Belle released her debut gospel album Love Forever Shines on May 13, 2008 via Pendulum Records. The 14-track collection features guests Melvin Williams (of the Williams Brothers) and Shirley Murdock.

Belle has appeared in concert with many other performers, including Ray Charles, Boney James, Paul Taylor, The Rippingtons, Gerald Albright, Will Downing, Maze, Frankie Beverly, Phil Perry, Al Jarreau, and Stephanie Mills.

Personal life

Belle is married to ex-NBA basketball player John Battle. She has four daughters and one son and resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	U.S. Pop	U.S. R&B	U.S. Jazz	U.S. Gospel
1987	All By Myself	85	14	-	-
1989	Stay with Me	63	1	-	-
1993	Passion	63	13	-	-
1995	Reachin' Back	115	18	-	-
1997	Baby Come To Me: The Best Of Regina Belle	-	-	-	-
1998	Believe in Me	-	42	-	-
2001	This Is Regina!	-	61	-	-
2004	Lazy Afternoon	-	58	9	-
2006	Love Songs	-	-	-	-
2008	Love Forever Shines	119	15	-	3

Singles

Year	Song	U.S. Pop	U.S.R&B	U.S. A/C	U.S. Club/Dance	U.S. Gospel
1986	"You Got the Love"	-	-	-	-	-
1987	"Please Be Mine"	-	2	-	-	-
1987	"Show Me The Way"	68	2	-	-	-
1987	"So Many Tears"	-	11	-	-	-
1988	"Without You" (with Peabo Bryson) (Theme from Leonard VI)	-	-	-	-	-
1988	"How Could You Do It To Me"	-	21	-	-	-
1989	"Baby Come To Me"	60	1	-	-	-
1989	"All I Want Is Forever" (with James "J.T." Taylor)	-	-	-	-	-
1990	"Make It Like It Was"	43	1	5	-	-
1990	"This Is Love"	-	7	29	-	-
1990	"What Goes Around"	-	3	-	-	-
1993	"A Whole New World" (Aladdin's Theme) (with Peabo Bryson)	1	21	10	-	-
1993	"If I Could"	52	9	12	-	-
1993	"Dream In Color"	-	63	-	-	-
1994	"The Deeper I Love"	-	-	-	-	-
1995	"Love T.K.O."	-	29	-	-	-
1998	"I've Had Enough"	-	-	-	25	-
2001	"Oooh Boy"	-	63	-	-	-
2004	"For the Love of You"	-	60	-	-	-
2008	"God Is Good"	-	34	-	-	2

Awards and nominations

• American Music Awards
  • 1991, Favorite Female R&B Artist (Nominated)

• Grammy Awards
  • 1991, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Make It Like It Was" (Nominated)
  • 1994, Record of the Year: "A Whole New World" (Nominated)
  • 1994, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group: "A Whole New World" (Winner)
  • 1999, Best Traditional Album: Believe in Me (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best Traditional Album: This is Regina (Nominated)

• MTV Movie Awards
  • 1993, Best Song From a Movie: "A Whole New World" (Nominated)

See also

• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100

External links

• "You Got the Love" video
• Pendulum Records Official Site