Alexander O'Neal: Difference between revisions
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|birth_date = {{birth date and age| |
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|origin = [[Natchez, Mississippi]], [[United States]] |
|origin = [[Natchez, Mississippi]], [[United States]] |
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Revision as of 17:14, 10 June 2012
Alexander O'Neal | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Alexander O'Neal |
| Born | November 15, 1953 |
| Origin | Natchez, Mississippi, United States |
| Genres | R&B/Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1979- |
| Labels | Tabu (1984-1993) One World (1996-2001) Eagle (2001-2003) Eminence (2005-2008) |
Alexander O'Neal (born November 15, 1953 in Natchez, Mississippi) is an American R&B singer. He is best known for the songs "If You Were Here Tonight", "Criticize" and "Fake" and the duets with Cherrelle, "Saturday Love" and "Never Knew Love Like This".
Biography
O'Neal was born in Natchez, Mississippi, but moved to Minneapolis when he was 20. He is an alumnus of Alcorn State University. He joined a group called "The Mystics" and played the local coverband circuit. O'Neal spent a short time in a group "Enterprise" before being recruited into Flyte Tyme, a band that included Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Monte Moir.
Later signed by Prince to the Warner Bros. label with their name changed to The Time, a disagreement with Prince led to O'Neal leaving the band and being replaced as lead singer by Morris Day. Allmusic profiler John Floyd asserts that O'Neal was ousted for "looking 'too black'",[1] though the real reason was there wasn't enough money in it for O'Neal.
O'Neal immediately formed a rock and roll band called Alexander and recorded a 12" single, "Playroom," for a Chicago-based independent label, followed by the release of "Attitude" on the Rich Records Label. Three years later, in 1984, O'Neal signed a deal with Clarence Avant's Tabu Records. He did some backing vocals for other artists on the same label, including The SOS Band and Cherrelle.
O'Neal released his eponymous debut album in 1985. It included three singles that reached the top twenty of the R&B Singles Chart. He also scored his first R&B top ten single with "Saturday Love", a duet with Cherrelle from her "High Priority" album from 1985. "Saturday Love" song peaked at #2, and it also reached the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #6.
In 1987, he released the album titled Hearsay. It yielded the #25 pop and #1 R&B single "Fake". The song also peaked at #7 on the dance chart. The follow-up, "Criticize", peaked at #4 R&B and #70 pop. It also peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart. The third single, "Never Knew Love Like This", another duet with Cherrelle, peaked at #2 R&B and #28 pop.
In 1991, he released his third album, All True Man. The album's title single reached #5 on the R&B chart and #45 on the pop chart. In 1992, his first greatest hits album, This Thing Called Love: The Greatest Hits of Alexander O'Neal, was a top ten album in the UK.
In 1993, his final album with the Tabu label, Love Makes No Sense, was released. It was the first album made without production from Jam and Lewis. In 1995, another greatest hits compilation, The Best of Alexander O'Neal, was released.
In 1996, his first album with One World Records, Lovers Again, was released. In 2001, he released an album with Eagle Records, Saga of a Married Man. The album was produced by former Prince drummer, Bobby Z. In 2005, he recorded his first live album, Alexander O'Neal Live at Hammersmith Apollo. It is a collection of many of his songs from throughout his career.
In 2006 O'Neal appeared on The Weakest Link All Singing All Dancing Edition. He was the 5th one voted off. O'Neal participated on the reality British reality singing contest show Just the Two of Us in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, he released Alex Loves, his first studio album in six years. In 2008, O'Neal took part in a Wife Swap UK special, swapping his wife Cynthia with broadcaster and TV personality Jilly Goolden.
The programme included O'Neal being interviewed in-depth by noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning Blues & Soul. The interview was featured in full in the August 2008 issue of the magazine.[2]
In 2011, the TVOne series Unsung profiled his rise to fame, along with the story of Cherrelle.[3]
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
Record label | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [4] |
US R&B [4] |
AUS [5] |
AUT [6] |
GER [7] |
NL [8] |
NZ [9] |
NOR [10] |
SWE [11] |
UK [12] | ||||
| 1985 | Alexander O'Neal | 92 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 |
|
Tabu |
| 1987 | Hearsay | 29 | 2 | 94 | 22 | 22 | 26 | 47 | 18 | 13 | 4 | ||
| 1988 | My Gift to You | 149 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 53 | — | |
| 1991 | All True Man | 49 | 3 | — | — | 36 | 26 | — | — | 20 | 2 | ||
| 1993 | Love Makes No Sense | 89 | 18 | — | — | — | 45 | — | — | 49 | 14 | — | |
| 1996 | Lovers Again | — | — | — | — | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | — | One World |
| 2002 | Saga of a Married Man | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Eagle |
| 2008 | Alex Loves | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 49 | — | EMI |
| 2010 | Five Questions: The New Journey | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | CC Ent. |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified | |||||||||||||
Live albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Record label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | |||
| 2005 | Live at the Hammersmith Apollo - London | — | — | — | Eminence |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | |||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
Record label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [4] |
US R&B [4] |
UK [12] | ||||
| 1989 | All Mixed Up | 185 | 67 | — | — | Tabu |
| 1992 | Twelve Inch Mixes | — | — | — | — | |
| 1993 | This Thing Called Love: The Greatest Hits of Alexander O'Neal | — | 89 | 4 |
| |
| 1995 | The Best of Alexander O'Neal | — | 76 | — | — | |
| 2004 | Greatest Hits | — | 59 | 12 |
| |
| 2011 | Icon | — | 71 | — | — | |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified | ||||||
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [15] |
US R&B [15] |
US Dan [15] |
BEL [16] |
CAN [17] |
GER [7] |
IRE [18] |
NL [8] |
NZ [9] |
SWI [19] |
UK [12] | |||
| 1985 | "Innocent" | 101 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Alexander O'Neal |
| "If You Were Here Tonight" | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | 42 | — | 13 | ||
| "A Broken Heart Can Mend" | — | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 53 | ||
| "Saturday Love" (with Cherrelle) | 26 | 2 | 13 | — | — | — | 7 | — | 4 | — | 6 | High Priority | |
| 1986 | "What's Missing" | — | 8 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 90 | Alexander O'Neal |
| "You Were Meant to Be My Lady (Not My Girl)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 98 | ||
| 1987 | "Fake" | 25 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 82 | 17 | — | 20 | 16 | 22 | 33 | Hearsay |
| "Criticize" | 70 | 4 | 21 | 21 | — | 24 | 14 | 17 | 40 | — | 4 | ||
| 1988 | "Never Knew Love Like This" (with Cherrelle) | 28 | 2 | — | 28 | — | 49 | — | 24 | — | — | 26 | |
| "The Lovers" | — | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | ||
| "(What Can I Say) To Make You Love Me" | — | 68 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | ||
| "Fake '88" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | 16 | All Mixed Up | |
| "The Christmas Song"/"Thank You for a Good Year" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | — | 30 | My Gift to You | |
| "Our First Christmas" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989 | "Hearsay '89" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 56 | All Mixed Up |
| "Sunshine" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 72 | Hearsay | |
| "Hit Mix (Official Bootleg Mega-Mix)" | — | — | — | — | — | 43 | 24 | — | — | — | 19 | Non-album single | |
| 1990 | "Saturday Love" (Feelin' Luv Mix) (with Cherrelle) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 55 | |
| 1991 | "All True Man" | 43 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | — | 18 | All True Man |
| "What Is This Thing Called Love?" | — | 21 | 10 | — | — | — | — | 81 | — | — | 53 | ||
| "Shame on Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 71 | ||
| "The Yoke (G.U.O.T.R.)" | — | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992 | "Sentimental" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 53 | |
| 1993 | "Love Makes No Sense" | 108 | 13 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | Love Makes No Sense |
| "In the Middle" | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | ||
| "Aphrodisia" | — | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "All That Matters to Me" | — | — | — | — | — | 51 | — | — | — | — | 67 | ||
| "Since I've Been Lovin' You" | — | — | — | — | — | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996 | "Let's Get Together" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | Lovers Again |
| 1997 | "Baby Come to Me" (with Cherrelle) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 56 | |
| 1998 | "Lovers Again" | — | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Grind" | — | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Criticize '98 Mix" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 51 | Non-album single | |
| 2002 | "You're Gonna Miss Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Saga of a Married Man |
| "—" denotes the single failed to chart | |||||||||||||
References
- ^ Alexander O'Neal at AllMusic
- ^ Alexander O'Neal interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2008
- ^ 'Unsung' puts spotlight on faded black stars by William Douglas, 'The Detroit News' July 2011
- ^ a b c d "US Albums Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ David Kent (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "AUT Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ a b "GER Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Media Control Charts. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ a b "NL Charts > Alexander O'Neal". MegaCharts. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ a b "NZ Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ "NOR Charts > Alexander O'Neal". VG-lista. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ "SWE Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ a b c "UK Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ a b c d e "UK Certified Awards Search > Alexander O'Neal". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2012-05-26. Cite error: The named reference "bpi" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b "US Certifications > Alexander O'Neal". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ a b c "US Singles Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "BEL Charts > Alexander O'Neal". VRT Top 30. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ "CAN Charts > Alexander O'Neal". RPM. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "IRE Charts Search > Alexander O'Neal". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
- ^ "Swiss Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Swiss Music Charts. Retrieved 2012-05-26.