Gregory Abbott
Gregory Abbott | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gregory Joel Abbott |
| Born | April 2, 1954 New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | gregoryabbott |
Gregory Joel Abbott (born April 2, 1954)[1][2] is an American singer, musician, composer and producer. Although he continues to record to date, he is best known for his singles in the mid-1980s including his platinum single, "Shake You Down", from his 1986 debut album.
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Abbott was born in Harlem, New York.[2] Abbott's parents were from Venezuela and Antigua. During his early years, Abbott's mother taught him how to play piano and encouraged him to develop vocally. Before his career as a musician, Abbott studied psychology[3] at the University of California, Berkeley, and creative writing at Stanford; where he won a Wallace Stegner fellowship. Before becoming a musician, Abbott taught as a professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley.[4][3]
Music career
[edit]One of Abbott's first opportunities in his studio was an album for an independent record label, which gave him the opportunity to do a duet with Whitney Houston.[3] Continuing on, Abbott produced for the group EQ on Atlantic Records.[3] In 1986, Abbott released his first solo album, Shake You Down. The title track for the album was a success, going platinum and topping the Billboard Hot 100.[2] The album's second single, "I Got the Feelin' (It's Over)", reached Number 5 on the R&B chart. On the strength of its singles, the album reached platinum status and earned Abbott several awards.[3]
Internationally, Abbott has also had success, winning first prize at the Tokyo Music Festival.[3] The title track of his second album, I'll Prove It to You, which was released in 1988, was featured on a Japanese movie soundtrack.[3] In Belgium, he performed with Princess Stephanie of Monaco.[3] Over the years much of his new music has been released via his own Mojo Man Entertainment label. Abbott has continued with his R&B sound, but he added a Caribbean influence to his 1996 album One World![3] In 2011, an album entitled Drop Your Mask was released. Abbott continues to release singles including a smooth jazz song "Chill" featuring saxophonist Gerald Albright.[1]
Personal life
[edit]Abbott was married to American singer Freda Payne[5] from 1976 until 1979. Their son, Gregory Joel Abbott, Jr., was born in 1977.[4]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]| Year | Album | Label | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [6] |
US R&B [6] |
UK [7] | ||||
| 1986 | Shake You Down | Columbia Records | 22 | 5 | 53 | |
| 1988 | I'll Prove It to You | 132 | 17 | — | ||
| 1996 | One World! | Musik International | — | — | — | |
| 2002 | Eyes, Whispers, Rhythm, Sex... | — | — | — | ||
| 2011 | Drop Your Mask | Spectra Records | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||
Singles
[edit]| Year | Single | Chart Positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B [8] |
US Adult Con. [9] |
US [10] |
UK [11][7] | |||
| 1986 | "Shake You Down" | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | |
| "I Got the Feelin' (It's Over)" | 5 | 25 | 56 | 76 | ||
| "You're My Angel" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988 | "I'll Prove It to You" | 5 | 35 | — | — | |
| "Let Me Be Your Hero" | 34 | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||
Compilation albums
[edit]- Super Hits (Legacy Recordings, 1998)
- Rhyme and Reason (Sony Music, 2006)
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Biography". Gregoryabbott.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 8/9. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Belanger, Larry. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ a b "Mr. & Mrs. Freda Payne Sues For Divorce; Asks $1 A Month Alimony". Jet. Vol. 55, no. 22. Johnson Publishing Company. February 15, 1979. p. 52. ISSN 0021-5996.
- ^ "Gregory Abbott, A Singing Force". Canyon News. April 18, 2015. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
- ^ a b "Gregory Abbott - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ a b "GREGORY ABBOTT - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "Chart History - Gregory Abbott: HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "Chart History - Gregory Abbott: ADULT CONTEMPORARY". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "Chart History - Gregory Abbott: Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Rice, Jonathan; Roberts, David (2000). Guinness Book of British Hit Singles (13th ed.). London, UK: Guinness World Records Ltd. p. 69. ISBN 0-85112-111-X.
External links
[edit]- Gregory Abbott discography at Discogs
- Official website
- Mojo Man Entertainment
- Smooth Jazz Artist Guide
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1954 births
- Living people
- 20th-century African-American male singers
- 20th-century American male singers
- 20th-century American singers
- Musicians from Manhattan
- People from Harlem
- American soul singers
- Columbia Records artists
- Singers from New York City
- UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science alumni
- Musicians from Berkeley, California
- Singer-songwriters from California
- Stanford University School of Humanities and Sciences alumni
- University of California, Berkeley College of Letters and Science faculty
- 20th-century African-American academics
- 20th-century American academics
- African-American male songwriters
- 21st-century African-American male singers
- 21st-century American male singers
- Singer-songwriters from New York (state)
- 21st-century African-American academics
- 21st-century American academics