Miki Howard

Miki Howard
Birth name	Alicia Michelle Howard
Born	September 30, 1960 (1960-09-30) (age 51)
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, Jazz
Occupations	Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Producer
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Atlantic Giant Warlock Records Hush Peak Shanachie Branicka Records
Associated acts	Side Effect, Levert Gerald Levert, Marc Gordon Al Jarreau, Chuckii Booker Joy Ride,[disambiguation needed ] Roy Ayers
Website	Mikihowardmedia.com

Alicia Michelle "Miki" Howard (born September 30, 1960) is an American R&B/jazz singer and actress who had a string of Top 10 hit songs in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Howard's string of hits also included Baby,Be Mine", "Come Share My Love" and "Love Under New Management". And hits, "Ain't Nobody Like You" and "Ain't Nuthin' in the World" both peaked at number one on US Billboard's Top R&B Singles chart.

Early life

Howard was born in Chicago, IL, she grew up in church, were both of her parents were gospel singers. She is the daughter of gospel singer Josephine Howard^[1] of The Caravans, and Clay Graham of The Pilgrim Jubilees.^[2][3] Howard's mother being acquainted with various entertainers, she would take Miki to the homes of various stars such as Aretha Franklin and Mavis Staples. After staying in Chicago until the age of 9, Howard and her family moved to Los Angeles to be close to Caravans arranger James Cleveland. As a child, Howard would sing often in the family home. She was fortunate to be around music greats visiting the family home from Albertina Walker, Shirley Caesar, Billy Preston, and Fats Domino. Howard being born from parents, who were singers' she inherited their singing talent. Miki was also influenced by jazz greats, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Nancy Wilson. As a teenager, Miki often visit Club Maverick in Los Angeles, a spot music acts played from Rufus and Chaka Khan to Earth Wind & Fire, were influential in her pursuit for a professional singing career.

Music career

1980-85:Side Effect

At the age of 16, she performed in a teen pageant. After the show, she met singer Augie Johnson,^[4] leader and member of R&B group Side Effect,^[5] who happened to be in the audience and began working with Howard on music. Johnson charmed Miki and later chose her, After a period of time, Howard became a Side Effect member in 1979 -- replacing the departure of Sylvia St. James. Howard's tenure with the group lasted a few years. With Miki as new female vocalist, Side Effect's After The Rain was released in 1980. The album did not do well on the charts as well as the next two Elektra albums "Portraits and All Aboard". As a member of Side Effect, the group's best remembered "I Can't Play" and a cover of Toto's "Georgy Porgy" were minor R&B hits. During this time, she also had one child by Johnson. In addition to singing with Side Effect, she did background vocals for Wayne Henderson, Roy Ayers, Stanley Turrentine, and several other artists. By 1985, Howard decided she was ready to begin a solo career, and left the group. She put together a demo that landed her a recording contract with Atlantic Records.

1986:Come Share My Love

Howard begin recording songs for her debut album, Come Share My Love released in 1986. The album was produced by LeMel Humes, would peak to number 19 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums. The first single, "Come Share My Love" would become her first U.S. hit single. The song peaked to number 5 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart. By the fall, the follow up single was a cover version of Glenn Miller's 1940's tune "Imagination", peaked to #13 on the R&B Singles and would become Miki's first video. With two hit singles from the album, Miki embarked on her first concert tour in 1987, opening for funk band Cameo. The final single, "Come Back to Me Lover" was released charting to no. 33, on R&B singles chart.

1987-90:Love Confessions, Miki Howard

In November 1987, Howard released her second album, Love Confessions. LeMel Humes produced several tracks, and became a close friend, working with Miki on future albums through-out her career. Her success continued with two more Top 10 R&B singles from the album, Nick Martinelli produced, soul ballad "Baby, Be Mine" climbed to number 5 on the R&B Singles chart. The second single "That's What Love Is", a duet with hit-making R&B crooner Gerald Levert (lead singer of R&B group Levert), peaked to no. 5 on R&B Singles chart. Gerald produced the duet and final single "Crazy", which peaked at no. 38 on R&B singles. Howard and Gerald's group Levert, embarked on a U.S. tour in support of their album's. The pair was also romantically involved, and that romance would spawn one of Howard's biggest hits from her third album. On March 30, 1988, Miki won a Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist.

In November 1989, Howard released her third album, self-titled Miki Howard, which would become her final album on Atlantic Records. Following the release, the album became a hit, charting at no. 4 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart. The album would become Howard's most successful to date. During recording, Miki and Gerald Levert's romantic relationship, spawned the song's "I'll Be Your Shoulder", "Mister" and "Just The Way You Want Me To"; written-produced by Levert. Howard secured her first chart-topper, the first single, "Ain't Nuthin' in the World", peaked at number-one on the R&B Singles. Howard scored 2 more Top 5 R&B hits from the album. The songs "Love Under New Management, written during her love affair with Levert, peaked no. 2 and a cover of "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do), at no. 3 on the R&B singles chart.

1992-93:Femme Fatale, Miki Sings Billie

By 1992, Howard was no longer a recording artist with Atlantic, she was now signed on as an artist with Giant Records. On September 15, Howard's forth studio album, Femme Fatale was released. The album peaked to no. 7 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart. Producer/songwriter LeMel Humes produced majority of the album, including the first single, "Ain't Nobody Like You". The song peaked at no. 1, on R&B Singles chart, Howards second R&B chart-topper and no. 64 on Billboard's Hot 100. A second single an music video for "Release Me", was released, the song received modest radio airplay and peaked at 43 on R&B singles chart. More singles were released as 'promotional, radio-only', the David Foster produced, "Shining Through" and "But I Love You", produced by LeMel Humes.

Miki, was offered a featured acting role by movie director Spike Lee, Lee directed/produced the 1992 bio-pic film Malcolm X. Howard portrayed jazz singer Billie Holiday, performing Holiday's "I Cover the Waterfront". Howard had always been strongly influenced by Holiday's vocal technique and music. In the fall of 1992, Miki decided to pay tribute to Billie by recording covers of her favorite classic songs by Holiday. During recording, she also landed a role in John Singleton's 1993 film Poetic Justice starring pop singer Janet Jackson and hip-hop artist/actor Tupac Shakur. In December 1993, Miki's fifth studio album, Miki Sings Billie was released under Giant Records, the album peaked at #74 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums, her lowest charting album. David Foster and LeMel Humes produced the 'cover' tracks. Official singles were not released, only a radio promo of "Don't Explain" was played on R&B and jazz stations in the U.S.

1997:Can't Count Me Out

By 1997, Miki was no longer signed to Giant Records. Her sixth studio album and her first in four years, Can't Count Me Out was released under a new label, Hush in May. The album was her first, to not chart on Billboard 200 or Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The album includes duets, a cover of Stevie Wonder's "I Love Every Little Thing About You" with singer Terence Trent D'Arby, "Can't Count Me Out" duet with father Clay Graham and a remake of Janis Ian's "At Seventeen". LeMel Humes produced most of the album, including a cover of the jazz standard "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "Sunshine" penned by singer Brenda Russell.

2001-06:Three Wishes, Pillow Talk

In March 2001, Miki released her seventh album, Three Wishes under Peak. Although no official singles were released, Nobody received radio airplay. The album peaked at No. 60 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 25 on Independent Albums chart. All the tracks were produced by new producers, except "Bring Your Loving Home" produced by Howard's close friend LeMel Humes. The album received a nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album at the 2002 Grammy Awards.

After five years had past since Three Wishes, in September 2006 Howard was now signed with Shanachie Records. Her eighth studio album, Pillow Talk was released. The album peaked at #60 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. All songs were cover tracks of her favorite R&B classic songs, of Ann Peebles, George Benson, Nancy Wilson to Natalie Cole, The Main Ingredient and Boz Scaggs. Miki contributed as album producer, along with Kim Waters, Danny Weiss and Chris Davis.

2008-Present:Private Collection

Howard is currently working on regenerating her career after taking some time out to raise her children. She undertook a world tour with Roy Ayers and the Jazz Allstars. In June 2008, she released her ninth studio album, Private Collection^[6] under her legally owned new independent label, Branicka Records.^[7] The album contained ten tracks, with five new smooth jazz and R&B songs co-written and co-produced with Chuckii Booker, and five jazz standards co-produced with Brandon McCune. Besides Booker, composers included on the album included Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer for "Skylark", Sammy Fain and Paul-Francis Webster for "Secret Love", Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for "Days of Wine and Roses", Elisse Boyd and Murray Grand for "Guess Who I Saw Today", and Irving Berlin for "Counting Your Blessings".

On November 1, 2010, "Unsung: Miki Howard"^[8] was televised on TV One. In February 2011, TV One televised "Way Black When"^[9] which showcased African Americans' impact in entertainment through the 1970s, 80's and 90's. Howard was featured during the 80's segment, hosted by comedian Niecy Nash. Howard performed her number-one R&B hit, "Ain't Nobody Like You". In March she embarked on a U.S. tour "Throwback Unplugged Tour"^[10] with Dru Hill, K-Ci & JoJo and Bell Biv DeVoe.

Discography

Main article: Miki Howard discography

Albums

Studio albums Come Share My Love (1986) Love Confessions (1987) Miki Howard (1989) Femme Fatale (1992) Miki Sings Billie (1993) Can't Count Me Out (1997) Three Wishes (2001) Pillow Talk (2006) Private Collection (2008)

Compilation albums The Very Best of Miki Howard (2001) Live albums Live Plus (1996)

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions[11][12]			Album
		US	US R&B	UK
1986	"Come Share My Love"	—	5	—	Come Share My Love
1987	"Imagination"	—	13	—
	"Come Back to Me Lover"	—	33	—
	"Baby, Be Mine"	—	5	—	Love Confessions
1988	"That's What Love Is" (Duet with Gerald Levert)	—	4	—
	"Crazy"	—	38	—
1989	"Ain't Nuthin' in the World"	—	1	—	Miki Howard
	"Love Under New Management"	89	2	—
1990	"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)"	—	3	67
	"Come Home to Me"	—	53	—
1992	"Ain't Nobody Like You"	64	1	—	Femme Fatale
	"Release Me"	—	43	—
"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released

Tours

• Cameo Tour (1987)
• Jazz AllStars Tour (2009)
• Throwback Unplugged Tour (2011)

Films

• Malcolm X (1992)
• Poetic Justice (1993)

Awards and nominations

Soul Train Awards

Year	Category	Album/Track	Result
1988	Best New R&B/Soul Artist	Love Confessions	Winner

American Music Awards

Year	Category	Album/Track	Result
1990	Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist	Miki Howard	Nominated

Grammy Awards

Year	Category	Album/Track	Result
2002	Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album	Three Wishes	Nominated

References

1. ^ http://www.1800gospel.com/2010/11/video-miki-howards-gospel-music-connection/
2. ^ http://www.malaco.com/Catalog/Gospel/The-Pilgrim-Jubilees/list.php
3. ^ http://www.gospelflava.com/reviews/pilgrimjubileesyear.html
4. ^ http://www.soulinterviews.com/interviews-archive/451-augies-side-effect-fon.html
5. ^ http://mog.com/artists/bio/mn30082/side-effect
6. ^ http://www.soulexpress.net/mikihoward_privatecollection.htm
7. ^ http://www.linkedin.com/pub/miki-howard/8/2b5/122
8. ^ http://www.tvoneonline.com/shows/show.asp?sid=1192
9. ^ http://wayblackwhen.tvoneonline.com/tvone/
10. ^ http://www.songkick.com/artists/67479-miki-howard/gigography
11. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/miki-howard/chart-history/4850?f=367&g=Singles
12. ^ "Miki Howard UK chart history". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=5865. Retrieved 2009-09-05. 

External links

• Miki Howard on Myspace
• Miki Howard at Allmusic
• Mikihowardmedia.com

Persondata
Name	Howard, Miki
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1960-09-30
Place of birth	Chicago, Illinois
Date of death
Place of death