Anita Baker

Biography

Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American jazz and soul singer. She is known for her soulful ballads, particularly from the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s.
Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress×The Songstress31 May 1983 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Angel5:012You're the Best Thing Yet5:363Feel the Need5:394Squeeze Me4:425No More Tears5:416Sometimes5:557Will You Be Mine5:298Do You Believe Me3:55, in 1983. In 1986, she rose to fame following the release of her Platinum-selling second album, Rapture×Rapture1 August 1986 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Sweet Love4:262You Bring Me Joy4:243Caught Up In The Rapture5:074Been So Long5:075Mystery4:566No One In The World4:107Same Old Love4:058Watch Your Step4:54, which included the Grammy-winning single "Sweet Love×Sweet Love1989 · EP · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Caught Up in the Rapture5:292Same Ole Love3:583You Bring Me Joy4:304Watch Your Step6:205Sweet Love4:50". As of 2017, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards and has four Platinum albums, along with two Gold albums. Baker is a contralto with a wide range of octaves.

1958–1982: Early life, career beginnings and Chapter 8

Anita Baker was born on January 26, 1958, in Toledo, Ohio. When she was two, her mother abandoned her and Baker was raised by a foster family in Detroit, Michigan. When Baker was 12, her foster parents died and her foster sister raised her afterwards. By the time Baker was 16, she began singing R&B at Detroit nightclubs. After one performance, she was discovered by bandleader David Washington, who gave her a card to audition for the funk band, Chapter 8.
Baker joined Chapter 8 in 1975 and the group toured until securing a deal with Ariola Records in 1979. The group's first album, Chapter 8, was released that year and featured the singles "Ready for Your Love", a duet between Baker and bandmate Gerald Lyles, and the Baker-led "I Just Want to Be Your Girl." After Ariola was bought out by Arista Records in 1979, Chapter 8 was dropped by the label who were convinced that Baker, as the group's lead singer, did not have "star potential." Baker returned to Detroit, working as a waitress and a receptionist until, in 1982, Otis Smith, a former associate of Ariola, convinced Baker to start a solo career under his Beverly Glen label.

1983–1988: The Songstress, Rapture and Giving You the Best That I Got

Baker released her debut solo album, The Songstress×The Songstress31 May 1983 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Angel5:012You're the Best Thing Yet5:363Feel the Need5:394Squeeze Me4:425No More Tears5:416Sometimes5:557Will You Be Mine5:298Do You Believe Me3:55, in May 1983. The album produced four singles: "No More Tears" and its B-side, "Will You Be Mine", "Angel" and "You're the Best Thing Yet". "Angel" became Baker's first R&B top ten single, reaching number five on the R&B chart in late 1983. "You're the Best Thing Yet" followed it in the R&B top 40 early the following year.
Despite this early success, Baker later complained that she had not received any royalties from the work. In addition, the label delayed work on Baker's follow-up of The Songstress. By 1984, after two years, Baker sought to leave the label, but was sued by Smith for breach of contract in 1985. After months in court debating the matter, it was concluded that Baker should be allowed to record for other labels, winning the case against Beverly Glen label owner Otis Smith. Baker then signed with the Warner Music Group-associated Elektra Records label in 1985 and began working on her next album. Her Elektra contract allowed the singer to have creative control and produce her own music.
In March 1986, Baker released her second album, Rapture×Rapture1 August 1986 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Sweet Love4:262You Bring Me Joy4:243Caught Up In The Rapture5:074Been So Long5:075Mystery4:566No One In The World4:107Same Old Love4:058Watch Your Step4:54. While sales were initially slow following the release of the album's debut single, "Watch Your Step", Elektra released the mid-tempo ballad, "Sweet Love×Sweet Love1989 · EP · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Caught Up in the Rapture5:292Same Ole Love3:583You Bring Me Joy4:304Watch Your Step6:205Sweet Love4:50", which became her first pop hit, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and also reaching the UK Top 20. The album eventually launched three further hit singles, including "Caught Up in the Rapture", "No One in the World" and "Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)".
Throughout 1986 and 1987, Baker promoted the album by touring, headlining her first tour, The Rapture Tour, a show from which was later released on home video as A Night of Rapture. By 1988, the album had sold over eight million copies worldwide, five million of which were sold in the United States alone. The album resulted in Baker's winning two Grammy Awards at the 1987 ceremony.
In 1987, Baker collaborated with The Winans on their song, "Ain't No Need to Worry", which gave Baker a third Grammy, this time in the Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus category.
Baker's follow-up album, Giving You the Best That I Got×Giving You the Best That I Got17 October 1988 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Priceless4:472Lead Me Into Love4:443Giving You the Best That I Got4:184Good Love5:385Rules3:506Good Enough4:477Just Because5:098You Belong to Me3:50, was released in October 1988 and immediately became a success, topping the Billboard 200 and selling five million copies worldwide, three million of which sold alone in the United States. The title track reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the R&B and adult contemporary charts, becoming her highest-charting single. The follow-up, "Just Because×Just Because1988 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAJust Because3:59BGood Enough3:59", reached the top 20 on the pop chart while also becoming an R&B chart-topper, while a third single, "Lead Me Into Love×Lead Me Into Love1988 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Lead Me Into Love (edit)3:592Good Enough (LP version)4:47", became a top ten R&B hit. The album resulted in three more Grammy Awards for the singer.

1990–2002: Compositions, motherhood, Rhythm of Love and tour

In 1990, Baker released Compositions, which had Baker more involved in the songwriting and production process, and the first in which she began incorporating more jazz elements than in previous albums. The album launched the singles "Talk to Me", "Soul Inspiration" and "Fairy Tales", and eventually sold over a million copies.
After the end of the album's touring and promotion schedule in 1991, Baker took a break from the business to settle down with her husband at the time, later having two children with him. Meanwhile, Elektra bought the rights to, and reissued, her first album, The Songstress×The Songstress31 May 1983 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Angel5:012You're the Best Thing Yet5:363Feel the Need5:394Squeeze Me4:425No More Tears5:416Sometimes5:557Will You Be Mine5:298Do You Believe Me3:55.
After appearing on Frank Sinatra's Duets album, Baker returned to the charts with Rhythm of Love×Rhythm of Love13 September 1994 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Rhythm of Love5:502The Look of Love4:483Body and Soul5:424Baby4:265I Apologize5:116Plenty of Room4:587It's Been You5:008You Belong to Me4:429Wrong Man5:5310Only for a While5:1911Sometimes I Wonder Why4:3812My Funny Valentine5:07 in 1994. The album featured "Body and Soul", her first top 40 pop hit since 1989. The second single, the mid-tempo "I Apologize×I Apologize1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1I Apologize (Chuck Life Remix)4:152Caught Up In The Rapture (Jungle Radio Mix)5:313Caught Up In The Rapture (II Step Piano Man Mix)5:494Caught Up In The Rapture (The 2B3 Naked Mix)5:02", won Baker an eighth Grammy. The album eventually sold over two million copies: her fourth consecutive platinum-selling album. Baker undertook the Rhythm of Love World Tour from December 14, 1994, to November 14, 1995. Baker was transferred to another label within the Warner Music Group, Atlantic Records, in 1996.
Taking a hiatus after the end of the Rhythm of Love Tour to care for her two sons, Baker returned to the studio in 2000. In May 2001, she filed a lawsuit against Zomba Recording and its Dreamhire division for alleged damage to her recordings by a hired 24-track tape machine. Due to a label restructuring, Baker was let go from Atlantic that November without releasing any material with the company. During this hiatus, Rhino Records released the compilation, The Best of Anita Baker×The Best of Anita Baker18 June 2002 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Angel4:292You're the Best Thing Yet5:363No More Tears5:354Sweet Love4:225Caught Up in the Rapture4:096You Bring Me Joy4:257Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)4:048No One in the World4:079Ain't No Need to Worry4:1910Giving You the Best that I Got3:5411Good Love5:3412Just Because4:2213Lead Me into Love4:0814Fairy Tales4:1715Talk to Me3:5616Body and Soul3:5917I Apologize4:1618It's Been You4:08 (named Sweet Love: The Very Best of Anita Baker×Sweet Love: The Very Best of Anita Baker20 May 2002 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Caught Up in the Rapture4:122Giving You the Best That I Got3:553Sweet Love4:254Body and Soul3:575Just Because4:226I Apologize4:167Rhythm of Love5:508Soul Inspiration4:029Lead Me Into Love4:0810Angel4:2911Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)4:0412Fairy Tales4:1613Talk to Me3:5514Good Enough4:0015No More Tears5:4116When You Love Some One4:1017You Bring Me Joy4:2518No One in the World4:07 in the UK) in June 2002. The album eventually was certified platinum by the RIAA, denoting sales in excess of 1,000,000 units in the US.

2004–2008: My Everything, Christmas Fantasy and tour

That year, Baker returned to live performing, signing with Blue Note Records in March 2004. That September, Baker released the album, My Everything×My Everything7 September 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1You're My Everything5:032How Could You4:213In My Heart5:074Serious5:265How Does It Feel4:426Like You Used to Do5:127Close Your Eyes4:438You're My Everything Revisited1:129I Can't Sleep5:0810Men in My Life3:37. The album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and number-one on the R&B charts, eventually being certified gold.
In 2005, Baker released Christmas Fantasy, winning a Grammy nomination for the song, "Christmas Time Is Here". In May 2005, Baker was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. Starting in 2007, Baker embarked on a two-year concert tour titled An Evening with Anita Baker. She occasionally sang the American national anthem at sports events. "I met Anita at the Grammy Awards in 2007," said Mary J. Blige. "I told [her] how much she meant to me. She said, 'I'm glad that you picked up the ball where I left off.' That meant a lot."

2010–present: New music, tour, brief retirement, and comeback

Baker had been working on a new album featuring the single, "Only Forever", since 2010. In August 2012, Baker released her version of Tyrese's hit, "Lately×Lately7 August 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Lately4:02". The song made headlines for Baker after the song was played every hour, on the hour, throughout the day on urban adult contemporary radio, making her the first artist to make this kind of debut. Though Blue Note set release dates for the album in October and December 2012, Baker decided she still needed to work on the album, causing delays. The album never materialized.
In February 2013, Baker returned to the national spotlight, performing "Lately" and "Same Ole Love" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. That same month, she appeared at the Grammys where "Lately" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance. In January 2017, Baker confirmed she had retired. She emerged from retirement in 2018.
In March 2021, Baker entered into a conflict with Elektra Records over rights to her master recordings, which she claimed were supposed to return to her after the expiration of her contract, according to copyright law. She asked fans to stop buying and streaming her music until the rights to her music were given to her. In September 2021, she announced that the dispute had been settled and that she owned her masters.
Baker performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field prior to the 2022 NFC Championship Game between the Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Baker at number 92 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Personal life

Baker married Walter Bridgforth Jr. on December 24, 1988, at their home in Detroit. In the following year, Baker had a miscarriage. They had two sons, Walter Baker Bridgforth (born January 1993) and Edward Carlton Bridgforth (born May 1994). The couple separated in 2005 and finalized their divorce two years later. Baker currently lives in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan.
More than five years after her divorce, Baker filed for a legal last name change from Bridgforth to her maiden name in her private life.
Baker publicly endorsed presidential candidate Andrew Yang in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.

Awards and honors

In 2013, Anita Baker was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

BET Awards

The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually, and are broadcast live on BET.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Baker has received eight awards from 18 nominations.

American Music Awards

The American Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony created by Dick Clark in 1973. Baker has received four awards from nine nominations.

Soul Train Music Awards

The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual award show aired in national broadcast syndication that honors the best in African American music and entertainment established in 1987.