Anita Baker

Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter.

Anita Baker was born on January 26, 1958, in Toledo.

When she was two, her mother abandoned her and Baker was raised by a foster family in Detroit.

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.

Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress, in 1983.

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, didn't have "star potential."

She is known for her soulful ballads, particularly from the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s.

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.

Baker released her debut solo album, The Songstress, 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 top ten single, reaching number five on the R&B charts 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 hadn't 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.

Baker used her old Chapter 8 bandmate, songwriter and producer Michael J. Powell on her first Elektra album, though label execs were initially unhappy with her choice of Powell over more established producers.

In 1986, she rose to fame following the release of her Platinum-selling second album, Rapture, which included the Grammy-winning single "Sweet Love".

, 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.

In March 1986, Baker released her second album, Rapture.

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", 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.

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.

By 1988, the album had sold over 8 million copies worldwide, 5 million of which were sold in the United States alone.

Baker's follow-up album, Giving You the Best That I Got, was released in October 1988 and immediately became a success, topping the Billboard 200 and selling 5 million copies worldwide, 3 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 most successful charted single.

The follow-up, "Just Because", reached the top 20 on the pop chart while also becoming an R&B chart-topper, while a third single, "Lead Me Into Love", became a top ten R&B hit.

The album resulted in three more Grammy Awards for the singer.

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.