Jermaine Paul
Encyclopedia
Jermaine Paul is an American
R&B/soul
singer, songwriter
, and multi-instrumentalist
.
. When eight years old, he began to acquire a reputation for singing while playing the drums at local churches and talent shows with his family. Jermaine joined numerous adult choirs.
At the age of 12, Jermaine and his brother (Charles Paul) moved to Alabama
with his grandfather. There, he was introduced to the guitar
. He played his step-grandmother's old Gibson
guitar at the local church. He began listening to R&B music and imitating the voices of Stevie Wonder
, Marvin Gaye
, Jackie Wilson
and Otis Redding
. With some knowledge of the guitar, and the yearning to go back to New York
, he wrote his first song.
At age 14, he moved to upstate New York (Hudson Valley). There he attended high school and was introduced to pop, rock
and jazz
. While taking piano
lessons he was selected to join the all-state, all-county chorus, and the classically-trained high school voice ensemble.
group named 1Accord signing to basketball
star Shaquille O'Neal
's label, Twism Records. He began writing and producing songs of his own. Paul also began recording backing vocals for artists such as Marry J. Blige, Joss Stone
, Blackstreet and Jaguar Wright
.
In 2001 Paul joined a band named Focus
. He began traveling internationally as an opening act and background vocalist
to Alicia Keys
. He was hand picked by Keys out of the crowd one night at a club in New York
to come onstage for an impromptu
performance for her. She was so impressed with his talent that she later invited him to become one of her background singers
. Since then, they have had numerous collaborations.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B/soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
.
Early life
Jermaine Paul was raised in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. When eight years old, he began to acquire a reputation for singing while playing the drums at local churches and talent shows with his family. Jermaine joined numerous adult choirs.
At the age of 12, Jermaine and his brother (Charles Paul) moved to Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
with his grandfather. There, he was introduced to the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. He played his step-grandmother's old Gibson
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
guitar at the local church. He began listening to R&B music and imitating the voices of Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson
Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history...
and Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
. With some knowledge of the guitar, and the yearning to go back to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, he wrote his first song.
At age 14, he moved to upstate New York (Hudson Valley). There he attended high school and was introduced to pop, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. While taking piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lessons he was selected to join the all-state, all-county chorus, and the classically-trained high school voice ensemble.
Music career
At 15, Paul joined a quartetQuartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
group named 1Accord signing to basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
star Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
's label, Twism Records. He began writing and producing songs of his own. Paul also began recording backing vocals for artists such as Marry J. Blige, Joss Stone
Joss Stone
Jocelyn Eve Stoker , better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...
, Blackstreet and Jaguar Wright
Jaguar Wright
Jaguar Wright is a soul/R&B vocalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is part of the Okayplayer collective. She has performed along rap acts such as The Roots, Jay-Z, and Blackalicious.-Career:...
.
In 2001 Paul joined a band named Focus
Focus (band)
Focus is a Dutch rock band which was founded by classically trained organist/flautist Thijs van Leer in 1969, and is most famous for the instrumental pieces "Hocus Pocus" and "Sylvia"...
. He began traveling internationally as an opening act and background vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
to Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
. He was hand picked by Keys out of the crowd one night at a club in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to come onstage for an impromptu
Impromptu
An impromptu is a free-form musical composition with the character of an ex tempore improvisation as if prompted by the spirit of the moment, usually for a solo instrument, such as piano...
performance for her. She was so impressed with his talent that she later invited him to become one of her background singers
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
. Since then, they have had numerous collaborations.
Discography
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Don't Wanna Be Alone" (Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA... featuring 1Accord) |
You Can't Stop The Reign |
| 1997 | "Don't Stop, Don't Quit" (1Accord) | Booty Call Soundtrack |
| 1998 | "Rivers" (Shaquille O'Neal featuring 1Accord) | Respect |
| 2003 | "Diary" (Alicia Keys featuring Tony! Toni! Toné! Tony! Toni! Toné! Tony! Toni! Toné! is an American Soul/R&B group from Oakland, California, popular during the late 1980s and early to mid 1990s. During the band's heyday, it was composed of D'wayne Wiggins on lead vocals and guitar, his brother Raphael Saadiq on lead vocals and bass, and their cousin Timothy... and Jermaine Paul) |
The Diary of Alicia Keys The Diary of Alicia Keys The Diary of Alicia Keys is the second studio album by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released in the United States on December 2, 2003 by J Records... |
| 2005 | "Unbreakable" (Alicia Keys featuring Jermaine Paul) | Unplugged Unplugged (Alicia Keys album) Unplugged is the first live album by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was recorded as part of the television program MTV Unplugged on July 4, 2005 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York City, and released in the United States on October 11, 2005 by J Records, including... |
| 2005 | "Gold Digger Gold Digger "Gold Digger" is a song recorded by American rapper Kanye West featuring guest vocals by Jamie Foxx. Released as the second single from West's second album, Late Registration, "Gold Digger" peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on September 6, 2005, becoming West's and Foxx's second... " (Remix) (Kanye West Kanye West Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and... featuring Focus) |
Late Registration Late Registration Late Registration is the second studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released August 30, 2005, on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place over the course of a year at various recording studios located in New York City and Hollywood... |
| 2005 | "If This World Were Mine If This World Were Mine "If This World Were Mine" is a 1967 song by soul music duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell from their album United. Written solely by Gaye, it was one of the few songs they recorded without Ashford & Simpson writing or producing... " (Alicia Keys featuring Jermaine Paul) |
So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross is a tribute album to the late soul legend Luther Vandross, consisting of cover versions of past songs by Vandross and other artists, recorded by several R&B and/or soul singers, in addition to rapper Wyclef Jean and pop singers Elton John and... |
| 2008 | "The Preamble" | The Preamble |
| 2009 | "Airplane" | Single Single (music) In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear... |
Awards and Nominations
- 2006: Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with VocalsGrammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with VocalsThe Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances...
- "If This World Were MineIf This World Were Mine"If This World Were Mine" is a 1967 song by soul music duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell from their album United. Written solely by Gaye, it was one of the few songs they recorded without Ashford & Simpson writing or producing...
" (with Alicia KeysAlicia KeysAlicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
) (Nomination) - 2006: Grammy Award for Best R&B AlbumGrammy Award for Best R&B AlbumThe Grammy Award for Best R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the R&B music genre...
- "Alicia Keys Unplugged" (Backing vocalist) (Nomination)