Kenneth Brian Edmonds found a way as an adolescent to overcome his shyness by writing down his emotions in songs. At that time he also practiced with guitar and keyboard, and a few decades later he is known worldwide as Babyface (his professional name).
Babyface is not only a well-decorated crooner with 11 Grammy Awards in his name but also an author and producer of more than 26 number one R&B hits. Among other things, this earned him 20th place on a compilation of NME 50 Of The Greatest Producers Ever.
Babyface Bio (Age)
The American singer was born on April 10, 1959, in Indianapolis, Indiana, and baptized Kenneth Brian Edmonds by his African-American parents – Marvin (father) and Barbara Edmonds (mother), an operator of a pharmaceutical factory.
Edmunds’s family had a hard time when her father died after a fight with lung cancer. He was then an eighth-grader at North Central High School in Indianapolis and was already writing songs to help him overcome his shyness. When Edmonds saw his mother’s difficulties in taking care of the family, he began to pursue a career in music.
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In his early days as a singer, he worked with Bootsy Collins and also received his nickname “Babyface” from the American musician. His youthful appearance earned him the name. Babyface also worked with the group known as Manchild, performed as a guitarist, and played keyboards in the light-funk and R&B group known as Deele. The latter group introduced him to his future partner – drummer Antonio “L.A.”. Reid. They remained in their positions in the group Deele until they left in 1988. The duo began writing and producing together and enjoyed great success.
His Slow Jam hit, which he wrote for the R&B band Midnight Star, received rave reviews in 1983. The song was part of the band’s double-platinum album No Parking on the Dance Floor. Slow Jam was also played a lot on the radio, and more than three decades after its release, it can still be heard on radio stations.
So far in his productive career, Babyface has released eight studio albums and six collaborative albums with bands and solo artists. The last of his collaborative offerings, released on February 4, 2014, became a price favorite. The duet album entitled Love, Marriage & Divorce was recorded with Toni Braxton.
In 2009, Soda Pop Records was launched by the star, under which he signed the R&B superstars K-Ci & JoJo. Besides singing, writing, and producing music, Babyface has also tried his hand at acting. He had one performance and also appeared in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. He also worked with his ex-wife Tracey Edmonds to create the Edmonds Entertainment Group, with which they produced critically acclaimed films such as Soul Food (1997) and Josie and the Pussycats (2001). Other productions were also made under the stable.
Net Worth
For an entertainer of his caliber, it is hardly surprising that people are very interested in knowing the exact extent of the wealth he has gained from his career as a musician and other ventures in the entertainment industry.
Sadly, the search for Babyface’s wealth has led to various figures being quoted that can hardly be proven to be his net worth. While several sources have estimated the total value of the man’s wealth at $80 million, a handful of others believe it to be much greater, leaving the figure at $170 million.
His Family – Wife and Kids
The legendary crooner has already been married three times. His first marriage attempt was with a woman who was simply identified as Denise. The details of this marriage – when it began and when it ended – were not made public, probably because it happened when he was very young.
Tracey Edmonds entered his life in 1990 during auditions for one of his music videos. Their romance blossomed into a marriage that was officially sealed on September 5, 1992. Unfortunately, it was not to be a happy union, as Tracey filed for divorce in 2005 due to irreconcilable differences. That was after thirteen years of living together as a man and a woman.
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In 2007 Babyface soon found love again in the arms of his background dancer Nicole “Nikki” Pantenburg. On May 17, 2014, they made their union official in a wedding ceremony and have remained together ever since.
From his last two marriages, Babyface is the father of three children, one daughter, and two sons. His sons Brandon and Dylan are from his marriage to Tracy, and in 2008, when they were still together, Babyface and Nicole welcomed a daughter, Payton.
Babyface Brothers
Babyface has two brothers – Kevon and Melvin Edmunds, who also bask in the limelight.
While Babyface was advancing in the music industry alone, his brothers joined forces with Keith Mitchell to form After 7, an R&B group formed in 1987.
The talented trio became famous in the late 1980s and 1990s with hits like Ready or Not and Nights Like This. They delivered their stuff well until Melvin bowed down in the early 2000s and left his place in the group to his son Jason Edmonds.
