VAN HUNT

'Van Hunt' (born March 8, 1977) is a Grammy award-winning, American R&B/neo soul singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer.

Contents

Biography

Influences

Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

Awards & nominations

Notes

References

External links

Biography

Van Hunt was born in Dayton, Ohio and raised by his single mother. His father was a factory worker and part-time painter, who was a friend of Ohio Players drummer Jimmy "Diamond" Williams. At an early age, Hunt took up the saxophone and drums, and later played guitar in a rock band called Royalty. Hunt moved to Texas for a short time before relocating to Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 to attend Morehouse College. In Atlanta, he started producing demos for Atlanta rappers in order to pay bills. Hunt met up-and-coming record producers and artists like Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri and TLC through his work on demos.
Hunt wrote and produced the song "Hopeless" for singer Dionne Farris, formerly of Arrested Development, and joined her band on guitar and keyboards. "Hopeless" appeared on the soundtrack for the film ''Love Jones'' (1997), which led to Hunt emerging professionally as a songwriter. He collaborated with Joi and Rahsaan Patterson, and wrote "Mean Sleep" with Cree Summer, whose recording with Lenny Kravitz appears on the album ''Street Faërie'' (1999). Through Farris, Hunt met A&R person Randy Jackson (who later went on to be a judge on Fox's ''American Idol''). In 2002, Jackson became Hunt's manager and helped him to sign to Capitol Records the next year.
Hunt released his first album, ''Van Hunt'', in 2004. The album included the singles "Down Here in Hell (With You)", "Dust", and "Seconds of Pleasure", and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance. Hunt's second album, ''On the Jungle Floor'', was released in 2006. The album featured the single, "Character," and the duet "Mean Sleep" with Nikka Costa. Hunt has toured and appeared with Alicia Keys, Boney James, The Roots, Seal, Angie Stone, Coldplay, The Brand New Heavies and Kanye West.
In 2006, Hunt appeared with Nikka Costa on the Sam Moore album, ''Overnight Sensational'', on the song "If I Had No Loot". Hunt was also featured on "Half the Fun", a track on the Count Bass D album, ''Act Your Waist Size'', released on Fat Beats Records.
in 2007, Hunt won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, along with John Legend and Joss Stone, for their cover the Sly & the Family Stone song, "Family Affair", which appeared on the 2006 Sly & the Family Stone tribute album, ''Different Strokes By Different Folks''. In July 2007, Hunt announced the release of a 4 track digital EP, titled ''The Popular Machine'', with a release date of August 7 2007, to be followed by a full length album, ''Popular'', to be released on January 15 2008 on Blue Note Records.^[1]

Influences

★ David Bowie

★ Serge Gainsbourg

★ The Isley Brothers

★ Rick James

★ Curtis Mayfield

★ Thelonious Monk

★ The Ohio Players

★ Prince

★ Richard Pryor

★ Sly Stone

★ Neil Young

Discography

Albums

★ ''Van Hunt'' (2004), Capitol Records

★ ''On the Jungle Floor'' (2006), Capitol Records

★ ''Popular'' (2008), Blue Note - forthcoming studio album

Singles and EPs

★ "Down Here in Hell (With You)" (2004)

★ "Dust" (2004)

★ "Seconds of Pleasure" (2004)

★ "Character" (2006)

★ "Being A Girl" (2006)

★ ''The Popular Machine'' (2007) - digital EP

Awards & nominations

★ 2005 Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban/Alternative Performance for "Dust."

★ 2006 Grammy Award win for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for "Family Affair"

Notes

1. Concepcion, Mariel (July 19 2007). "Van Hunt Feeling 'Popular' On Blue Note". ''Billboard''. Retrieved on July 21 2007.

References

★ Hoard, Christian (May 5, 2004). "Van Hunt Gives Up the Funk" ''Rolling Stone''. Rettrieved on April 29, 2007.

External links

★ Official Van Hunt website

★ Van Hunt on Myspace

★ Van Hunt audio interview