Keith Sweat

 

Keith Sweat, is a popular R&B/soul singer, songwriter, record producer and a major contributor to the New jack swing era. Before becoming a recording artist, Sweat worked for the commodities market in the New York Mercantile Exchange. He sang at nightclubs throughout New York City until he was discovered and offered a recording contract with Elektra Records in 1987. 

 

Sweat started his musical career as a member of a well known Harlem band called "Jamilah" in 1975. With the help of Jamilah, Sweat was able to hone his craft as a lead singer by performing regionally throughout the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The group was started by Larry Peebles, a talented bass player from 116th Street and Lenox Avenue, Michael Samuels, guitarist out of the Bronx, and drummer Walter Bradley from 125th in Harlem. Jamilah included several members who came in and out of the group. On November 25, 1987, Sweat released his debut album Make It Last Forever, which sold three million copies. The biggest hit from this album was "I Want Her" (#1 R&B/#5 Pop), and the title track from the album was hit #2 on the R&B charts.  Sweat continued to chart fairly well with his sophomore album I'll Give All My Love To You, which hit #6 on the Billboard 200 chart, and Keep It Comin debuted in the Top 20 of the album chart.  

 

Sweat released his fourth album Get Up On It in the summer of 1994. He followed with Keith Sweat, his self-titled fifth album, in 1996, which hit #5 on the Billboard 200. The single "Twisted" hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Nobody" hit #3, which made them Sweat's biggest hits to date. The song "Just A Touch", with Kut Klose providing background vocals, was also on the album and, although it didn't take off and become a top 3 hit like the two aforementioned songs, it has earned a more regular spot on radio playlists. "Just A Touch" was a cover of the song "Just a Touch of Love" from a 1979 Slave album titled Just a Touch of Love. That would mean the people who were 30 or younger at the time of the Keith Sweat version may have thought of the song as a new pop tune. But the key demographic for pop music is under the age of 30 and in late 1996, early 1997, most of those people were likely unfamiliar with the original. Having two bona fide hits already on the album it seems like the name recognition would have helped "Just A Touch" do better on the music charts. Keith Sweat obviously liked what he did with the track. "I re-made a great Slave song on this one," he says. ""Just A Touch," which is one I've always wanted to do."

On February 26, 2007, Keith Sweat launched his new R&B/slow jams radio show on 12 stations across America, including WMXD-Detroit, WMIB-Miami, WRBV "V-1017"-Macon and WKUS-Norfolk. Called the Keith Sweat Hotel, Sweat is broadcasting live from his Premiere Radio Networks studio in Atlanta, and will be playing a mélange of cuts from the '70s on through to today.  See Keith Sweat LIVE!  Purchase your Keith Sweat tickets today!