Beverley Knight the biography

Beverley Knight, Singer, - Biography

Birth name Beverley Anne Smith
Born March 22, 1973, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Britain

Height 5 foot 4 and a half ( 164 cm )

Beverley Knight is a critically-acclaimed soul singer, songwriter, & record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke & Aretha Franklin, Knight is signed to Parlophone Records and has released five studio albums to date. Widely labelled as one of Britain's greatest soul singers, Knight is best known for her hit singles "Greatest Day", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" & "Come As You Are".

In 2006 Knight solidified her transmission into the mainstream by starring in BBC One music TV show, Just the Two of Us, a role she reprised in 2007. After releasing a successful compilation album in 2006, Knight went on to tour the U.K. with reformed boyband Take That. She has also hosted the Radio 2 show Beverley's Gospel Nights, which explores the origins & impact of gospel music. To date the show has run for two seasons & has featured interviews with stars such as Destiny's Child & Shirley Caesar.

Knight is an ambassador for many charities such as Christian Aid & has travelled to areas affected by disease & poverty to help raise awareness. She is an active campaigner for anti-Aids organisations such as the Stop AIDS Campaign & The Terrence Higgins Trust & is also a vocal campaigner against homophobic lyrics in urban music.

In September 2005 Knight joined the likes of Bob Dylan & Joni Mitchell by being made a Doctor of Music after receiving the honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton. After receiving a host of awards, including three MOBO Awards, Knight was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004 at the Urban Music Awards in London.

Biography

1973–1993: Childhood
Knight was born of Jamaican parents, & she grew up in a strict Pentecostal household where church attendance was compulsory. It is here where she began her singing career: "the first time I heard music would have been in church. My mum was often called upon: 'Come on sister Dolores. Lead us in song!' Singing was the most natural thing in the world. I thought, doesn't everybody's mum lead the congregation at church in song?" Knight continued singing in her local church throughout her childhood, & her musical education was continued at home where she was often exposed to gospel music. Due to her parent's religious beliefs, secular music was largely frowned upon but artists such as Sam Cooke & Aretha Franklin played a big part in her childhood.

Knight began writing her own songs – with varying degrees of success – at the age of thirteen. It was not until she turned seventeen, though, that she began to take her craft seriously. Beverley began performing the songs that she had written on stage in local clubs in her hometown. At the age of nineteen, Beverley was heard singing jingles on her local radio station by a record company executive & was offered a recording contract. She was adamant that her education should come first & that she should have something to fall back on, & so went to university to study Religious Theology & Philosophy: "so I told them that they’d have to wait".

1994–2000: Early success
Beverley Knight's second album Prodigal Sista was released in Britain in 1998.In late 1994, Beverley Knight signed a record deal with Dome Records – a small, independent label that was home to artists such as Lulu & Hil St Soul. Shortly after, Beverley went in studio to write & record her debut album. The backbone of the project was produced by London production trio 2B3, with additional beats provided by Don E (Beverley’s cousin), Ethnic Boyz & hip-hop act Blak Twang. The result was the critically acclaimed album The B-Funk – hailed as "the best British soul album ever" by critics when it was released in November 1995. Knight went on to win two Black Music Awards in 1996 ("Best R&B Artist" & "Best Producer" for 2B3) & was named Best R&B Act by Blues & Soul Magazine, beating a host of American stars. However, the commercial success of the album failed to match its critical success & the album peaked on the UK album chart at number one-hundred-and-forty-five. Several singles were released from the project, the biggest being "Flavour of the Old School", which peaked at number thirty-three in March 1996 when it was re-released.

In February 1997, Beverley left Dome Records after disagreements concerning her musical direction & instead signed a new four-album deal with EMI controlled Parlophone Records – home to The Beatles, Coldplay & Kylie Minogue. After returning to the studio with 2B3 & Don E & teaming up with new producers Dodge & Carl McIntosh, Beverley released her second album Prodigal Sista in August 1998. Peaking at number forty-two in Britain, the commercial success of the album proved to be much greater than her debut. The album went on to sell 135,000 copies in Britain & be certified Gold in 1999. It contained five top forty hits – the biggest of which were "Greatest Day", peaking at number fourteen, & "Made It Back 99" featuring US rap star Redman, which peaked at number nineteen.

The commercial success of Prodigal Sista marked a big step forward in Beverley’s career & was reflected in the widespread critical acclaim of the project. Q Magazine called the album "a triumph not only of Knight’s musical vision but also of the strength in her character" while The Times remarked "Prodigal Sista is a joy to hear – her vocal & intricate self devised & performed harmonies can make you catch your breath in wonderment". Labelled as one of the greatest British soul albums of all time, the album won three MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) Awards with "Made It Back" & "Greatest Day" winning Best R&B Act in 1998 & 1999 respectively, & Prodigal Sista winning the Best Album Award.

2001–2005: Mainstream breakthrough
Throughout 2001 Beverley returned to the recording studio to write & record her third studio album. She was accompanied by a different array of writers & producers from Britain & the United States, which included James Poyser (Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu), Derrick Joshua & Derrick Martin, D’Influence, Mike Spencer & Colin Emmanuael. The result was Who I Am, which was released in March 2002. It was preceded by two singles, "Get Up!" & "Shoulda Woulda Coulda" which became Beverley’s most successful single up to that point, peaking at number ten on the UK singles chart. The success of the singles, together with wide critical praise, propelled the album to number seven on the album chart making Who I Am Beverley’s most commercially successful album to date. It was re-released twice with new versions of the singles "Gold" & "Shape Of You (Reshaped)" & has sold 215,000 copies in Britain, earning it a Gold sales certificate.

The critical response to Who I Am was largely positive, with The Guardian stating "every song bubbles with the kind of expensive, polished confidence that often eludes British contenders, & she sings with the poise of an artist at the height of her powers" whilst the BBC remarked "Who I Am marks a significant change in direction for this tenacious 28-year-old singer, signifying her own personal growth as a true artist & developing songwriter....on this her most personal work to date, she takes us on an intimate journey where she bares her soul with such raw honesty that you get the distinct impression a healing process is taking place". Although the album failed to match the widespread & unanimous acclaim of Beverley’s first two albums, it still earned her two BRIT Award nominations ("Best Female", "Best Urban Act") & the album was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize in 2002.

After touring Britain in 2002, Knight set about creating her fourth album & entered the studio in the summer of 2003. In an attempt to appeal to a larger mainstream audience, she enlisted the help of pop producers such as Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams, Britney Spears) & Peter-John Vettese (Annie Lennox, Pet Shop Boys) as well as collaborating with R&B producers such as DJ Munro. The result was Affirmation, which was released on Parlophone Records in June 2004. The album entered the charts at number eleven & was preceded by the single "Come As You Are" – a rock/pop orientated song written with & produced by Chambers. The song marked a more mainstream pop sound that alienated Knight’s largely urban fan base & the song was not well received by urban radio stations. Nevertheless it became her biggest hit to date, peaking at number nine on the singles chart. The song was followed by two more singles, "Not Too Late for Love" & "Keep This Fire Burning", which helped boost album sales & resulted in the album being awarded a Gold sales certificate in December 2004.

The themes running throughout the album, which were influenced by the events she had witnessed over the previous two years, marked a milestone in Knight’s career as a lyricist. The main essence of the project was centred on Beverley’s relationship with Tyrone Jamison – a gay man whom she described as her "soul mate" & who died of an AIDS related disease in 2003. Throughout the album, lyrics on tracks such as "Remember Me" ("One day we will be reunited, least I hope that is our destiny, so while you chill in the arms of angels, remember me, remember me") & "No One Ever Loves In Vain" clearly point to Beverley’s close relationship with Tyrone & rank as her most personal work to date.

Compared to the praise of her previous albums, the critical response to Affirmation was mixed. The mainstream press such as The Guardian praised her for branching out, whilst the black music press such as The Voice & Blues & Soul accused Knight of selling out & being manipulated away from urban music by her record label, a claim she flatly denies: "Everything I’ve done musically has been completely me. I write my own songs so I’m not just a vocalist who can easily be dictated to."

2006–present: Consolidating success
In February 2006 Knight consolidated her move into the mainstream audience by appearing on BBC1 music show, Just The Two of Us. The show, featuring celebrities who duet with established singers, ran for two weeks & proved to be a relative disappointment in terms of audience figures – averaging between fifteen & twenty-five percent audience shares. Nevertheless it provided a platform for Knight to reach out to a bigger audience & demonstrate her talent by performing a different array of songs than she would otherwise be known for. Reaching out to new audiences was also a driving force behind Knight’s decision to join Take That on their reunion arena tour. Take That - The Ultimate Tour 06, which ran from April to July 2006, sold 270,000 tickets in less than four hours on sale at the box office & featured Knight as a support act.

In March 2006 Beverley released her fifth album, a compilation set featuring the majority of her top forty UK singles entitled Voice - The Best Of Beverley Knight. The album, which was certified Gold less than a month after its release, became her second highest charting of her career when it entered the UK albums chart at number ten & rose to number nine a month later. It was preceded by the single "Piece of my Heart" – a cover of the Erma Franklin classic made famous by Janis Joplin & entered the singles chart at number sixteen, spending eleven weeks inside the UK top 75 singles chart & becoming her longest-running chart single to date.

In October 2006, Knight recorded her fifth studio album, Music City Soul, in Nashville. Completed in less than five days, the album was released on 7 May 2007 & features collaborations with musicians such as Ronnie Wood & Scotty Moore. It is preceded by the single "No Man's Land", released on 16 April 2007.

Creativity & Influences
Knight claims that Amazing Grace was the "epitome" of her childhood.Growing up in a Pentecostal environment of Jamaican descent, music – especially gospel music – became a staple part of Knight’s childhood. She entered the gospel choir of her local church at the age of just four years old & eventually became the musical director before she left in her late teens. Her musical education continued at home where her family would often sing together around the piano & listen to music from their favourite gospel & soul artists such as Sam Cooke. In 2005, Knight revisited her childhood when she hosted Beverley’s Gospel Nights, a BBC Radio 2 series exploring gospel music. Featuring interviews with artists such as Shirley Caesar, Percy Sledge & Destiny’s Child stars Kelly Rowland & Michelle Williams, the six-part series explored the roots of gospel music & the impact it had upon the black community. Such was the success of the show that a second six-part series was commissioned & began in March 2006 & featured new interviews with artists such as Candi Staton, David McAlmont & Marvin Winans. Knight's interview technique & her ability to get her guests to open up & discuss issues in their personal lives such as domestic violence & depression received favourable reviews & led the Radio Times to comment "Knight's passion for the music is obvious - but so is her warmth, which makes her a rarity among interviewers."

The first artist to make an impact upon Knight was one of the true founders of contemporary gospel & soul music, Sam Cooke. Despite his untimely death in 1963, his music endured & became a staple part of Knight's childhood:

“ My mother played Sam Cooke & he was the first voice I ever heard on record. His was the first voice that directly had a big impact on me, vocally. He still makes me cry. He'd take the very simple Bible stories that I grew up with & just make them into a two-and-a-half-minute song & yet with an intensity & a passion that the world had never heard before. He really was a major influence on my life.”

Indeed the impact Sam Cooke can be seen throughout Knight’s career as she has often performed & recorded Cooke classics, the most notable of which is "A Change Is Gonna Come". The track, which came to exemplify the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, has featured in many of Knight’s live performances (usually with the aid of the London Community Gospel Choir) & she even recorded a studio version with musician Jools Holland, which featured on his Small World, Big Band Volume 2 album.

In addition to Cooke, another major presence in Knight’s childhood that has moulded her career is Lady Soul herself, Aretha Franklin. Besides leading a tribute to Franklin at the BBC's Music of the Millennium concert in 1999 (which also featured Spice Girl Melanie B & singer Jocelyn Brown), Knight has recorded several of Franklin’s records, most notably "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" & "Think", both of which have been released as b-sides. But it’s the Queen of Soul’s vocal delivery that has most had an impact upon Knight:

“ Aretha taught me my phrasing & the way I carry emotion. She makes me cry & then she brings me into the throes of musical ecstasy - with the same voice! I Never Loved A Man hurts, & the Amazing Grace album, which is the epitome of my childhood, will stay with me for ever."”

Heavily influenced by the likes of Franklin & Cooke, Knight has also recorded songs from of other legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder ("Love's in Need of Love Today", which featured on the Warchild album Hope) & Curtis Mayfield ("Hard Times", which appeared on Courtney Pine’s Back in the Day album). But this influence has also manifested itself on stage where Knight often incorporates songs by her soul heroines such as Nina Simone ("Feelin’ Good"), Chaka Khan ("I Feel For You" & "Sweet Thing") & Billie Holliday ("God Bless the Child") into her live performances.

Prince, together with his landmark 1984 album Purple Rain, became a teen icon for KnightIn addition to the pioneering soul & gospel artists of the mid-twentieth century, modern artists such as Mary J. Blige & D'Angelo have also played a role in shaping Knight’s musical outlook. The most significant of her contemporary peers comes in the form of Prince, a man she describes as one of her hero’s: "Prince goes back to me listening to preachers when I was a child, who tell a story to illustrate a point...the first song I heard by him was "Little Red Corvette", when I was nine. Of course, I didn't have a clue about what he was singing about; the sexuality is implicit & I love that." The influence of Prince, whom Knight even mentions on her Prodigal Sista & Who I Am album sleeves, can be seen throughout her back catalogue with songs such as "Get Up!", "Hurricane Jane" & "Supersonic" being compared to Prince due to their mix of funk & soul.

Throughout her childhood, Knight’s musical exposure developed as she got older. Gospel led to soul, which led to funk which led to R&B – but growing up in the Midlands meant that she was exposed to lots of other different influences too: "It wasn’t a case that there was a huge black community who all stuck together & only listened to reggae or R&B or strictly black music. I find that London is a bit more segregated. In Wolverhampton, black people weren't so segregated & I think that had a massive impact on my musical influences." This diversity is illustrated best by Knight’s forth studio album, Affirmation. After working with Guy Chambers, the album had a more mainstream flavour compared to her previous albums & was led by the rock guitar driven single "Come As You Are". Although the song became her highest charting single to date, Knight was largely criticised by urban radio & media for moving too far away from her urban sound. Nevertheless the song illustrated Knight’s determined effort not to become boxed in & "ghettoised".

Achievements
In September 2005 Knight was presented with an honorary degree from the University of Wolverhampton. After being made a Doctor of Music, she stated: “I am proud to say I am Black, female & British but it is still all me, I have not forgotten my roots. I am enormously proud to be receiving this award, it is a great honour & also very humbling.”. Professor Craig Mahoney from the University announced “we are delighted to bestow on Beverley the award of an honorary degree of doctor of music in recognition of her outstanding contribution to music & the local community, & in recognition of her extensive charity work.”

Awards & nominations
Year Institution Award
Won
1996 Black Music Awards Best R&B Act
1996 Black Music Awards Best Producer
1998 MOBO Awards Best R&B Act
1999 MOBO Awards Best R&B Act
1999 MOBO Awards Best Album (Prodigal Sista)
1999 E.M.M.A Awards Best British Music Act
2004 Urban Music Awards Lifetime Achievement
Nominated
1998 MOBO Awards Best Single ("Made It Back")
1999 MOBO Awards Best Single ("Greatest Day")
2000 BRIT Awards Best British Female Solo
2002 MOBO Awards Best British Act
2002 Mercury Music Prize Best Album (Who I Am)
2002 E.M.M.A Awards Best British Music Act
2003 BRIT Awards Best British Female Solo
2003 BRIT Awards Best British Urban Act
2003 Capital FM Awards London's Favourite Female Vocalist (Solo)
2004 Capital FM Awards London's Favourite Female Vocalist (Solo)
2006 MOBO Awards Best British Female

Discography
For detailed information, see the Beverley Knight discography

The B-Funk
(2 November, 1995)

Prodigal Sista
(17 August, 1998)

Who I Am
(11 March, 2002)

Affirmation
(28 June, 2004)

Voice - The Best of Beverley Knight
(20 March, 2006)

Music City Soul
(7 May, 2007)

Tour history
2002 Who I Am Tour
2002 Beverley Knight Tour
2005 Affirmation Tour
2006 Voice - The Best of Tour
2007 Music City Soul Tour

This site was written in June 2007

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