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Gregory Abbott (born April 2, 1964, New York City, New York) is an American soul musician (keyboards and drums), singer, composer and producer. He currently lives in both New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Biography
Abbott's parents came from Venezuela and Antigua. He is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Antigua. During his early years, Abbott's mother taught him how to play piano and encouraged him to develop vocally. His practice paid off when, at the age of eight, he sang in the St. Patrick's Cathedral Choir which recorded an album and performed on television.
Before his career as musician, Abbott studied psychology at University of California, Berkeley and creative writing at Stanford; where he won a Wallace Stegner fellowship. Also, he has taught English at University of California, Berkeley. To help pay for college, Abbott created a band and played local gigs, helping to develop his musical style.
After graduating, Abbott taught, but he could not shake his love for music. He decided to become a professional musician, build his own recording studio and to develop skills as a singer, guitarist, composer and producer.
One of Abbott's first opportunities in his studio was an album for an independent record label, which gave him the opportunity to do a duet with Whitney Houston. Continuing on, Abbott produced for the group EQ on Atlantic Records.
In 1986, Abbott released his first solo album, Shake You Down. The title track for the album was a success, going platinum and topping the Billboard Hot 100. The album's second single, "I Got The Feelin (It's Over)" which reached #5 on the R&B chart. With the strength of its singles, the album propelled to platinum status and earned Abbott several awards.
Abbott was well-known for his sophistication and style. He appeared in numerous magazine layouts, including a six-page fashion spread in Playboy. He also was featured as one of the ten sexiest male recording artists in Playgirl. Says Robert Christgau in his Village Voice story Maximized Modesty "Now number one pop, "Shake You Down" is a deceptively slight slow burn, a come-on so unassuming that you don't notice you're being seduced until after you've slipped into something more comfortable".
Internationally, Abbott carried much success, winning first prize at the Tokyo Music Festival. The title track of his second album, "I'll Prove It To You" which was released in 1988, was featured on a Japanese movie soundtrack. In Belgium, he performed with Princess Stephanie of Monaco and in Portugal, he would do interviews in their own language.
Abbott's third album featured this international vive and was titled One World! It had a heavy Caribbean influence and was a tribute to his parents.
Since then, Abbott has released the international albums, Eyes, Whispers, Rhythm, Sex... and Dancing In The Inner Realm... in 2002 and 2005 respectively. Rhyme and Reason, Abbott's latest effort, was released in 2006. A new single "Rhythm Rhyme" was released in December 2007. Abbott has also moved into placement of music for films and television as well as working on film projects of his own.
Discography
Albums
- 1986 - Shake You Down (Columbia Records)
"I Got the Feelin' (It's Over)" • "Say You Will"• "Shake You Down"• "You're My Angel"• "Magic"• "Wait Until Tomorrow"• "Rhyme and Reason"• "I'll Find a Way"
- 1988 - I'll Prove It To You (Columbia Records)
"Back to Stay"• "Prisoner of Love"• "I'll Prove It to You"• "Runaway"• "Unfinished Business"• "Crazy Over You"• "Let Me Be Your Hero"• "Take Me Back"• "Two of a Kind"• "She's an Entertainer"
- 1996 - One World! (Musik International)
- 1998 - Super Hits (Legacy Recordings)
- 2002 - Eyes, Whispers, Rhythm, Sex... (Musik International)
- 2005 - Dancing the Inner Realm... (Musik International-Mojo Man)
- 2006 - Rhyme and Reason
Singles
- 1986 - "Shake You Down" (U.S.: #1; UK: #6 - on UK charts for 13 weeks)
- 1986 - "I Got The Feelin' (It's Over)" (U.S.: #5 R&B)
- 1988 - "I'll Prove It To You"
- 1988 - "Let Me Be Your Hero"
- 1994 - "Handyman"
- 1994 - "Do The Caribbean"
- 2002 - "Sexual"
- 2007 - "Middle of Harlem"
- 2007 - "Shake You Down" (re-recording)
- 2008 - "Baby Mama"
References
- Grabbittmusic.com
- Guiness British Hit Singles (13th ed.), London, UK: Guinness World Records Ltd, 2000, p. 69, ISBN 0-85112-111-X