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Keith Washington

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Keith Washington
Background information
Birth nameKeith Douglas Washington
Born (1960-11-15) November 15, 1960 (age 63)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.[1]
GenresR&B, soul, jazz
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, producer, actor
Years active1988–present
LabelsQwest Records
MCA Records

Keith Douglas Washington (born November 15, 1960)[2][1] is an American R&B vocalist from Detroit who recorded the hit single "Kissing You" in 1991.[1] The song was also used as background music for the ABC television soap opera General Hospital.[3] "Kissing You" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance Male and won a 1992 Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single – Male. The song also topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for one week. .

Biography

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Prior to his success as a recording act, Washington earned recognition as a songwriter, co-writing Freddie Jackson's 1988 number one R&B hit "Hey Lover". Within three years, Washington had scored a contract as a solo artist, releasing his debut album, Make Time for Love, in 1991. In addition to "Kissing You", the album featured a number of successful follow-up R&B singles. He also recorded a duet with Kylie Minogue, their co-composition "If You Were with Me Now", in 1991 (on PWL Records), which reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart and number 23 in Minogue's native Australia. Washington's follow-up album, You Make It Easy appeared in 1993, though its success paled in comparison to the debut. It would be another five years before Washington released his third album, KW, which featured the minor single, "Bring It On".

Washington branched out in a few acting roles, starring as himself on the television series Martin in an episode called "A Woman with a Past" which featured him singing a duet with Tisha Campbell-Martin titled "The Closer I Get to You", a classic ballad performed and made famous in 1978 by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. Additionally, Keith had a brief role in the TV soap opera General Hospital as Keith Jasper. Appearing alongside lead actress Janet Jackson, he also had a brief role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice, as a hairdresser named Dexter.[4]

Washington's first marriage to Marsha Jenkins ended in divorce and resulted in her writing The Other Side of Through, a book loosely based on Jenkins' marriage to Washington and her experiences with the singer's marital infidelities.[5] In June 2009, Washington married his longtime girlfriend, Stephanie Grimes, who is general sales manager for WGPR-FM 107.5 in Detroit. He also revealed his plans to release a new album.[6] Washington has since branched out into radio himself, as he now hosts the nighttime "Slow Jams" show "Kisses After Dark" on Detroit radio station WDMK-FM 105.9 (Kiss-FM).

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak positions
US
[7]
US
R&B

[7]
Make Time for Love 48 1
You Make It Easy
  • Released: September 21, 1993
  • Label: Qwest, Warner Bros.
100 15
KW
  • Released: March 10, 1998
  • Label: Silas
125 27

Singles

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Title Year Peak positions Album
US
[8]
US
R&B

[9]
AUS
[10]
UK
[11]
"Kissing You" 1991 40 1 Make Time for Love
"Are You Still in Love with Me" 15
"If You Were with Me Now"
(duet with Kylie Minogue)
23 4 Let's Get to It
"Make Time for Love" 1992 22 Make Time for Love
"When You Love Somebody" 26
"Stay in My Corner" 1993 34 You Make It Easy
"Believe That" 1994 30
"Trippin'" 77
"Bring It On" 1998 63 22 KW
"I Love You"
(duet with Chanté Moore)
"I Don't Mind"
"Thinkin 'Bout You" 2012 non-album release
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Keith Washington Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  2. ^ "If You Were with Me Now".
  3. ^ Wynn, Ron. "Artist Biography". AllMusic.
  4. ^ "Keith Washington Filmography". IMDb.
  5. ^ "The Other Side of Through": Author Talks to Entertainment Wire About Real Life Drama as Ex-Celebrity Wife".
  6. ^ "Ciara & Rick Ross Get Cover Fab+Other Ish". June 22, 2009. Archived from the original on June 26, 2009. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
  7. ^ a b "Keith Washington - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  8. ^ "Keith Washington - US Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  9. ^ "Keith Washington Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  10. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  11. ^ "KYLIE MINOGUE & KEITH WASHINGTON - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
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