b. Alexander O'Neal, 14th November 1953, Natchez, Mississippi, U.S.A.
Alexander O'Neal burst onto the music scene, within his hugely successful debut, self titled, debut release in 1985.
The Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced 1985 release contained the R&B hits 'If You Were Here Tonight, 'Something's Missing' and 'A Broken Heart Can Mend'.
Alexander hails from Natchez in Mississippi, and is a former pupil of Alcom State University.
He relocated to Minneapolis at the age of 20 and joined a band called the Mystics, before joining the group Flyte Tyme, which included the producers of his debut Tabu release.
Flyte Tyme became the group The Time, after being signed by Prince to the Warner Brothers imprint.
Following a difference of opinion with Prince, Alexander departed the group, being replaced by the singer Morris Day.
do you dare b/w playroom / attitude b/w playroom - 1983
He put together a group which predominantly performed rock music called Alexander, who released one 12" single called 'Playroom' b/w 'Do You Dare' / 'Attitude'.
By 1984, he signed a deal with Clarence Avant's imprint, Tabu Records, where he performed sessions for some of the artists at the label.
alexander o'neal - 1985 / hearsay - 1987 / my gift to you - 1988 / all mixed up - 1989
Following the realise of his debut album, he sang the duet 'Saturday Love' with the singer Cherrelle, on her 1985 album release 'High Priority'.
The song reached number 2 on the R&B charts and reached the top ten on the U.K. Singles Chart, at number 6.
His follow up release saw the light of day in 1987, entitled 'Hearsay'.
The album contained the tracks 'Fake', 'Criticize', along with the further duet with Cherrelle, entitled 'Never Knew Love Like This'.
all true man - 1991 / love makes no sense - 1993 / lovers again - 1996 / songs of a married man - 2002
'All True Man' appeared in 1991, following a remix album release called 'All Mixed Up', two years previously.
The title track from 'All True Man' reached number 5 on the R&B chart and number 45 on the pop chart.
Alexander's final Tabu release, 'Love Makes No Sense', was released in 1993.
This studio album was accompanied by a couple of Greatest Hits albums, before he signed with the One World imprint.
'Lovers Again', was released in 1996, after which he departed the label for further album releases on the Zinc, EMI, Avex Trax, Delta and CC Entertainment labels.
In 2001, he released an album with Zinc Records, entitled 'Saga of a Married Man' (produced by former Prince drummer, Bobby Z).
In 2005, he recorded his first of three live albums, entitled 'Alexander O'Neal Live at Hammersmith Apollo'.
live at the hammersmith apollo - 2005 / alex loves - 2008 / five questions: the new journey - 2010 / live in minneapolis - 2011
In 2008, he released 'Alex Loves', his first studio album in six years, which was followed by a 2010 album entitled 'Five Questions: The New Journey'.
2010 and 2011 saw the release of his second and third live album sets, and also a new compilation album entitled 'A Million Love Songs'.
Albums:
Alexander O'Neal (Tabu Records 1985)
Hearsay (Tabu Records 1987)
My Gift To You (Tabu Records 1988)
All Mixed Up (Tabu Records 1989)
All True Man (Tabu Records 1991)
Love Makes No Sense (Tabu Records 1993)
Lovers Again (One World/EMI Premier Records 1996)
The Saga Of A Married Man (Zinc Records 2002)
Alex Loves (EMI Records 2008)
Love Ballads (Avex Trax Records 2008)
Live (Delta Distribution Records 2009)
Live at the Hammersmith Apollo (European Music Group 2010)
Five Questions: The New Journey (CC Entertainment 2010)
Live In Minneapolis (eOne Records 2011)
A Million Love Songs (X5 Music Group Records 2011)
