Color Me Badd
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Color Me Badd were a male R&B vocal group which was formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The members were Bryan Abrams, Mark Calderon, Kevin Thornton and Sam Watters.
The a cappella, pop, and hip hop outfit, whose R&B harmony vocals were offset by mild rap interjections and a post-New Kids On The Block street dance image, were discovered by Kool & The Gang's Robert Bell in 1990.
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[edit] Early success
The group enjoyed 5 U.S. hit singles from their debut album C.M.B. throughout 1991 and 1992. These were "I Wanna Sex You Up" (U.S.#2), "I Adore Mi Amor" (U.S.#1), "All 4 Love" (U.S.#1), "Thinkin Back" (U.S.#16) and "Slow Motion" (U.S.#18). "I Wanna Sex You Up" was also on the New Jack City soundtrack, and hit number 1 on the UK Singles Charts.
Their debut album, C.M.B. was released in September 1991, eventually selling over 6 million copies worldwide, and being certified 3x platinum in the United States by the RIAA.
Color Me Badd performed at the 1991 Smash Hits Poll Winners Awards in the UK, winning the Best New Group trophy. In January 1992, they were awarded the Favourite Single, Soul/R&B trophy at the 19th annual American Music Awards, held at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. March 1992 also saw Color Me Badd win the Best R&B / Soul Single, and Song Of The Year, categories at the sixth annual Soul Train Music Awards.
The group released a remix album in October 1992, titled Young, Gifted and Badd. It contained the hit single "Forever Love" (U.S.#15), which was also featured on the Mo' Money soundtrack. However, the album peaked at U.S.#189, which was the first hint of the bubble bursting.
The group's third album Time & Chance was released in November 1993. A hugely ambitious project, consisting of nineteen new tracks, this album represented a slight shift in musical style for Color Me Badd. Working with top producers including David Foster, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, a more soulful and funky sound had clearly emerged.
Although some critics gave it positive reviews, the album did not fare well on the Billboard Album Charts, eventually peaking at #56 but still selling 500,000 copies in the United States alone. With the music industry at the time embracing groups such as Nirvana, Guns N' Roses and Pearl Jam, it was difficult for Color Me Badd to deliver the same success on the singles charts as they had done before.
The album's title track "Time & Chance" peaked at U.S.#23, while its follow-up "Choose" also topped out at U.S.#23. The reason the album flopped was due to all the promotional money spent on the singles "The Bells" and "Let's Start with Forever" which both did nothing on radio or TV.
[edit] Downhill slide
The group re-emerged in 1996 with their fourth album Now & Forever . With high-profile producers including Narada Michael Walden, Babyface, Jon B, and Boyz II Men, this album was well received by both critics and R&B fans alike. However, once again, sales were well below those expected from the group (although the album did achieve platinum sales in the US).
The album produced one hit single, "The Sun, The Rain, The Earth" which peaked at U.S.#21. However, it became a popular airwave R&B staple, and remained on the Billboard Charts for 19 weeks (the group's second most enduring single).
Color Me Badd's fifth album Awakening was released in October 1998. Remaining true to their R&B roots, they again received mild critical acclaim for their vocal harmonies. "Remember When" achieved minor success on radio and has a companion video shot as well. The album was a hit with Color Me Badd's global fanbase.
[edit] Break up and the future
After Giant Records decided not to renew the band's recording deal, Color Me Badd officially disbanded in May of 2000, culminating in the release of their final album The Best Of Color Me Badd.
Bryan Abrams continued as a solo artist, whilst Sam Watters pursued a second career as a record producer, achieving success in later years with Jessica Simpson. Watters married R&B singer and former American Idol contestant Tamyra Gray in 2006.
Kevin Thornton has just released a new solo album which features contemporary hip hop/rap material with gospel and soul music.
In October 2006, it was announced that Bryan Abrams would participate in the new VH1 reality TV series, Man Band.
Perhaps enjoying the most success after leaving Color Me Badd is Mark Calderon. He currently resides in Cincinnati, OH and works for a local insurance company.
