Van Hunt
| Van Hunt | |
|---|---|
Van Hunt at Levitt Pavilion Pasadena 2012
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born |
March 8, 1970 Dayton, Ohio, United States |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Genres | Neo soul, funk, rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, producer |
| Instruments | vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums saxophone |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels |
Capitol (2001–2006) Blue Note (2007) Godless Hotspot/Thirty Tigers (2011–present) |
| Associated acts | Curtis Scott Whitehead, Jermaine Rand |
| Website | vanhunt |
Van Hunt (born March 8, 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He released his debut album, Van Hunt, in 2004, and a follow-up, On the Jungle Floor, in 2006, both on Capitol Records. He won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for appearing on the tribute version of the Sly & the Family Stone song, "Family Affair", in 2007. He transitioned to Blue Note Records where his 2008 album, Popular, was shelved and never released. He self-released the compilation album Use in Case of Emergency in 2009.
Hunt was born in Dayton, Ohio His father, Van Hunt, Sr., was a friend of Ohio Players drummer Jimmy "Diamond" Williams. Hunt took up the drums at age 7, and saxophone at the age of 8, later adding bass and keyboards. Guitar was the last instrument he learned to play; he played guitar in a rock band called Royalty. Hunt moved to Texas for a short time before relocating to Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 to attend Morehouse College, where he studied English, but soon dropped out. In Atlanta, he started producing a few hip-hop demos for Atlanta rappers in order to pay bills. Hunt met up-and-coming record producers and artists like Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri and TLC through his work on demos.
Hunt wrote and co-produced the song "Hopeless" for singer Dionne Farris, formerly of Arrested Development, and joined her band on guitar and keyboards. "Hopeless" appeared on the soundtrack for the film Love Jones (1997). Hunt co-wrote several songs with Rahsaan Patterson on his album Love in Stereo (1999), and co-wrote with Cree Summer, including the song "Mean Sleep", for her album Street Faërie (1999), produced by Lenny Kravitz. He also collaborated with Joi on the single "Missing You" (2002). Through Dionne Farris, Hunt met A&R person Randy Jackson (who later went on to be a judge on Fox's American Idol). Jackson would become Hunt's manager in 2002.
...
Wikipedia