Alexander O’Neal is a legendary R&B singer. With a career spanning over 30 years he has released several successful singles and albums. AllMusic proclaims that he has a ‘tough voice [that] has the same grain and range as that of Otis Redding’.
Coming to prominence in the 1980s, O’Neal has had 14 hits in the Top 40 charts in the UK in the 80s and 90s, and is available for booking through MN2S Agency.
Born in Natchez, Mississippi in 1953, O’Neal has been active in the music industry since 1979. After graduating from high school, he attended Alcorn State University and afterwards, at the age of 20, began performing with bands such as The Mystics and Wynd Chimes, eventually joining the group, Flyte Tyme.
Success with Flyte Tyme led to the band being signed to Warner in 1981, and a name change to ‘Time’. After an alleged disagreement with Prince however, O’Neal was replaced as lead singer by Morris Day, for ‘looking too black’, according AllMusic’s John Floyd.
After this, O’Neal recorded the 12 inch singles ‘Do You Dare / Playroom’ and ‘Attitude’ on Chicago based independent record label, Erect Records. In 1984, he signed a deal with Clarence Avant’s Tabu Records, where he often appeared as backing vocalist for bands on the label, such as The S.O.S. Band and Cherrelle.
Already having cut his teeth in the music industry performing with many bands and as frequent backing vocalist, Alexander O’Neal’s big break came with the release of his 1985 self-titled debut album, which included three singles that charted in the Top 20 R&B Singles Chart. Further success came with the single ‘Saturday Love’, a duet with Cherrelle from her album ‘High Priority’, which reached No.2 in the US and No.6 in the UK Singles Chart.
He has had several successful albums since then, most recently ‘Greatest’, released in 2012, comprising all of his popular greatest hits. The 2008 album, ‘Alex Loves…’ proved he is a master of more than just R&B, releasing his own covers of all types of love songs in his own inimitable style. His 2002 album, ‘Saga of a Married Man’, was lauded by the Guardian and was a testament to his enduring vocal talent. Since 1985, O’Neal has released 8 studio albums, 6 compilation albums and one live album.
Falling victim to the industry’s focus on younger stars, O’Neal hit on hard times in the mid-nineties; split from his producers/writers Jam & Lewis saw the 15 million selling star ending up without a record deal. In the 2000s, however, his career began to revive itself with television appearances on BBC1’s ‘Just the Two of Us’, ‘The Weakest Link’ and Channel 4’s ‘Wife Swap’, while 2008 saw him embark on a nationwide tour with new album ‘Alex Loves…’.
Praising his UK fans for their constant support through the highs and lows of his career, he says that a lot of the inspiration for the 2008 album, ‘Alex Loves…’ was from the British fan base and looks forward to many more live performances in the UK.
Alexander O’Neal’s inspirational and successful 30 year career means his enduring popularity in the UK comes as no surprise, an immensely talented vocalist with many high charting releases under his belt. To book Alexander O’Neal, please contact MN2S Agency.
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