Anthony Hamilton

It took Anthony Hamilton a few years but by 2002 he was considered one of the hottest “new” R&B singers on the scene. Born in 1971 in Charlotte, North Carolina, he first sang in his church’s choir when he was 10 and worked in local nightclubs. In 1993 he moved to New York City to sign with Andre Harrell’s Uptown Records. Hamilton’s initial recording went unreleased when Uptown went out of business. His second CD, XTC, which was made for MCA, was largely overlooked. His third album, made for Soulife, also went unheard when the company died though it would be released years later. In the meantime, he wrote songs for Donell Jones and Sunshine Anderson and toured with D’Angelo as a background singer. He also sang backup for 2Pac and Eve. In 2002, Hamilton sang lead on the Nappy Roots’ “Po’ Folks,” which gained him some attention, resulting in his 2003 platinum-selling recording Comin’ From Where I’m From. Its singles were “Comin’ From Where I’m From” and “Charlene.” Hamilton’s 2005 album Nobody Worryin’ was a bigger hit than Comin’ From Where I’m From and made Anthony Hamilton into a soul superstar. He has also made guest appearances on CDs from the RH Factor and Buddy Guy and has a cameo in the film American Gangster as a soul singer. Anthony Hamilton is often compared to Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Donny Hathaway. Although he has his own modern sound, his powerful and heartfelt singing is also a throwback to the classic days of soul.