Howard Hewett

HOWARD HEWETT

With his silky smooth, straight-from-the-heart soulful style, Howard Hewett is gifted with one of the most instantly recognizable voices in contemporary music: with the 2007 release of his Groove Records’ debut IF ONLY, his loyal worldwide audiences will be reminded of just why Howard Hewett has endured, sustained and maintained a solid career as a solo artist for over two decades.

As popular as ever, Howard is most frequently asked - at the many concert and club dates he does on a regular basis - when he’ll be putting out new music. For those eager to hear more from an artist who one “Rolling Stone” writer described as “the premier vocalist in the post-Marvin Gaye era of romantic pop,” the answer, thankfully, is now!

“This will be my first R&B album in a few years,” says the Akron, Ohio-born, Los Angeles-based award-winning singer/songwriter. “I’m not a ‘fast food’ kind of artist: I have to be able to say something with my records and this new album really reflects what I want to portray at this point in my life and my career.”

An artist of the first order known, Howard Hewett has been a consistent favorite among the legion of classic soul, traditional R&B and pop listeners since his days with Shalamar through his solo albums for Elektra Records in the ‘80s and ‘90s and on to inspirational recordings such as 2001’s critically-acclaimed “The Journey”: with IF ONLY, Howard continues the tradition of creating music that is honest, authentic and for real.

A prime example: the first single, the beautifully-crafted “Enough” which has gained immediate airplay and attention among radio programmers from coast-to-coast awaiting new sounds from Mr. Hewett. As Howard explains, “The concept of the song is based around the importance of asking questions in a relationship. Some people may hear it and think it’s a ‘breakup’ song but I don’t see it that way. At some point, you have to sit down and ask questions of each other to make sure you’re both on the same page in the relationship…”

Written by Brandon Howard (son of soul stylist Miki Howard), “Enough” was produced by longtime friend and musical associate, the renowned George Duke; others contributing to this much-awaited project from Howard include Marc Nelson (formerly of the group Az Yet, whose credits include songwriting for Babyface, Toni Braxton and Brandy) who produced the album’s future-slow jam classic title track; and Chicago-based producer Butch Stewart, with Howard and consistent Hewett collaborator and writing partner Monty Seward bringing a number of songs to the CD.

IF ONLY also represents a reunion of sorts for Howard who serves as executive producer the album with Ralph Johnson, one of the founding members of supergroup Earth, Wind & Fire. With a big smile, Howard recalls that his first-ever recording session in Los Angeles was produced by Johnson! “That’s a great story,” Howard recounts. “I had only been in L.A. for a few weeks when I started hanging out at a popular club called Maverick Flats. It was the kind of place where you could find celebrities like Richard Pryor, Lionel Richie, Chaka Khan. In fact, it’s where I first met (future Shalamar partners) Jody (Watley) and Jeffrey (Daniels) because the dancers from “Soul Train” would head over there after the show. Anyway, I was there one night, just mackin’ on this woman. She was just so fine! I asked her to dance and the song was LTD’s “Love Ballad” and I’m singing in her ear, you know, trying to get over. After the dance was over, this guy comes up to me: he had been dancing close by with his lady friend. He said, “Man, I heard you singing to that girl on the dance floor. I’ve got some demos I’m doing that need vocals. Would you want to come in and work with me?’ That guy was Ralph Johnson from EW&F! Of course, I said ‘yes’ when he told me who he was and that was my first time in the studio!”

Fortuitous indeed and Howard Hewett’s career has indeed followed a similar course from his early years in Ohio singing as a pre-teen on the gospel circuit with his older sisters as a member of The Hewett Singers through to joining the group Shalamar in 1978 as the trio was on the verge of achieving international success. Howard’s voice quickly became known to listeners the world over via hit singles like “Take That To The Bank,” the chart-topping “Second Time Around” (a No. 1 hit in the U.S. and the U.K.), “Make That Move,” “A Night To Remember,” “Dead Giveaway” and the now-classic “This Is For The Lover In You” (a Hewett composition, revived in 1996 by Babyface with the original members of Shalamar). A series of best-selling Solar Records’ albums - including “Big Fun, “Go For It,” “Friends,” “The Look,” “Three For Love” and “Heartbreak” – and an exciting live show established Shalamar as one of the most popular groups of the ’80s.

In 1985, Howard launched his solo career, scoring a immediate major R&B hit with “I’m For R