Super Bowl LVII: How did Kenneth Edmonds get the name 'Babyface'?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kenneth Brian Edmonds, well known by his stage name as "Babyface", recently said he was "honored" when asked to sing 'America The Beautiful' as part of the Super Bowl LVII pre-show in February.
The Grammy-winning artist, producer, and performer, age 63, admitted to TMZ that he had never imagined being able to get involved in the major game day preparations on February 12. "I can safely say that I never saw this one coming, he stated. "I was honored that I got the call." In a message on social media, the platinum-selling musician stated that he was "truly excited and honored to perform America the Beautiful at Super Bowl LVII and to be a part of this pregame lineup."
READ MORE
Why are Babyface and Nicole Pantenburg divorcing? Fans want him to date Toni Braxton
'INSANE': Chris Stapleton to sing national anthem at Super Bowl LVII, fans say 'that man can sing!'
The hitmaker, who has been creating music for more than 40 years, said he was anxious about playing in front of a large audience. '"I'll be completely rattled. As much as I'm going to try to be comfortable with it, I know I'm gonna be nervous, because you think about how many people you're actually performing for and what that moment means," as cited by Daily Mail.
About Kenneth Edmonds
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, a singer-songwriter-producer/multi-instrumentalist who has won 11 Grammy awards, has produced and written or co-written numerous major hits since the 1990s, including Madonna's 'Take a Bow,' Tevin Campbell's 'Can We Talk? 'and I'm Ready, and Boyz II Men's 'I'll Make Love to You,' 'Water Runs Dry,' and 'End of the Road,' which was one of the longest-running No. 1 hits in pop history, as per Song Hall. Additionally, everyone from Whitney Houston to Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Johnny Gill, Pink, Ariana Grande, and Beyoncé have covered his songs.
How did he get the nickname Babyface?
Edmonds was born on April 10, 1959, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the fifth of six brothers, including Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, both future members of the R&B band After 7. Kevon also enjoyed a solo career. In high school, Edmonds began creating songs and learning to play the guitar and keyboards.
As reported by IndyStar, the moniker "Babyface" refers to Edmonds' appearance, which is young for his age. Edmonds has claimed in numerous interviews that he received the nickname while performing in the band of 1980s funk singer William Earl "Bootsy" Collins. He first opposed the moniker, but after his bandmate, Darnell "Dee" Bristol addressed him by it on stage after he sang 'Sweet November' in 1985, he decided to embrace it. "Suddenly, at the end of the show, I had girls coming up asking where Babyface was," Edmonds said to Cincinnati Enquirer in 2014. "They never asked where Kenny Edmonds was."
What is Kenneth Edmonds' net worth?
Edmonds has an estimated net worth of $200 Million, as per Celebrity Net Worth. His debut album, 'Lovers', was released in 1986. His 1989 album 'Tender Lover' went double platinum and produced the No. 1 R&B hits 'It's No Crime' and the title track with 'Whip Appeal' and 'My Kinda Girl,' reaching the Top 5. His triple-platinum 1993 album 'For the Cool in You' featured his Top 5 pop hit 'When Can I See You,' and his 'Waiting to Exhale' soundtrack, for which he wrote the majority of the songs as well as the score, provided Whitney Houston's big hit 'Exhale (Shoop, Shoop).' Throughout his career, Edmonds has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B records. He was placed 20th on NME's list of the 50 Greatest Producers Ever.