Anita Baker, American children’s musician, Anita Denise Baker was born on January 26, 1958.

Baker was born in Toledo, Ohio, to Mary and Grandville Lewis, who are not her biological parents but adopted her when her then-teenage mother gave her up for adoption.

Baker’s adoptive sister raised her after her adoptive parents died when she was 12. When Baker was 16, she began performing R&B in Detroit nightclubs.

David Washington, the group’s frontman, discovered her after a concert and suggested that she apply to be part of the funk group Chapter 8.

Anita Baker’s career

The Songstress, Baker’s first solo album, was released in May 1983. Four singles were released from the album: “No More Tears” and its B-side “Will You Be Mine”, “Angel” and “You’re the “. Best thing ever.”

When “Angel” reached number five on the R&B charts in late 1983, it became Baker’s first top ten hit. “You’re the Best Thing Yet” followed in the R&B Top 40 early the following year.

Despite the early success of his work, Baker later expressed disappointment at not earning royalties. The label also postponed the start of production on Baker’s follow-up to The Songstress.

After two years, in 1984, Baker attempted to leave the label, but Smith sued for breach of contract in 1985.

On her debut album, Elektra, Baker collaborated with former Chapter 8 bandmate, composer and producer Michael J. Powell, although the label was initially unhappy with the choice of Powell over more experienced producers.

Baker released Rapture, her second album, in March 1986. Elektra released the mid-tempo ballad “Sweet Love”, which became her first pop hit, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Top 20.

While album sales were initially low following the release of the album’s lead single, “Watch Your Step”, Elektra later released the slower track “Watch Your Step”.

To promote the album, Baker toured in 1986 and 1987, headlining the Rapture Tour, a performance that was eventually made available on home video as A Night of Rapture.

When Baker and The Winans collaborated on the song “Ain’t No Need to Worry” in 1987, Baker received her third Grammy, this time in the category of “Best Soul-Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group, Choir or Chorus”.

Compositions, Baker’s debut album, in which she began to incorporate more jazz elements than on her previous albums, was released in 1990. Baker was more actively involved in the writing and production of Compositions.

After the album’s touring and promotional schedule ended in 1991, Baker took a break from the industry to start a family with her then-husband, with whom she eventually had two children.

Christmas Fantasy was released by Baker in 2005, and the song “Christmas Time Is Here” received a Grammy nomination. Baker received an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music in May 2005.

Since 2010, Baker has been working on a new album, which will feature the single “Only Forever”. Baker released her cover of Tyrese’s hit “Lately” in August 2012.

In February 2013, Baker sang “Lately” and “Same Ole Love” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and thus returned to the public eye. She performed at the Grammys the same month that “Lately” was nominated for Best R&B Performance.

Baker’s resignation was announced in January 2017. She came out of retirement in 2018.

Baker and Elektra Records were involved in a legal dispute in March 2021 over ownership rights to her master recordings, which she claims should belong to her under copyright law when her contract expires .

Before giving him the rights to her song, she asked people to stop buying and streaming the song. She stated that the conflict had been resolved and that she was now in control of her master as of September 2021.

Before the 2022 NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, Baker sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Does Anita Baker have children?

Anita Baker and her ex-husband Walter Bridgeforth have two sons together. Walter Baker Bridgforth, born January 1993, and Edward Carlton Bridgforth, born May 1994.