American Jazz Musician Female Singer Miki Howard is back with new album Private collection

Introduction: After some 25 years, singer and actressHoward's third solo album, Miki Howard, was released
Miki Howard continues to resonate passion and soulin 1989 and proved her most commercially successful
into music. With many years in the entertainmentto date. The single "Aren't Nothing in the World"
business, Miki's latest CD, Private Collection makesbecame Howard's first number-one hit on the R&B
the listener think of her and the CD content as similarcharts, and another song, "Love under New
to a collection of fine, developing wine. Aside from aManagement," followed it to number two. Although it
string of Billboard R&B top rated singles, and successwas not her biggest hit, "Management" became one
with nominations from Grammies, American Musicof Howard's signature tunes.
Awards, Soul Train Music Awards and others, how1990s: Howard continued her successful solo career
many singers and actresses could pull off portrayingafter switching to Giant Records in 1991. Her first
the legendary Billy Holliday? Outside of Diana Ross,single under her new contract, "Aren't Nobody like
Miki Howard did to rave reviews in Spikes Lee's highlyYou," became Howard's second number-one R&B hit.
acclaimed, Academy Award nominated 1990The subsequent album, 1992's Femme Fatale,
masterpiece, Malcolm X.featured Howard's renditions of classic tracks
Unlike the current 'Soul Revival' coming to theoriginally performed by Dinah Washington ("This Bitter
forefront from such new artists like, AmyEarth") and Billie Holiday ("Good Morning Heartache").
Warehouse, Donnie, Rahassan Paterson, The BrandA casting director saw Miki perform some Billie
New Heavies, Gordon Chambers, Anthony HamiltonHoliday tunes at a New York City concert at Radio
and others, Miki Howard not only brings a soulCity Music Hall, and offered her the above referenced
element to her vocal depth, but she also embodiesrole of Holiday in the nightclub scene of director Spike
jazz, blues and the best of today's R&B, including theLee's 1992 epic film Malcolm X. The following year,
music coming singers likes of Alicia Keys and Fantasia,Howard recorded an entire album of Holiday songs,
to name a few. This all stems from Miki's early roots.titled Miki Sings Billie, including her favorite Billie tune,
1960s: Born Alicia Michelle Howard in Chicago, Illinois,"Don't Explain." Outside of her acclaimed portrayal of
she is the daughter of gospel singer JosephineBillie Holiday, other film credits have included working
Howard of the legendary, Rock and Roll Hall of Famewith such directors as John Singleton in his 1993
group, The Caravans, and Clay Graham of the Pilgrimmovie Poetic Justice with pop icon Janet Jackson.
Jubilees. During her childhood in Chicago and Detroit,After Miki's relationship with Leveret ended, Miki had
Howard met some of the best singers of the daya brief marriage that produced another child. By 1993,
when they visited her family. "It was nothing for methe singer had finally extricated herself from that
to see James Cleveland, Billy Preston, and Fatsmarriage, a disastrous marriage that had a damaging
Domino in my house," she said. "I was surrounded byeffect on her career. As she explained "I don't want
music every day, so I knew I wanted to singto go into details, but let's just say events that
professionally someday." Among Howard's earliestoccurred during that relationship left me with
influences were family friends Dinah Washington--tochallenges in the industry. For instance, I remember I
whom she would later be compared--and Arethawas about to sign with RCA Records and the deal
Franklin. Howard also counted Nina Simone, Shirleyfell through. That was a crushing blow. With all that
Basely, Lena Horne, and Judy Garland among herwas going on in my life at the time, I decided to
favorite vocalists.'retire' for a while to get myself together."
1970s: Miki's family moved to Los Angeles while sheDuring this period, Howard moved to Atlanta with her
was in her early teens. Already aiming at a career inthree children, where friends Chaka Khan, Cherelle,
music, the 15-year-old Howard received her firstand Patti LaBelle comforted her in the aftermath of
break when she participated in a teen beautythe divorce. Miki released Live Plus in 1996, and a
contest. Augie Johnson, leader of the group Sidecomeback album of original material, Can't Count Me
Effect, happened to be in the audience; impressedOut, in 1997. She also toured in the road company of
with Howard's singing talent, he introduced her tothe Broadway musical Dream girls, playing the role of
Wayne Henderson, who signed the teenager to alead Dream, Deena.
contract with his At Home Productions. Howard alsoBy 1999, Howard was ready to revive her recording
joined the lineup of Side Effect in 1978. For the nextcareer in earnest. Miki says she simply contacted her
couple of years, Howard continued to sing with themanagers and said, "I need to make a record." "One
group and performed backup vocals as a studioof my co-managers at the time had started Peak
singer for jazz great Stanley Turpentine, WayneRecords so it was uncanny." Howard continued, "I
Henderson, Roy Ayers, Grover Washington, Jr., andgot a deal pretty quickly with the new label! Lots of
Philip Bailey. Howard and Johnson also began amy friends started coming out of the woodwork to
personal relationship that produced two childrengive me songs and before we knew it, we had ten
1980s: Already in demand as a session vocalist,ready to go."
Howard also performed with Side Effect on comic2000s: Howard's first album of original material in four
deejay Rick Dees' singles in the early 1980s, whichyears, Three Wishes, was released in 2001 to
she credits as the catalyst for her solo career. "Itexcellent reviews. The album earned a Grammy
was my experience with Rick that made me want toAward nomination for Best Traditional R&B
go solo," she recounted on the Peak RecordsRecording; although she lost out to Gladys Knight in
website. "We performed at the L.A. Amphitheaterthat category, the nomination itself represented an
and I saw the dressing room marked 'Star' and I wasartistic comeback for Howard. After 25 years in the
jealous and wanted my own room."music business, the singer was comfortable with her
As with so many other solo artist confined to theplace in the industry and resigned to the
limitations of being in a group environment, Howardcompromises it demanded. In 2001 The Very Best of
sought a solo recording contract, and around 1985,Miki Howard, including her top R&B hits from the late
famed label Atlantic Records gave Miki Howard a life1980s and early 1990s, was released on Rhino
changing opportunity. She recorded her first soloRecords. An album on the Shanachie label, Pillow Talk:
album with Atlantic in 1986, Come Share My Love.Miki Sings the Classics was released in 2006.
Her first hit for Atlantic was the album title track,Discography: Miki Howard, a kid from the 1960's, is a
Billboard R&B top ten single "Come Share My Love, "woman that has survived the 70's, 80's, and 90's. She
which peaked at number five. Miki followed that withis an artist with a persistent fan base, consistently
her second hit, a remake of Glenn Miller's 1940 tuneawaiting new releases. The Discography that created
"Imagination," which she had to fight to include in herher following includes a long list of hits: Come Share
first album.My Love 1986, Love Confessions 1987, Miki Howard
Howard's second solo album, 1988's Love1989, Femme Fatale 1992, Miki Sings Billie 1994, Live
Confessions, offered two R&B chart hits, thePlus 1996, Can't Count Me Out 1997, Three Wishes
top-five hit "Baby Be Mine," and the top-ten hit,2001, The Very Best Of Miki Howard 2001, Pillow
"That's What Love Is." The latter was a duet withTalk: Miki Sings The Classics 2006, and now Private
Gerald Leveret that reflected a real-life romanceCollection 2008.
between the two singers that lasted until 1990.