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by: Eunice Moseley - The Pulse of Entertainment
Kevon Edmonds, the fourth oldest brother of Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and the co-founder and lead member of the group After 7, has teamed with Make Entertainment for a hot new project titled “Who Knew.” The recently released CD is distributed through EMI Distribution.
“I used young producers,” singer/songwriter Kevon Edmonds said when asked about the hot tracks on his new CD.
The young producers Kevon is talking about consist of the hot songwriting team from Boston Kadis and Sean and his nephews Jason and Dave Edmonds. Also on the CD is Greg Curtis who co-wrote the first single, “Oh,” with Kevon. Kadis and Sean produced the title Pop track “Who Knew,” the R&B cut “Hurt Too Much to Cry,” and the fairytail sounding “April's Fool.”
“I never stop believing that there was going to be another record,” said Edmonds about the ten year gap between this sophomore solo project and his debut album. “This (music) is nothing I was trained to do. It's just a talent God has blessed you with...you might take a break...you don't waste that.”
Kevon said that without him planning it, it seems his solo projects are being released every ten years.
“It has perfect timing,” Edmonds continued. “It gives me an opportunity to re-introduce myself to my fans and I get to make new fans, introduce myself to new listeners...connect the dots.”
The “Who Knew” CD does just that, it offers both old school and new school. You get the old school way of recording with the live instruments and quality soulful vocals such as in my two most favorite cuts “Who Knew” and “Oh.” Then you get the new school way of sound manipulation and experimentation such as on the Urban R&B selections “She Love's Me” and “April's Fool,” also favorite selections of mine.
While attending Indiana University Kevon formed the R&B group After 7 with classmate Keith Mitchell and his brother Melvin Edmonds. After graduate they signed with his younger brother Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds' record label LaFace (with LA Reid) who had just signed a deal with Virgin Records.
The group released a self-titled album in 1989 which earned them a platinum album and seven gold singles. In 1995 they left the label and by 1997 the group had disbanded. In 1999 Kevon Edmonds released his first solo project “24/7” on RCA/BMG and it garnered him a gold title track single. Now Edmonds is promoting his sophomore CD “Who Knew” on independent label Make Entertainment/EMI.
“Al Matterson (Make Entertainment) was one of the guys trying to get me to do another record,” Kevon points out.
Edmonds said that independent labels may not have the funds and that may make the process stressful, but that they were willing to put their noses to the grindstone. Kevon feels that the finished product was worth the risk of going with an “indie” label.
To watch the music video of his first single “Oh,” produced by Nick Leisure Films, log onto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcL2ONdq4wY and to learn more on Kevon log onto www.myspace.com/kemonds.
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