Brownstone

In 1993 the Los Angeles trio of Mimi, Nicci, and Maxee assembled the smooth and silky R&B ensemble Brownstone. Although the group’s first single, “Pass the Lovin’,” registered only modest gains on the R&B charts, its successor, “If You Love Me,” scored a substantial hit by climbing into the pop Top Ten and lifting the debut album From the Bottom Up to platinum certification. The follow-up tracks “Grapevyne” and the Eagles cover “I Can’t Tell You Why” likewise performed strongly, yet health concerns compelled Mimi to depart in 1995, after which Kina Cosper joined the lineup. June 1997 saw the release of Brownstone’s sophomore effort, Still Climbing.