Howard Hewett

Howard Hewett stands among the premier vocalists of the urban contemporary period, though suitable vehicles for his exceptional abilities have appeared infrequently. Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, he later moved to Los Angeles, where he performed as a dancer on Soul Train. In 1979 he joined Jeffrey Daniel and Jody Watley to form Shalamar, and the trio enjoyed multiple major successes before Hewett left the group in 1985 to pursue a solo path. After signing with Elektra, his second single, “I’m for Real,” reached number two on the R&B chart in 1986. The next release, “Stay,” also entered the Top Ten, while “I Commit to Love” peaked at number 12 in 1987. He stayed with Elektra through the remainder of the 1980s and into the 1990s, scoring an additional hit with “Strange Relationship” in 1988 and recording duets alongside Dionne Warwick and Anita Baker. During the same span Hewett maintained an active schedule as a songwriter, producer, and session singer. He co-wrote and produced “Frustration” for LaToya Jackson in 1984 and contributed vocals to her album Heart Don’t Lie. Lead vocals by Hewett appeared on albums by Stanley Clarke and George Duke in 1984 and 1986; he also joined Stacy Lattisaw for a duet on “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” performed with Firefox in 1986, and supplied background vocals on a Donna Summer project. His self-titled 1990 album yielded the number-two R&B single “Show Me.” Subsequent solo releases included Allegiance in 1992 and It’s Time in 1994. After stepping back from solo work, Hewett focused on background vocals for several jazz artists, among them Duke and Joe Sample. He resumed recording with the gospel project The Journey in 2001. The single “Enough,” again featuring Duke, followed in 2006, and the holiday collection Howard Hewett Christmas appeared in 2008.