Biography
Kindred the Family Soul emerged as a Grammy-nominated adult contemporary R&B duo from Philadelphia formed by married couple Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon. Although major chart-topping singles never materialized, the pair cultivated a loyal audience drawn to their consistent output of relatable, mature R&B. Across their catalog, Dantzler and Graydon handled most songwriting themselves, grounding the material in classic soul and gospel traditions while adding subtle modern textures through collaborations with co-producers Anthony Bell, Adam Blackstone, Vidal Davis, Andre Harris, Steve McKie, and James Poyser.
Before teaming up, both pursued solo paths. Born in Philadelphia, Dantzler entered the industry by penning material for Pebbles and Bell Biv DeVoe. Graydon, raised in Washington, D.C., secured a solo recording contract at fifteen. Once united, the two focused on joint songwriting until marriage and family responsibilities prompted them to seek stable employment outside music. After working as an appliance salesman, Dantzler returned to the local circuit, where he and Graydon began performing at the Black Lily club. There they attracted the notice of Jill Scott, who introduced them to her label, Hidden Beach Recordings.
The duo spent the following two years shaping their debut album, Surrender to Love, issued in 2003. The project assembled an array of contributors that included Scott, string arranger Larry Gold, Bilal, King Britt, and the then-upcoming Jazmine Sullivan. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B/Soul Album. Kindred issued two further releases on Hidden Beach. In This Life Together, titled after Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis’s memoir, appeared in 2005. Three years later came The Arrival, their strongest commercial showing to date, which peaked at number 67 on the Billboard 200 and number seven on the R&B Albums chart.
For their fourth album the artists moved to Shanachie and delivered Love Has No Recession in 2011, featuring guests that ranged from go-go pioneer Chuck Brown to relative newcomer BJ the Chicago Kid. A subsequent Shanachie project, A Couple Friends, followed in 2014. Kindred’s sixth studio album, Legacy of Love, surfaced in 2016 and reached the Top 15 of the Billboard R&B chart.
Before teaming up, both pursued solo paths. Born in Philadelphia, Dantzler entered the industry by penning material for Pebbles and Bell Biv DeVoe. Graydon, raised in Washington, D.C., secured a solo recording contract at fifteen. Once united, the two focused on joint songwriting until marriage and family responsibilities prompted them to seek stable employment outside music. After working as an appliance salesman, Dantzler returned to the local circuit, where he and Graydon began performing at the Black Lily club. There they attracted the notice of Jill Scott, who introduced them to her label, Hidden Beach Recordings.
The duo spent the following two years shaping their debut album, Surrender to Love, issued in 2003. The project assembled an array of contributors that included Scott, string arranger Larry Gold, Bilal, King Britt, and the then-upcoming Jazmine Sullivan. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B/Soul Album. Kindred issued two further releases on Hidden Beach. In This Life Together, titled after Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis’s memoir, appeared in 2005. Three years later came The Arrival, their strongest commercial showing to date, which peaked at number 67 on the Billboard 200 and number seven on the R&B Albums chart.
For their fourth album the artists moved to Shanachie and delivered Love Has No Recession in 2011, featuring guests that ranged from go-go pioneer Chuck Brown to relative newcomer BJ the Chicago Kid. A subsequent Shanachie project, A Couple Friends, followed in 2014. Kindred’s sixth studio album, Legacy of Love, surfaced in 2016 and reached the Top 15 of the Billboard R&B chart.
Albums
Singles
