Biography
Born in Southeast Washington, D.C., soul revivalist Ricky Fanté grew up immersed in nonstop spins of Motown, Stax, and Blue Note LPs. As a one-time choirboy, he honed his expressive singing approach throughout adolescence by echoing Stevie Wonder and Elvis Presley along local sidewalks. Gospel devotion took root inside church walls, while broader musical passions stemmed from his parents, whose wide-ranging listening habits kept the home soundtrack constant from morning until night. After finishing high school, Fanté joined the Marines, served his four-year term, and relocated to Los Angeles intending to study and launch a professional music path. Within six months he secured a contract with a modest independent imprint after prevailing in a talent showcase. At that point he committed fully to his recording ambitions and withdrew from college. A demo by his duo Soul Surfers reached A&R executive Josh Deutsch, resulting in a development agreement during 2001. The following year Fanté teamed with Norah Jones’ associate Jesse Harris to begin writing and tracking material for his first album. They issued the four-track EP Introducing...Ricky Fanté in 2003 as advance notice of his Virgin Records long-player Rewind, which arrived the next year.
Albums
Singles
