Biography
There's ongoing debate about who first spotted the Texas-born child prodigy Tevin Campbell, with some sources pointing to flutist Bobbi Humphrey and others following the promotional narrative that names Quincy Jones. What is certain is that listeners became aware of the young singer shortly after he turned eleven, when he contributed to Jones's late-1989 album Back on the Block. His performance on the track "Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)" reached the top of the R&B chart in June 1990. Campbell's high, flexible tenor brought to mind Jones's earlier discovery Michael Jackson. Before the year ended, he sang "Round and Round" on the soundtrack and in the film Graffiti Bridge; Prince composed the song specifically for him, and it earned gold certification. The following summer Campbell appeared on the Boyz in the Hood soundtrack with "Just Ask Me To," which climbed into the R&B Top Ten. Those successes paved the way for his 1991 debut album T.E.V.I.N., a platinum release that yielded a pair of R&B number-one singles—"Tell Me What You Want Me to Do" and "Alone with You"—plus the Top Five hit "Goodbye." Two years afterward, I'm Ready achieved even stronger numbers, reaching double-platinum status and producing three additional R&B chart entries: the chart-topping "Can We Talk," the Top Five title track "I'm Ready," and the Top Ten single "Always in My Heart." Sales proved far weaker for 1996's Back to the World, and the self-titled 1999 follow-up fared still more poorly. A career-spanning compilation appeared in early 2001.
Albums
