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Claytoven Richardson

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Claytoven Richardson
Birth nameClayton D. Richardson
Born (1956-05-23) May 23, 1956 (age 68)
OriginBerkeley, California, U.S.
GenresR&B, pop, jazz
Years active1979–present
LabelsPrestige (1979–1980)
MCA (1980–1982)
Fantasy (1983–1984)
Qwest (1985)
Websiteclaytoven.com

Claytoven Richardson (born May 23, 1956) is an American singer, instrumentalist, producer, songwriter, and author. His musical career spans nearly three decades, during which he has been awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards.[1]

Early life, family and education

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Clayton D. Richardson was born on May 23, 1956,[2] in Berkeley, California.

Larry Batiste, a childhood friend (and later business partner), accidentally fused Richardson's given name with that of the composer Beethoven to form the name "Claytoven."[1]

Career

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In 1979 Claytoven made his recording studio and recording artist debut as a part of the group Bill Summers and Summers Heat. The group recorded one album for Prestige Records and three albums for MCA Records. The group saw moderate success with the songs, "Call It What You Want" and "Jam The Box".

After Summers Heat, Claytoven went on to become a session musician with his first major start singing background vocals for producer Narada Michael Walden on the hit George Benson single "Kisses in the Moonlight". His second recording session was as a guest vocalist and background vocalist on the breakout album "Duotones" for saxophonist, Kenny G. He has since performed on numerous gold and platinum recordings featuring Tevin Campbell, Michael Bolton, Elton John, Peabo Bryson, New Kids on the Block, Ricky Martin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, and many others.

After being in the music business for some time he realized a need to increase the pool of well trained professional vocalists. So in 2000 Claytoven also stepped into the role of teacher by founding the "Studio Training Workshop for Vocalists", a workshop designed to help aspiring singers pursue a career as a professional recording vocalist by bridging the gap between the academic and professional music worlds. He currently teaches this and other workshops at San Francisco State University Music/Recording Industry Program and for various other music programs across the country. He now works for the City of Oakland running a local teen center, Digital Arts and Culinary Academy (DACA), along with fellow co-director and musician Andrea President.

In his efforts to further create growth in the professional music community, Richardson penned the book The Professional Studio Vocalist (ISBN 1598632795). He has been involved with many educational and literary projects, yet he remains active as a session musician.[3]

Selected discography

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[4][5]

Artist albums

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Year Title Artist
1979 On Sunshine Bill Summers & Summers Heat
1980 Call It What You Want Bill Summers & Summers Heat
1981 Jam the Box Bill Summers & Summers Heat
1982 Seventeen Bill Summers & Summers Heat
1983 Private Eye Private Eye
1985 Nside Makoto

Session work

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Year Title Artist
1982 Keep It Live The Dazz Band
1983 Love for Love The Whispers
1984 Tiggi Clay Tiggi Clay
1986 While the City Sleeps... George Benson
1986 Duotones Kenny G
1986 Fizzy Qwick Fizzy Qwick
1987 Whitney Whitney Houston
1988 One Moment in Time Whitney Houston
1989 Through the Storm Aretha Franklin
1989 Stay with Me Regina Belle
1989 So Happy Eddie Murphy
1989 Night With Mr. C Clarence Clemens
1989 A Collection: Greatest Hits...and More Barbra Streisand
1990 I'm Your Baby Tonight Whitney Houston
1990 It's Supposed To Be Fun Lou Rawls
1991 So Intense Lisa Fischer
1991 Time, Love & Tenderness Michael Bolton
1991 Inner Child Shanice
1991 Christmas Stephanie Mills
1991 Can You Stop The Rain Peabo Bryson
1992 Heaven and Earth Al Jarreau
1993 Duets Elton John
1993 Soul Dancing Taylor Dayne
1993 The One Thing Michael Bolton
1993 The Colour of My Love Celine Dion
1994 Face The Music New Kids on the Block
1995 A Very Fine Love Dusty Springfield
1995 Take Me Higher Diana Ross
1995 My Cherie Sheena Easton
1995 Your Heart's in Good Hands Al Green
1996 Soulful Strut Grover Washington Jr.
1996 New World Order Curtis Mayfield
1996 Miracle Puff Johnson
1997 Butterfly Mariah Carey
1997 Open Roads Gary Barlow
1997 Junction Seven Steve Winwood
1997 Open Roads Kenny Loggins
1997 Sensational Michelle Gayle
1998 In & Out of Love Patti Austin
1998 These Are Special Times Celine Dion
1998 A Rose Is Still a Rose Aretha Franklin
1999 Marc Anthony Marc Anthony
1999 On The 6 Jennifer Lopez
1999 Lara Fabian Lara Fabian
2000 Sound Loaded Ricky Martin
2001 Renaissance Lionel Richie
2002 A New Day Has Come Celine Dion
2005 Blue Highway Angela Strehli
2010 Just Charlie Charlie Wilson
2010 Soulsville Huey Lewis & the News
2012 Yo Roberto Fonseca
2013 Memphis Boz Scaggs
2013 Sammy Hagar & Friends Sammy Hagar
2015 Brown Eyes Paris

Soundtracks

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Year Title
1987 Beverly Hills Cop II
1989 Everybody's All American
1992 The Bodyguard
1993 Mr Wonderful
1994 Street Fighter
1994 Jason's Lyric
1994 Crooklyn
1996 The Associate
1997 A Smile Like Yours
1997 Hercules
1997 In & Out
1997 The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1999 Our Friend Martin
2001 Snow Dogs
2005 Rent

References

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  1. ^ a b "about Claytoven". claytoven.com. US: Claytoven Richardson. Archived from the original on April 2, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2009.
  2. ^ "California Birth Index, 1905–1995 [database on-line]". United States: The Generations Network. 2005. Retrieved October 7, 2009.
  3. ^ "Course Technology". courseptr.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011.[dead link]
  4. ^ Claytoven Richardson at Allmusic.com
  5. ^ Claytoven at Allmusic.com
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