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Eric Benét (born Eric Benét Jordan on October 15, 1966) is an American R&B and soul singer. His duet with Tamia, "Spend My Life With You" was a number one song for three weeks on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000.
BiographyBenét was his mother's maiden name, and he was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is the youngest of five siblings.
Benét sang with a Top 100-style group called Gerard in the late 1980s. Benét, his sister Lisa, and his cousin George Nash Jr. formed a band called Benét and released a self-titled album in 1992, but it only sold 100,000 copies.
Benét's career-building, however, was interrupted by a series of personal tragedies. His father died of cancer. Next his girlfriend Tami Marie Stauff died of injuries suffered in an automobile crash (April 24, 1993) after languishing in a coma for five days. He took a job with United Parcel Service in Milwaukee and eased back into music by producing demo recordings for local artists.
From 2001 to 2005, he was married to actress Halle Berry.
He has a daughter, India (with Stauff, born in 1992).
CareerIn 1994, Benét signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing his solo debut album, True to Myself, in fall 1996. Individual songs from the album were successful, including the top-ten R&B hit "Spiritual Thang" and "Let's Stay Together," which appeared on the soundtrack of the film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate.
His next album, A Day in the Life, was released in 1999
. Its first single, "Georgy Porgy (featuring Faith Evans)" received significant airplay, but the second single, "Spend My Life With You (featuring Tamia)", became a smash hit. "Spend My Life With You" rose to number one on the American R&B charts, was certified gold, and nominated for a 2000 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. The album, A Day in the Life also won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Male.
Benét also recorded for Earth, Wind, and Fire's 30th anniversary CD. He contributed vocals to the post-Katrina charity single, "Heart of America" along with Michael McDonald, Wynonna Judd, and Terry Dexter. He has also lent his vocals to many jazz albums for such artists as Wayman Tisdale, George Duke, Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, Boney James, etc.
Hurricane was his third studio album released on June 21, 2005 in the US. "I Wanna Be Loved" was the song that received the most airplay.
His fourth album Love & Life was released on September 9, 2008. The first single "You're The Only One" is his first top twenty hit on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in two years; it peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Adult R&B Songs chart.
Acting careerBenét has also been active as an actor; he had a recurring role on the television program For Your Love (1998–2002). He made his film debut alongside Mariah Carey in Glitter (2001). He has a recurring role on the MTV scripted show "Kaya" (2007) where he plays a music producer. Benet appeared on the series as Reece Wilcox on Half & Half in 2005.
Awards and nominations- Grammy Awards
- 2000, Nominee (Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group) "Spend My Life with You" (with Tamia)
- 2009, Nominee (Best R&B Male Performance) "You're the Only One"
- 2009, Nominee (Best R&B Album) Love & Life
DiscographyAlbums- 1996: True to Myself #174 U.S.
- 1999: A Day in the Life #25 U.S. (RIAA: Gold)
- Better & Better (unreleased)
- 2005: Hurricane #133 U.S.
- 2008: Love & Life #11 U.S.
Singles
Copyright Citations
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