Where Are They Now: Babyface

Kenneth Edmonds, famously known as Babyface, or simply Face, was born April 10, 1959 in Indianapolis, Indiana to parents Marvin and Barbara Edmonds. After his father died, leaving his mother to raise six children alone, Edmonds became determined to have a music career and has continued to make a name for himself in the music industry. Most famous for smooth R&B hits including “Everytime I Close My Eyes”, “When Can I See You Again”, and “Whip Appeal”, Babyface began his career as a teen, performing with the legendary Bootsy Collins. Bootsy Collins, noting his adorable teen face, nicknamed Edmonds “Babyface”.

Some of Babyface’s earliest work includes playing guitar in the group Man Child and keyboard in The Deele, which also featured LA Reid. One of Edmonds first major credits as a songwriter came when he wrote “Slow-Jam” for the R&B band Midnight Star in 1983. In the late ’80s, Babyface helped form New Jack Swing, writing and producing music for mega-stars like Bobby Brown, Karyn White, Pebbles, Paula Abdul, and Sheena Easton. In 1989 Edmonds co-founded LaFace Records with L.A. Reid. Three of the label’s early artists TLC, Usher, and Toni Braxton have enjoyed Grammy success. Edmonds has also worked with superstars like Madonna, Boyz II Men, Brandy, Mary J. Blige and the late Whitney Houston. Babyface enjoyed the spotlight himself, writing and producing several solo albums including For the Cool in You in 1993, Love Songs in 2001, and Grown & Sexy in 2005.

Divorced from his famous wife Tracey Edmonds in 2005, Babyface began dating his backup dancer Nicole “Niki” Patenburg. In 2008, Edmonds and Nicole welcomed their daughter, Peyton Nicole Edmonds, to the world. When Babyface is not spending time with his sons Brandon and Dylan Michael and his daughter, he is working on a new solo album. Recently, Edmonds paid tribute to Whitney Houston during his concert in St. Louis, Missouri. Edmonds is currently touring and splitting studio time between Alicia Keys and Celine Dion. Catch the still incredibly smooth and oh-so handsome Babyface as a guest mentor on Fox’s The Voice.

By McKenna Stephens

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