Brian McKnight

He went into the wedlock with Julie, who bore him two sons, Brian McKnight Jr and Cole Nicolas Niko McKnight. The couple however separated from her. His sons have made significant contribution in his latest released albums.

Religiously, he is a Seventh-day Adventist

Brian McKnight was born in a musically inclined family in Buffalo, New York. While his grandfather was a director by profession, his elder brother, Claude McKnight III had a band of his own.

Music ran in the blood of the family and young McKnight had no escaping it. He soon found himself following the footsteps of his elder brother right in his early days when he became a part of the choir group for a local church.

He completed his high school studies from Sweet Home High School, wherein he performed as a band leader.

Since he had a gospel upbringing, he had the opportunity to explore various genres of music since early on. What’s more, right from his early teens, he explored writing skills as well as learned different instruments.

In 1990, when his brother signed a record deal with Warner Brothers for the band, Take 6, young McKnight was inspired to record his own. Eventually, by the time he aged 19, he recorded his own demo tapes which subsequently won him his first recording deal with Mercury Records subsidiary, Wing Records

He released his debut self-titled album, ‘Brian McKnight’ in 1992, which peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200 chart. Though all the songs were well received by the audience, one which requires a special mention includes, ‘One Last Cry’.

The superlative success of his debut album led him being tagged as one of the most promising and upcoming singer-songwriters around. However, despite the buzz, his second album took quite some time and released only in 1995 titled, ‘I Remember You’.

He released one more album under Mercury Records titled ‘Anytime’ in 1997. The album garnered immense positive response, which is evident from the fact that it sold two million copies and received a Grammy award nomination!

In 1997, he came with the album, ‘Remember the Magic’ which celebrated Disney’s silver jubilee. Following year, he signed a deal with Motown Records and came up with a Christmas album, ‘Bethlehem’.

‘Back At One’ is his most successful album till date. Released in 1999, under Motown Records, the album gained a triple platinum certificate and became his best-selling album till date