Throwback: Happy Belated 66th Birthday, Babyface!

2025 is rushing by. It’s now April. How did that happen, y’all? April is a busy month in music history. 

• Gil Scott-Heron was born 76 years ago on April 1 
• The legendary Marvin Gaye was born 85 years ago on April 2
• Bella Union Records founder and label head, singer/songwriter, musician and Cocteau Twins‘ Simon Raymonde celebrated his 63rd birthday on April 3
• David Roback, one-half of acclaimed and beloved dream pop duo Mazzy Star was born on this day 67 years on April 4
• The great Jill Scott, “Jilly from Philly” celebrated her 53rd on April 4
• The legendary bluesman Muddy Waters was born 112 years ago on April 4
• Smash-hit producer, songwriter and artist Pharrell Williams celebrated his 52nd birthday on April 6
• Merle Haggard, one of the most beloved figures of the Outlaw Country movement was born on this day 85 years ago on April 6
• Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV, a.k.a. Black Francis, a.k.a Frank Black celebrates his 60th — yes, y’all 60th! — birthday on April 7
• John Oates, best known for his work with the blue-eyed soul duo Hall & Oates one of the most commercially successful duos ever, celebrates his 76th birthday on April 7
• The legendary and incomparable Billie Holiday as born 110 years ago on April 7
• Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider was born 78 years ago on April 7
• The legendary Biz Markie was born 61 years ago on April 8
• A Tribe Called Quest‘s  Q-Tip, one of hip-hop’s greatest emcees and producers celebrated his 55th — yes, y’all 55th! — birthday on April 10

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds was born 66 years ago on April 10. As a solo artist, producer and songwriter, Edwards is behind some of the most indelible and important R&B and pop songs ever written.

TLC’s smash-hit sophomore album, 1994’s CrazySexyCool, which featured material he wrote and produced, was one of the best-selling albums ever, by an American female group. And throughout their collaboration together, TLC sold over 75 million records globally.

Toni Braxton‘s first two albums, 1993’s self-titled and 1996’s Secrets, which featured mostly Babyface penned songs went on to sell a combined total over 15 million albums.

Whitney Houston‘s Babyface-produced track, 1990’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” was his first #1 on the Top 40 Charts in the US.

He also wrote and produced Boyz II Men‘s mega-smash hits 1992’s “End of the Road” and “I’ll Make Love to You,” both which established records for the longest stay at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

He also co-wrote, co-produced and provided backing vocals on Madonna‘s 1994 effort, Bedtime Stories, which featured the #1 hit “Take a Bow.”

He wrote and produced Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop), as well as the rest of 1995’s Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, which also featured additional hits for Houston, Brandy and Mary J. Blige.

The list of artists Babyface has written and/or produced is bonkers — and it includes: Bobby Brown, The Whispers, Pebbles, After 7, Johnny Gill, Tevin Campbell, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson, Faith Evans, Beyoncé, Diana Ross, Sheena Easton, Michael Jackson, Micheal Bolton, Paula Abdul, Dru Hill, Celine Dion, Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey and just about anyone else you can think of.

And he’s one of the few producers to receive three consecutive Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year between 1995-1997. Seriously, between roughly 1987 and 2005, Babyface was the sound of R&B and pop hits. That kind of success is unparalleled.

Happy belated birthday, brother.