New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the
Roxbury neighborhood of
Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started h ...
.
Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the
Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
. The group reached its height of popularity in the 1980s and are considered the "blue print" for what would become the "modern boy band". The lineup originally consisted of
Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins,
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started h ...
,
Ronnie DeVoe
Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (born November 17, 1967), is an American singer, rapper, and actor known as one of the members of the R&B/pop group New Edition, and the R&B/ hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
Career
DeVo ...
, and
Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Edward Tresvant (born May 16, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer, best known as the lead singer of R&B group New Edition. As a solo artist, Tresvant released the album '' Ralph Tresvant'' (1990). In 2008, he ...
. Brown left the group in late 1985 to begin a successful solo career, and they continued as a quartet for one album, before adding
Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and actor. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/ pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has released ...
to the lineup in 1987. Early hits included "
Candy Girl", "
Cool It Now
"Cool It Now" is a 1984 hit single by American group New Edition, and is the first single from their eponymous second album, ''New Edition''. In the US, the song entered the Hot Black Singles chart on September 1, 1984. The song peaked at number 4 ...
", and "
Mr. Telephone Man
"Mr. Telephone Man" is a song by New Edition, and the second single from their eponymous second album, ''New Edition''. Released as a single, by December 8, 1984, it was being added to the most "Hot Black" radio station playlists.
Overview
"Mr ...
". Tresvant was the lead singer on most of the songs. In 1990, both Gill and Tresvant released their own solo albums, while the remaining three members formed the trio
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe.
The band is best known for their debut album, the multi-pl ...
; the group ceased to work together for the first half of the 1990s.
All six members of New Edition reunited in 1996 to record the group's sixth studio album ''
Home Again''. During the ill-fated ''Home Again Tour'', both Brown and Bivins quit the group, forcing the remainder of the tour to be canceled. Various reunions have occurred since, usually with the 1987–1990 lineup, though occasionally also including Brown. Their last studio album was 2004's ''
One Love One Love may refer to:
Music
* One Love (record producer), Timothy Sommers, American record producer, half of the duo Kinetics & One Love
* ''One Love: The Bob Marley Musical'', a 2015 stage musical
Albums
* One Love (Blue album), ''One Love'' (B ...
''.
On May 3, 2011, New Edition issued a press release on their official website announcing that all six members were reuniting as New Edition to kick off the 30th anniversary celebration of ''
Candy Girl'' with their fans. They received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 23, 2017. On January 24, 2017, a three-part docuseries, ''
The New Edition Story
''The New Edition Story'' is an American biographical three-part miniseries about the contemporary R&B, R&B group New Edition, from their rise to fame as a boy band from the Orchard Park Projects of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to becoming a successfu ...
'', premiered on
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
about the group's career and personal life. It was later announced that all six members will reunite to record another album and go on tour. On February 17, 2022, the group was inducted into the
Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame
The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame, located in Atlanta, Georgia, started in January 2021, to honor African Americans, and Black people internationally, with a monument for their achievements in entertainment. The walk of fame is located i ...
.
Career
19811985: Rise to stardom
The group scored its big break in 1982, performing at the local Hollywood Talent Night held at Boston's
Strand Theatre by singer/producer
Maurice Starr
Larry Curtis Johnson (born July 14, 1953), better known by his stage name Maurice Starr, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work creating songs and albums with boy bands New Edition and New Kids on ...
.
The first prize was $500 and a recording contract. Although the group came in second place, an impressed Starr decided to bring the group to his studio the following day to record what would become their debut album, ''
Candy Girl''.
Released in 1983 on New York producer
Arthur Baker's Levi Belt Streetwise Records, the album featured the hits: "
Is This the End
"Is This the End" is a 1983 song by R&B/Pop group New Edition, written and produced by Maurice Starr
Larry Curtis Johnson (born July 14, 1953), better known by his stage name Maurice Starr, is an American musician, songwriter, and record prod ...
", "
Popcorn Love
"Popcorn Love" is a single by New Edition, released on August 6, 1983. It was released as the third and final single from their debut album, '' Candy Girl'' on the Streetwise label. The single read #25 on the R&B chart.
Charts
Another Bad Cre ...
", and the
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
, which went to number one on both the American R&B singles chart and the UK singles chart.
Returning from their first major concert tour, the boys were dropped off back at their homes in the projects and were given a check in the amount of $1.87 apiece for their efforts.
Tour budget and expenses were given as the explanation as to why they were not paid more. Due to these financial reasons, New Edition parted company with Starr in 1984. Starr responded by promptly creating the group
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoy ...
, essentially formatted after New Edition, but with white teenagers. Meanwhile, the group employed the law firm of Steven and Martin Machat and sued Streetwise for release from a contract that was unenforceable as well as materially breached by Streetwise. The Machats won the legal game and then secured the group a bigger recording deal with major label
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group.
Pre-history
MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...
, which won the bidding war among various other major labels. In need of management, the group signed with
Steven Machat and his two management partners Rick Smith and Bill Dern. The management company, AMI, proceeded to escalate the group's profile in both the urban and pop music worlds. Through the production affiliate of AMI, Jump and Shoot, MCA released the group's self-titled
second album the same year. Eclipsing their debut album, ''New Edition'' spun off the top five hit "
Cool It Now
"Cool It Now" is a 1984 hit single by American group New Edition, and is the first single from their eponymous second album, ''New Edition''. In the US, the song entered the Hot Black Singles chart on September 1, 1984. The song peaked at number 4 ...
" and the top twenty "
Mr. Telephone Man
"Mr. Telephone Man" is a song by New Edition, and the second single from their eponymous second album, ''New Edition''. Released as a single, by December 8, 1984, it was being added to the most "Hot Black" radio station playlists.
Overview
"Mr ...
", and went on to be certified double platinum in the United States.
While promoting their second album, the group was dismayed to realize that they were not actually signed to MCA Records, but instead with the production company Jump and Shoot, which had its own deal with MCA; subsequently, all business matters pertaining to the group were controlled by the former. To buy themselves out of the stifling production deal, each of the five members borrowed $100,000 from MCA. Though it effectively separated the group from Jump and Shoot and allowed them to sign a new long-term contract to record for MCA directly, they were now in mortgage to the label. As a result, the group would be forced to continually record and tour during this period in order to pay off its debt.
New Edition's third album, ''
All for Love'', was released in the latter half of 1985. While not duplicating the success of its predecessor, the album was certified platinum, and spawned the hits "
Count Me Out", "A Little Bit Of Love (Is All It Takes)", and "With You All the Way". The growing popularity of the group led to a guest appearance (as themselves) in the 1985 film ''
Krush Groove
''Krush Groove'' is a 1985 American musical comedy-drama film distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures that was written by Ralph Farquhar and directed by Michael Schultz (who also produced the movie, along with George Jackson and Doug McHenry). This ...
'', performing "My Secret". Toward the year's end, ''
Christmas All Over The World'', a holiday EP, was released as well as an
oldies album of tunes from the '50s sung by the group with an '80s production style.
19851989: Bobby Brown's departure, Johnny Gill's introduction and ''Heart Break''
Under pressure from MCA and their management, the group voted
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started h ...
out in December 1985, due to behavioral problems. Brown embarked on a solo career in 1986, while New Edition continued to promote ''All for Love'' as a quartet. In spite of their financial and internal conflicts, New Edition continued to peak. During this era of the group's evolution, the group appeared in the episode of ''
Knight Rider
''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series ''Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...
'' titled "Knight Song", performing "Count Me Out". As 1986 wound to a close, they recorded a cover of
The Penguins
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
' 1954 hit "
Earth Angel
"Earth Angel", occasionally referred to as "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)", is a song by American doo-wop group the Penguins. Produced by Dootsie Williams, it was released as their debut single in October 1954 on Dootone Records. The Penguins had ...
" for the soundtrack to ''
The Karate Kid, Part II''. The song peaked at number twenty-one and inspired the group to record ''
Under the Blue Moon'', an album of
doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
covers.
After having already lost a member when Brown was terminated from the group, New Edition's future became uncertain when murmurings began to surface that lead singer
Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Edward Tresvant (born May 16, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer, best known as the lead singer of R&B group New Edition. As a solo artist, Tresvant released the album '' Ralph Tresvant'' (1990). In 2008, he ...
was eyeing a solo career as well. To pad his potential departure, singer
Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and actor. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/ pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has released ...
was voted into the group by
Ricky Bell,
Michael Bivins
New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 1980 ...
and
Ronnie DeVoe
Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (born November 17, 1967), is an American singer, rapper, and actor known as one of the members of the R&B/pop group New Edition, and the R&B/ hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
Career
DeVo ...
in 1987, despite Tresvant ultimately deciding to remain in place. A native of
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, Gill is the only non-Boston native among the group's six members.
New Edition's fifth studio release, ''
Heart Break
''Heart Break'' is the fifth studio album by American contemporary R&B, R&B quintet New Edition, released June 20, 1988 by MCA Records. It is the first album to return the Boston-reared band as a quintet after the public exit of original member B ...
''— which also featured Gill as the co-lead vocalist — was released in the summer of 1988. Primarily produced by the production team of
Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956) are an American R&B/pop songwriting and record production team. They have enjoyed great success since the 1980s with various artists, most ...
, the album was a departure from the group's previous
bubblegum
Bubble gum or bubblegum is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble.
Bubble gum flavor
While there is a bubble gum "flavor" – which various artificial flavorings including esters are mixed to obtain – it ...
sound, and instead took on a smoother, stronger, and more adult resonance. Spinning off five hit singles: "
If It Isn't Love
"If It Isn't Love" is a song by American contemporary R&B, R&B quintet New Edition, and the first single from their fifth studio album, ''Heart Break'' (1988). The song became the biggest hit from the aforementioned album, reaching the top ten of t ...
", "
You're Not My Kind of Girl
"You’re Not My Kind of Girl" is a 1988 song by R&B/Pop group New Edition, and the second single from their fifth studio album, ''Heart Break''.
Overview
Written and produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis with Ralph Tresvant, Johnny Gill
John ...
", "
Can You Stand the Rain
"Can You Stand the Rain" is a ballad by R&B/pop group New Edition. The song was released on December 13, 1988 by MCA Records as the third single from their fifth studio album, ''Heart Break''.
Overview
Written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry L ...
", "
Crucial" and "
N.E. Heartbreak"; ''Heart Break'' became New Edition's most commercially successful album up to that point, certified double platinum in the United States. The success of ''Heart Break'' would launch the group on a successful concert tour as well in the closing months of 1988, with N.E. serving as the headliners while
Al B. Sure and former member Bobby Brown served as the opening acts.
19901995: Solo projects
Inspired by the substantial success Brown was having with his multi-platinum 1988 breakthrough album ''
Don't Be Cruel
"Don't Be Cruel" is a song that was recorded by Elvis Presley and written by Otis Blackwell in 1956.Victor (2008), ''The Elvis Encyclopedia'', p.115-116 It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2004, it was listed #197 in '' Rol ...
'', after the run of ''Heart Break'', New Edition went on hiatus to pursue side projects away from the group. At the suggestion of producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Bell, Bivins and DeVoe formed a trio,
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe.
The band is best known for their debut album, the multi-pl ...
. Their 1990 debut album, ''
Poison
Poison is a chemical substance that has a detrimental effect to life. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figuratively, with a broa ...
'', went quadruple platinum. The same year, lead singers Tresvant and Gill (who had already recorded as a solo act prior to joining New Edition) also released self-titled solo albums, which also achieved multi-platinum success. Later that year, the group, including Brown, had a semi-reunion of sorts when they performed at the 1990
MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
. In 1991, all six members again reunited to record a remix of the Bell Biv DeVoe track "
Word to the Mutha!
"Word to the Mutha!" is a song co-written and performed by American contemporary R&B group Bell Biv DeVoe and co-written and produced by Wolf & Epic (Richard Wolf and Bret "Epic" Mazur). It originally appeared on their debut studio album '' Poiso ...
"; Brown, Gill and Tresvant also appeared in the music video. Prior to this, Brown also appeared in the music videos for Bell Biv DeVoe's "BBD (I Thought It Was Me)" video, as well as Tresvant's "
Stone Cold Gentleman" and "Sensitivity" remix videos.
19961997: ''Home Again'' reunion and hiatus
By 1996, the members of New Edition had arguably achieved greater commercial success with their own side projects than the group had during its run. However, after having promised fans that there would be a reunion — and still contractually owing MCA Records another New Edition album — the group, with Brown, reunited to record ''
Home Again'', their first new album in eight years. The album debuted at number one on both the
''Billboard'' 200 and R&B Albums chart, and became the most commercially successful album of the group's career; reaching double platinum status in the United States. It also produced several hits, including the top ten pop hits: "
Hit Me Off" and "
I'm Still in Love with You." However, the ensuing 1997 Home Again Tour would prove disastrous for the group. Despite not having toured together in close to a decade (and over ten years for Brown), old rivalries and struggles for on stage dominance resurfaced as if no time had passed. By the middle leg of the tour, one evening at a concert in
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces (; "the crosses") is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New Mexico and the seat of Doña Ana County. As of the 2020 census the population was 111,385. Las Cruces is the largest city in both Doña Ana County and southern New ...
as Brown was extending his solo set, DeVoe attempted to pull Brown off the stage. Brown responded by dropping his microphone and a fist fight between the two ensued. This led to both members' security guards confronting each other, gun play was brought in, and the concert was halted. Bivins and Brown left the tour early, while DeVoe, Bell, Gill, and Tresvant finished out the rest of the tour as a quartet. Brown later admitted during an interview that he was intoxicated during the tour. Each of the group members again went their separate ways, this time on more hostile terms than ever; resulting in an indefinite hiatus that appeared to be the swan song for New Edition.
Also in 1996, the three solo members of New Edition (Brown, Gill and Tresvant) joined
Monica and
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American singer and actress. Born in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in New Jersey, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 for a career in the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B ...
to collaborate with
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
on a recording of the gospel standard "
Somebody Bigger Than You and I" that appeared on the soundtrack to Houston's movie ''
The Preacher's Wife
''The Preacher's Wife'' is a 1996 American comedy-drama film directed by Penny Marshall and starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, and Courtney B. Vance. It is a remake of the 1947 film ''The Bishop's Wife'', which in turn was based on the 1 ...
''. They had also made an appearance on ''
Family Matters
''Family Matters'' is an American television sitcom that debuted on ABC on September 22, 1989, and ended on May 9, 1997. However it moved to CBS, where it was shown from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998. A spin-off of '' Perfect Strangers ...
'' season 8 episode 9 titled "Home Again."
The following year, Gill formed the R&B supergroup
LSG, along with
Gerald Levert
Gerald Edward Levert (July 13, 1966 – November 10, 2006) was an Americans, American singer-songwriter and producer. Levert was best known for singing with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon of the vocal group LeVert. Levert ...
and
Keith Sweat
Keith Sweat (born July 22, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and an early figure in the new jack swing musical movement. He is known for his collection of hits including "I Want Her", " Make It Last Forever", "I'll Give A ...
, to release the album ''
Levert.Sweat.Gill'', which had the hit single "
My Body".
20022004: Return to the spotlight and New Edition under Bad Boy
After their second wave of solo pursuits proved less than successful, New Edition reunited once more as a five-piece without Brown and began touring clubs, casinos, and small arenas in 2002; including appearing on ''The Tom Joyner Sky Show''. After having caught the attention of rapper/producer
Sean Combs
Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
, who was present at one of their shows, he signed the group to his
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...
label, after their long-term contract with MCA Records finally ended.
In the fall of 2004, New Edition's seventh studio album and Bad Boy debut, ''
One Love One Love may refer to:
Music
* One Love (record producer), Timothy Sommers, American record producer, half of the duo Kinetics & One Love
* ''One Love: The Bob Marley Musical'', a 2015 stage musical
Albums
* One Love (Blue album), ''One Love'' (B ...
'', was released. Though the album debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200, it had a steady descent from the chart. The lead-off single, "Hot 2Nite", underperformed; peaking at number thirty-five and number eighty-seven on the R&B and Pop singles charts, respectively. During production of the album, the group disagreed with Combs on its creative direction. In an interview, Bell revealed that Combs' had refused to pay New Edition's long time producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for a track that the group wanted on the album. Reportedly, Combs told the group they were over budget, despite their having used many of Bad Boy's in-house team of writers and producers on the album. Ultimately, the group asked to be released from their Bad Boy contract. Despite the messy divorce with Bad Boy, New Edition soldiered on and continued to tour.
2005present
In 2005, New Edition appeared on an episode of the
UPN
The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that launched on January 16, 1995. It was originally owned by Chris-Craft Industries' United Television. Viacom (through its Paramount Television unit, which pr ...
reality competition
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
series ''
R U the Girl
''R U the Girl'' (also known as ''R U the Girl with T-Boz and Chilli'') is an American reality television music competition series that aired on UPN in 2005. The series featured Tionne Watkins, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda Thomas, Rozonda "Ch ...
'' as part of an elimination challenge, assisting the remaining
TLC
TLC may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Television
* ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2
* TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network
** TLC (Asia), an A ...
members
Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins
Tionne Tenese Watkins (born April 26, 1970), better known by her stage name T-Boz, is an American singer and actress. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Watkins rose to fame in the early 1990s as a member of the girl-group TLC. She has won four Grammy A ...
and
Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas in judging the show's remaining finalists as they put together group performances opening up for a New Edition live concert. During the making of the episode, Thomas and Watkins discussed with New Edition how Bivins had inspired late member
Lisa Lopes
Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002), better known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper and singer. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC, alongside Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Besides ...
' nickname "Left Eye" in TLC's early beginnings. In the fall of 2005, New Edition performed a medley of hits at BET's 25th Anniversary Special. During their set, they brought Brown out onstage for an impromptu rendition of their 1985 hit "Mr. Telephone Man". Brown also performed a rendition of "My Prerogative" with DeVoe and Tresvant as dancers. It was later announced on BET and ''
Access Hollywood
''Access Hollywood'', formerly known as ''Access'' from 2017 to 2019, is an American weekday television entertainment news program that premiered on September 9, 1996. It covers events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created ...
'' that Brown had reconciled with New Edition and planned to rejoin the group for its future concert dates and studio albums.
On August 26, 2006, New Edition filmed a concert at the
University of South Carolina's Koger Center in
Columbia set for a future DVD release, the concert was billed as "Spend the Night with New Edition", a
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
special presented by
Lincoln
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
* Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States
* Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England
* Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S.
* Lincol ...
with whom the group has advertised. Brown also made an appearance at the show.
In 2008, the group, minus Brown, recorded a new song with
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoy ...
called "Full Service" for their latest album, ''
The Block''. Meanwhile, Brown, Tresvant and Gill formed a new side group called Heads of State, which performed at their 2 year 2 month tour called the Summit Tour which was held from November 2008 to January 2011. According to Gill, their group name was inspired by the original name for
The Rat Pack
The Rat Pack was an informal group of entertainers, the second iteration of which ultimately made films and appeared together in Las Vegas casino venues. They originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s as a group of A-list show business frie ...
, called "The Summit" or "The Heads of State".
On June 28, 2009, the group performed a medley of
Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
hits in tribute to
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
on the BET Awards. Led by Tresvant, Brown and Bell, New Edition sang and danced through classics such as "I Want You Back", "ABC" and "The Love You Save".
Later that year, Bell and Gill joined
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoy ...
onstage at a
House Of Blues
House of Blues is an American chain of live music concert halls and restaurants. It was founded by Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, co-star of the 1980 film ''The Blues Brothers''. The first location opened at ...
benefit show for
Toys for Tots
Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. The program was founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks.
Th ...
in Boston, performing "Full Service" and "
This One's for the Children
"This One's for the Children" is a 1989 single by New Kids on the Block. The lead vocals were sung by Jordan Knight and Donnie Wahlberg. Taken from the group's holiday album, '' Merry, Merry Christmas'', the single peaked at number 7 on the ''Bil ...
".
Gill later confirmed that New Edition had signed with manager
Irving Azoff
Irving Azoff (; born December 12, 1947) is an American entertainment executive and chairman of Full Stop Management, which represents recording artists. In the mid-1980s, he brought success to MCA Records.
Since September 2013, he has been chai ...
, that they are currently signed with
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint.
Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...
(which absorbed the group's old label, MCA, and controls the group's back catalog) and was slating to release a comeback album.
On July 3, 2011 in
, all six members of New Edition reunited at the
Essence Music Festival
The Essence Festival, known as "the party with a purpose", is an annual music festival which started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''Essence'', a magazine aimed primarily towards African-American women. It becam ...
to kick off and celebrate their 30th anniversary tour. "This is just the beginning. We’re preparing for a world tour and many other exciting things that we'll be announcing soon. The next chapter of New Edition is going to be an incredible celebration to thank our fans for all of their support over the last 30 years," said Bell speaking on behalf of the group.
In February 2012, Brown missed a handful of dates due to the death of ex-wife
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
. On March 9 and 11, 2012, Brown and Bell Biv DeVoe made their African debut by performing in Nigeria. From late 2011 to early 2012, New Edition went on a tour called #AllSix across the United States.
In late 2012, New Edition received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the
Soul Train
''Soul Train'' is an American musical variety television show. It aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. Across its 35-year history the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists. The series w ...
Awards ceremony. All six members appeared together onstage that evening.
In August 2015,
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
announced a three-episode miniseries about the group would be made for release in January 2017. All six members were co-producers of ''
The New Edition Story
''The New Edition Story'' is an American biographical three-part miniseries about the contemporary R&B, R&B group New Edition, from their rise to fame as a boy band from the Orchard Park Projects of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to becoming a successfu ...
''. Jesse Collins Entertainment was the executive producer of the original miniseries, which was BET's first scripted music-focused miniseries. The group's original choreographer and longtime manager Brooke Payne also served as a co-producer. On January 24–26, 2017,
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
aired the biopic miniseries ''
The New Edition Story
''The New Edition Story'' is an American biographical three-part miniseries about the contemporary R&B, R&B group New Edition, from their rise to fame as a boy band from the Orchard Park Projects of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to becoming a successfu ...
'' which chronicles the band members life from their childhood in Boston into Hollywood fame as adults. It was directed by Chris Robinson and executive produced by Jessie Collins. The group served as co-producers. The miniseries brought in 28.4 million viewers to BET, through the initial run and subsequent encores over the week of the premiere.
In July 2021, New Edition signed with
Creative Artists Agency
Creative Artists Agency LLC (CAA) is an American talent and sports agency based in Los Angeles, California. It is regarded as an influential company in the talent agency business and manages numerous clients. In March 2016, CAA had 1,800 emplo ...
and announced a Las Vegas Residency and an upcoming arena tour.
New Edition performed a medley of their hits alongside
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block enjoy ...
at the
2021 American Music Awards
The 49th Annual American Music Awards were held on November 21, 2021, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, recognizing the most popular artists, singles and albums of 2021. Cardi B hosted the ceremony, following Queen Latifah (1995) as the ...
, marking their first performance at the award show since
1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
.
In December 2021, New Edition announced The Culture Tour, presented by the Black Promoters Collective. The 30-city tour will begin in Columbus, Georgia on Feb. 16, 2022, and end in Miami, Florida, on April 10, 2022.
Awards
New Edition received two
American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...
for Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group (1987 and 1997). They also received the
Soul Train Award
The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of '' Soul Train'', the ...
in 1989 for Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Album of the Year – Group, Band, or Duo (''Heart Break''), and again in 1997 for the Best R&B/Soul Album – Group, Band, or Duo (''Home Again''). In 2012, New Edition received the Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award. On June 28, 2016, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Walk of Famer Vin Di Bona announced New Edition's induction into the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
in the category of Recording. On January 23, 2017, New Edition received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their contributions to the music industry, located at 7080
Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...
. In 2017, New Edition received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017
BET Awards
The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
. In 2022, the group was inducted into the
Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame
The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame, located in Atlanta, Georgia, started in January 2021, to honor African Americans, and Black people internationally, with a monument for their achievements in entertainment. The walk of fame is located i ...
.
Discography
Studio albums
*''
Candy Girl'' (1983)
*''
New Edition
New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 198 ...
'' (1984)
*''
All for Love'' (1985)
*''
Under the Blue Moon'' (1986)
*''
Heart Break
''Heart Break'' is the fifth studio album by American contemporary R&B, R&B quintet New Edition, released June 20, 1988 by MCA Records. It is the first album to return the Boston-reared band as a quintet after the public exit of original member B ...
'' (1988)
*''
Home Again'' (1996)
*''
One Love One Love may refer to:
Music
* One Love (record producer), Timothy Sommers, American record producer, half of the duo Kinetics & One Love
* ''One Love: The Bob Marley Musical'', a 2015 stage musical
Albums
* One Love (Blue album), ''One Love'' (B ...
'' (2004)
Extended plays
*''
Christmas All Over the World'' (1985)
Tours
*Candy Girl Tour (1983)
*Cool It Now Tour (1984-1985)
*All For Love Tour (1986)
*
Heartbreak Tour (1988–1989)
*Home Again Tour (1996–1997)
*One Love Tour (2004-2005)
*30th Anniversary Tour (2011-2012)
*All Six Tour (2014)
*Greatest Hits Tour (2016)
*Culture Tour (2022)
*Legacy Tour (2023)
Band members
;Official members
*
Ricky Bell – tertiary lead vocals, background vocals (baritone/tenor)
(1981–present)
*
Michael Bivins
New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 1980 ...
– rapping, background vocals (bass in the group's harmonies)
(1981–present)
*
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started h ...
– secondary lead vocals, background vocals (1st tenor)
(1981–1985, 1996–1997, 2005–present)
*
Ralph Tresvant
Ralph Edward Tresvant (born May 16, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer, best known as the lead singer of R&B group New Edition. As a solo artist, Tresvant released the album '' Ralph Tresvant'' (1990). In 2008, he ...
– primary lead vocals, background vocals (melody/1st tenor)
(1981–present)
*
Ronnie DeVoe
Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (born November 17, 1967), is an American singer, rapper, and actor known as one of the members of the R&B/pop group New Edition, and the R&B/ hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
Career
DeVo ...
– rapping, background vocals (tenor/baritone)
(1981–present)
*
Johnny Gill
Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and actor. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/ pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has released ...
– co-secondary lead vocals, background vocals (baritone)
(1987–present)
Timeline
Supergroups
New Edition went through 3 offspring's of separate
supergroups created throughout their careers with
Bell Biv Devoe
Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe.
The band is best known for their debut album, the multi-pl ...
being the most notable, popular and successful act. While the other two acts were more formed and promoted as concert collaborations and touring performances respectively.
References
External links
Official Site*
*
{{Authority control
Geffen Records artists
Interscope Records artists
Bad Boy Records artists
MCA Records artists
Child musical groups
American contemporary R&B musical groups
American boy bands
New jack swing music groups
Teen pop groups
Vocal quintets
African-American musical groups
Musical groups from Boston
Musical groups established in 1978
1978 establishments in Massachusetts