Will Downing

American singer and songwriter (born 1963)

Will Downing
Downing in 2019
Downing in 2019
Background information
Birth nameWilfred Downing
Born (1963-11-29) November 29, 1963 (age 60)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
GenresR&B, soul, neo soul, jazz
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1986–present
LabelsPeak, Hip-O, GRP, Mercury, Motown, PolyGram, Island
Websitewww.willdowning.com
Musical artist

Wilfred "Will" Downing (born November 29, 1963) is an American R&B, soul, neo soul, and jazz singer and songwriter.[1] He has released 22 studio albums.

Biography

Early life

Downing was born and raised to a working-class family in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.[1] His father was a skycap at a local airport and his mother was a schoolteacher.[1] As a teenager, Downing was a member of a school choir.[1] At age 16, Downing sang demos for publishing houses for songwriters who couldn't sing well, earning $50 each.[2] Downing attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, New York,[1] graduating in 1981 along with future Motown Records president Kedar Massenburg.[3] Downing then attended college at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia for one year but dropped out to pursue a music career.[1] His parents were not happy with his decision to leave school; all of his siblings had professional jobs.[2]

Career

After college, Downing moved back to New York City. In 1983, he was the vocalist for a house music group.[2] He was then a backing vocalist on albums by Jennifer Holliday, Kool & the Gang, Gerald Albright, Billy Ocean, Regina Belle and Mica Paris and later sang with Wally "Jump" Junior.[3][1]

In 1988, Downing signed a recording contract with 4th & B'way Records, and released his first solo album, Will Downing. It included a cover version of the John Coltrane piece, "A Love Supreme",[1] which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs record chart.[4] Downing switched to Island Records for his second release, Come Together as One (1989).[1]

He switched labels to Mercury Records for his fourth outing, Love's the Place to Be (1993).[1] He remained with Mercury for two more albums, Moods (1995) and Invitation Only (1997), both of which sold well.[1] All the Man You Need, released on Motown Records, received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Traditional R&B Album in 2000. The album included "When You Need Me", a duet single with Chante Moore.[5] In 2002, Downing received the International Association of African-American Music Diamond Award.[6]

He released Love, Lust, & Lies: An Audio Novel in 2010.[1][7]

In 2014, he was the opening act for Patti LaBelle.[8]

Artistry

Downing is a baritone. He has often been compared to Luther Vandross.[9]

Personal life

From 1987 to 1992, Downing was married to Revonda Mills. In 2002, Downing married singer Audrey Wheeler, who was a member of the R&B group Unlimited Touch.[10]

In December 2006, Downing was diagnosed with polymyositis, a rare disease occurring most often in black males, in which inflammation causes debilitating muscle weakness. He was hospitalized for three months, used a wheelchair, and lost 100 pounds.[3][1]

Downing is a spokesperson for the American Stroke Association. On tour, he conducts the charity bowling event, Strike Against Stroke, to raise funds towards awareness and education in the African American community. The American Heart Association recognized Downing as a celebrity ambassador.[11]

Downing is also a keen photographer, and self-published the coffee table book Unveiled Series I in 2005.[6]

Downing is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Downing's daughter, Aron Siobhan Downing, died by suicide on January 11, 2023, at the age of 31. She had suffered from bipolar disorder, had depression and some schizophrenia.[12][13]

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album details Chart positions Certifications / Notes
US
[14]
US R&B
[4]
US Jazz
US Con. Jazz
[4]
UK
[15]
1988 Will Downing
  • Released: March 1988
  • Label: Island
20
1989 Come Together as One
  • Released: October 24, 1989
  • Label: Island
62 36
1991 A Dream Fulfilled
  • Released: March 5, 1991
  • Label: Island
22 43
1993 Love's the Place to Be
  • Released: August 3, 1993
  • Label: Mercury
166 24
1995 Moods
  • Released: November 7, 1995
  • Label: Mercury
139 23 3
1997 Invitation Only
  • Released: October 28, 1997
  • Label: Mercury
127 30
1998 Pleasures of the Night
(with Gerald Albright)
169 36 1
2000 All the Man You Need
  • Released: July 18, 2000
  • Label: Motown
100 25
2002 Sensual Journey
  • Released: May 7, 2002
  • Label: GRP
90 11 2
2003 Emotions
  • Released: October 14, 2003
  • Label: GRP
92 9 2 2
2004 Christmas, Love and You
  • Released: November 9, 2004
  • Label: GRP
40 4 3
2005 Soul Symphony
  • Released: October 5, 2005
  • Label: GRP
85 18
2007 After Tonight
  • Released: October 30, 2007
  • Label: Peak
37 1
2009 Classique
  • Released: June 16, 2009
  • Label: Peak
22 3
2010 Love, Lust, & Lies: An Audio Novel
  • Released: September 14, 2010
  • Label: Peak
42 11
2013 Silver
  • Released: February 8, 2013
  • Label: Sophisticated Soul / WD Productions
62
2014 Euphoria
  • Released: March 11, 2014
  • Label: Sophisticated Soul / WD Productions
40 3 2
2015 Chocolate Drops
  • Released: March 31, 2015
  • Label: Sophisticated Soul / WD Productions
9 2
  • R&B #22
2015 Black Pearls 10
2017 Soul Survivor
  • Released: September 22, 2017
  • Label: Shanachie
19
  • R&B #8, Indie #33
2018 Promise
  • Released: November 30, 2018
  • Label: Shanachie
2021 Sophisticated Soul
  • Released: November 1, 2021
  • Label: Sophisticated Soul
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

EPs

  • 2021: The Song Garden

Compilations

Year Album details Chart positions Note
US R&B
[4]
2002 Greatest Love Songs
  • Released: January 15, 2002
  • Label: Hip-O / Island
78
A Love Supreme – The Collection
  • Released: September 2, 2002 (UK)
  • Label: Spectrum
2006 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Will Downing
  • Released: June 6, 2006
  • Label: Hip-O / UMe
32
2014 Collection
  • Released: November 24, 2014
  • Label: Concord
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions
US Dance
[17]
US R&B
[17]
UK
[15]
1988 "A Love Supreme" 4 77 14
"Sending Out an S.O.S" 45
"In My Dreams" 34
"Free" 48 58
1989 "Where Is the Love" (with Mica Paris) 19
"Test of Time" 35 67
1990 "Come Together as One" 40 50 48
"Sometimes I Cry"
"Wishing on a Star"
1991 "I Try" 13
"The World Is a Ghetto" 83
"I Go Crazy" 37
"Something's Going On"
"Don't Make Me Wait"
1993 "There's No Living Without You" 57 67
1994 "Love's the Place to Be"
"Break Up to Make Up" 66
1995 "Just to Be with You" 98
"Sorry, I" 45
1997 "I Do Believe"
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Wynn, Ron. "Will Downing". AllMusic.
  2. ^ a b c "Q AND A BROOKLYN-BORN R&B SINGER WILL DOWNING". New York Daily News. July 14, 1996.
  3. ^ a b c Sickler, Linda (January 24, 2017). "Rhythm and blues star Will Downing to appear at Lucas Theatre". Savannah Morning News.
  4. ^ a b c d "Will Downing - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012.
  5. ^ Harrington, Richard (July 21, 2000). "WILL DOWNING "All the Man You Need" Motown". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ a b Davis, Chanel (October 25, 2023). "Will Downing: The Prince of Sophisticated Soul". Yes! Weekly.
  7. ^ "Will Downing Will Power". Ability. March 2008.
  8. ^ Fingerman, Sara Anne (December 4, 2014). "Patti Labelle Wows NYCB Theatre at Westbury With Soulful, Endearing Performance [Review]". Long Island Press.
  9. ^ Linden, Amy (September 26, 1993). "POP BRIEFS". The New York Times.
  10. ^ "Will Downing's Family and Celebrity Friends". Essence. October 30, 2020.
  11. ^ Armonaitis, Dan (November 22, 2017). "Will Downing brings 'Soulful Sounds of Christmas' to Greenville". Spartanburg Herald-Journal.
  12. ^ Roeback, Tacuma (July 7, 2023). "Will Downing on His Daughter's Tragic Death and Mental Health Awareness". The Chicago Defender.
  13. ^ Mogeni, Rodah (November 29, 2023). "Tragic death of Will Downing's daughter, Aron Siobhan: The untold story". Briefly.co.za.
  14. ^ "Will Downing - BILLBOARD 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022.
  15. ^ a b "WILL DOWNING - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  16. ^ "British certifications – Will Downing". British Phonographic Industry. Type Will Downing in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  17. ^ a b "Will Downing Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF.

External links

  • Official website
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