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5 unusual facts about Anita Baker


Anita Baker

Baker eventually picked her old Chapter 8 band mate, songwriter and producer Michael J. Powell to work with her on her first Elektra album, though label execs were initially unhappy with her choice of Powell over more established producers.

Bellville Sassoon

Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Jerry Hall, Anita Baker, Melanie Griffith, Helen Mirren, Ivana Trump, Madonna, Jada Collins and Melissa Brown and his designs have appeared on the covers of Vogue and Harper's Magazine.

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 was a Detroit soul group of the 1970s and '80s formed by Michael J. Powell and David Washington. Anita Baker was featured as lead vocalist on their first, self-titled album on Ariola entitled Chapter 8 in 1979, produced by Michael and Derek. Their second album, This Love's for Real was released on Beverley Glen Records in 1985, and their third album, Forever, followed on Capitol Records in 1988.

Jah Bami

Jah Bami grew up listening to entertainers such as Anita Baker, Cameo and Prince.

Rogelio Mills

The song was engineered by multiple Grammy winning record producer Michael J. Powell, who is best known for his work with Anita Baker and the legendary Aretha Franklin.


Andre Harrell

In 1988, Mary J. Blige recorded an impromptu cover of Anita Baker's "Caught Up In the Rapture" at a recording booth in a local mall.

Ellen Cleghorne

During her time on the show she performed impressions such as Dr. Dre, Alfre Woodard, Anita Baker, Florence Griffith Joyner, Debbie Allen, Mary J. Blige, Natalie Cole, Patti LaBelle, Marla Gibbs, Robin Quivers, Toni Morrison, Joycelyn Elders, Tina Turner, and Whoopi Goldberg.

Everette Harp

He continued to play & tour with notables, including Chaka Khan, George Duke, Chante Moore, Anita Baker, John Tesh, Kenny Loggins, Brenda Russell, Marcus Miller, and Dianne Reeves.

Lift Every Voice and Sing

In 1990, singer Melba Moore released a modern rendition of the song, which she recorded along with others including R&B artists Stephanie Mills, Anita Baker, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Brown, Stevie Wonder, Jeffrey Osborne, and Howard Hewett; and gospel artists BeBe & CeCe Winans, Take 6, and The Clark Sisters, after which, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" was entered into the Congressional Record by Del.

Tanya Boyd

Boyd performed by traveling the world as a back-up vocalist with such well-known artists as Anita Baker, Lou Rawls, Bobby Lyle and Natalie Cole.


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