Editing Kevon Edmonds

{{short description|American contemporary R&B singer (born 1958)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name       = Kevon Edmonds
| image      = Kevon_Edmonds_Oct_5_2022.jpg
| caption    = Edmonds in 2022
| birth_name = Kevon Bernard Edmonds
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|2|25}} 
| birth_place = [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], U.S.
| genre           = [[contemporary R&B|R&B]]
| occupation      = Singer, songwriter
| years_active    = 1987–present
| label           = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]], [[RCA Records|RCA]]
| current_member_of = [[After 7]]
| past_member_of = [[LaFace Records|Milestone]]
| website             = 
}}

'''Kevon Bernard Edmonds''' (born February 25, 1958) <ref name=":0" /> is an American singer. He is member of the [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] group [[After 7]] and the older brother of [[Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds]]. The group released three moderately successful albums for [[Virgin Records]] and became best known for their 1990 singles "[[Ready or Not (After 7 song)|Ready or Not]]" and "[[Can't Stop (After 7 song)|Can't Stop]]." Edmonds embarked on a solo career with his debut studio album ''[[24/7 (Kevon Edmonds album)|24/7]]'' (1999); the album's [[24/7 (Kevon Edmonds song)|title track]] was certified [[RIAA certification|gold]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=%2224/7%22&format=Single&go=Search&perPage=25|title=Gold & Platinum: 24/7 - RIAA Searchable Database|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|accessdate=August 5, 2015}}</ref> and reached number ten on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].  His follow up single, "[[No Love (I'm Not Used to)]]" was a moderate R&B hit. Edmonds was also a member of the quintet [[LaFace Records|Milestone]] along with his brothers Babyface and Melvin, as well as [[K-Ci & JoJo]]. The group released one single, "I Care 'Bout You" for the [[Soul Food (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] to the 1997 film ''[[Soul Food (film)|Soul Food]]''.

==Biography==
Edmonds was born in [[Indianapolis]]<ref name=":0" /> in 1957 to Marvin Edmonds Sr. and Barbara Edmonds.  He is the fourth born of six sons.  He had three older brothers Marvin Jr., Melvin and Michael and two younger brothers Kenny "Babyface" and Derek.<ref name="IndyStar">{{cite news|last=Lindquist|first=David|date=May 19, 2019|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/music/concerts/2019/05/19/after-7-vocalist-and-north-central-alum-melvin-edmonds-dies-65/3732983002/|title=After 7 vocalist and North Central alum Melvin Edmonds dies at 65|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|accessdate=July 28, 2022}}</ref>  Edmonds graduated from [[North Central High School (Indianapolis)|North Central High School]] and [[Indiana University Bloomington]].<ref name="IU">{{cite news|last=Wilhelm|first=Krista|date=April 23, 2012|url=https://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/22098.html/|title=R&B singer and IU alumnus Kevon Edmonds to receive Herman C. Hudson Alumni Award|accessdate=July 29, 2022}}</ref>  At Indiana University he was a member of the Soul Revue, where he met his future After 7 groupmate Keith Mitchell.<ref name="IndyStar"/><ref name="IU"/>  

Kevon and Keith decided to form a group as a hobby and add Kevon's brother Melvin.  For years after college Edmonds worked at [[Eli Lilly and Company]], but he would come together with Keith and Melvin to perform locally.  By the late 1980s, Edmonds' younger brother Babyface had built a successful career singing, writing and producing.  He invited Melvin, Kevon and Keith out to [[Los Angeles]], named them After 7, and got them a record deal with [[Virgin Records]].

===After 7 and Milestone===

As a member of [[After 7]], Edmonds had successes earning platinum albums as well as several gold singles. They continued to tour the country and established themselves as one of R&B's top-performing groups. After their 1995 album, ''[[Reflections (After 7 album)|Reflections]]'', After 7 left [[Virgin Records]] due to issues with the label. The departure from Virgin Records allowed the members to pursue their own personal projects and over time, saw the group separate.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rnbhaven.com/90s-music/feature/Keith-Mitchell-Interview-Part-1/13/2|title=Keith Mitchell: After 7's Untold Story|publisher=R&B Haven|accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref>

Edmonds then appeared with Babyface and [[K-Ci & JoJo]] for a project in a fictional group called Milestone. The group performed in the movie ''[[Soul Food (film)|Soul Food]]'' and had a hit single with the track "I Care About You". For a brief period, Milestone nearly became a real group, instead of just the fictional group portrayed in the movie, but label conflicts caused the project to collapse.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rapindustry.com/kevon_edmonds.htm|title=Kevon Edmonds Interview|publisher=rapindustry.com|accessdate=August 9, 2009}}</ref>

After his first solo album Edmonds invited his nephew Jason Edmonds, son of Melvin, to tour with him as a background singer for years.  By the late 2000s, After 7 resumed touring with Jason replacing his father.  However, the group decided not to record again without the participation of Melvin.  Melvin was able to reunite with the group on the 2015 single "I Want You", and a full comeback album ''Timeless'' was released in October 2016.

===Solo career===

In 1999, Edmonds released his first solo album, ''[[24/7 (Kevon Edmonds album)|24/7]]''. The [[24/7 (Kevon Edmonds song)|title track]] from the album was a big hit, going gold and reaching No. 10 on the Hot 100. The album's second single, "[[No Love (I'm Not Used to)]]", performed moderately well, reaching No. 25 on the R&B charts.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kevon-edmonds-mn0000087965/awards|title=Kevon Edmonds - Awards - AllMusic|work=AllMusic|accessdate=April 22, 2014}}</ref>

Edmonds' second solo CD, ''Who Knew'', was released on October 13, 2009, through Make Entertainment/Image Distribution. The first single was released in early August and is titled "Oh."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.soulofrnb.com/?p=1541|title=New R&B Music – Kevon Edmonds – Oh, New R&B Album – Who Knew|date=August 8, 2009|publisher=soulofrnb.com|accessdate=August 9, 2009}}
</ref>

==Discography==

=== Albums ===
*''[[24/7 (Kevon Edmonds album)|24/7]]'' (1999)
*''Who Knew'' (2009)

=== Singles ===
{{emptysect|date=May 2024}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.kevonmusic.com/ Official website]
* [https://twitter.com/KevonMusic Kevin Edmonds on Twitter]
*{{allmusic}}

{{After 7}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edmonds, Kevon}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American contemporary R&B singers]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:American tenors]]
[[Category:American countertenors]]
[[Category:Musicians from Indianapolis]]
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Singers from Indiana]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]