Dallas Austin (born December 29 1970) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriterA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well as the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer.-History and background of songwriters:...
,
record producerIn the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
, and
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
, based in
Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia, as well as the urban core of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States....
. Some of his most notable clients include
Michael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson , known as the "King of Pop", was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful and influential entertainers of all time...
,
TLCTLC is a four-time Grammy Award-winning American R&B, pop, and hip hop group, consisting of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas....
,
Boyz II MenBoyz II Men is a Grammy Award-winning American group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Initiated during 1988 as a quintet which originally included Marc Nelson, Boyz II Men found fame as a quartet, with members Nathan Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman,and Wanya Morris on Motown Records during...
, Pink, Monica,
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
,
Gwen StefaniGwen Renée Stefani Rossdale is an American singer and fashion designer. Stefani serves as lead vocalist for the rock band No Doubt....
,
Stacie OrricoStacie Joy Orrico is a Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning pop & R&B singer-songwriter and occasional actress. In 1998 she signed to ForeFront Records when she was 12 years old and recorded her first album Genuine , which sold 13,000 in the first week of release...
,
Another Bad CreationAnother Bad Creation is an American R&B and rap musical group from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:ABC consists of Romell “RoRo” Chapman, Chris Sellers, David Shelton and brothers Demetrius and Marliss Pugh, as well as “unofficial” member Adrian “G.A.” Witcher...
,
FishboneFishbone is an American alternative rock band that plays a fusion of ska, punk rock, funk metal and more. The band was formed in 1979 in South Central Los Angeles by Angelo Moore, also known as "Dr. Madd Vibe" ; Kendall Jones ; John Norwood Fisher ; Philip "Fish" Fisher ; "Dirty" Walter A...
,
SugababesSugababes are an English all-female pop trio based in London, currently consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen.The group were formed in 1998 by original members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan...
,
AnastaciaAnastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, Oceania, South Africa and South America but has not had as much success in her native United States...
, Japanese singer
Namie Amurois a Japanese singer, entertainer, and former actress, who, at the height of her popularity, was referred to as the "Teen Queen [of Japan]" and is referred to as the "Queen of Japanese pop music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of fourteen as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
and Kim from the Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Austin was a member of Highland Place Mobsters on the influential
Hip HopHip hop music is a musical genre which developed alongside hip hop culture, and is commonly based on concepts of loop, rapping, freestyle, DJing, scratching, sampling and beatboxing. The music is used to express concerns of political, social, and personal issues...
label LaFace in the early 1990s before embarking on a career as a full-time producer.
Dallas Austin (born December 29 1970) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriterA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well as the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer.-History and background of songwriters:...
,
record producerIn the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
, and
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
, based in
Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia, as well as the urban core of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States....
. Some of his most notable clients include
Michael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson , known as the "King of Pop", was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful and influential entertainers of all time...
,
TLCTLC is a four-time Grammy Award-winning American R&B, pop, and hip hop group, consisting of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas....
,
Boyz II MenBoyz II Men is a Grammy Award-winning American group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Initiated during 1988 as a quintet which originally included Marc Nelson, Boyz II Men found fame as a quartet, with members Nathan Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman,and Wanya Morris on Motown Records during...
, Pink, Monica,
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
,
Gwen StefaniGwen Renée Stefani Rossdale is an American singer and fashion designer. Stefani serves as lead vocalist for the rock band No Doubt....
,
Stacie OrricoStacie Joy Orrico is a Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning pop & R&B singer-songwriter and occasional actress. In 1998 she signed to ForeFront Records when she was 12 years old and recorded her first album Genuine , which sold 13,000 in the first week of release...
,
Another Bad CreationAnother Bad Creation is an American R&B and rap musical group from Atlanta, Georgia.-History:ABC consists of Romell “RoRo” Chapman, Chris Sellers, David Shelton and brothers Demetrius and Marliss Pugh, as well as “unofficial” member Adrian “G.A.” Witcher...
,
FishboneFishbone is an American alternative rock band that plays a fusion of ska, punk rock, funk metal and more. The band was formed in 1979 in South Central Los Angeles by Angelo Moore, also known as "Dr. Madd Vibe" ; Kendall Jones ; John Norwood Fisher ; Philip "Fish" Fisher ; "Dirty" Walter A...
,
SugababesSugababes are an English all-female pop trio based in London, currently consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen.The group were formed in 1998 by original members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan...
,
AnastaciaAnastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, Oceania, South Africa and South America but has not had as much success in her native United States...
, Japanese singer
Namie Amurois a Japanese singer, entertainer, and former actress, who, at the height of her popularity, was referred to as the "Teen Queen [of Japan]" and is referred to as the "Queen of Japanese pop music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of fourteen as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
and Kim from the Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Career
Austin was a member of Highland Place Mobsters on the influential
Hip HopHip hop music is a musical genre which developed alongside hip hop culture, and is commonly based on concepts of loop, rapping, freestyle, DJing, scratching, sampling and beatboxing. The music is used to express concerns of political, social, and personal issues...
label LaFace in the early 1990s before embarking on a career as a full-time producer. Highland Place Mobsters contributed to the soundtracks for the movies
White Men Can't JumpWhite Men Can't Jump is a 1992 film starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes as basketball hustlers, co-starring Rosie Perez. The film was written and directed by Ron Shelton and released in theaters on March 27, 1992 by 20th Century Fox.-Plot:...
and
Boomerang.
As a producer and songwriter, Austin was first noticed and signed to Diva One Music by Joyce Irby ('80s all-girl band
KlymaxxKlymaxx is a female Urban/Funk band from Los Angeles, California.-Biography:While in college, Bernadette Cooper noticed the lack of female bands in the industry. So she pondered the idea and nurtured her vision to form an all female band...
) and has crafted hits for LaFace and
TLCTLC is a four-time Grammy Award-winning American R&B, pop, and hip hop group, consisting of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas....
(with which he won two Grammys for co-producing
CrazySexyCoolCrazySexyCool is the second studio album by American group TLC, released by LaFace Records on November 15, 1994 in North America. CrazySexyCool earned a Grammy and became the group's biggest-selling album to date. It has sold more than 15 million units...
and
FanMailFanmail may refer to:* FanMail, a 1999 album by American band TLC* Mail from fans...
), including the hit singles "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg", "What about Your Friends", "Creep", "Silly Ho" and "
Unpretty"Unpretty" is a 1999 single recorded by R&B girl group TLC. Produced by Dallas Austin and co-written by Austin and TLC group member Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, "Unpretty" was the second single released from Fanmail. It became the group's fourth and final U.S. number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100...
". As a teenager, Irby took Austin to Sylvia Rhone, Motown head Jheryl Busby, L.A. Reid, and Jimmy Jam and
Terry LewisTerry Lewis may refer to:*Terry Lewis, member of American R&B and pop songwriting team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis*Terry Lewis , former Queensland police commissioner who was convicted and jailed for corruption...
, asking them to give him a shot as a producer. Other credits of Austin's include the number-two single "
Hit 'em Up Style (Oops!)"Hit 'em Up Style " a 2001 hit single by American R&B singer Blu Cantrell, written and produced by Dallas Austin and featured on Cantrell's debut album, So Blu . The lyrics propose that women should take revenge on cheating spouses by draining them of their available assets, both monetary assets...
" recorded by
Blu CantrellBlu Cantrell is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter.-Early life:Cantrell's father is African American with Narragansett Indian descent. Her mother is of Cherokee, and German descent...
, "
Don't Let Me Get Me"Don't Let Me Get Me" is a rock song performed by singer Pink recorded for her second album Missundaztood . It was released as the album's second single in 2002 and it reached number six in the UK, number eight in the U.S...
" and "
Just like a Pill"Just Like a Pill" is a pop rock song by American singer Pink. It was written and produced by Dallas Austin and Pink for her second studio album Missundaztood...
" by Pink, and the hit "
Secret"Secret" is a song by Madonna, released as the first single from her 1994 album Bedtime Stories. It was released in September 1994 and became a top ten hit around the world, including reaching number three in the US and five in the UK.-Song information:...
" by
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
. In more recent times, Austin's work has returned him to the charts, writing and producing the successful "Trick Me" for
KelisKelis Jones , better known as Kelis , is an American recording artist, singer-songwriter, designer and socialite. She has also won one BRIT Award and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards.-Early life:...
as well as "
Left Outside Alone"Left Outside Alone" is a song by American pop singer–songwriter Anastacia from her third studio album, Anastacia . Written by Anastacia, Dallas Austin, and Glen Ballard, the song was released as the album's lead single on March 15, 2004, reaching number one in Australia, Austria, Italy, Spain, and...
" and "Sick and Tired" for
AnastaciaAnastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, Oceania, South Africa and South America but has not had as much success in her native United States...
.
Austin has tried his hand at
remixA remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. This name is also used for any alterations of medias other than a song ....
ing for other artists, most notably "
They Don't Care About Us"They Don't Care About Us" is the fourth single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory. The song remains one of the most controversial pieces Jackson ever composed. In the US, media scrutiny surrounding alleged antisemitic lyrics were the catalyst for Jackson issuing multiple apologies and...
" for
Michael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson , known as the "King of Pop", was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful and influential entertainers of all time...
and "
The Power of Good-Bye"The Power of Good-Bye" is a pop ballad written by American singer Madonna and Rick Nowels for Madonna's seventh album Ray of Light . It was produced by Madonna, William Orbit and Patrick Leonard, and received a positive reception from music critics...
" for
MadonnaMadonna is an American recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, and raised in Rochester Hills, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977, for a career in modern dance...
.
In addition to American artists, Austin has produced songs for international artists. In 1999 Austin and Japanese pop singer
Namie Amurois a Japanese singer, entertainer, and former actress, who, at the height of her popularity, was referred to as the "Teen Queen [of Japan]" and is referred to as the "Queen of Japanese pop music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of fourteen as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
began a professional relationship in which he produced many of her songs until present.
Austin is also known for socially conscious productions such as TLC's "
Unpretty"Unpretty" is a 1999 single recorded by R&B girl group TLC. Produced by Dallas Austin and co-written by Austin and TLC group member Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, "Unpretty" was the second single released from Fanmail. It became the group's fourth and final U.S. number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100...
" and "
Damaged"Damaged" is a 2003 pop rock song written by Dallas Austin and Tionne Watkins, and was the third single released from TLC's fourth studio album 3D . The song peaked at #53 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" and more recently "
Ugly"Ugly" is a pop song performed by British pop group Sugababes. It was written and produced by Dallas Austin for the band's fourth studio album. It is also the last song to feature founding member Mutya Buena...
" for UK act
SugababesSugababes are an English all-female pop trio based in London, currently consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen.The group were formed in 1998 by original members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan...
. For the Sugababes, Austin produced several other tracks on their number-one album
Taller in More WaysTaller in More Ways is the fourth studio album by British pop trio Sugababes, released by Island Records on October 10, 2005 in the United Kingdom. It was primarily produced by Dallas Austin and Xenomania, with additional production from Cameron McVey and Guy Sigsworth...
, including the single "Push the Button", which spent three weeks at the top of the UK charts. He also produced the
Girls AloudGirls Aloud are a UK girl group that were created on the ITV1 talent show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. The group, consisting of Cheryl Cole, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh have been successful in achieving a string of 20 consecutive UK Top 10 singles , two UK...
' Comic Relief collaboration with
SugababesSugababes are an English all-female pop trio based in London, currently consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen.The group were formed in 1998 by original members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan...
on "
Walk This Way"Walk This Way" is a song by American hard rock group Aerosmith. It was written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It was originally released as the second single from their 1975 album Toys in the Attic...
". He is also responsible for producing
Gwen StefaniGwen Renée Stefani Rossdale is an American singer and fashion designer. Stefani serves as lead vocalist for the rock band No Doubt....
's single "
Cool"Cool" is a pop rock song written by Gwen Stefani and Dallas Austin for Stefani's debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby . The song's musical-style and production were heavily inspired by pop and new wave music from the 1980s, and its lyrics chronicle a relationship in which two lovers have...
" from her
Love.Angel. Music.Baby. album.
In 1992, Austin formed
Rowdy RecordsRowdy Records is an United States record label, distributed through the Universal Motown Records Group.-History:Formed in 1992 by producers Dallas Austin and L.A. Reid, Rowdy was initially distributed through Arista Records...
with fellow producer L.A. Reid, though Reid left the following year. Austin branched out into cinema as well, becoming the executive producer of
DrumlineA drumline or drum line is a section of percussion instruments usually played as part of a musical marching ensemble. Drumlines are usually incorporated into high school or college marching bands, drum and bugle corps or drum and lyre corps, indoor percussion ensembles, and pipe bands, but also can...
(2002) for
20th Century FoxTwentieth Century Fox Film Corporation , also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox, is one of the six major American film studios...
. He also served as the film's musical director. Austin is currently working with Warner Bros. studios on another music-driven film set in Atlanta.
Drumline cast member
Orlando JonesOrlando Jones is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999 - 2002.-Biography:...
also chose Austin to be the music director, alongside DJ Rukus, for his short-lived
The Orlando Jones Show, a live talk show that aired on F/X.
EMI biography of Dallas Austin.
On August 5, 2007, his unique 10,000-plus-square-foot circular
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
mansion appeared on an episode of
MTV CribsMTV Cribs is a reality television program on the MTV Networks' MTV and CMT that features tours of the houses and mansions of celebrities. The first show aired September 2000...
.
External links