Jordan Knight
Encyclopedia
Jordan Nathaniel Marcel Knight (born May 17, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

 best known as the lead singer in the boy band
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...

, New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...

 (NKOTB), and actor, who rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s. He is best known for his distinctive falsetto
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...

 style of singing, influenced by The Stylistics
The Stylistics
The Stylistics are a soul music vocal group, and were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were composed of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads, graced by the...

. After New Kids On The Block disbanded, Jordan launched a solo career. Jordan's first solo album released in 1999 and his latest solo album released in 2011 reached the Top 50 on the US Billboard 200. As of 2011, he released four Top 40 singles; the most well known being "Give It To You
Give It to You (Jordan Knight song)
"Give It to You" is Jordan Knight's solo debut single from his self-titled album, Jordan Knight. It is his most well-known single to date as a solo artist and got massive airplay due to the popularity of teen-pop at the time....

" in 1999. He has released three studio albums, one remix album
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...

 and one EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

. Jordan had sold over 1.5 million records worldwide as a solo artist. On May 31, 2011 he released a new studio album, titled "Unfinished" which became his first Top 10 Independent Album Release.

Early life and career

Knight was born in Worcester
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...

, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

. He is the youngest of 6 children: Allison, Sharron, David, Christopher, Jonathan and a Cocker Spaniel name "paw paw". He was close to 14 in 1984 when he joined New Kids On The Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...

. The band was assembled in Boston by producer Maurice Starr
Maurice Starr
Maurice Starr is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer.-Biography:Starr, originally from Florida, moved to Boston with his brother Michael in the early 1970s. After moving to Boston he recorded two unsuccessful R&B albums, Flaming Starr and Spacey Lady...

. His fellow members included his brother, Jonathan Knight
Jonathan Knight
Jonathan Rashleigh Knight is an American singer. Knight is part of the boyband New Kids on the Block. The band also includes Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood and Jonathan's younger brother Jordan...

, as well as Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg
Donnie Wahlberg
Donald Edward "Donnie" Wahlberg, Jr. is an American singer, actor and film producer. He is a member of the popular 1980s and 1990s boy band New Kids on the Block. His work background includes music, feature films, and television...

 and Danny Wood
Danny Wood
Daniel William "Danny" Wood is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and occasional actor. He is also a member of the American boy band New Kids on the Block and also serves as one of the key choreographers.-Life and career:...

. Over the next few years Knight began teaching himself piano and keyboard instruments and writing songs. Maurice Starr, the New Kids' producer, who wrote much of the New Kids material, was reluctant to add the teenager's work to the band's repertoire.

New Kids on the Block sold over 70 million albums worldwide, generated hundreds of million of dollars of concert revenues, and paved the way for later boy bands like Backstreet Boys
Backstreet Boys
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...

 and *NSYNC. New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...

 disbanded in 1994.

Solo career

Knight made a comeback in 1999 by releasing his first solo single "Give It To You". The single reached #10 on Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

, it went Platinum selling over a million copies and was nominated for the 1999 MTV Video Music Award
1999 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 9, 1999, honoring the best music videos from June 13, 1998, to June 11, 1999. The show was hosted by Chris Rock at Metropolitan Opera House in New York City....

 for Best Dance Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Dance Video was first awarded in 1989, and it was one of the original four genre categories that were added to the MTV Video Music Awards that year. With a revamp of the awards in 2007, the category was cut out along with several others, yet it returned for the...

, though he lost to Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales , better known as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican and Spanish pop singer and actor who achieved prominence, first as a member of the Latin boy band Menudo, then as a solo artist since 1991.During his career he has sold more than 60 million album copies worldwide...

's Livin' La Vida Loca
Livin' la Vida Loca
"Livin' la Vida Loca" is a song by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin. It was released on March 23, 1999 from Martin's self-titled debut English album. The song was composed by Desmond Child and Draco Rosa and topped the charts during 1999...

. He was also nominated for Favorite Male Singer at the 2000 Kids' Choice Awards
2000 Kids' Choice Awards
The April 15, 2000 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards originated from the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, live on Nickelodeon on Saturday, April 15, 2000 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. Rosie O'Donnell, David Arquette, LL Cool J, Mandy Moore and Frankie Muniz were the hosts. 15 million kids participated in the...

. The single also peaked at #35 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The album Jordan Knight
Jordan Knight (album)
Jordan Knight is the eponymous debut album from former New Kids on the Block member, Jordan Knight. Jordan Knight co-produced 8 of the 11 tracks on the disc with help from Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and a soon-to-be-known artist, Robin Thicke...

won an Aspire Music Award for Best Male Album (Pop). Jordan's self-titled debut album was then certified gold for sales of over 500,000 copies in the US on July 7, 1999. The album peaked at #29 on The Billboard 200 and #9 on the Top Internet Albums chart. In 2008 the NKOTB reunited and released 2 top 40 hits and went on a successful tour. As of fall 2010 the NKOTB has teamed up with the Backstreet Boys (BSB) creating the biggest boyband in history NKOTBSB and are touring in summer 2011.

Knight released a remix album Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block in 2004.

In 2005, Knight released a new EP entitled The Fix with the lead single "Where is Your Heart Tonight" which reached its peak at #12 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart. He continued to tour extensively in 2005-2006 promoting his EP The Fix.

In September 2006, Knight's latest album Love Songs
Love Songs (Jordan Knight album)
Love Songs is the second album released by singer Jordan Knight on September 12, 2006. The single "Say Goodbye" reached #24 in the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart.-Track listing:*1. "Waiting for a Girl Like You" 3:56...

was released by Transcontinental Records. The first single was "Say Goodbye", a duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...

 with Deborah Gibson
Deborah Gibson
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1987 she was pronounced the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, with her song "Foolish Beat" and she remains the youngest female to write, record, and...

, that peaked at #24 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...

 chart.

In May 31, 2011, Jordan released his third solo album "Unfinished", the album reached #8 in the US Billboard Independent Albums Chart, #48 in the US Billboard 200 and #55 in Canada.

Television

Knight was a judge on the American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...

spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...

, American Juniors. He was a third season cast member on the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...

 reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...

 series The Surreal Life
The Surreal Life
The Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...

with other celebrities in 2004. He later appeared in the 2007 spin-off The Surreal Life: Fame Games
The Surreal Life: Fame Games
The Surreal Life: Fame Games is a reality television series that was originally broadcast on the VH1 cable network. A spin-off of the VH1 show, The Surreal Life, the show assembles ten alumni of the show's 6 prior seasons to compete in a ten-week competition that takes place in Las Vegas, with the...

, but left during the filming of the premiere episode because of the death of his maternal grandmother.

In 2005, Knight appeared on the British show Hit Me Baby One More Time
Hit Me Baby One More Time
Hit Me, Baby, One More Time was a 2005 reality show first aired by ITV on British television and later, as a new version, by NBC in the United States; both were presented by Vernon Kay. During each programme, five former pop stars sing their biggest hit along with a cover version of a contemporary...

, where he performed "Give It To You", as well as a cover of "Let Me Love You
Let Me Love You
"Let Me Love You" is an R&B song by American recording artist Mario, from his second studio album Turning Point . It was co-written by Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, and Scott Storch, who also produced it...

" by Mario.

In September 2005, he also starred in a British documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...

 on five in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 called Trust Me - I’m A Holiday Rep. Six celebrities spent 10 days in the role of an Olympic Holidays holiday rep in Ayia Napa
Ayia Napa
Ayia Napa is a resort at the far eastern end of the southern coast of Cyprus, famous for its sandy beaches. In recent years, apart from being a family holiday destination, it has become a 'party capital' together with Ibiza, Rimini and Mykonos...

, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

. He initially lacked enthusiasm for the role, which he blamed to some extent on his shyness, but came to enjoy it. In his final debriefing he earned praise from the head reps, who said they would (hypothetically) offer him a job as a children's and transfer rep.

Knight also appeared on Identity, hosted by Penn Jillette
Penn Jillette
Penn Fraser Jillette is an American magician, comedian, illusionist, juggler, bassist and a best-selling author known for his work with fellow illusionist Teller in the team Penn & Teller, and advocacy of atheism, libertarian philosophy, free-market economics, and scientific skepticism.-Early...

.

In September 2011 he was a judge on the cbc show "Cover Me Canada"

Personal life

Knight is married to Evelyn Melendez. The couple's first son, Dante Jordan, was born on August 25, 1999. Their second son, Eric Jacob, was born on February 21, 2007.

New Kids on the Block albums

  • New Kids on the Block
    New Kids on the Block (album)
    New Kids on the Block is the self-titled debut album from American pop boy band New Kids on the Block.Released in the spring of 1986, its very bubble-gum, pseudo early Osmonds/New Edition-esque stylings failed to garner any attention. As a result, the album went commercially unnoticed...

    (1986) #25 US (3× Platinum), #6 UK (Silver)
  • Hangin' Tough
    Hangin' Tough
    -Production:*Executive Producer: Cecil Holmes*Arranged & Produced By Maurice Starr*Associate Producers: Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg & Danny Wood*Recorded, Engineered & Mixed By Phil Greene, Richard Mendelson, Maurice Starr, Hediki Sunada & Danny Wood...

    (1988) #1 US (8× Platinum), #1 UK (2× Platinum)
  • Merry, Merry Christmas
    Merry, Merry Christmas
    - Singles :* "This One's for the Children" – August 12, 1989* "Funky, Funky Xmas" – December 20, 1989- Chart positions :...

    (1989) #9 US (2× Platinum), #13 UK (Gold)
  • Step by Step (1990) #1 US (3× Platinum), #1 UK (Platinum)
  • No More Games: The Remix Album (1991) #19 US (Gold), #15 UK
  • H.I.T.S.
    H.I.T.S.
    H.I.T.S. is the first greatest hits album of the New Kids on the Block . It includes one new song titled "If You Go Away" which peaked #16 in U.S. Billboard Hot 100. H.I.T.S...

    (1991)
  • Face the Music
    Face The Music (New Kids on the Block album)
    Face the Music is the fourth studio album by New Kids on the Block, released in January 1994. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album has sold 138,000 copies in the U.S.-Album history:...

    (1994) #37 US, #36 UK
  • Greatest Hits (1999) - #22 US
  • The Block (2008) #2 US, #1 CAN
    Cria
    A cria is the name for a baby camelid such as a llama, alpaca, vicuña, or guanaco. It comes from the Spanish word cría, meaning "baby". Its false cognate in English, crya , was coined by British sailors who explored Chile in the 18th century and were quick to describe the camelids onomatopoeically...

     (Gold)
  • NKOTBSB
    NKOTBSB
    -Chart positions:...

    (2011)

Solo albums

  • Jordan Knight
    Jordan Knight (album)
    Jordan Knight is the eponymous debut album from former New Kids on the Block member, Jordan Knight. Jordan Knight co-produced 8 of the 11 tracks on the disc with help from Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and a soon-to-be-known artist, Robin Thicke...

    (1999) #29 US (Gold)
  • The Fix
    The Fix (album)
    In 2009, Pitchfork Media ranked the album at #185 on their Top 200 Albums of the 2000s list.-Track listing:-Samples:Safe*"I've Got Nothing to Lose But the Blues" by Gwen McCraeIn Cold Blood*"And This is Love" by Gladys Knight & The Pips...

     
    (2005)
  • Love Songs
    Love Songs (Jordan Knight album)
    Love Songs is the second album released by singer Jordan Knight on September 12, 2006. The single "Say Goodbye" reached #24 in the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart.-Track listing:*1. "Waiting for a Girl Like You" 3:56...

    (2006) N/A
  • Unfinished (2011) #48 US, #8 US (Independent), #55 CAN

Remix Albums and EPs

  • Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album
    Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album
    Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album is the second solo album released by singer Jordan Knight. Released in 2004, the album contains modern-day produced covers of songs from his band New Kids on the Block....

    (2004) N/A
  • The Fix (2005)

Singles

  • "Give It To You" (1999), #5 UK Singles Chart
    UK Singles Chart
    The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

     #10 US Billboard Hot 100
    Billboard Hot 100
    The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

     (Platinum), #11 Canadian Singles Chart
    Canadian Singles Chart
    The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....

    , "Give It To You" (October 1999) #14 (US Top 40 Mainstream)
  • "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" (1999) #37 US Top 40 Mainstream
  • "Where Is Your Heart Tonight" (2005) #12 US Adult Contemporary
  • "Say Goodbye" (Duet
    Duet (music)
    A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...

     with Deborah Gibson
    Deborah Gibson
    Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1987 she was pronounced the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, with her song "Foolish Beat" and she remains the youngest female to write, record, and...

    ) (2006) #24 US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
    Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
    The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...

  • "Let's Go Higher
    Let's Go Higher
    "Let's Go Higher" is the first single from Jordan Knight's third studio album Unfinished, scheduled to be released in May 31, 2011. It was released in March 1, 2011 on iTunes. This is Jordan Knight's first solo single in over 5 years, the last one being "Say Goodbye" .-Release:Jordan Knight's...

    " (2011)
  • "Stingy
    Stingy
    Stingy may refer to one of the following:*A miser*The name of a fictional puppet character on LazyTown* Stingy , single by Ginuwine* Stingy , 2011 single by Jordan Knight...

    " (feat. Donnie Wahlberg
    Donnie Wahlberg
    Donald Edward "Donnie" Wahlberg, Jr. is an American singer, actor and film producer. He is a member of the popular 1980s and 1990s boy band New Kids on the Block. His work background includes music, feature films, and television...

    ) (2011)
  • "One More Night
    One More Night
    "One More Night" is the first single from Phil Collins' third album, No Jacket Required. It has also been released as the eleventh track on the 1998 compilation album, Hits, as well as the third track on the 2004 compilation album, Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New...

    " (2011)

Other songs

  • Angel Of Love feat. Ana
  • Can I Come over Tonight? [Data Track] [*] [Multimedia Track] (Also a bonus track on the UK edition of Jordan Knight)
  • My Heart's Saying Now (Snow Day soundtrack)
  • Your Vibe (PopStar Soundtrack)

External links

(US) (UK)
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