Kell Osborne
Encyclopedia
Kell Osborne is an American singer best known as a member of The Primes a group which would later be known as The Temptations
.
on March 12, 1939, he was raised by his deeply religious stepfather. His stepfather had wanted him to become a minister. However, he decided to be a singer. In 1955 he and his friends Eddie Kendricks
, Paul Williams
, and Willy Waller started a singing group known as The Cavaliers, and they began performing in Birmingham. In 1957 Waller left the group, and they were reduced to a trio. In 1958 they left Birmingham to break out into the music business. They settled in Cleveland, Ohio
, where Milton Jenkins would become their manager.
They later moved to Detroit, Michigan
, not too long after that Jenkins changed the groups name to The Primes, and they got a spin-off group known as The Primettes, members of that group included Diane (later Diana) Ross
, Florence Ballard
, Mary Wilson
, and Betty McGlown
. In 1960 Kell left the group and moved to Los Angeles, California
to start a solo career, and as a result the group disbanded, Kendricks, and Williams would go on to become members of The Temptations
.
and Lee Hazelwood's Trey label, and Phil Spector
became his producer. He recorded the songs "Bells Of St Mary's", and "Thats Alright Baby". Atlantic Records
picked up the songs for natinoal distribution, they were both a hit in Baltimore, Maryland. Osborne later got out of his contract with the Trey label and signed with Class Records. There he recorded the songs "Chickadee", "Do You Mind", "Would You Laugh", and "Eye Of The Fire". In 1963 he signed with Capitol Records, however, he was drafted that year ending hopes of a future with Capitol. During this time his close friend and fellow soldier Billy Revis became his manager, Osborne recorded the songs "Yaya Yaya", and "Something For The Books". In 1965 his draft was up and he got out of the military. Osborne later signed with Warner Bros. Records
. There he recorded the song "You Cant Outsmart A Woman". That was the only song to come of this record deal and Osborne left Warner Bros. not too long after. Many labels were interested in Osborne, however, his close friendship with Billy Revis held him back, keeping him from many good opportunities. The ABC label was interested in Osborne but not Revis, so Osborne got out of his management contract with Revis and signed with Mercury Records. But he wasn't very successful there so he left the Mercury label. In 1995 Osborne left the music business and took a job driving buses in order to keep a stable income.
He returned in 2005 releasing an album of new material with some initial interest shown by Universal Records
. Kell Osborne has made many contributions to music over the years. He is currently living in Beverly Hills, California.
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
.
Early years
Kell Osborne was born in Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
on March 12, 1939, he was raised by his deeply religious stepfather. His stepfather had wanted him to become a minister. However, he decided to be a singer. In 1955 he and his friends Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks was an American singer and songwriter. Noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style, Kendricks co-founded the Motown singing group The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. His was the lead voice on such famous songs as "The Way You Do The Things...
, Paul Williams
Paul Williams (The Temptations)
Paul Williams was an American baritone singer and choreographer. Williams is noted for being one of the founding members and original lead singer of the Motown group The Temptations...
, and Willy Waller started a singing group known as The Cavaliers, and they began performing in Birmingham. In 1957 Waller left the group, and they were reduced to a trio. In 1958 they left Birmingham to break out into the music business. They settled in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where Milton Jenkins would become their manager.
They later moved to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, not too long after that Jenkins changed the groups name to The Primes, and they got a spin-off group known as The Primettes, members of that group included Diane (later Diana) Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, Florence Ballard
Florence Ballard
Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown group The Supremes. From 1963 until 1967, Ballard sang on 16 Top 40 hit Supremes' singles, ten of which hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1967, Motown CEO Berry Gordy decided to remove Ballard from...
, Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson may refer to:* Mary Wilson, Baroness Wilson of Rievaulx , British poet, widow of former British prime minister, Harold Wilson* Mary Wilson , American singer, member of The Supremes...
, and Betty McGlown
Betty McGlown
Betty McGlown-Travis is an African American singer, a member of The Primettes, later known as The Supremes.In 1959, McGlown started dating future Temptations member Paul Williams who was then singing with the Primes...
. In 1960 Kell left the group and moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to start a solo career, and as a result the group disbanded, Kendricks, and Williams would go on to become members of The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
.
Career
Kell singned with Lester SillLester Sill
Lester Sill was an American record label executive, best remembered as Phil Spector's partner in Philles Records , and also as the head of both Colpix Records and the later Colgems Records...
and Lee Hazelwood's Trey label, and Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
became his producer. He recorded the songs "Bells Of St Mary's", and "Thats Alright Baby". Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
picked up the songs for natinoal distribution, they were both a hit in Baltimore, Maryland. Osborne later got out of his contract with the Trey label and signed with Class Records. There he recorded the songs "Chickadee", "Do You Mind", "Would You Laugh", and "Eye Of The Fire". In 1963 he signed with Capitol Records, however, he was drafted that year ending hopes of a future with Capitol. During this time his close friend and fellow soldier Billy Revis became his manager, Osborne recorded the songs "Yaya Yaya", and "Something For The Books". In 1965 his draft was up and he got out of the military. Osborne later signed with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. There he recorded the song "You Cant Outsmart A Woman". That was the only song to come of this record deal and Osborne left Warner Bros. not too long after. Many labels were interested in Osborne, however, his close friendship with Billy Revis held him back, keeping him from many good opportunities. The ABC label was interested in Osborne but not Revis, so Osborne got out of his management contract with Revis and signed with Mercury Records. But he wasn't very successful there so he left the Mercury label. In 1995 Osborne left the music business and took a job driving buses in order to keep a stable income.
He returned in 2005 releasing an album of new material with some initial interest shown by Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
. Kell Osborne has made many contributions to music over the years. He is currently living in Beverly Hills, California.
External links
- Kell Osborne at AOL music *http://www.music.aol.com/artist/kell-osborne
- Kell Osborne at artistdirect.com *http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/card/0,,1584676,00.html