Maurice Starr
Encyclopedia
Maurice Starr is an American
musician
, songwriter
, and record producer
.
, 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. Since he was unsuccessful as an artist, he decided to create a band to perform the songs that he wrote. Starr won Songwriter of the Year in 1989.
In 1982, Starr found the band New Edition
on his talent show. The group produced a number of U.S.
Top 10 R&B
hit single
s and a Top 5 hit in the Billboard Hot 100
. Differences between Starr and New Edition caused the two to go their separate ways. Eventually the band split up. One of the members, Bobby Brown
, went on to have a successful career as a solo act, while three others formed the award winning group, Bell Biv DeVoe
.
After losing New Edition, Starr needed a new band to record his songs. In 1984, he created New Kids on the Block
, a band consisting of five male teenagers. Starr produced New Kids on the Block to be a white version of New Edition as he stated I honestly believe that if they'd been white, (the group) would have been 20 times as big. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317626_2,00.html
He also formed the boyband Perfect Gentlemen
.
He was also a member of the seminal electro group Jonzun Crew
with his brothers Michael Jonzun
and Soni Jonzun.
Starr started to work independently with non-mainstream groups. He is currently managing Heartbeat Boys, a boy band he assembled along with producing and writing their songs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Biography
Starr, originally from FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 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. Since he was unsuccessful as an artist, he decided to create a band to perform the songs that he wrote. Starr won Songwriter of the Year in 1989.
In 1982, Starr found the band New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
on his talent show. The group produced a number of U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Top 10 R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s and a Top 5 hit in the 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...
. Differences between Starr and New Edition caused the two to go their separate ways. Eventually the band split up. One of the members, Bobby Brown
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford "Bobby" Brown is an American R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and dancer. After success in pop group New Edition, Brown began his solo career in 1987 and had a string of Top 10 Billboard hits, culminating in a Grammy Award. He was a pioneer of New Jack Swing music, a...
, went on to have a successful career as a solo act, while three others formed the award winning group, Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe is an American R&B musical group which branched off from New Edition. It consists of three of New Edition's previous members, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe...
.
After losing New Edition, Starr needed a new band to record his songs. In 1984, he created 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...
, a band consisting of five male teenagers. Starr produced New Kids on the Block to be a white version of New Edition as he stated I honestly believe that if they'd been white, (the group) would have been 20 times as big. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317626_2,00.html
He also formed the boyband Perfect Gentlemen
Perfect Gentlemen
Perfect Gentlemen were an American trio of teen R&B vocalists formed under the direction of Maurice Starr, who discovered New Edition and New Kids on the Block.Starr put the group together in Boston in 1988, and had them tour the U.S opening for the New Kids...
.
He was also a member of the seminal electro group Jonzun Crew
Jonzun Crew
Jonzun Crew was an electro and early funk/hip hop group that was active in the 1980s. The group was led by Michael Jonzun, his brothers Maurice Starr and Soni Jonzun, and Carl ....
with his brothers Michael Jonzun
Michael Jonzun
Michael Jonzun, a musician and producer of electro, and especially electro funk, was born in Florida, and formed the Jonzun Crew in Boston with Steve Thorpe and Gordy Worthy. In the early 1980s, the group recorded electro dance tracks including "Pack Jam " and "Space Cowboy"...
and Soni Jonzun.
Starr started to work independently with non-mainstream groups. He is currently managing Heartbeat Boys, a boy band he assembled along with producing and writing their songs.
Production
- Candy GirlCandy Girl (album)Candy Girl is the debut album by New Edition, released on the Streetwise label, in 1983.- Production and conception :The title song was written and produced by Maurice Starr after seeing New Edition perform at a talent show. He signed them and had them record "Candy Girl" in a small studio in...
- New EditionNew EditionNew Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
(1983) - Rockin' RadioRockin' RadioRockin' Radio is a 1983 album by Jazz trumpeter Tom Browne, released on Arista Records. It is his fifth overall album. His prior album, Yours Truly did have success on the charts, but no individual single charted. Rockin Radio was different...
- Tom Browne (1983) - wrote the title track - Electric Lady - Con Funk ShunCon Funk ShunCon Funk Shun is an American R&B and funk band popular in the 1970s and 1980s. Influences include James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone.-History:...
(1985) - New Kids on the BlockNew 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...
- New Kids on the BlockNew Kids on the BlockNew 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...
(1986) - Hangin' ToughHangin' 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...
- New Kids on the Block (1988) - Step by Step - New Kids on the Block (1990)
- Homework
(1990) - New InsideNew InsideNew Inside is the third regular studio album by Tiffany, released on October 2, 1990 . Tiffany had broken with manager/producer George Tobin soon after her 18th birthday, and signed with manager Dick Scott and producer Maurice Starr...
- TiffanyTiffany (singer)Tiffany Renee Darwish , known popularly as Tiffany, is an American singer and former teen icon. She is most notable for her 1987 cover version of "I Think We're Alone Now", originally recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967. Released as the second single from her eponymous album, Tiffany,...
(1990)