Eric Benét

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R&B crooner, songwriter and actor Eric Benét is currently spending much of his time in the studio, recording new music for his eighth studio album, due to release in the fall of 2016. Eric’s most recent CD, THE ONE, the first album released on Benét’s label, Jordan House Records, in 2012, created in partnership with EMI. “Real Love” was the first single from the CD and was the #1 added song to Urban AC when it shipped to radio in October 2011. In 2013, THE ONE won Benét the SoulTracks Readers’ Choice Award for Best Male Vocalist. The album delivered three hits including ‘Runnin,’ ‘Real Love,’ and ‘Harriett Jones.’ Benét released an international album in 2014, THE OTHER ONE, with the European production collective, The Afropeans, to revisit his 2012 album THE ONE. He released an album exclusively distributed in Japan: FROM E TO U, VOL. 1; an album of classic cover songs. In April 2014, Benét joined Primary Wave as A&R Chief for their Urban AC Division.

He signed R&B singer-songwriter Calvin Richardson and Goapele to his Jordan House imprint along with BMG/Primary Wave Music to release their upcoming albums in the US. Eric Benét was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for “Best Traditional R&B Performance” for his single “Sometimes I Cry.” Benét was also nominated for a 2011 Soul Train Award for “Best Male R&B/Soul Artist.” Eric married Manuela Testolini on July 31, 2011 and they had their first baby together in December 2011, Lucia Bella, and their second, Amoura Luna, in July 2015. He has another daughter, India, from a prior relationship with longtime girlfriend, Tami Marie Stauff, who tragically died in a car accident, which left Eric as a single father to India when she was one-year-old. India is now in her mid-20s, and very musically gifted. Eric Benét grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 70s as the youngest of five musically talented siblings. He signed with Warner Bros. Records, releasing his debut solo album, TRUE TO MYSELF in 1996. His 1999 album, A DAY IN THE LIFE, featured his smash hit “Spend My Life With You (ft. Tamia),” which rose to #1 on the US Billboard R&B chart, was certified gold, and nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group.” The album also won a Soul Train Music Award for “Best R&B/Soul Album, Male.” Benét released his next studio album, HURRICANE on June 21, 2005 on Friday Records, which featured “I Wanna Be Loved” that reached #2 on the UAC chart. His fourth album LOVE & LIFE was released on September 9, 2008, debuting at #11 on Billboard 200 and #2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

The album featured fan-favorite “Chocolate Legs” and his hit single “You’re The Only One,” which was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Best R&B Male Performance.” In 2010, Eric released his fifth album, LOST IN TIME, featuring duets with Faith Evans, Chrisette Michelle, Ledisi, and Eddie Levert; along with his single “Sometimes I Cry,” which reached # 1 on the Hot Adult R&B Songs Chart. Benét is also active as an actor, appearing in “The Real Husbands of Hollywood” with Kevin Hart. He starred in his first lead role in the feature film “Trinity Goodheart” with Erica Gluck, which premiered at the American Black Film Festival in 2011. Eric had a recurring role on the TV show For Your Love (1998-02) and made his film debut alongside Mariah Carey in Glitter (2001).