b. Eric Benet Jordan, 15th October 1966, Mobile, Alabama, U.S.A.
Eric Benét Jordan hailed from Wisconsin, and is a highly regarded singer and songwriter.
Eric was born in Alabama and is youngest of five children.
In the late Eighties, he sang with the group Gerard.
In 1992, he had left the group and teamed up with his sister, and George Nash Jnr., forming a trio named ‘Benet’.
benet - 1992 / true to myself - 1996 / a day in the life - 1999 / hurricane - 2005
Recording for the EMI Records Group, they released a self titled album, which featured a Soulful cover version of the Paul Williams song ‘Rainy Days and Mondays’.
He left the group to take on a solo career in 1996, signing with Warner Brothers Records, for his debut album ‘True To Myself’ (which featured a version of the Sly Stone evergreen ‘If You Want Me To Stay’, along with ‘Spiritual Thang’, ‘Femininity’ and ‘Let's Stay Together’).
In 1999 he released his follow up album ‘A Day in the Life’, (which featured the hit song ‘Spend My Life With You’, which reached number 1 on the U.S. Billboard R&B charts, and ‘Love Of My Own’).
The album won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album.
Eric underwent a series of life tragedies following this album release.
His father passed away from cancer, and his girlfriend Tami Marie Stauff died in 1993 from injuries suffered following a car accident.
eric with india
The couple had a daughter called India, born two years earlier, which left Eric a single father.
Eric has sung on many contemporary Jazz albums, by several artists, including Wayman Tisdale, George Duke, Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber and Boney James.
In 2001, he married the actress Halle Berry, however the marriage was to last just over two years, the divorce being finalized in 2005.
Eric recorded an unreleased album, entitled ‘Better and Better’ in 2001, however, differences of opinion regarding Warner brothers and the album’s musical content, led to the singer switching labels to the Friday Records imprint.
It was in 2005, when he released an official follow up to his 1999 release.
‘Hurricane’ became Eric’s third studio album, which featured ‘I Wanna Be Loved’.
love & life - 2008 / lost in time - 2010
In 2008, he released a fourth album, entitled ‘Love & Life’ which reached number eleven on the Billboard 200.
The initial single ‘You're The Only One’ became his first top 20 hit on the R&B chart in two years.
In 2010, he released ‘Lost in Time’ (his fifth studio album) which showcased a Soul sound reminiscent of the sound of early to mid-1970’s.
On the album, Eric duetted with Faith Evans, Chrisette Michelle, Ledisi, and Eddie Levert of The O'Jays.
the one - 2012
In 2012, the singer released his latest album ‘The One’, which was the debut album release on Eric’s own label, Jordan House Records.
The album featured the single, ‘Real Love’, along with a duet with his daughter, India.
manuela, eric and india
In 2011, Eric married Manuela Testolini (Prince’s Ex-Wife).
Albums:
with Benet:
Benet (EMI Records Group 1992)
solo:
True To Myself (Warners Records 1997)
A Day In The Life (Warners Records 1999)
Better And Better (Warners Records 2004)
Hurricane (Reprise Records 2005)
Love and Life (Warner Brothers Records 2008)
Lost In Time (Reprise Records 2010)
The One (Jordan House Records 2012)
