Love, Marriage & Divorce Toni Braxton & Babyface
Michael Jackson
Babyface
Boyz II Men
Toni Braxton
TLC
Whitney Houston
Pink
Aaliyah
Dru Hill
Monica
Xscape
Tevin Campbell
Aretha Franklin
Boomerang Soundtrack
BIOGRAPHY
Daryl Simmons , Grammy Award-winning R&B songwriter, musician, record producer and music consultant who is best known for his association with the LaFace Records production duo of L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
Simmons attended North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana together with future Pop and R&B producer-songwriter-singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The duo would write songs at each other's homes on a consistent basis. As teenagers, Simmons and Edmonds formed a band called, "Tarnished Silver", which also included Rayford Griffin and Tom Borton. The group performed at many colleges, proms and high school parties. In the late 70's, Simmons and Edmonds were both members of an Indianapolis R&B group, "Manchild". The group released two albums before breaking up and while the outfit never quite took off, Simmons' and Edmonds' relationship as songwriters/producers had already been cemented. The two would go on to collaborate for year.
CAREER
After Manchild’s breakup, Edmonds joined L.A. Reid’s band, The Deele, in the early 1980s. Simmons soon
followed Edmonds to work with The Deele, as a writer and a musician. Simmons co-wrote on two albums for The Deele, as well as played as a musician The most successful of the two albums co-written by Simmons was “Eyes of a Stranger”, which went gold with the hit song, “Two Occasions”. With the success of “Two Occasions”, the trio began working with outside artists such as Pebbles, Sheena Easton, The Whispers, Paula Abdul, Karyn White, Johnny Gill and Bobby Brown.
Reid and Edmonds relocated to Atlanta in 1989, to form their own company, LaFace Records. The duo was joined by Simmons and together they discovered, signed and produced their own artists such as Toni Braxton, TLC, Usher, Damian Dame and OutKast.
In 1991, Simmons co-wrote and co-produced Boyz II Men's most successful song to date, “End of the Road”, from the Eddie Murphy movie, Boomerang. The song garnered a Grammy Award in 1992 for “Best R&B Song”. “End of the Road” topped the charts from August 15 through November 7, 1992, setting a record for most weeks at number one with 13 weeks, beating Elvis Presley's 11-week hold with "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel". Presley's record had stood 36 years.
Simmons, Edmonds and Reid collaborated again with Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard soundtrack (since 1990's album "I'm Your Baby Tonight"), which went on to sell more than 45 million albums worldwide. The trio also worked with Michael Jackson on his Dangerous album. Although the trio’s songs didn’t make it into the album's final cut, Simmons enjoyed working with Jackson and deems it an “amazing experience”.
In 1994, Edmonds released the solo album, “For the Cool in You”. Simmons was a major contributor to this triple platinum album. Edmonds collaborated with Simmons on Aretha Franklin's, "Willing to Forgive" which reached no. 5 on the R&B charts, and Mariah Carey's “Never Forget You” which peaked at number 7. Simmons and Edmonds also penned Tevin Campbell’s smash hit, “Can We Talk”.
In the mid ‘90s as the trio’s collaborative efforts began to slow, Simmons formed his own company, “Silent Partner Productions”. Simmons built a state-of-the-art recording studio and began working on solo projects. He wrote and produced a Top 10 Pop hit for Monica with “Why I Love You So Much” (#3 R&B). Simmons also produced and co-wrote Dru Hill’s “In My Bed”. "In My Bed" was a number-one platinum-selling R&B single by R&B group Dru Hill. It is the second single from their eponymous debut album. The single spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number four on the US pop chart. Simmons followed this hit with a ballad from the same Dru Hill album, “Never Make a Promise”. The single spent four weeks at number one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number seven on the US pop chart.
Other notable productions include songs and production for Elton John, Destiny's Child, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Mýa, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Lionel Richie, Dru Hill, Kevon Edmonds and 98 Degrees.
In 1997, Simmons collaborated with Edmonds again on songs for Dru Hill for the Soul Food soundtrack, ”We're Not Making Love No More”, (#2 R&B). In 1999, Simmons collaborated with Babyface and “L.A.” Reid on TLC’s 3rd album, “FanMail”, and also gave new life to the Dell’s "The Love We Had (Stays on My Mind)" which he produced for Dru Hill’s second album, “Enter the Dru”. Despite not being released as a single, the song made it into the R&B top 50 on radio airplay alone.
In 2005, Simmons co-wrote with Edmonds songs for the album “Grown and Sexy”. Notable songs include: "Tonite It's Goin' Down", "Grown & Sexy", "Goin' Outta Bizness", and "Sorry For the Stupid Things", of which the last one made the R&B Charts.
Simmons most recent projects include songs co-written for Toni Braxton and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds duet album, “Love, Marriage & Divorce”, available now on iTunes and "Slave to the Rhythm" from the posthumous Michael Jackson album; XSCAPE. Simmons is now embracing the business-side of the music, by launching his consultant firm offering his invaluable expertise for up and coming artists.
GRAMMY AWARD
WINNING
Multi-Platinum Songwriter and Producer
DISCOGRAPHY
SONGWRITING/
PRODUCTION
SONGWRITING/ PRODUCTION
SONGWRITING/ PRODUCTION
Another Sad Love Song - Toni Braxton
Split Personality - Pink
Stay - Destiny's Child
Stone Cold Gentleman - Ralph Tresvant
Superwoman - Karyn White
Tell Me How You Want It - Johnny Gill
The Love We Had (Stays on My Mind) - Dru Hill
The Lover in Me - Sheena Easton
The One I Gave My Heart To - Aaliyah
The Way You Love Me - Karyn White
There You Go - Johnny Gill
.Until You Come Back - Whitney Houston
Was It Something I Didn't Say - 98 Degrees
Well Alright - Babyface
We're Not Making Love No More - Dru Hill
When Can I See You - Babyface
Who Do You Tell - Tamia
Why I Love You So Much - Monica
Willing To Forgive - Aretha Franklin
With You - Mýa
Work Me Slow - Xscape
You Are My Love - SWV
You Mean The World To Me - Toni Braxton
Your Eyes – Xscape
Rock Wit'cha – Bobby Brown
-Elton John
Love Saw It – Karyn White & Babyface
Superwoman – Karyn White Nominated
Hurt You – Toni Braxton & Babyface
Roller Coaster - Toni Braxton & Babyface
Sweat - Toni Braxton & Babyface
I Hope That You're Okay - Toni Braxton & Babyface
Take It Back - Toni Braxton & Babyface
Reunited - Toni Braxton & Babyface
Heart Attack - Toni Braxton & Babyface
Slave to the Rhythm - Michael Jackson
Baby-Baby-Baby - TLC
Breathe Again - Toni Braxton
Can We Talk - Tevin Campbell Nominated
Stay - Destiny's Child
Christmas Time is Here - Toni Braxton
Do You Want To - Xscape
Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown Nominated
End of the Road - Boyz-II-Men
Fairweather Friend - Johnny Gill
For The Cool In You - Babyface
Give You My Heart - Toni Braxton & Babyface
Good Enough - Bobby Brown
Hands Up - TLC Nominated
Humpin' Around - Bobby Brown
I Miss You So Much - TLC
-Mary J Blige
I Never Knew It - Paula Abdul
If I Lose My Woman - Kenny Lattimore
I'll Be the One - Dru Hill
I'm Ready - Tevin Campbell
I'm Your Natural Woman - Deborah Cox
In My Bed - Dru Hill
It May Be The Water - Lionel Richie
Knocked Out - Paula Abdul
Love Shoulda Brought You Home - Toni Braxton
Loving You Still - Tamia
My My My - Johnny Gill Nominated
My Only Woman - After 7
Never Forget You - Mariah Carey
Never Keeping Secrets - Babyface
Never Make a Promise - Dru Hill
No Love - Kevon Edmonds
No One Knows About A Good Thing - Curtis Mayfield
On Our Own - Bobby Brown
Queen of the Night (Bodyguard Sountrack)
Whitney Houston
Rock Bottom - Babyface
Roni - Bobby Brown
Secret Rendezvous - Karyn White
Seven Whole Days - Toni Braxton
Somethin' You Wanna Know - TLC
Something In Your Eyes - Bell Biv Devoe
Contact
Consultation inquiries please include all contact information for consideration.
For inquiries regarding Daryl Simmons and Silent Partner Productions, please contact : info@darylsimmons.com