Daryl Simmons

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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

 

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For inquiries regarding Daryl Simmons and Silent Partner Productions, please contact : info@darylsimmons.com

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