Eugene Wilde

{{short description|American R&B singer (born 1961)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Eugene Wilde

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Ronald Eugene Broomfield

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|12|6|mf=yes}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| origin = North Miami Beach, Florida

| instrument =

| genre = R&B, soul

| occupation = Singer, songwriter

| years_active = 1979–present

| label = 4th & B'way Records (UK), Philly World, Atlantic (US) MCA (US)

| associated_acts =

| website =

}}

Eugene Wilde (born Ronald Eugene Broomfield, December 6, 1961){{Cite web|url=http://www.onthisdayinhistory.co.uk/news4.html|title=Famous People Born in December|website=Onthisdayinhistory.co.uk|access-date=November 25, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026095311/http://www.onthisdayinhistory.co.uk/news4.html|archive-date=October 26, 2007|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Eugene Wilde Page|url=http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Eugene%20Wilde.html|website=Soulwalking.co.uk |accessdate=October 27, 2020}} is an American R&B singer who had two No. 1 hits on the US Billboard R&B charts in the 1980s.

Career

Broomfield was born in North Miami Beach, Florida and raised in Miami. He grew up as part of a family group, La Voyage, playing in local clubs. In the 1970s, the group became Tight Connection, and was later known as Simplicious.{{cite journal|last1=Weinger|first1=Harry|title=Eugene Wilde is just Wilde about his new name, hit |journal=Billboard Magazine|date=January 19, 1985|page=55|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GSUEAAAAMBAJ&q=eugene+wilde&pg=PT54|accessdate=October 19, 2020|issn=0006-2510}} Broomfield also recorded an album with Curtom Records in 1979 as a member of Today, Tomorrow, Forever.

On learning Broomfield's middle name was Eugene, his manager insisted that he go by that name professionally; the last name was inspired by Broomfield seeing an advertisement for a New York club named Wildflower's.{{Cite web|url=http://www.soulmusic.com/euwi20inpo.html|title=Wilde and Free|first=Justin|last=Kantor|website=Soulmusic.com|date=2010|access-date=August 4, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100703091111/http://www.soulmusic.com/euwi20inpo.html|archive-date=July 3, 2010|url-status=dead}}

In 1984, Eugene Wilde joined Philly World Records, and wrote and recorded his first hit, "Gotta Get You Home Tonight". It rose to No. 1 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,{{cite magazine|last1=Weinger|first1=Harry|title=Philly World Renews Atlantic Ties|magazine=Billboard Magazine|date=April 13, 1985|page=59|accessdate=October 19, 2020|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8SMEAAAAMBAJ&q=eugene+wilde&pg=PT53|issn=0006-2510}} and also made No. 18 on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=602}} After a couple of less successful follow-ups, he hit No. 1 again a year later with "Don't Say No Tonight." He also had some lesser hits, including "Diana" (1986).{{cite web|url=http://www.celerityrecords.com/eugene.html|title=Eugene Wilde at Celerity Records|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109105654/http://www.celerityrecords.com/eugene.html|archive-date=November 9, 2010|accessdate=September 4, 2020|url-status=dead}} His track "Personality" peaked at No. 34 in the UK. Subsequent releases on the MCA label, solo and with the group Cabo Frio, ("I'll Get Back to You", 1987) were less successful.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eugene-wilde-mn0000807347/biography|last=Wynn|first=Ron|title=Artist Biography|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=September 4, 2020}}

In 1985, Wilde appeared in the film Rappin' with Joanna Gardner, where they performed the song, "First Love Never Dies", a duet that also appeared on the film's soundtrack.{{cite book|last1=Nash|first1=Jay Robert|title=The Motion Picture Guide: The Films of 1985. 1986 annual, Volume 12|date=1997|publisher=Cinebooks|isbn=9780933997165|page=161|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-4cqAAAAYAAJ&q=eugene+wilde+|accessdate=October 19, 2020}}

In 1987, he recorded a duet with Sheena Easton, "What If We Fall in Love", which appeared on Easton's album, No Sound But a Heart. He later ran the independent label Wilde City Records in Florida.

Starting in the 1990s, Wilde found success behind the scenes as a songwriter, having penned "I'll Never Break Your Heart" with Albert Manno for the Backstreet Boys. He co-wrote album track "Dear Diary" with Jason Blume and Britney Spears for Spears's 2000 album Oops!... I Did It Again. He co-wrote the song "I Wish" with Peter Biker, and Kenneth Karlin and Carsten Schack (who are better known as the Danish production/songwriting duo Soulshock & Karlin) for Victoria Beckham for her 2001 self-titled album - which was planned as Beckham's third single, a duet with Robbie Craig, but the release was canceled. The song was in the film Bend It Like Beckham, whose title referenced Victoria's husband, David Beckham.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1254853|title=Eugene Wilde on IMDb|website=IMDb |accessdate=August 4, 2010}}

In 2010, the Danish production duo of Rob Hardt and Frank Ryle, known as Cool Million, released the title song of their new CD, "Back for More" with Wilde providing the lead vocal, announced with a teaser video via their YouTube account, rylehardtmillion. "Back for More" was written by Wilde with Hardt, Ryle, and his son Du Juan. This same group, along with Felix Luis Collazo II and Diane Williams, co-wrote another track, "Loose", which featured Wilde singing a duet with his sister Dee Dee Wilde which also had a teaser YouTube video.

In 2018, Wilde launched a new record label, 50ish Music Group.

Discography

=Studio albums=

class="wikitable"
scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album

! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

style="width:40px;"|US
{{cite web|title=Eugene Wilde - Awards |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eugene-wilde-mn0000807347/awards|website=AllMusic|access-date=22 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902002304/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eugene-wilde-mn0000807347/awards|archive-date=September 2, 2013}}

! style="width:40px;"|US R&B

! style="width:40px;"|UK

1984

| Eugene Wilde

| align=center | 97

| align=center | 14

| align=center | 67

1985

| Serenade

| align=center | —

| align=center | 17

| align=center | —

1989

| I Choose You (Tonight)

| align=center | —

| align=center | —

| align=center | —

1992

| How About Tonight

| align=center | —

| align=center | —

| align=center | —

2011

| Get Comfortable

| align=center | —

| align=center | —

| align=center | —

colspan="5" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

{{cite web|url=http://www.soulandfunkmusic.com/artist/eugene_wilde|title=Eugene Wilde album discography|website=SoulandFunkMusic.com|accessdate=April 3, 2010}}

=Compilations=

  • The Best of Eugene Wilde - Got to Get You Home Tonight (1996)
  • Eugene Wilde - The Greatest Hits (2004)

=Singles=

class="wikitable"
scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Single

! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album

style="width:40px;"|US R&B
{{cite web|url=https://www.musicvf.com/Eugene+Wilde.art|title=Eugene Wilde Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|work=Music VF|accessdate=September 4, 2020}}

! style="width:40px;"|US Pop
{{cite magazine|title=Eugene Wilde - Chart History: Hot 100 |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/301925/eugene-wilde/chart|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 19, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031150911/http://www.billboard.com/artist/301925/eugene-wilde/chart|archivedate=October 31, 2015|url-status=dead}}

! style="width:40px;"|UK
{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/22053/eugene-wilde/|title=EUGENE WILDE - full Official Chart History|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=September 4, 2020}}

rowspan="5"| 1984

| "Let Her Feel It" {{small|(with Simplicious)}}{{cite web | url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21985/simplicious/ | title=SIMPLICIOUS | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company | publisher=Official Charts Company}}

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

| align=center | 65

| Non-album single

"Gotta Get You Home Tonight"

| align=center | 1

| align=center | 83

| align=center | 18

| rowspan="4"| Eugene Wilde

"Rainbow"

| align=center | 22

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

"Personality"

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

| align=center | 34

"Chey Chey Kulé"

| align=center | 69

| align=center | ―

| align=center | 83

rowspan="2"| 1985

| "Don't Say No Tonight"

| align=center | 1

| align=center | 76

| align=center | 80

| rowspan="3"| Serenade

"Diana"

| align=center | 10

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

1986

| "30 Mins. to Talk"

| align=center | 79

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

rowspan="3"| 1989

| "Ain't Nobody's Business"

| align=center | 50

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

| rowspan="3"| I Choose You (Tonight)

"I Can't Stop (This Feeling)"

| align=center | 35

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

"I Choose You (Tonight)"

| align=center | 56

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

rowspan="2"| 1992

| "How About Tonight"

| align=center | 17

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

| rowspan="2"| How About Tonight

"Special Feelings"

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

| align=center | ―

colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

See also

References

{{Reflist}}