Quindon Tarver
{{Short description|American singer (1982–2021)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image =
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1982|8|4}}
| birth_place = Plano, Texas, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|4|1|1982|8|4}}
| death_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.
| origin =
| instrument = Vocals
| occupation = Singer, songwriter, actor
| years_active = 1990–2021
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Quindon Dan Tarver{{cite news |title=Quindon Dan Tarver |url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/quindon-tarver-obituary?pid=198254879 |access-date=28 February 2022 |publisher=Legacy}} (August 4, 1982 – April 1, 2021) was an American singer. He was best known for his covers of Prince's "When Doves Cry" and Rozalla's "Everybody's Free" for the 1996 film William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet.
Life and career
Tarver was born in Plano, Texas on August 4, 1982.{{cite web | title=Quindon Tarver | work=The Boy Choir & Soloist Directory | url=http://www.boysoloist.com/artist.asp?VID=2328 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190250/http://www.boysoloist.com/artist.asp?VID=2328 | access-date=2008-12-21| archive-date=2013-12-16 }}{{cite news |last1=Pedersen |first1=Erik |title=Quindon Tarver Dies: Wedding Soloist In Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo + Juliet' Was 38 |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/quindon-tarver-romeo-and-juliet-singer-american-idol-1234730395/ |access-date=28 February 2022 |publisher=Deadline |date=8 April 2021}} He started out singing in a church choir. In 1996, he appeared as a choir boy in the Baz Luhrmann movie Romeo + Juliet, singing at the titular couple Romeo Montague (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Juliet Capulet (Claire Danes)'s secret wedding. Tarver's covers of "Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)" and Prince's "When Doves Cry" were included on Romeo + Juliet{{'}}s soundtrack, which sold two million copies, earning double-platinum status.
His album, Quindon, was released in 1996 by Virgin Records and included the single "It's You That's on My Mind", which charted in Australia and New Zealand. Under the same management as then teen sensations Immature (later known as IMx), Smooth, Gyrl, and B2K, Tarver began to appeal to a large market of teens and subsequently toured the world with the likes of Immature, Brandy, and Monica.
Tarver contributed to the soundtracks of feature films Kazaam (A&M Records) and Down in the Delta (Virgin Records). He made appearances on Good Morning America, Soul Train and American Idol (during seasons two and seven, in which he finished in the show's top fifty). He worked with artists, including Faith Evans, Playa, Tiny (of Xscape and VH1's The Family Hustle) and Nokio (of R&B group Dru Hill). He worked with record producers Johntá Austin and Troy Taylor.
In 2016, Tarver was invited to perform "When Doves Cry" as part of a Los Angeles tribute to the late musician Prince. In a later interview, Tarver stated that the performance and the audience response to it was a turning point in his life, motivating him to enter rehab and resume a singing career.{{cite web |title=Quindon Tarver was the child star of Romeo + Juliet: what happened next? |url=https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/quindon-tarver-was-the-child-star-of-romeo-juliet-what-happened-/10267808 |website=Double J |access-date=15 January 2019 |language=en-AU |date=26 June 2017}}
In 2017, Tarver released a new version of "Everybody's Free". He recorded the new version as a statement of innate freedom, regardless of past or present circumstances.{{cite web |last1=Tang |first1=Estelle |title=Listen to Quindon Tarver's Updated Version of "Everybody's Free" |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/music/news/a44801/quindon-tarver-new-version-everybodys-free/ |website=ELLE |access-date=15 January 2019 |date=27 April 2017}} He also started a Kickstarter campaign for an EP titled Everybody's Free (The Movement), which ended up not getting funded.{{Cite web|url=https://singersroom.com/content/2017-04-28/quindon-tarver-of-romeo-and-juliet-fame-releases-new-version-of-everybodys-free/|title=Quindon Tarver Of 'Romeo and Juliet' Fame Releases New Version of 'Everybody's Free' - R&B Music|website=Singersroom.com|date=April 28, 2017|access-date=April 10, 2021}}
He released a single titled "Stand Our Ground" in October 2020.{{cite web |title=Stand Our Ground |author=Quindon Tarver |work=Amazon Music |url=https://www.amazon.com/Stand-Our-Ground-Quindon-Tarver/dp/B08KFMD791/ |date=30 October 2020}}
Personal life
In 2008, Tarver and De'Mario Thornton, a former member of B2K, spoke publicly in an interview with Vibe magazine about abuse they suffered as children at the hands of their manager and producer Chris Stokes. In 2010, Thornton covertly recorded a conversation with Tarver, where both men discussed details of their abuse, of which Tarver had disclosed details of sexual encounters with famous R&B singer Marques Houston from the '90s R&B group Immature, also known as IMx. The tape's online release prompted Tarver to make a statement that he had not consented to the conversation being made public.{{cite web |last1=Carroll |first1=Shirea L. |title=Sound Off: Marques Houston Molestation Allegations |url=https://www.essence.com/news/sound-off-marques-houston-molestation-allegations/ |website=Essence |access-date=15 January 2019 |date=3 November 2010}}
In a 2017 interview, Tarver said that he had not been able to enjoy the initial success of his career due to his abuse as a child in the music industry.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/quindon-tarver-was-the-child-star-of-romeo-juliet-what-happened-/10267808|title=Quindon Tarver was the child star of Romeo + Juliet: what happened next?|first=Dan|last=Condon|date=26 June 2017|website=Abc.net.au|access-date=April 10, 2021}}
Tarver was killed in an auto accident in Dallas, Texas, on April 1, 2021, at the age of 38.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/singer-quindon-tarver-of-romeo-juliet-fame-killed-in-dallas-car-crash-family|title='Romeo + Juliet' Choir Boy Quindon Tarver Killed in Crash, Family Says|first=Justin|last=Rohrlich|date=4 April 2021|website=The Daily Beast|access-date=April 10, 2021}}
The crash occurred on the President George Bush Turnpike.{{Cite web|url=https://meaww.com/who-quindon-tarver-romeo-juliet-singer-car-crash-dead-rape-addiction-brandy|title=Quindon Tarver: 'Romeo + Juliet' singer who toured with Brandy dies at 38 in car crash in Dallas|website=Meaww.com|date=5 April 2021 |access-date=April 10, 2021}}
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a 2003 Lexus struck the center barrier and struck another guardrail. Tarver later died at a nearby hospital.{{cite web| url = https://www.eonline.com/uk/news/1256691/romeo-juliets-quindon-tarver-dead-at-38-baz-luhrmann-and-more-pay-tribute| title = Romeo + Juliet's Quindon Tarver Dead at 38 - E! Online| date = 8 April 2021}}
Discography
=Albums=
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:13em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Certifications ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US R&B {{Cite web|url=https://www.musicvf.com/album.php?artist=Quindon&album=Quindon|title=Quindon • Album • Quindon ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts|website=Musicvf.com|access-date=April 10, 2021}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| AUS
! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| NZ |
| scope="row"| "It's You That's on My Mind"
|rowspan=2| 1996 | 35 || 64 || 41 | |rowspan=2| Quindon |
| scope="row"| "Dream About You"
| 69 || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Everybody's Free"
|rowspan=2| 1997 | — || — || — | |rowspan=2| Romeo + Juliet |
| scope="row"| "When Doves Cry"
| — || 3 || 34 |
|
| scope="row"| "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" (with Baz Luhrmann) | 1998 | — || 65 || — | |
| scope="row"| "It's My Turn"{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/its-my-turn-single/id895880625|title=iTunes - Music - It's My Turn - Single by Quindon Tarver|publisher=Apple Inc.|access-date=April 16, 2015}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
| 2014 | — || — || — | | rowspan="3" {{N/A|Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Everybody's Free"{{Cite web|url=https://www.elle.com/culture/music/news/a44801/quindon-tarver-new-version-everybodys-free/|title=Listen to Quindon Tarver's Updated Version of "Everybody's Free"|first=Estelle|last=Tang|date=27 April 2017|website=Elle.com|access-date=April 10, 2021}}
| 2017 | — || — || — | |
| scope="row"| "Stand Our Ground"
| 2020 | — || — || — | |
| colspan="19" style="font-size:85%" | "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released. |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cite web | title=Quindon Tarver's official YouTube channel | website=YouTube | url=https://www.youtube.com/user/QuindonTarverInc | access-date=2008-09-21}}
- {{IMDb name|0850787}}
- {{Amazon Music artist|B000TD44QY}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tarver, Quinton}}
Category:20th-century African-American male singers
Category:20th-century American male singers
Category:20th-century American singers
Category:21st-century African-American male singers
Category:21st-century American male singers
Category:African-American LGBTQ people
Category:American child pop musicians
Category:American gay musicians
Category:American Idol participants
Category:LGBTQ people from Texas
Category:People from McKinney, Texas