Today (group)
{{Short description|American R&B vocal group}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Today
|background = group_or_band
|genre = R&B, new jack swing, gospel
|years_active = 1988–1991
2010–present
|label = Motown
|current_members = Lee Drakeford
Larry Singletary
Wesley Adams
Larry McCain
Bernard Belle
}}
Today is an American R&B vocal group formed in 1988. The group comprised Frederick Lee "Bubba" Drakeford, Larry "Chief" Singletary, Wesley "Wes" Adams, and Larry "Love" McCain, childhood friends from Englewood, New Jersey.{{cite web|last1=Hamilton|first1=Andrew|title=Artist Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/today-mn0000607692/biography|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=13 December 2020}}
History
The group started in 1984 as The Gents and comprised Drakeford, McCain, William McNeir, Ronald Scruggs, and Bernard Belle. During an anti-drug benefit, the group received a meeting with the producer Teddy Riley who renamed the group Today and melded them into the current lineup. Riley helped them receive a deal with MCA Records.
As the head of MCA records urban department, Jheryl Busby, moved into Motown, he brought several acts with him, including Today, The Boys and The Good Girls. While touring the country, the groups were successful. Motown promoted Today as the new Four Tops, and The Boys and The Good Girls were promoted as the new Jackson 5 and new Supremes respectively.
Today released their self-titled debut album in 1988. The single "Him Or Me" reached #3 on the R&B charts and was followed by "Girl I Got My Eyes On You" which reached #1. It was also their only song to chart in Britain, and peaked at #94 on the UK Singles Chart in early 1989. Yet the album's later singles did not do as well as their early showings, and they began to resent the way they were being produced and promoted.
Riley did not help the group with their second album, The New Formula. Released in 1990, the album manage to chart three singles: "Why You Get Funky on Me", which was also featured in the movie House Party reached #2 on the R&B charts. "I Got The Feeling" peaked at #12 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and "I Wanna Come Back Home" peaked at #46 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
After the group broke up, Drakeford started a solo career as Big Bub while Singletary, Adams, and McCain wrote songs and tried unsuccessfully to get a deal as a trio. Drakeford released three albums as a solo artist: 1992's Comin at Cha (EastWest), 1997's Timeless (Kedar/Universal), and 2000's Never Too Late (Flavor Unit). His single "Need Your Love", credited to Big Bub feat. Queen Latifah & Heavy D, peaked at #70 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997.{{cite book|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|year=2013|title=Top Pop Singles 1955-2012|edition=14th|publisher=Record Research Inc.|location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin|isbn= 978-0-89820-205-2|page=80}}
In 2010, it was announced that all four members reunited and were changing to the Gospel music genre and would work on a new album and a new single "Orchestrate" was released.
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title ! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Record label |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| US ! width="35"| US |
| rowspan="1"|1988
| align="left"| Today | 86 | 11 | rowspan="2"| Motown |
| rowspan="1"|1990
| align="left"| The New Formula | 132 | 19 |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title ! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| US ! width="35"| US ! width="35"| UK |
| rowspan="1"| 1988
| align="left"| "Him or Me" | 3 | 21 | — |
| rowspan="4"| 1989
| align="left"| "Girl I Got My Eyes On You" | 1 | 29 | 94 |
| align="left"| "Take It Off"
| 34 | — | — |
| align="left"| "You Stood Me Up"
| — | — | — |
| align="left"| "Take Your Time"
| — | — | — |
| rowspan="3"| 1990
| align="left"| "Why You Get Funky On Me" | 2 | — | — |
| align="left"| "I Got the Feeling"
| 12 | — | — |
| align="left"| "I Wanna Come Back Home"
| 46 | — | — |
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released. |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p14517}}
- [http://www.rnbhaven.com/artist.php?artistid=72 Today (band)] on R&B Haven
{{Authority control}}
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Category:African-American musical groups
Category:American rhythm and blues musical groups