Biography

Has a Masters in Psychology and was a counselor before deciding to try his hand at singing professionally. He started out in small clubs and eventually went on to win a German Grammy.

Has won five Grammy Awards and is the only singer on the planet to have won a Grammy in the Pop, Jazz and R&B categories.

Has one son, Ryan

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7083 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Steadily touring all over Europe, Asia and the U.S.; was the literacy spokesperson for Verizon; received yet another Grammy nomination in 2005 for his latest CD, "Accentuate the Positive."

"I won't apologize because the instruments on this stage are real and the music is not synthetic." (At a 2000 concert.)

At age twelve I was singing harmonies on the street corner while walking to school in the morning. We were singing doo-wop before there was doo-wop. Singing was part of living and breathing.

It becomes something else when people join in and get involved in the music. Find something that they can sing with you. I love that kind of communication, and talking to people in the audience and feeling it together. You sing the song differently. That changes the musicians and how they play. I'm inspired by that. Something happens when that occurs.

[on an unusual recording experience with a 53 piece orchestra in the Nerherlands] As you can imagine, strings change everything. You have this typical symphony orchestra , and sitting inside there is a rhythm section composed of a jazz piano player, a jazz player, a jazzy guitar player and a drummer!

[on developing his unique vocal style] I found this guitar player, Julio Martinez, and he and I became a duo. Brazilian rhythms have a backbeat and you could turn R&B-ish in Brazilian music. They cross paths - one has the backbeat and the other has brilliant syncopation. That became my thumbprint and signature.