Born 59 Years Ago Today in Maryland, the 7-Time Grammy Winner Who Gave the 90s Its Ultimate Heartbreak Anthem

On this day (October 7) in 1967, Toni Michele Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland. Since getting her start alongside her sisters as one fifth of the Braxtons, she has enjoyed a truly legendary solo career, with multiple number-one hits including the Diane Warren-penned 1996 smash “Un-Break My Heart”. Braxton’s rich, husky contralto has earned her seven Grammy Awards and influenced everyone from Beyoncé to Kelly Clarkson. Today, we’re taking a look at her life and career in honor of her 59th birthday.

About Toni Braxton

The eldest of six children born to a Methodist clergyman father and opera singer mother, Toni Braxton’s strict religious upbringing also provided a solid foundation for her future musical career. She got her start singing in church choir.

While their parents only permitted gospel music in the home, Braxton and her four sisters often watched Soul Train when their parents went shopping. By the time she reached high school, her parents had converted to a different faith and eased their restrictions on secular music. This allowed Braxton to fine-tune her vocal style, which she modeled after male singers such as Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, and Michael McDonald, as well as Chaka Khan.

A Gas Station Discovery

After graduating from high school, Toni Braxton pursued a teaching degree at Bowie State University, hoping to become a music teacher.

However, the story goes that, one day, she stopped for gas at an Annapolis, Maryland service station where producer Bill Pettaway worked as an attendant. (He co-wrote Milli Vanilli’s 1988 hit “Girl You Know It’s True”.)

Recognizing Braxton from the local talent show circuit, Pettaway approached the singer and asked if he could produce her. Setting her skepticism aside, Braxton agreed to “take a chance.”

The Braxtons and the Breakthrough

Signing with Arista Records, Toni Braxton began performing with her sisters as part of R&B group The Braxtons.

While their 1990 single “Good Life” didn’t chart, it did catch the attention of music executive Antonio “L.A.” Reid and producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. The powerhouse pairing had recently co-founded their own imprint, LaFace Records, and recruited Braxton as their first female artist.

She debuted with the top 5 R&B hit “Love Shoulda Brought You Home”, from the soundtrack to the 1992 romantic comedy Boomerang starring Eddie Murphy. Braxton also recorded “Give U My Heart”, a duet with Babyface, for the soundtrack.

The Rise to Superstardrom

In 1993, she released her self-titled solo debut album, which topped the Billboard 200 and spawned the top 10 hits “Another Sad Love Song”, “Breathe Again”, and “You Mean the World to Me”.

The eight-time Platinum record also earned Toni Braxton the 1994 Grammy Award for Best New Artist, along with back-to-back Best Female R&B Vocal Performance trophies for “Another Sad Love Song” (1994) and “Breathe Again”.

Braxton reunited with Babyface for her sophomore album, 1996’s Secrets. Becoming her second-straight eight-million seller, Secrets gave Braxton her first career number-one hit with “You’re Makin’ Me High”.

The song’s success was almost instantly eclipsed by its follow-up, “Un-Break My Heart”, which remains her most successful single to date.

“Un-Break My Heart” spent 11 weeks atop the U.S. pop chart and earned Braxton a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

[RELATED: R&B Singer Toni Braxton Opens Up About “Traumatic” Heart Surgery]

To date, Toni Braxton has released 10 studio albums. She also competed on the seventh season of Dancing With the Stars and executive produced and starred in the reality TV show Braxton Family Values.

Featured image by Eugenia R. Washington/Getty Images

The post Born 59 Years Ago Today in Maryland, the 7-Time Grammy Winner Who Gave the 90s Its Ultimate Heartbreak Anthem appeared first on American Songwriter.