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Wilfred "Will" Downing (born November 29, 1963)[1] is an American singer and songwriter.[2] He is married to singer Audrey Wheeler, who was a member of the R&B group Unlimited Touch.[1]
Downing enrolled in Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, New York. Alumni of the school include record label executives Clive Davis (who founded Arista Records), Kedar Massenburg (who later became president of Motown), Stephanie Mills and singer Barbra Streisand.[3] Downing, who eventually recorded for Motown, graduated with Massenburg in the class of 1981. Downing then attended college at Virginia Union University in Richmond, V
Wilfred "Will" Downing (born November 29, 1963)[1] is an American singer and songwriter.[2] He is married to singer Audrey Wheeler, who was a member of the R&B group Unlimited Touch.[1]
Downing enrolled in Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, New York. Alumni of the school include record label executives Clive Davis (who founded Arista Records), Kedar Massenburg (who later became president of Motown), Stephanie Mills and singer Barbra Streisand.[3] Downing, who eventually recorded for Motown, graduated with Massenburg in the class of 1981. Downing then attended college at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia. In the mid-1980s, he moved back to New York City, and worked on albums by Jennifer Holliday, Kool & the Gang, Gerald Albright, Billy Ocean, Regina Belle, Rachelle Ferrell and Mica Paris. Later he sang with Arthur Baker's group, Wally 'Jump' Junior.[2] Downing then used Baker as a producer after he signed with Island Records.
In 1988, Downing signed a recording contract with 4th & Broadway Records, and his first solo album, Will Downing, was released that same year. His version of the John Coltrane piece, "A Love Supreme",[2] reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.[4] Downing stayed with 4th & Broadway for just one album and switched to Island Records for his second release, Come Together As One (1989).[2] Switching labels to Mercury for his fourth outing, 1993's Love's the Place to Be, Downing scored his best-selling album to date with about 235,000 copies sold in the United States and over 300,000 copies in the UK.[5] He remained with Mercury for two more albums, Moods in 1995 and Invitation Only in 1997, both of which sold well.[2] All the Man You Need received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Traditional R&B Album in 2000. The album included "When You Need Me", a duet single with Chante Moore.[6] In 2002, Downing received the International Association of African-American Music Diamond Award.[7]
In December 2006, Downing suffered from polymyositis.[2] Despite the debilitating aspects of the disease, he worked towards releasing a new album in 2010.[8] Love, Lust, & Lies: An Audio Novel was released in September that year.[2] Beyond performing, Downing is a spokesperson for the American Stroke Association. On tour, he conducts the charity bowling event, Strike Against Stroke, to raise funds towards awareness and education in the African American community, which is disproportionately affected. The American Heart Association recognized Downing for his efforts, honoring him as a Celebrity Ambassador. He is also a keen photographer, and self-published the 2005 coffee table book Unveiled Series I. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He has been married twice. He is currently married to his second wife. He has three children. His cousin is former Boyz II Men member and musician Michael McCary.
Discography
Albums
Year Album details Chart positions Certifications / Note
US[9] R&B/
Hip-Hop[10] Jazz[11] Con.
Jazz[12] UK[13]
1988 Will Downing
Released: March 1988
Label: Island
— — — — 20
BPI: Gold[14]
1989 Come Together as One
Released: October 24, 1989
Label: Island
— 62 — — 36
1991 A Dream Fulfilled
Released: March 5, 1991
Label: Island
— 22 — — 43
1993 Love's the Place to Be
Released: August 3, 1993
Label: Mercury
166 24 — — —
1995 Moods
Released: November 7, 1995
Label: Mercury
139 23 — 3 —
1997 Invitation Only
Released: October 28, 1997
Label: Mercury
127 30 — — —
Heatseekers #5
1998 Pleasures of the Night
(with Gerald Albright)
Released: September 29, 1998
Label: Verve Forecast
169 36 — 1 —
2000 All the Man You Need
Released: July 18, 2000
Label: Motown
100 25 — — —
2002 Sensual Journey
Released: May 7, 2002
Label: GRP
90 11 — 2 —
2003 Emotions
Released: October 14, 2003
Label: GRP
92 9 2 2 —
2004 Christmas, Love and You
Released: November 9, 2004
Label: GRP
— 40 4 3 —
Holiday #37
2005 Soul Symphony
Released: October 5, 2005
Label: GRP
85 18 — — —
2007 After Tonight
Released: October 30, 2007
Label: Peak
37 1 — — —
2009 Classique
Released: June 16, 2009
Label: Peak
22 3 — — —
2010 Lust, Love & Lies (An Audio Novel)
Released: September 14, 2010
Label: Peak
42 11 — — —
2013 Silver
Released: February 8, 2013
Label: Sophisticated Soul / WD Productions
— 62 — — —
2014 Euphoria
Released: March 11, 2014
Label: Sophisticated Soul / WD Productions
— 40 3 2 —
R&B #22
2015 Chocolate Drops
Released: March 31, 2015
Label: Sophisticated Soul / WD Productions
— — 9 2 —
R&B #22
2015 Black Pearls
Released: July 8, 2016
Label: Shanachie
— 10 — — —
R&B #5, Indie #12
2017 Soul Survivor
Released: September 22, 2017
Label: Shanachie
— 19 — — —
R&B #8, Indie #33
2018 'Promise
Released: November 30, 2018
Label: Shanachie
Compilations
Year Album details Chart positions Note
US
R&B[10]
2002 Greatest Love Songs
Released: January 15, 2002
Label: Hip-O / Island
78
A Love Supreme – The Collection
Released: September 2, 2002 (UK)
Label: Spectrum
—
2006 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best Of Will Downing
Released: June 6, 2006
Label: Hip-O / UMe
32
2014 Collection
Released: November 24, 2014
Label: Concord
—
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.
Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions
US Dance
[15] US R&B
[15] UK
[16]
1988 "A Love Supreme" 4 77 14
"Sending Out an S.O.S" ― 45 ―
"In My Dreams" ― ― 34
"Free" ― 48 58
1989 "Where Is the Love" ― ― 19
"Test of Time" ― 35 67
1990 "Come Together as One" 40 50 48
"Sometimes I Cry" ― ― ―
"Wishing on a Star" ― ― ―
1991 "I Try" ― 13 ―
"The World Is a Ghetto" ― ― 83
"I Go Crazy" ― 37 ―
"Something's Going On" ― ― ―
"Don't Make Me Wait" ― ― ―
1993 "There's No Living Without You" ― 57 67
1994 "Love's the Place to Be" ― ― ―
"Break Up to Make Up" ― 66 ―
1995 "Just to Be with You" ― ― 98
"Sorry, I" ― 45 ―
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