Toni Braxton

TONI BRAXTON

TONI MICHELLE BRAXTON

Born October 7, 1967, in Severn, Maryland.

She is an American rhythm and blues, pop and soul singer, songwriter and actress.

Winner of six Grammy Awards. One of the most successful singers of the 1990s.

The eldest daughter of Michael and Evelyn Braxton, a priest and failed opera singer and church choir director.

Her musical preferences were greatly influenced by Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, and Whitney Houston.

Parallel to a long series of unsuccessful attempts at higher education (social college, business school and even "Bowie State University" where she went to become a music teacher) and low-grade jobs (secretary, typist in court) Toni performed with her younger sisters and brother in a family band called THE BRAXTONS. The first single of the vocal quintet "The Good Life" interested the production team "LA And Babyface", and in 1992, Toni Braxton - already as a soloist - released two commercially phenomenal singles: "Another Sad Love Song" and "You Mean The World To Me".

From September 1998 to February 1999, she successfully performed on Broadway as Belle in the Disney musical "Beauty and the Beast. Toni Braxton became the first African-American woman to play a leading role in a Disney musical.

On August 3, 2006, Toni Braxton opened her show "Toni Braxton: Revealed" at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The show was the first major show by an African-American performer in Vegas to make the top ten Vegas shows.

On April 21, 2001, Toni married musician Carey Lewis of the band Mint Condition. The couple has two children, sons Denim Cole (born 2001) and Diesel Kai (born 2003).

Toni Braxton is a spokeswoman for Autism Speaks, an autism organization, and the American Heart Association, a heart disease risk reduction charity.