After their breakup, Babyface and partner Antonio 'L.A.' Reid formed an urban funk group called the Deele in the early '80s, who scored a few sizable hits on the R&B charts.

He served a stint in Bootsy Collins' backing unit (where he earned his nickname) and subsequently joined the funk outfit Manchild, who signed a record deal in 1977 and released three albums. Kenneth Edmonds was born April 10, 1959, in Indianapolis and began playing in local R&B bands as a teenager. You'd be hard-pressed to name a '90s hitmaker with a track record more consistently successful and versatile than Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds.

Yet their considerable success was eclipsed by his songwriting and production work for other artists, which linked him with some of the biggest stars and hit singles of the decade (and not just in the realm of R&B). His own recordings helped rejuvenate the R&B tradition of the smooth, sensitive, urban crooner and made him a staple of urban contemporary radio. As a final note, two new songs are included, 'When Men Grow Old' and 'Reason for Breathing,' as well as a live, unplugged version of a hit he wrote for Eric Clapton, 'Change the World.As a singer, producer, and songwriter, Babyface was an inescapable presence in virtually every major facet of pop music during the '90s. For completists, this collection is thoroughly lacking, but for the casual listener, it's a pleasure nonetheless. Other omissions include his hit duet with Pebbles, 'Love Makes Things Happen,' his hit duet with Toni Braxton, 'Give U My Heart,' early singles 'Mary Mack' and 'Lovers,' later singles 'And Our Feelings' and 'Rock Bottom,' as well as his har- to-find duet with Lisa Stansfield, 'Dream Away,' and his Top Ten hit with protГ©gГ© Jon B., 'Someone to Love.' Omitting those songs in favor of non-hit album tracks such as 'Soon as I Get Home' seems a tad bewildering. Incidentally, both those songs were remixed (and greatly improved) when released as singles, so their inclusion on this hits package would have been a huge bonus for the singer's fans. Glaring omissions include two hits from his Tender Lover album, those being 'My Kinda Girl' and the title track. However, despite the inclusion of some of his best ballads and up-tempo hits, this album suffers from several glaring omissions, and leaves one hoping for a more complete product, or at least a second volume to complement what's lacking in this one. His up-tempo numbers, such as 'It's No Crime' and the Shalamar cover, 'This Is for the Lover in You,' are just as engaging. 'Everytime I Close My Eyes,' 'Never Keeping Secrets,' and 'When Can I See You' are quintessential slow jam Babyface. He also established himself as a top-rate balladeer, as evidenced by the songs on this selection. At his peak in the mid-'90s, Babyface was arguably the American music industry's hottest producer/songwriter. As can be expected with a Babyface retrospective, the songs are top notch and the production is excellent.

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