Anthony Hamilton

Anthony Hamilton has built a successful career by simply being himself: an authentic, no-frills, Southern everyman with a rich, timeless voice making songs of everyday struggles and triumphs that resonate with every person out there trying to make a way. True, his career included 10 years of setbacks before his simple brilliance would be brought to the masses, but that's just made the music more relevant, and put Anthony's records at the top of every "Essential Listening" list.

The Charlotte, North Carolina native began his career in 1993 at Uptown Records, home to artists like Jodeci and Mary J. Blige. By 1995, Uptown was no longer, and Anthony's debut was never released.

More professional disappointments followed, including his fantastic but overlooked MCA album, "XTC," in 1996, and a brief stint with the Soulife label. While at Soulife, Anthony began writing songs for a few notable artists, including Donnell Jones and Sunshine Anderson. By 2000, he was traveling the globe as a background singer on D'Angelo's "Voodoo" tour.

The year 2003 marked the turning point for Anthony, as he was nominated for a Grammy award for his memorable collaboration with the hip-hop group Nappy Roots on the hit song "Po' Folks." An unforgettable performance at a pre-Grammy brunch led to a meeting with Jermaine Dupri, and Anthony was signed to the So So Def label within days. Later that year, Anthony released the platinum-selling album "Comin' From Where I'm From." Some of the recordings from his Soulife days were released on an album by the same name in 2005.

Anthony's latest record, "Ain't Nobody Worryin'" was released in late 2005. "Comin' From Where I'm From" was heavy on pain and loss, while "Ain't Nobody Worryin'" shows a man's who's turned the corner and is just trying to be better in all areas of life. And though Anthony's unforgettable voice is at the center of every song, what makes "Ain't Nobody Worryin'" so complete is the range of subjects covered. There are socially conscious tracks like "Preacher's Daughter" and the title track, and spiritual, inspirational songs like "Pass Me Over" and "Everybody," and easy, breezy celebratory tunes like "Southern Stuff" and "Sista Big Bones." And then there are the love songs. But an Anthony Hamilton love song is not your average love and lust song about champagne, flowers, and romantic escapades, but rather about loving and accepting someone and making it work on a daily basis. This is the message on tracks like "Change Your World, " "The Truth," "Can't Let Go," and "I Know What Love's All About." If "Comin' From Where I'm From" didn't convince everyone that Anthony's one of the best artists of his time, "Ain't Nobody Worryin'" leaves no room for doubt.

Anthony spoke recently about his long road to success, his latest record, and the stories behind a few of his songs.

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