Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz (born Leonard Albert Kravitz on May 26, 1964 in New York) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and guitarist whose retro-style amalgam of rock, pop, funk, and even techno is inspired by such music icons as Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. Half African-American and half Jewish, Kravitz is the son of Hollywood producer Sy Kravitz and Bahamian American actress Roxie Roker, best known as Helen Willis, a regular character on The Jeffersons.

Early Career

His 1989 debut album Let Love Rule was a moderate success, reaching #61 on the Billboard album charts. The title track would reach #89 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the modern rock charts. The second single "I Build This Garden" reached #25 on the modern rock charts.

Related Topics:
1989 - Billboard Hot 100

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Kravitz gained greater recognition when Madonna reached number one with a cover version of his song, "Justify My Love" on her Immaculate Collection album of 1990. Kravitz's marriage to Lisa Bonet would end in the same year.

Related Topics:
Madonna - Cover version - Justify My Love - Immaculate Collection

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His next album, Mama Said in 1991, reached the top 40 of the Billboard album charts and songs on the album were influenced by his divorce from Bonet. It contained the hit single "It Ain't Over Til It's Over", which reached #2 on the charts and #10 on the Billboard R&B charts. "Always On The Run" featured Slash of Guns n' Roses and reached #8 on the modern rock charts and #40 on the mainstream rock charts. "Stand By My Woman" reached the lower reaches of the Billboard Hot 100 while "What Comes Around Goes Around" reached the top 40 of the Billboard R&B chart. The album would also feature a contribution by Sean Lennon which was Lennon's first appearance on record.

Related Topics:
1991 - Slash - Guns n' Roses - Sean Lennon

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In 1993, Are You Gonna Go My Way was released reaching #12 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Brit Award for best international male artist in 1994. The title track won a MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video for the video produced by Mark Romanek. The single would reach #1 on the Australian and Billboard mainstream rock charts and #2 on the modern rock charts. Several singles from the album would follow including:

Related Topics:
1993 - Brit Award - MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video - Mark Romanek

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• "Believe" #60 on the Billboard Hot 100, #15 on the mainstream rock charts and #10 on the modern rock charts;
• "Is There Any Love In Your Heart" would reach #19 on the mainstream rock charts; and
• "Heaven Help/Spinning Around Over You" reached #80 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Heaven Help" reached #92 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Kravitz covered the Kiss song "Deuce" for a tribute album, with the track reaching #15 on the Billboard mainstream rock chart. He released the Circus album in 1995, which reached number 10 on the Billboard chart on the back of his past achievement. However, it only had two singles "Rock And Roll Is Dead" reaching #75 on the Billboard Hot 100, #4 on the mainstream rock chart and #10 on the modern rock charts. "Can't Get You Off My Mind" reached #62 on the Billboard chart and #36 on the US adult chart.

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