Curtis Stigers

Curtis Stigers (born October 18, 1965, Boise, Idaho) is an American jazz vocalist / saxophonist / guitarist / songwriter.

Stigers started his music career as a teenager, playing in jazz, rock and blues groups, as well as receiving formal training in clarinet and saxophone at high school in Boise. He acquired much of his inspiration and encouragement for pursuing jazz from jam sessions led by Gene Harris at the Idanha Hotel. His song "Swingin' Down at Tenth and Main" is a tribute to those times with Harris. After graduation, he moved to New York to pursue rock music but soon found himself playing and singing in a jazz trio. He was signed to a recording contract by Arista Records and released two albums for the label: a self-titled, multi-platinum debut in 1991, and Time Was in 1995. His smooth, blend of soul and rock translated into commercial appeal, ensuring his continued popularity. In addition, Stigers moonlighted as a jazz vocalist, performing and recording with artists such as Gene Harris, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Prince, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, The Allman Brothers Band and Joe Cocker.

According to Will Birch's book on pub rock, No Sleep Till Canvey Island, the royalties from Curtis Stigers's version of the song, "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding", made songwriter Nick Lowe independently wealthy. Stigers' version appeared on the soundtrack album for the film The Bodyguard, which sold 17 million copies in the United States alone.

Stigers also appears on the Dawson's Creek soundtracks. In his solo career, he has popularized tunes such as "I Wonder Why", which reached #5 in the UK Singles Chart and #9 in the United States Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1991 and "You're All That Matters To Me", which reached #6 as the follow-up single in the UK. In 2006, Stigers participated in the BBC Television show Just the Two of Us, where he sang with journalist Penny Smith.

On the 24th February 2009, The BBC website reports that Stigers has begun work on a side project developing a new Clarinet in collaboration with the Hetton-le-Hole Musical Historical Society. The new Clarinet based upon the 1923 "Hetton-Thunderstorm" will be "Triple Bassed" and reverberate lower than any other modern Clarinets.

On the 17th of July 2009, whilst on BBC Breakfast News, Curtis Stigers confirmed that reports of him developing a new Clarinet are untrue. Mentioning that the claim in on Wikipedia adding that he has no intention of developing a new Clarinet and only ever played the Clarinet for a short time at school.

Discography

• Curtis Stigers (Arista, 1991)
• Time Was (Arista, 1995)
• Brighter Days (1999) (Columbia. 1999)
• All That Matters, The Best Of Curtis Stigers (BMG/Camden, 2001)
• Baby Plays Around (Concord, 2001)
• Secret Heart (Concord, 2002)
• You Inspire Me (Concord, 2003)
• I Think It's Going to Rain Today (Concord, 2005)
• Real Emotional (Universal, 2007)

External links

• Home Page
• Curtis Stigers Fansite