Cornell Stone

A native Washingtonian, Stone attended the internationally-acclaimed Duke Ellington School of the Performing Arts and was exposed to some of the best vocal training available to any aspiring artist. Since then, he has performed in various showcases, musical productions, and concerts around the region -- opening up for several national recording artists including Yolanda Adams, Aaron Hall, Jaheim, and Christopher Williams. Stone credits Ellington with giving him the drive and determination he needed to succeed in a highly competitive music industry. "I don't just sing for me. I like to exchange between the audience and myself," states the talented singer.

Standing a towering 6'4", you would expect some natural link with athletics. However, Stone's sole concentration has always been music and entertainment. "As far back as I can remember, I always knew that my destiny was to become a successful recording artist," he says. No easy task considering Stone's rocky beginning. A product of DC's notoriously inept foster care system, Stone's early childhood was one of rampant abuse and neglect. The youngest of 12 children, he was removed from the home and placed in what should've been better circumstances. They weren't. After bouncing from pillar to post, Stone took to the streets of Northeast DC in a desperate attempt to survive. He drifted among the Deanwood neighborhood struggling to stay one step ahead of social services and the law. He didn't. Following a close call with police, Stone was sent to a boarding school where he slowly began to turn his life around. Unaccustomed to any structure in his life while growing up, he readily admits that "he wasn't liked all that much by his peers." But, his natural congeniality outweighed his penchant for trouble, and he left the facility one of their most popular students.

Encouraged by teachers and counselors, Stone began to focus on his education and take his talent a bit more seriously. A social worker enrolled him in Duke Ellington, where he perfected his craft and embarked on the path to a professional singing career. After several false starts and countless other attempts to shop his demo, Stone decided to market the product with the assistance of his manager at the time. After selling an impressive 6,000 copies on his own, he was signed to an independent label. Stone went back into the studio, worked with some of the hottest producers in the area, and emerged with the "STONED" project in February of 2002. Now he stands ready to carry the gauntlet passed down by crooners long before his time -- self-confidence culled from the influences of Luther Vandross, Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye, among others. Armed with new material, his signature style, and a hot new album, Stone is 'destined for stardom!' "The richest voice the music industry has yet to hear," says Larry Flick of Billboard Magazine.

Stone's CD debut, "Stoned" exploded in Europe, making him one of the most promising artists of today. His CD topped the charts at number one beating out artists that major labels spend millions of dollars on to get their artist ranked number one on the charts. With this kind of success, he was offered several record deals from labels. However, Stone's independent label declined several offers from major labels to buy him out of his contract and has decided to move forward with promoting the "Stoned" project. Stone's discontent with the label's decision and the label's breach of contract stalled Stone's career for a period of two-and-a-half years. This resulted in a serious legal battle which placed Stone in a state of depression. But the most unexpected tragedy occurred when Stone received the news that his mother, Willie Mae Fraley, was murdered at St. Elizabeth hospital in 2004. This news devastated Stone's life and the innovation for the creativity of his new CD. Stone changed his profession, took time to heal from the tragedy, and shortly thereafter was released from the independent label's contract.

Stone began to record his new CD "Have You Ever Heard of Cornell Stone," due to be released in the spring of 2007. It reveals a great deal of his pain, his struggles, and most of all the loss of his mother. Not having a record deal places him in an exceptional position to create a buzz for the major labels that were previously interested. A slight departure from his earlier work, the CD is 19 tracks of intimate love songs and mid-tempo club cuts. On it, Stone tells a story of love, pain, and unbridled passion. It is where he reaches deep down to expose unchecked emotions on songs like "Ride It Till the Wheels Fall Off," "Epiphany," "Vanishing Memories," and a live version of "A House Is Not a Home" which is a tribute to the loss of his idol, the late Luther Vandross. Love songs like "Let's Go Somewhere" and "Let's Make a Baby" find Stone deep in the throes of passion, while the song "People" is more serious and conscientious; revealing yet another side to this complex artist. The CD's title, "Have You Ever Heard of Cornell Stone," speaks volumes to his deep, wrenching lyrics and growth as an artist destined to be around for many years to come. Undoubtedly, the album's highlight is Stone's remake of Dee Harvey's 1980's hit, "Leave Well Enough Alone." Here, he certainly takes this song to another level, tightens up the lyrics, and adds a whole new twist to the sound, delivering what is sure to be a new millennium hit!

"Some of my tracks are heart-wrenching, love sonnets, while other songs on the album are much more passionate. You know, those 'Let's get together tonight and don't forget to bring your toothbrush kind of songs," he jokingly admits. No doubt, there is something for everyone on "Have You Ever Heard of Cornell Stone." The sensuous vibe of Cornell's hypnotic voice instantly conjures up images of a warm fireplace, a chilled bottle of your best, or food for thought as you journey to reflect from the inner core. Yet, as good as it is, the CD is simply a precursor to his live performance of which you get a glimpse when you listen to the live tribute version of "A House Is Not a Home" -- ;a cross between raw talent and utter showmanship. "I am definitely most comfortable performing live because I try to make my audience feel what I am feeling. Live performances speak to the heart and that's when I sing most effectively," Stone explains. With music on his mind, love in his heart, and success within reach, Cornell Stone is ready to serenade the world... again.