Twennynine
| Company type | Group or band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Lenny White |
| Defunct | 1983 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Key people | Lenny White, Skip Anderson, Barry Johnson, Eddie Martinez, Lynn Davis, Carla Vaughn, Joycelyn Smith, Tanya Willoghby, Steve Horton |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Twennynine, sometimes referred to as Twennynine with Lenny White, was a U.S.-based R&B group established in 1979.
Overview
In 1979, after departing from Return to Forever, jazz fusion drummer Lenny White initiated Twennynine.[1][2] His aim was to venture into commercially oriented R&B and funk genres, marking a departure from the intricate jazz rock style he previously specialized in.[3] The ensemble featured keyboardist Skip Anderson, bassist Barry Johnson, guitarist Eddie Martinez, along with vocalists Lynn Davis, Carla Vaughn, Joycelyn Smith, and Tanya Willoghby.[4][2] Their first album, Best of Friends, was released under Elektra Records in 1979 and was co-produced by White and Larry Dunn from Earth, Wind & Fire. It achieved a peak position of number 15 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and reached number 54 on the Billboard 200.[2] The track "Peanut Butter" climbed to number three on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and attained number 83 on the Hot 100. The subsequent single "Best of Friends" secured the 47th spot on the R&B chart.[5]
Their sophomore release, Twennynine with Lenny White (1980), also produced by White and Dunn, peaked at number 22 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart.[6] The singles "Kid Stuff" and "Fancy Dancer" achieved notable success, reaching numbers 19 and 17 on the R&B and Dance charts respectively. In 1980, Twennynine made appearances on television programs such as American Bandstand and The Mike Douglas Show.[4][7]
The third studio album, Just Like Dreamin' (1981), introduced guitarist Steve Horton to the lineup. This album reached number 41 on the Top R&B Albums chart.[8] Its singles "Didn't Know About Love (Till I Found You)" and "All I Want" attained positions 31 and 62 on the Hot R&B Singles chart respectively; additionally, "My Turn to Love You" reached number 29 on the Dance/Disco chart.[4][9] The band dissolved in 1983, with Lenny White returning to his jazz session career.
Albums
| Year | Title | US Pop | US R&B | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Best of Friends | 54 | 15 | Elektra |
| 1980 | Twennynine with Lenny White | 106 | 22 | Elektra |
| 1981 | Just Like Dreamin' | 162 | 41 | Elektra |
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedAllmusic - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Twennynine with Lenny White: Best of Friends". Allmusic.com.
- ↑ "Interview: Lenny White". The Last Miles. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedBH1 - ↑ "Twennynine Featuring Lenny White: Best Of Friends (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedJLD - ↑ "Twennynine Featuring Lenny White: My Turn To Love You (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.