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Michael J. Powell is an American R&B musician, record producer and arranger who is best known for his work as producer for eight time Grammy Award-winning soul / R&B vocalist Anita Baker.
Michael Powell was born in the Robert Taylor Homes in Chicago, Illinois and lived there until his family moved to Detroit at the age of 9.
In 1974 he formed a band called Chapter 8. A year later, Anita Baker joined Chapter 8 in Detroit. They eventually got a record deal with Ariola.
The self-titled album came out in Fall 1979. Two singles hit the R&B charts: "Ready for Your Love" and "I Just Wanna Be Your Girl". Ariola Records was bought by Arista.
In 1983 Michael reunited with Anita Baker and had a hit single with "No More Tears" featured on her "Songstress" album. In 1986 choosing her friend Michael Powell, as her producer, they created 3 multi-million selling albums ..."Rapture", "Giving You the Best that I Got" and "Compositions".
He produced the multi-platinum Baker albums Rapture in 1986, Giving You the Best That I Got in 1988 (which reached Number 1 on The Billboard 200) and Compositions in 1990.
After Compositions, Powell was replaced by several different producers including Tommy LiPuma, Barry J. Eastmond and Baker herself on her next studio album, Rhythm of Love, in 1994.
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