Singer/songwriter Lenny Kravitz's music is a mixture of R&B and pop that mirrors the work of his rock heroes, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon.

Leonard Albert Kravitz was born May 26, 1964, in New York, the only child of TV news producer Sy Kravitz and actress Roxie Roker, who starred on "The Jeffersons."

Kravitz moved with his family to Los Angeles when he was 10. There he sang in the California Boys Choir and taught himself to play guitar, piano, bass and drums. Kravitz went to Beverly Hills High School with such future rock personalities as Slash and Maria McKee. He earned a reputation as a wild party boy.

In 1985, Kravitz met actress Lisa Bonet, who at the time was a star on "The Cosby Show." They married and had a daughter, but divorced in 1993.

Kravitz issued his debut LP, Let Love Rule, in 1989. The album received mostly mediocre reviews, and was often compared unfavorably to Hendrix and the Beatles. Still, the LP resonated with listeners, reaching #61 on the Billboard albums chart.

In 1990, Kravitz earned praise for co-writing and producing Madonna's lascivious hit "Justify My Love." But a year later, Prince protégé Ingrid Chavez sued Kravitz, saying she helped him write the song. The matter was settled out of court.

During the Persian Gulf conflict, Kravitz arranged for an array of rockers, including Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon, to guest on his cover of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance." Mama Said, Kravitz's 1991 release, sold well based on the hit "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over," a song heavily influenced by soul legend Curtis Mayfield.

However, it was the title track of Kravitz's 1993 album, Are You Gonna Go My Way, that brought the singer wide acclaim. The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards.

Kravitz achieved even greater success with 5 (1998), which went platinum based on the success of the hit single "Fly Away" (RealAudio excerpt). The track also garnered Kravitz the 1998 Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance.

Following the release of 5, Kravitz produced Street Faerie, the debut LP by his friend Cree Summer, with whom he toured last year. Kravitz also covered the Guess Who's "American Woman" for the soundtrack to the film "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" (1999).