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Listen to New Birth, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!

New Birth

R&B/Soul

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Top Songs By New Birth

Listen to Wild Flower by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
Wild FlowerNew Birth
Listen to It's Been a Long Time by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
It's Been a Long TimeNew Birth
Listen to Dream Merchant by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
Dream MerchantNew Birth
Listen to I Can Unerstand It by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
I Can Unerstand ItNew Birth
Listen to K-Jee by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
K-JeeNew Birth
Listen to It's Impossible by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
It's ImpossibleNew Birth
Listen to I Can Understand It by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
I Can Understand ItNew Birth
Listen to You Are What I'm All About by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
You Are What I'm All AboutNew Birth
Listen to Until It's Time for You to Go by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
Until It's Time for You to GoNew Birth
Listen to Keep on Doin' It by New Birth, see lyrics, music video & more!
Keep on Doin' ItNew Birth

More albums from New Birth

Listen to Funk It Up by New Birth
ALBUMFunk It UpNew Birth
Listen to Sure Thing by New Birth
ALBUMSure ThingNew Birth
Listen to Slow Driving by New Birth
ALBUMSlow DrivingNew Birth
Listen to The Long and Winding Road & Other Favorites (Re-Recorded Version) by New Birth
ALBUMThe Long and Winding Road & Other Favorites (Re-Recorded Version)New Birth
Listen to Lifetime (feat. Leslie Wilson & Melvin Wilson) by New Birth
ALBUMLifetime (feat. Leslie Wilson & Melvin Wilson)New Birth
Listen to I Am Blessed by New Birth
ALBUMI Am BlessedNew Birth
Listen to Rejuvenation by New Birth
ALBUMRejuvenationNew Birth
Listen to God's Children by New Birth
ALBUMGod's ChildrenNew Birth
Listen to Behold the Mighty Army by New Birth
ALBUMBehold the Mighty ArmyNew Birth
Listen to Love Potion by New Birth
ALBUMLove PotionNew Birth
Listen to Dream Merchant by New Birth
ALBUMDream MerchantNew Birth
Listen to Blind Baby by New Birth
ALBUMBlind BabyNew Birth
Listen to Comin' from All Ends by New Birth
ALBUMComin' from All EndsNew Birth
Listen to It's Been a Long Time by New Birth
ALBUMIt's Been a Long TimeNew Birth
Listen to Birth Day by New Birth
ALBUMBirth DayNew Birth
Listen to Coming Together by New Birth
ALBUMComing TogetherNew Birth
Listen to Ain't No Big Thing, But It's Growing by New Birth
ALBUMAin't No Big Thing, But It's GrowingNew Birth
Listen to The New Birth by New Birth
ALBUMThe New BirthNew Birth

About New Birth

Listen to New Birth, watch music videos, read bio, see tour dates & more!
Hometown
Louisville, KY, United States
Formed
1963
Genre
R&B/Soul
Formed by Tony Churchill and music-industry veteran Harvey Fuqua, New Birth was originally named the Nite-Liters. As the Nite-Liters, they enjoyed chart action with three R&B hits: "K-Jee," "Afro-Strut," and "Pull Together." Of the three, "K-Jee" was the most successful, peaking at number 17 during a 13-week run. The roots of the band lie with Leslie and Melvin Wilson, who were gospel singers living in Muskegon, MI. After moving on to Detroit in the late '60s, their interest remained centered in gospel. Melvin Wilson eventually met the Nite-Liters, who at the time were backing Motown artists, and expressed the possibility that he and his brother Leslie could perform with them. As fate would have it, the two brothers became acquainted with former Marvelette Anne Bogan, who introduced them to Fuqua. He had three groups under his tutelage: Love Peace & Happiness (of which Leslie and Melvin became members), the Nite-Liters, and New Birth. All but two members of New Birth had left the group around this time, leaving just Londee Loren and Bobby Downs. The three groups toured, backed each other up, and ultimately merged into one, with New Birth the name of the new group. Leslie, with his feisty vocals, and Melvin, with his more serene appeal, emerged as the primary lead singers. New Birth's first release was the R&B Top Ten single "I Can Understand It." Led by Leslie Wilson's intense vocals and reminiscent of Bobby Womack, the single zoomed up the charts, peaking at number four after only 12 weeks. In January of 1974 they released "It's Been a Long Time," one of their celebrated hits and another Top Ten entry. That single was followed by the classic, soulful ballad "Wildflower." During this time, the group was living in California, which presented problems; from egotism associated with the lights of Tinseltown to group-management problems, the band's best interests began to suffer. Consequently, New Birth terminated its affiliation with their founder and producer Fuqua, manager Jerry Weintraub, and RCA Records. In mid-1975 they signed with Buddah Records and immediately recorded their first and only number R&B one, "Dream Merchant." They recorded just one album for Buddah, however, before signing with Warner Bros. and later Ariola. In 1977, Leslie and Melvin Wilson left the group, and by 1979 the rest of the group had disbanded. However, in 1994, Leslie and Melvin re-formed the group and began performing at venues around the nation. ~ Craig Lytle

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Members of New Birth include, or have included, Harvey Fuqua, Melvin Wilson, Leslie Wilson and more.