Alexander O’Neal

Alexander O’Neal was born on November 15, 1953, in Natchez, Mississippi. His father passed away a few months before his birth. After high school, he attended Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, before moving to Minneapolis at age 20. In Minneapolis, he performed with various local bands, including the Mystics and Wynd Chymes, and briefly with Enterprise. He then joined Flyte Tyme, a band that featured Monte Moir, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis. Around 1980–1981, O’Neal was involved in discussions with Prince and Morris Day to form the band The Time under the Warner Bros. label. However, he was ultimately replaced as lead singer by Morris Day due to what Prince reportedly considered him “too black” for the band. Following this, O’Neal formed an R&B band named Alexander and recorded 12-inch singles such as “Do You Dare/Playroom” and “Attitude” for Erect Records, an independent label.

In 1984, O’Neal signed with Tabu Records, owned by Clarence Avant. During this time, he provided backing vocals for labelmates like The S.O.S. Band and Cherrelle. His solo career officially began in 1985 with the release of his self-titled debut album, produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, along with Monte Moir. This album featured three singles that entered the Top 20 of the R&B Singles Chart. It peaked at number 92 on the Billboard 200 and number 21 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States. In the United Kingdom, the album was certified gold and spawned four charting singles, including “If You Were Here Tonight,” which reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. In the same year, he achieved his first R&B Top 10 single, “Saturday Love,” a duet with Cherrelle, which also reached number 6 on the UK Singles Chart and number 26 on the pop chart in the US. O’Neal married Cynthia in 2024 after a relationship of over 30 years.

The late 1980s marked a significant period of success for O’Neal, particularly with his 1987 album Hearsay. This concept album, again produced by Jam and Lewis, achieved gold certification in the US and featured his biggest US hit, “Fake,” which topped the R&B chart and reached number 25 on the pop chart. Hearsay was even more successful in the UK, peaking at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and earning a triple platinum certification, producing six Top 40 singles, including “Criticize” which reached number 4. His 1991 album, All True Man, reached number 2 in the UK and was certified gold in the US. O’Neal continued to release albums, including Love Makes No Sense (1993), Lovers Again (1996), Saga of a Married Man (2002), Alex Loves… (2008), and Five Questions: The New Journey (2010), maintaining a notable presence in the UK charts. In 2019, he appeared at the Soul Train Awards with Cherrelle to honor Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and in 2021, collaborated on the song “Say His Name,” dedicated to George Floyd. He was honored with a star on the outside mural of the First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis.