Daryl Simmons

Daryl Simmons (born April 11, 1957) is an American R&B songwriter, musician and record producer, who worked with the production duo of L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

Simmons attended North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana together with future Pop and R&B producer-songwriter-singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. The duo would write songs at each other's homes on a consistent basis. As teenagers, Simmons and Edmonds formed a band called Tarnished Silver, which also included Rayford Griffin, Tom Borton, and Emanuel Officer. The group performed at many colleges, proms and high school parties. In the late-1970s, Simmons and Edmonds were both members of an Indianapolis R&B group, Manchild. The group released two albums before breaking up and while the outfit never quite took off, Simmons' and Edmonds' relationship as songwriters/producers had already been cemented. The two would go on to collaborate for years.

After Manchild's breakup, Edmonds joined L.A. Reid's band, The Deele, in the early-1980s. Simmons soon followed Edmonds to work with The Deele, as a writer and a musician. Simmons co-wrote on two albums for The Deele, including Eyes of a Stranger which went gold with the hit song, "Two Occasions". With the success of "Two Occasions", the trio began working with outside artists such as Pebbles, Sheena Easton, The Whispers, Paula Abdul, Karyn White, Johnny Gill and Bobby Brown.

Reid and Edmonds relocated to Atlanta in 1989, to form their own company, LaFace Records. The duo was joined by Simmons and together they discovered, signed and produced their own artists such as Toni Braxton, TLC, Usher, Damian Dame and OutKast.

In 1991, Simmons co-wrote and co-produced Boyz II Men's most successful song to date, "End of the Road", from the Eddie Murphy movie, Boomerang. The song garnered a Grammy Award in 1992 for "Best R&B Song". "End of the Road" topped the charts from August 15 through November 7, 1992, a record 13 weeks at No. 1, beating Elvis Presley's 11-week hold with "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel". Presley's record had stood for 36 years.

Simmons, Edmonds and Reid collaborated again with Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard soundtrack (following 1990's album "I'm Your Baby Tonight"), which sold more than 45 million albums worldwide. The trio also worked with Michael Jackson on his Dangerous album. Although the trio's songs didn't make it into the album's final cut, Simmons enjoyed working with Jackson and deems it an "amazing experience".

In 1994, Edmonds released the solo album, "For the Cool in You". Simmons was a major contributor to this triple platinum album. Edmonds collaborated with Simmons on Aretha Franklin's, "Willing to Forgive" which reached No. 5 on the R&B charts, and Mariah Carey's "Never Forget You" which peaked at No. 7. Simmons and Edmonds also penned Tevin Campbell's smash hit, "Can We Talk".

In the mid-1990s as the trio's collaborative efforts began to slow, Simmons formed his own company, Silent Partner Productions. Simmons built a state-of-the-art recording studio and began working on solo projects. He wrote and produced a Top 10 Pop hit for Monica with "Why I Love You So Much" (No. 3 R&B). Simmons also produced and co-wrote Dru Hill's In My Bed. In My Bed was a number-one platinum-selling R&B single by R&B group Dru Hill. It is the second single from their eponymous debut album. The single spent three weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number four on the US pop chart. Simmons followed this hit with a ballad from the same Dru Hill album, "Never Make a Promise". The single spent four weeks at number one on the US R&B chart and peaked at number seven on the US pop chart.

Other notable productions include songs and production for Elton John, Destiny's Child, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Mýa, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Lionel Richie, Dru Hill, Kevon Edmonds and 98 Degrees.

In 1997, Simmons collaborated with Edmonds again on songs for Dru Hill for the Soul Food soundtrack, "We're Not Making Love No More", (#2 R&B). In 1999, Simmons collaborated with Babyface and "L.A." Reid on TLC's 3rd album, "FanMail", and also gave new life to the Dell's "The Love We Had (Stays on My Mind)" which he produced for Dru Hill's second album, "Enter the Dru". Despite not being released as a single, the song made it into the R&B top 50 on radio airplay alone.

In 2005, Simmons co-wrote with Edmonds songs for the album "Grown and Sexy". Notable songs include: "Tonite It's Goin' Down", "Grown & Sexy", "Goin' Outta Bizness", and "Sorry For the Stupid Things", of which the last one made the R&B Charts.

Simmons' most recent projects include songs co-written for Toni Braxton and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds' duet album, Love, Marriage & Divorce. He also co-wrote the song "Just Like That" from Gypsy Heart by Colbie Caillat.

Simmons has recently started a consulting firm where he personally advises aspiring artists and musicians who are looking to "make it" in the music industry.

Grammy Awards