Any Curtis Stigers fans out there....if so, can we talk to that boy???

If there are indeed fans, and I hope there are, I am sure you remember how great his debut album was. It was on Arista back during its heyday and I think it came out around 1992. It was a fantastic album with a couple of charted hits. I believe "I Wonder Why" was the biggest hit on it, but for me personally I could listen all day to "You're All That Matters to Me." Two or three others were pretty good songs too.

Then came his second album and it was a big drop in quality. Then he changed his style completely and every subsequent album has been more of a stripped-down, acoustic style instead of the big sweeping ballads that got him started.

To his credit, he puts them out on a regular basis [[probably 10-12 albums total) but only on the debut did he show his power and range. I keep buying each release hoping that there will be at least a hint once in a while of what he once was, but so far, no such luck.

So are there others out there who share my opinion and prefer the original Curtis to this jazzier, quieter style he now sings? I know of course that it is his choice and he must be happier singing that style, but I sure do miss the promise that he showed on that debut!

I TOTALLY forgot about him! I like his voice a lot! I always wondered why Michael Bolton had so much success when Curtis was so much better. And much more attractive.

He lives in my town [[Boise, Idaho ... not a soul music hotbed) ... and I see Curtis at our fine local indie record store now and then and he peforms here a lot. Yes, his last 2 albums have been too mellow!

I knew he was from there originally. Surprised to hear that he still lives there. Tell him I said to go back to singing big ballads!

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Originally Posted by daviddesper

If there are indeed fans, and I hope there are, I am sure you remember how great his debut album was. It was on Arista back during its heyday and I think it came out around 1992. It was a fantastic album with a couple of charted hits. I believe "I Wonder Why" was the biggest hit on it, but for me personally I could listen all day to "You're All That Matters to Me." Two or three others were pretty good songs too.

Then came his second album and it was a big drop in quality. Then he changed his style completely and every subsequent album has been more of a stripped-down, acoustic style instead of the big sweeping ballads that got him started.

To his credit, he puts them out on a regular basis [[probably 10-12 albums total) but only on the debut did he show his power and range. I keep buying each release hoping that there will be at least a hint once in a while of what he once was, but so far, no such luck.

So are there others out there who share my opinion and prefer the original Curtis to this jazzier, quieter style he now sings? I know of course that it is his choice and he must be happier singing that style, but I sure do miss the promise that he showed on that debut!

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That promise you liked, according to interviews Curtis has given over the years, was nothing more than Clive Davis trying to turn him into Michael Bolton. Curtis didn't want to do so hence why he took 4 years to put out a follow up CD and lost all his career momentum in the process.

Clive did go out of the way to point out in his memoir last year that Curtis made enough money off his cover of "What's So Funny About Peace Love & Understanding" being placed on The Bodyguard soundtrack to buy his father a house and erase all his debt to the label for his first album not selling despite having a Top 10 hit on it.

I know that any artist should be true to himself or herself, and if Curtis is now happy with what he is doing, then that should be all that matters. But in this instance, I for one agreed with Clive's instincts.

I always thought that Curtis was a more controlled version of Michael Bolton. That first album with "I Wonder Why" and "Never Saw a Miracle" was fabulous!

Best,

Mark