George Lamond
George Garcia, er, Lamond.
Who is George Lamond?
George Lamond is an American Freestyle vocalist of Puerto Rican ancestry.
Was that his original name?
Nope – when he was born in Washington, D.C., on February 25, 1967, he was named George Garcia.
Why did he change his name?
His record label at the time thought he would have broader appeal if his name was deethnicized.
How did George Lamond’s career begin?
At first, he was into the breakdancing, drawing and sketching. He was also known around the Bronx for his dancing ability. He started singing backup for various artists, including his cousin, Joey Kid, on singles Everything I Own” and “Counting The Days”. The two cousins teamed up as Loose Touch. Then George landed a solo deal with Columbia Records.
Which of his records was his biggest?
Definitely it was Bad of the Heart, released in 1990 as his first album. Its success was the reason he decided to tour with New Kids on the Block, instead of going to college. It had many underground dance hits like the title track, as well as Look Into My Eyes and Without You.
Who produced his first album?
It was co-produced by Chris Barbosa, a producer from New York. Barbosa had also produced a string of hits for Shannon a few years earlier
What happened after Bad of the Heart?
In 1990, Lamond duetted with Brenda K. Starr on “No Matter What.” That was a moderate hit (scoring a #49 on the Billboard Hot 100). While his later releases received some press and were successful, they were less successful than his previous releases. His second album was released in 1992. It was In My Life, and included a remake of “I Want You Back” by the Jackson 5, and the single “Where Does That Leave Love?” This album scored some sales and radio play but lmade less of an impact than his previous releases. Lamond has also released a couple of albums in the salsa genre, scoring some hits. In 2001, Sony released his salsa album GL, to critical acclaim.
Aside from his music, why else did fans like George Lamond?
He always dressed stylishly and classily. Unfortunately, this backfired on him and helped end his hit parade when rap eclipsed the popularity of freestyle. His snazzy fashion caused some people to think George Lamond was a stuck up “sophisticated” pretty boy and a sell out. He was then dropped by Columbia.
What singles did he release?
- “Bad Of The Heart”, Columbia Records
- “Look Into My Eyes”, Columbia Records
- “Without You”, Columbia Records
- “No Matter What” with Brenda K. Starr (1991), Columbia Records
- “Love’s Contagious”, Columbia Records
- “Where Does That Leave Love?”, Columbia Records
- “Baby, I Believe In You”, Columbia Records
- “I Want You Back”, Columbia Records
- “It’s Always You”, Tommy Boy Records
- “Without You” (1998), Tommy Boy Records
- “Earn My Love”, Robbins Ent.
- “Que Te Vas”, Sony Discos
- “Lately”, Robbins Ent.
- “Raspa” (2007), Mock & Roll Records
- “Don’t Stop Believing” (2008)
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