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Maury Phillips/Getty ImagesAfter 44 years of making hits, Jeffrey Osborne is one of the current legends of R&B, and he feels auto-tune processing is ruining soul music.
“Artists need to start embracing R&B again; get rid of the auto-tune,” Osborne tells Singersroom.com. “When young people hear auto-tune, they think that’s real R&B. You have to get rid of all of the gimmicks.”
Osborne, whose credits include the historic “We Are The World” all-star anthem produced by Quincy Jones, is hoping R&B can make a comeback following the dominance of hip-hop.
“R&B has been lost by the wayside, and awards go to artists that are not R&B artists,” the four-time Grammy nominee says. “Back in the days, R&B artists were listed in the category; now it’s R&B/Pop. R&B needs to be revived. Hopefully, artists like myself, Peabo Bryson, or Freddie Jackson, can give it some life.”
After five years without new music, Osborne is making a comeback with a new album, Worth It All, which was released on May 25. The title song, which is the first single, is “for the crowd who missed old school R&B music.”
“It’s all about going through the ups and downs with your partner,” Osborne says. “It’s worth going through the trenches to make it work.”
“I’ve been married for 36 years, and it wasn’t easy,” Osborne continues. “We had beautiful moments, but we had to weather the storms. We’ve handled our hardships better because it was worth it for my wife and I instead of breaking up. If you really love your partner, then the relationship is worth fighting for in the end.”
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