View source for Silk (group)

{{Short description|Atlanta-founded R&B group}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Refimprove|date=April 2009}}
{{Not to be confused with|text=the 70s soul band, sampled by [[LF System]] in "[[Afraid to Feel]]"}}{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Silk
|background = group_or_band
|image = 
|caption = 
|origin = [[Atlanta]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], U.S.
|genre = [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[New jack swing]]
|years_active = 1989–present
|label = [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]<br>Liquid 8<br>[[Shanachie Records|Shanachie]]<br>Silk Music Group
|associated_acts = [[Keith Sweat]], [[Tamar Braxton]], [[Gerald Levert]], Darrell "Delite" Allamby, [[Link (singer)|Link]], [[Heavy D]], [[Soulshock & Karlin]]
|current_members = Tim "Timzo" Cameron<br/>Jimmy Gates<br/>Gary "Big G" Glenn<br/>Johnathen "John-John" Rasboro<br/>[[Gary Jenkins|Gary "Lil G" Jenkins]]
}}

'''Silk''' is an American [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] group, formed in 1989 in [[Atlanta]], Georgia. They are best known for their 1993 hit single, "[[Freak Me]]", which reached number-one on the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].

==Career==
Silk was discovered by the musician [[Keith Sweat]]. The group was originally a quintet made up of Timothy "Timzo" Cameron, James "Jimmy" Gates, Jr., Johnathen "John John" Rasboro, Tyga Graham & Albert “ NELLA” Allen.  Gary "Big G" Glenn & Gary "Lil G" Jenkins joined shortly after the departures of Graham & Allen.

Silk is best known for their [[hit record|hit]] [[single (music)|singles]], "[[Freak Me]]", and "Happy Days" from their debut album, ''[[Lose Control (album)|Lose Control]]''. Another hit from ''Lose Control'', "Girl U For Me", helped the album reach [[RIAA certification|double platinum]] status.  They later had success with singles such as "[[I Can Go Deep]]", "Hooked on You", "Don't Rush", "If You" (released February 23, 1999) "Meeting in My Bedroom", and "We're Calling You".  In 1994, Silk won Album Of The Year for ''Lose Control'' at the Soul Train Music Awards.

In 2002, Silk left [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] and took a hiatus. That same year, Jenkins went on to pursue other interests and made his stage debut as 'AJ' in the [[Tyler Perry]] play ''[[Madea's Family Reunion]]''. He resurfaced musically in 2007 with his solo debut, ''The Other Side''. Silk and Sweat both appeared in the group, [[Black Men United]] on the song "U Will Know" which is featured on soundtrack for the movie ''[[Jason's Lyric]]''. Silk has also appeared on the soundtracks for ''Booty Call'' (Feel Good), ''Made In America'' (Does He Do It Good w/Keith Sweat),''A Low Down Dirty Shame'' (I Can Go Deep), and ''Blankman'' (Cry On).

In 2003 and down to a quartet, Silk released their fifth studio album ''Silktime'' on their own label Silk Music Group. The album featured the songs "Silktime", "My Girl", "Alibi", "More", "You (The Baby Song)", "Check My Story" and a [[cover version]] of [[Blue Magic (band)|Blue Magic]]'s "[[Sideshow (song)|Sideshow]]". That song reunited them with their mentor Keith Sweat. The album appeared in the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].

In 2006, the group returned with their sixth release, a covers album entitled ''Always And Forever'' on Shanachie Records. The album featured covers of R&B songs including "[[Adore (Prince song)|Adore]]" by [[Prince (artist)|Prince]], "[[Always and Forever (Heatwave song)|Always and Forever]]" by [[Heatwave (band)|Heatwave]], and "Secret Garden" by [[Quincy Jones]]. "Secret Garden" was the first and only single.

Jenkins has since rejoined Silk; their 7th album, ''Quiet Storm'', was released on March 18, 2016 on Shanachie Records.

In 2018, Silk celebrated 25 years in the music business with two star studded concerts - one at B.B. King's in New York in February and the other in Atlanta in March.  They were also honored with an episode on the popular series ''Unsung'' that same year.

==Members==
* Gary Glenn - second tenor
* Johnathen Rasboro - countertenor
* Timothy Cameron - bass
* James "Jimmy" Gates, Jr. - baritone
* Gary "Lil G" Jenkins -  tenor

==Former members==
* Tyga Graham
* Albert Allen

==Discography==
===Albums===
====Studio albums====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album details
! colspan="5"| Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2"| [[Music recording sales certification|Certifications]]
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="30"| [[Billboard 200|US]]<br><ref name=bilboard200>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/silk/chart-history/tlp/|title=Silk Chart History > Billboard 200|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=May 24, 2019}}</ref>
! width="30"| [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|US<br>R&B]]<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/silk/chart-history/blp/|title=Silk Chart History > Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 24, 2019}}</ref>
! width="30"| [[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br><ref name="aus">Australian (ARIA) chart peaks:
*Top 50 peaks: {{cite web|url=https://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Silk|title=australian-charts.com > Silk in Australian Charts|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=May 24, 2019}}
*Top 100 peaks to December 2010: {{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia|edition=pdf|page=251}}</ref>
! width="30"| [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<br><ref name="can">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=n9foacsbpl5o7rcq7beupfqqa1&q1=Silk&q2=&interval=20|title=CAN Charts > Silk|magazine=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|access-date=August 10, 2013}}</ref>
! width="30"| [[UK Albums Chart|UK]]<br><ref name=uk/>
|-
| 1992
| align="left"| ''[[Lose Control (album)|Lose Control]]'' 
* Release date: November 17, 1992
* Label: [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
| 7
| 1
| 45
| 8
| —
| align=left| 
* [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]: 2× Platinum<ref name="riaa">{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=%22Silk%22|title=US Certifications > Silk|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|access-date=August 10, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Music Canada|MC]]: Gold<ref name="mc">{{cite web|url=http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=&ica=False&sa=Silk&sl=&smt=0&sat=-1&ssb=Artist|title=CAN Certifications > Silk|publisher=[[Music Canada]]|access-date=August 10, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225041920/http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=|archive-date=February 25, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
|-
| 1995
| align="left"| ''[[Silk (album)|Silk]]''
* Release date: November 28, 1995
* Label: Elektra
| 46
| 10
| —
| —
| 130
| align=left| 
* RIAA: Gold<ref name="riaa"/>
|-
| 1999
| align="left"| ''[[Tonight (Silk album)|Tonight]]'' 
* Release date: March 23, 1999
* Label: Elektra
| 21
| 8
| —
| —
| —
| align=left| 
* RIAA: Platinum<ref name="riaa"/>
|-
| 2001
| align="left"| ''[[Love Session]]'' 
* Release date: June 12, 2001
* Label: Elektra
| 20
| 2
| —
| —
| —
| align=left| 
|-
| 2003
| align="left"| ''[[Silktime]]''
* Release date: September 23, 2003
* Label: Silk, Liquid 8
| 178
| 30
| —
| —
| —
| align=left| 
|-
| 2006
| align="left"| ''[[Always and Forever (Silk album)|Always and Forever]]''
* Release date: October 17, 2006
* Label: [[Shanachie Records|Shanachie]]
| —
| 23
| —
| —
| —
| align=left| 
|-
| 2016
| align="left"| ''[[Quiet Storm (Silk album)|Quiet Storm]]''
* Release date: March 18, 2016
* Label: [[Shanachie Records|Shanachie]]
| —
| 26
| —
| —
| —
| align=left| 
|-
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

====Compilation albums====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album details
! colspan="1"| Peak position
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="30"| [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|US R&B]]<br><ref name=bilboard200/>
|-
| 2004
| align="left"| ''[[The Best of Silk]]''
* Released: May 25, 2004
* Label: [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]
| 54
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single
! colspan="7"| Peak chart positions
! rowspan="2"| [[Music recording sales certification|Certifications]]
! rowspan="2"| Album
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="30"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US]]<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/silk/chart-history/hsi/|title=Silk Chart History > Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 24, 2019}}</ref>
! width="30"| [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US<br>R&B]]<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/silk/chart-history/bsi/|title=Silk Chart History > Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 24, 2019}}</ref>
! width="30"| [[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br><ref name="aus"/>
! width="30"| [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<br><ref name="can"/>
! width="30"| [[Single Top 100|NLD]]<br><ref name="nld">{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Silk|title=dutchcharts.nl > Silk in Dutch Charts|language=nl|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=May 24, 2019}}</ref>
! width="30"| [[Recording Industry Association of New Zealand|NZ]]<br><ref name="nz">{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Silk|title=charts.nz > Silk in New Zealand Charts|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=May 24, 2019}}</ref>
! width="30"| [[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<br><ref name=uk>UK chart peaks:
*Top 100 peaks: {{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/28801/silk/|title=Official Charts > Silk|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=May 24, 2019}} N.B. This site contains compressed chart (exclusion rules applied) peaks for singles between positions 76–100.
*Top 200 peaks from November 1994 to December 2010: {{cite web|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/CLUK_S.HTM|title=Chart Log UK 1994–2010 > DJ S – The System Of Life|publisher=zobbel.de|access-date=May 24, 2019}} N.B. This site displays uncompressed chart (no exclusions) peaks for singles between positions 76–200, from November 1994 to May 2001.</ref>
|-
| 1992
| align="left"| "Happy Days"
| 86
| 13
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
| align="left" rowspan="6"| ''Lose Control''
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1993
| align="left"| "[[Freak Me]]"
| 1
| 1
| 3
| 43
| 42
| 9
| 46
| align="left"|
* RIAA: Platinum<ref name="riaa"/>
* [[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA]]: 2× Platinum<ref>{{cite Ryan|page=251}}</ref>
|-
| align="left"| "Girl U for Me" 
| rowspan="2"| 26
| rowspan="2"| 4
| 57
| —
| —
| 30
| 67
| align="left"|
|-
| align="left"| "Lose Control"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| align="left"| "It Had to Be You"
| 109
| 45
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| align="left"| "[[Baby It's You (Silk song)|Baby It's You]]"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 44
| align="left"|
|-
| 1994
| align="left"| "[[I Can Go Deep]]"
| 71
| 22
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
| align="left"| ''[[A Low Down Dirty Shame (soundtrack)|A Low Down Dirty Shame]]'' / ''Silk''
|-
| 1995
| align="left"| "Hooked on You"
| 54
| 12
| —
| —
| —
| 11
| 77
| align="left"|
| align="left" rowspan="2"| ''Silk''
|-
| 1996
| align="left"| "Don't Rush"
| 91
| 39
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1999
| align="left"| "If You (Lovin' Me)" 
| 13
| 4
| —
| —
| —
| 28
| —
| align="left"|
* RIAA: Gold<ref name="riaa"/>
| align="left" rowspan="3"| ''Tonight''
|-
| align="left"| "Meeting in My Bedroom"
| 62
| 15
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| align="left"| "Let's Make Love"
| —
| 58
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2001
| align="left"| "We're Callin U"
| —
| 56
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
| align="left" rowspan="2"| ''Love Session''
|-
| align="left"| "[[Ebony Eyes (Rick James song)|Ebony Eyes]]"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| 2003
| align="left"| "Silktime"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
| align="left" rowspan="2"| ''Silktime''
|-
| 2004
| align="left"| "[[Sideshow (song)|Side Show]]"
| —
| 66
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
|-
| 2006
| align="left"| "[[The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)]]"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
| align="left"| ''Always and Forever''
|-
| 2016
| align="left"| "Love 4 U 2 Like Me"
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| align="left"|
| align="left"| ''Quiet Storm''
|-
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p23360|pure_url=yes}} Silk] at [[AllMusic]]
*[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Silk+(4) Silk] at [[Discogs]]

{{Silk}}
{{Keith Sweat}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Silk}}
[[Category:American contemporary R&B musical groups]]
[[Category:African-American musical groups]]
[[Category:American boy bands]]
[[Category:Musicians from Atlanta]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1989]]
[[Category:New jack swing music groups]]
[[Category:Elektra Records artists]]
[[Category:Shanachie Records artists]]