# Claytoven Richardson

Claytoven Richardson (born May 23, 1956) is an American singer, instrumentalist, producer, songwriter, and author. His musical career spans nearly three decades, during which he has been awarded several gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards.

## Early life, family and education

Clayton D. Richardson was born on May 23, 1956, in Berkeley, California.
Larry Batiste, a childhood friend (and later business partner), accidentally fused Richardson's given name with that of the composer Beethoven to form the name "Claytoven."

## Career

In 1979 Claytoven made his recording studio and recording artist debut as a part of the group Bill Summers and Summers Heat. The group recorded one album for Prestige Records and three albums for MCA Records. The group saw moderate success with the songs, "Call It What You Want" and "Jam The Box".
After Summers Heat, Claytoven went on to become a session musician with his first major start singing background vocals for producer Narada Michael Walden on the hit George Benson single "Kisses in the Moonlight". His second recording session was as a guest vocalist and background vocalist on the breakout album "Duotones" for saxophonist, Kenny G. He has since performed on numerous gold and platinum recordings featuring Tevin Campbell, Michael Bolton, Elton John, Peabo Bryson, New Kids on the Block, Ricky Martin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, and many others.
After being in the music business for some time he realized a need to increase the pool of well trained professional vocalists. So in 2000 Claytoven also stepped into the role of teacher by founding the "Studio Training Workshop for Vocalists", a workshop designed to help aspiring singers pursue a career as a professional recording vocalist by bridging the gap between the academic and professional music worlds. He currently teaches this and other workshops at San Francisco State University Music/Recording Industry Program and for various other music programs across the country. He now works for the City of Oakland running a local teen center, Digital Arts and Culinary Academy (DACA), along with fellow co-director and musician Andrea President.
In his efforts to further create growth in the professional music community, Richardson penned the book The Professional Studio Vocalist (ISBN 1598632795). He has been involved with many educational and literary projects, yet he remains active as a session musician.

## Selected discography
### Artist albums

| Year | Title | Artist |
| 1979 | On Sunshine | Bill Summers & Summers Heat |
| 1980 | Call It What You Want | Bill Summers & Summers Heat |
| 1981 | Jam the Box | Bill Summers & Summers Heat |
| 1982 | Seventeen | Bill Summers & Summers Heat |
| 1983 | Private Eye | Private Eye |
| 1985 | Nside | Makoto |

### Session work

| Year | Title | Artist |
| 1982 | Keep It Live | The Dazz Band |
| 1983 | Love for Love | The Whispers |
| 1984 | Tiggi Clay | Tiggi Clay |
| 1986 | While the City Sleeps... | George Benson |
| 1986 | Duotones | Kenny G |
| 1986 | Fizzy Qwick | Fizzy Qwick |
| 1987 | Whitney | Whitney Houston |
| 1988 | One Moment in Time | Whitney Houston |
| 1989 | Through the Storm | Aretha Franklin |
| 1989 | Stay with Me | Regina Belle |
| 1989 | So Happy | Eddie Murphy |
| 1989 | Night With Mr. C | Clarence Clemens |
| 1989 | A Collection: Greatest Hits...and More | Barbra Streisand |
| 1990 | I'm Your Baby Tonight | Whitney Houston |
| 1990 | It's Supposed To Be Fun | Lou Rawls |
| 1991 | So Intense | Lisa Fischer |
| 1991 | Time, Love & Tenderness | Michael Bolton |
| 1991 | Inner Child | Shanice |
| 1991 | Christmas | Stephanie Mills |
| 1991 | Can You Stop The Rain | Peabo Bryson |
| 1992 | Heaven and Earth | Al Jarreau |
| 1993 | Duets | Elton John |
| 1993 | Soul Dancing | Taylor Dayne |
| 1993 | The One Thing | Michael Bolton |
| 1993 | The Colour of My Love | Celine Dion |
| 1994 | Face The Music | New Kids on the Block |
| 1995 | A Very Fine Love | Dusty Springfield |
| 1995 | Take Me Higher | Diana Ross |
| 1995 | My Cherie | Sheena Easton |
| 1995 | Your Heart's in Good Hands | Al Green |
| 1996 | Soulful Strut | Grover Washington Jr. |
| 1996 | New World Order | Curtis Mayfield |
| 1996 | Miracle | Puff Johnson |
| 1997 | Butterfly | Mariah Carey |
| 1997 | Open Roads | Gary Barlow |
| 1997 | Junction Seven | Steve Winwood |
| 1997 | Open Roads | Kenny Loggins |
| 1997 | Sensational | Michelle Gayle |
| 1998 | In & Out of Love | Patti Austin |
| 1998 | These Are Special Times | Celine Dion |
| 1998 | A Rose Is Still a Rose | Aretha Franklin |
| 1999 | Marc Anthony | Marc Anthony |
| 1999 | On The 6 | Jennifer Lopez |
| 1999 | Lara Fabian | Lara Fabian |
| 2000 | Sound Loaded | Ricky Martin |
| 2001 | Renaissance | Lionel Richie |
| 2002 | A New Day Has Come | Celine Dion |
| 2005 | Blue Highway | Angela Strehli |
| 2010 | Just Charlie | Charlie Wilson |
| 2010 | Soulsville | Huey Lewis & the News |
| 2012 | Yo | Roberto Fonseca |
| 2013 | Memphis | Boz Scaggs |
| 2013 | Sammy Hagar & Friends | Sammy Hagar |
| 2015 | Brown Eyes | Paris |

### Soundtracks

| Year | Title |
| 1987 | Beverly Hills Cop II |
| 1989 | Everybody's All American |
| 1992 | The Bodyguard |
| 1993 | Mr Wonderful |
| 1994 | Street Fighter |
| 1994 | Jason's Lyric |
| 1994 | Crooklyn |
| 1996 | The Associate |
| 1997 | A Smile Like Yours |
| 1997 | Hercules |
| 1997 | In & Out |
| 1997 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame |
| 1999 | Our Friend Martin |
| 2001 | Snow Dogs |
| 2005 | Rent |