Lenny Kravitz

Artist Image: Lenny Kravitz
Attribution
Image Credit: Gage Skidmore (Own work), CC BY-SA 3.0

Biography

Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actor and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads. In addition to singing lead and backing vocals, Kravitz often plays all the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and percussion himself when recording. He is known for his elaborate stage performances and music videos. He won the Grammy Award for "Best Male Rock Vocal Performance" four years in a row from 1999 to 2002, breaking the record for most losses in that category and most consecutive wins in one category for a male. He has been nominated for and won other awards, including American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, Radio Music Awards, BRIT Awards and Blockbuster Entertainment Awards. On December 1, 2011, Kravitz was made an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He played the role of Cinna in the film The Hunger Games.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1988
Number of Albums 34
Record Label BMG
Website www.lennykravitz.com
Wikipedia Lenny Kravitz on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

Lenny Kravitz rediscovered the magic formula of rock music in what decade?

1980s

...Rock music in the 1980s had completely lost the gritty feel of earlier eras until Lenny Kravitz rediscovered the magic formula. Kravitz's sonic templa...
What genre of music did Kravitze combine with glam, soul, and psychedelia?

rock & roll

...he magic formula. Kravitz's sonic template combined good oldfashioned rock & roll with glam, soul, and psychedelia, making him a massive success. He m...
What was the name of his first album?

Let Love Rule

...ve success. He made a splash straight out of the gate with his album Let Love Rule . After that, he deemphasized the flowerpower aspects of his music a...
Along with modeling and acting, what was he known for?

flamboyant image

...c and began moving toward a heavier rock sound. Along the way, his flamboyant image , modellike looks, and frequent acting roles made him a fixture in ...
What made Kravitz a fixture in pop music circles?

his flamboyant image, modellike looks, and frequent acting roles

...oward a heavier rock sound. Along the way, his flamboyant image, modellike looks, and frequent acting roles made him a fixture in pop music circles. K...
What was the name of the artist that Kravitze patterned his style and approach directly after?

Prince

... great that he at first patterned his style and approach directly after Prince and became known as Romeo Blue (complete with blue contact lenses), but...
Who played the part of Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show?

Lisa Bonet

...to New York City, where one of his roommates turned out to be actress Lisa Bonet (who played the part of Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show); they even...
What was the name of the engineer that Kravitt found a kindred spirit in?

Henry Hirsch

... Beatles for inspiration. Kravitz found a kindred spirit in engineer Henry Hirsch (who would stick by Kravitz throughout his career). He inked a recor...
Who did Kravitz find a kindred spirit in?

engineer Henry Hirsch

...d the Beatles for inspiration. Kravitz found a kindred spirit in engineer Henry Hirsch (who would stick by Kravitz throughout his career). He inked a ...
What record label did he sign a recording contract with?

Virgin Records

...would stick by Kravitz throughout his career). He inked a recording contract with Virgin Records and issued his debut release, Let Love Rule, in 1989....
When was his debut release, Let Love Rule?

1989

...would stick by Kravitz throughout his career). He inked a recording contract with Virgin Records and issued his debut release, Let Love Rule, in 1989 ....
In 1998, what album won him his first Grammy Award?

Five

...z's first album, Let Love Rule, was released in 1989. In 1998, his album Five won him his first Grammy Award. In 2004, his album Baptism expressed his...
When was the album Baptism released?<extra_id_51> What album was followed by It is Time for a Love Revolution (2008)?

2004

...ased in 1989. In 1998, his album Five won him his first Grammy Award. In 2004 , his album Baptism expressed his renewed enthusiasm for making music. Ba...
In what film did Kravitz make his screen debut?

Precious

...ite America (2011). In 2009, Kravitz made his screen debut in the film Precious . His father, Sy Kravitz, is Jewish; his mother, Roxie Roker, who died ...
In what year did Kraitz's mother die of cancer?

1995

...r, Sy Kravitz, is Jewish; his mother, Roxie Roker, who died of cancer in 1995 , was African American. As a biracial child in the 1960s, endured an onsl...
What was the name of the album he released in 2008?

It is Time for a Love Revolution

...siasm for making music. Baptism was followed by the albums It is Time for a Love Revolution (2008) and Black and White America (2011). In 2009, Kravit...
In what decade was he a biracial child?

1960s

...died of cancer in 1995, was African American. As a biracial child in the 1960s , endured an onslaught of prejudicial remarks. Kravitz was raised in a w...
What was his father's occupation?

television producer

...Kravitz was raised in a wealthy home environment. His father is a television producer , and his mother played Helen Willis on the popular television si...
Lenny Kravitz is often compared to Bob Dylan and what other music legend?

Jimi Hendrix

...vitz is often compared to other music legends, such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix . The singer himself treats such comparisons philosophically: he just...
What does the singer treat comparisons to?

philosophically

... Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. The singer himself treats such comparisons philosophically : he just does what he likes and creates excellent music. Leonard A...
When was Leonard Albert Kravitz born?

New York

...s excellent music. Leonard Albert Kravitz was born on May 26, 1964, in New York into a wealthy family. His father Sy Kravitz was Jewish and moved from...
What was the name of the father who was Jewish?

Sy Kravitz

...s born on May 26, 1964, in New York into a wealthy family. His father Sy Kravitz was Jewish and moved from Ukraine to the USA where he started working...
Where did Leonard's father move from?

Ukraine

... into a wealthy family. His father Sy Kravitz was Jewish and moved from Ukraine to the USA where he started working as a producer on NBC TV News; thus...
Where did Lenny grow up?

Manhattan

...career. Lenny spent his childhood in the richest district of New York, Manhattan . The small boy was absorbing art and TV and meeting famous musicians....
Where did Roxie Rocker come from?

Brooklyn

...ily with a decent life. The future stars mother Roxie Rocker came from Brooklyn and built the acting career. Lenny spent his childhood in the richest ...
Who did Kravitz use to listen to sitting on his lap?

Duke Ellington

...n. The small boy was absorbing art and TV and meeting famous musicians. Kravitz mentioned that he used to listen to Duke Ellington sitting on his lap....
In what year was Lenny Kravitz born?

1964

...Lenny Kravitz was born on this date in 1964 . Leonard Albert Kravitz was born in the New York City borough of Manhattan, the only child of actress Roxi...
Where did Kravitz grow up?

Upper East Side of Manhattan

...ng his early years, Kravitz grew up spending weekdays on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with his parents, attending P.S. In 1985, Kravitz met Cosby ...
What year did the actress Lisa Bonet meet him?

1985

... on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with his parents, attending P.S. In 1985 , Kravitz met Cosby Show actress Lisa Bonet backstage at a New Edition co...
How long were the two close friends?

two years

...ge at a New Edition concert in California. They were close friends for two years before beginning a relationship. They eloped to be married in a Las V...
In what year did Kravitz and Bonet marry?

1987

...ing a relationship. They eloped to be married in a Las Vegas ceremony in 1987 , her 20th birthday. Kravitz, still known as Romeo Blue at the time, sudd...
Who was Kravitz's daughter?

Zoë Isabella Kravitz

...mself in the headlines of tabloids. He and Bonet had a daughter, Zoë Isabella Kravitz in 1988, who became an actress, singer, and model. Kravitz dated...
In what year did Kravitz have a daughter?

1988

...dlines of tabloids. He and Bonet had a daughter, Zoë Isabella Kravitz in 1988 , who became an actress, singer, and model. Kravitz dated French singer a...
Who was the model and actress that Kravistz dated from 1992 to 1996?

Vanessa Paradis

...n actress, singer, and model. Kravitz dated French singer and model Vanessa Paradis from 1992 to 1996. Lima was featured in the music video for Kravit...
In what country did Paradis live?

French

...ravitz in 1988, who became an actress, singer, and model. Kravitz dated French singer and model Vanessa Paradis from 1992 to 1996. Lima was featured i...
On what date was Leonard Kravitz born?

May 26, 1964

...States of America Horoscope: Leonard Kravitz was born in New York on May 26, 1964 , to Bahamian actress Roxie Roker of The Jeffersons and RussianJewish...
What Bahamian actress was Leonard's mother's name?

Roxie Roker

...ard Kravitz was born in New York on May 26, 1964, to Bahamian actress Roxie Roker of The Jeffersons and RussianJewish TV executive Sy Kravitz. Growing...
On what day of the week did Leonard spend his days in the Upper East Side?

weekdays

...utive Sy Kravitz. Growing up, he had the best of both worlds, spending weekdays in the wealthy Upper East Side where his parents lived, and on weekend...
In what year did the family move to Los Angeles?

1974

...rdStuyvesant area of Brooklyn, which was a much rougher part of town. In 1974 , the family upped sticks and moved to Los Angeles, where the tenyearold ...
What was the name of the ten-year-old who lived in Los Angeles in 1974?

Lenny

..., the family upped sticks and moved to Los Angeles, where the tenyearold Lenny immersed himself in the West Coast music scene. He sang in the Californ...
How old was Lenny when he moved to Los Angeles?

ten

...own. In 1974, the family upped sticks and moved to Los Angeles, where the ten yearold Lenny immersed himself in the West Coast music scene. He sang in ...
What was Lenny's nickname after leaving school?

Romeo Blue

...hool Lenny, profoundly influenced by David Bowie, adopted the name of Romeo Blue , and began making music in the style of Prince. The album, which reli...
What was used as the soundtrack to a car advertisement?

Fly Away

..., although it took time for Lenny to hit paydirt in the US. The single Fly Away earned him a Grammy, and was used as the soundtrack to a car advertise...
How long did it take for Lenny to shake the Mr Lisa Bonet tag?

years

... and was used as the soundtrack to a car advertisement. It had taken him years to shake the Mr Lisa Bonet tag, but finally Lenny had proved his detrac...
What choir did he sing in?

California Boys Choir

...geles Lenny continued training as an artist, was a member of the California Boys Choir , in which he excelled for his vocal technique. For this same pe...
When did he start playing the drums and guitar?

five

...hen Lenny was ten. He started playing the drums and guitar at the age of five , influenced by his parents' love of R&B, jazz, classical, opera and blue...
When did Kravitz return to New York to pursue his musical career?

late 1980s

... him to join the California Boys Choir and Metropolitan Choir. In the late 1980s he returned to New York to pursue his musical career. They had one ch...
What was the name of his daughter?

Zoe

...ork to pursue his musical career. They had one child together, a daughter Zoe , but would divorce in 1993. Kravitz signed to Virgin in 1989, releasing ...
In what year did he divorce from his wife?

1993

...areer. They had one child together, a daughter Zoe, but would divorce in 1993 . Kravitz signed to Virgin in 1989, releasing his debut album Let Love Ru...
What was the name of his second album released two years after Let Love Rule?

Mama Said

...the album. Let Love Rule met mixed critical reviews; his second album, Mama Said , released two years later, provided him with his major breakthrough. ...
How many Grammys did Kravitz win for Best Male Vocal Rock Performance?

four

...e release of 5 in 1998 and the single Fly Away, Kravitz won the first of four Grammys for Best Male Vocal Rock Performance. He has also cowritten and ...
When was 5 released?

1998

... provided him with his major breakthrough. Following the release of 5 in 1998 and the single Fly Away, Kravitz won the first of four Grammys for Best ...
Along with Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and JayZ, what artists performed on tracks for Madonna?

Michael Jackson

...ous artists such as Madonna, Vanessa Paradis, and Steven Tyler as well as performing on tracks for Michael Jackson , Mick Jagger, David Bowie and JayZ....
What genre of music did Kravitz work with?

rock

... on his first two releases. He went on to collaborate with others in the rock industry, both as a songwriter and producer, on a number of different pr...
What television show did Roxie Roker play Helen Willis on?

The Jeffersons

... bestknown role was Helen Willis on the longrunning television show The Jeffersons . Of Russian Jewish and Bahamian descent, Kravitz lived with his par...
What neighborhood of Brooklyn did his mother relatives live in?

BedfordStuyvesant

..., but he was also close to his mothers relatives, who lived in the BedfordStuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. He attended both a synagogue in Manhatt...
What is the name of the American singer songwriter, record producer, multiinstrumentalist, and actor?

Leonard Albert Kravitz

...is uncle, the Medal of Honor recipient, see Leonard M. Kravitz. Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singersongwriter, record pro...
Kravitz won the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance four years in a row from 1999 to what year?

2002

...rd for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance four years in a row from 1999 to 2002 , breaking the record for most wins in that category and setting the reco...
What organization was he made an Officer of?

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

...ckbuster Entertainment Awards. He was made an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2011, and has played Cinna in the Hunger Games film seri...
In what film series did he play Cinna?

Hunger Games

...e Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2011, and has played Cinna in the Hunger Games film series. In his career, Kravitz has sold over 40 million albums ...
What was Kravitz's mother's religion?

Christian

... (19242005) and actress Roxie Roker (19291995). His mother came from a Christian family which was of AfricanAmerican and Bahamian descent. He was name...