Mint Condition

Artist Image: Mint Condition
Attribution
Image Credit: U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman George Goslin (http://www.manas.afcent.af.mil/photos/mediagallery.asp?page=17, http://www.manas.afcent.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/2014/02/140218-F-VU439-229.jpg), Public domain

Biography

Mint Condition is an American R&B band from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Formed in the mid 1980s at Central High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, its original members were Stokley Williams (lead vocals, drums, percussion), Homer O'Dell (guitar), Larry Waddell (keyboards, piano), Roger Lynch (son of Roger Troutman), Ray Coleman and Kenny Young. Lynch, Coleman and Young all left the group however and were replaced by schoolmates Keri Lewis (keyboards, synthesizer) and Jeffrey Allen (saxophone, keyboards) along with Chicago native Ricky Kinchen (bass). This lineup of Williams, O'Dell, Waddell, Allen, Lewis and Kinchen comprised the classic lineup of the band. Currently, this line-up remains intact, with the exception of Lewis, who left the group to focus on his marriage to Toni Braxton and produce for her and other artists. The group is well known for its diverse musical style (able to play anything from traditional jazz to mainstream R&B and rock-based music to funk grooves and even Latin and Jamaican-based rhythms) and also its captivating live performances. The band is also well known for their well written and produced R&B ballads, mainly in the 1990s. They are mostly known for their hits "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)" (1991) and "What Kind of Man Would I Be" (1996).

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1984
Number of Albums 16
Record Label
Website
Wikipedia Mint Condition on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

When was Mint Condition formed?

MinneapolisSt. Paul

...Formed in the early '80s in MinneapolisSt. Paul , Mint Condition began as lead singer Stokley Williams, guitarist Homer O'Dell, keyboardist Larry Wadde...
Who was the lead singer of Mint condition?

Stokley Williams

...y '80s in MinneapolisSt. Paul, Mint Condition began as lead singer Stokley Williams , guitarist Homer O'Dell, keyboardist Larry Waddell Jeff Allen, key...
At what age did Williams begin playing classic West African instruments?

four

...d. Williams began playing classic West African instruments at the age of four , while O'Dell grew up listening to his father play blues bass and singin...
What instrument did O'Dell grow up listening to his father play?

blues bass

...at the age of four, while O'Dell grew up listening to his father play blues bass and singing with him in a family group. Waddell played in a recording...
What jazz greats did Allen listen to?

Oscar Peterson and Herbie Hancock

... school and mastered keyboards by listening to jazz greats Oscar Peterson and Herbie Hancock . Exposed to his father's extensive jazz collection, Allen...
What instrument did Lewis master while attending school?

guitar

...is high school years, as Lewis was mastering keyboards, percussion, and guitar while attending school. He developed his skills as a bass player by lis...
Where did the band perform at several productions before moving to the Twin Cities?

KennedyKing College

...nds in his native Chicago and performed at several productions at KennedyKing College before moving to the Twin Cities. The band was featured at the 1...
What is the name of Elektra's long awaited debut album?

Lifes Aquarium

...Their long awaited Elektra debut, Lifes Aquarium , their first disc in three years, enthusiastically explores both familiar turf and exciting new groun...
How many tracks does Lifes Aquarium deliver?

12

...d exciting new ground as the St. Paul, Minneapolis sextet plus 1 delivers 12 chargedup tracks. The aforementioned debut LP yielded the intoxicating nu...
What is the name of the number 1 R&B gold smash?

Breakin My Heart

...entioned debut LP yielded the intoxicating number 1 R&B gold smash Breakin My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes), and the now classic Forever In Your Eyes. We ...
What was one of the ways we gained our reputation as a great live band?

relentless touring

...f the ways we garnered our reputation as a great live band was by relentless touring . We did everything, including driving the bus. The group had alre...
What was Mint Condition's previous record company called?

Perspective A&M

... years with our previous record company going through difficulties ( Perspective A&M ), management changes and the general wear and tear of growing pain...
Who plays the saxophone?

Jeff Allen

...s, Homer O'Dell on guitar, Stokley Williams on lead vocals and drums, Jeff Allen on saxophone and keyboards, Kerri Lewis on keyboards, and Ricky Kinch...
What is the name of the member who plays the bass?

Ricky Kinchen

... Condition lyrics. Members include Jeff Allen, saxophone, keyboards; Ricky Kinchen , bass; Kerri Lewis, keyboards; Homer O'Dell, guitar; Larry Waddell,...
Which member plays the guitar?

Homer O'Dell

...r. The members of Mint Condition include Larry Waddell on keyboards, Homer O'Dell on guitar, Stokley Williams on lead vocals and drums, Jeff Allen on ...
What was the name of Mint Condition's 1999 album?

Life's Aquarium

...he temptation to implement formula over function. Their 1999 album, Life's Aquarium , a collection of songs that centers on life experiences, continued...
What part of the band does Stokley Williams sing?

lead vocals, drums

...Homer O'Dell, guitar; Larry Waddell, keyboards; Stokley Williams, lead vocals, drums . The Minneapolis sextet built a fanbase the oldfashioned way: thr...
Mint Condition members shared a musical sensibility that transcended what?

cultural and generational boundaries

... a similar musical environment, the members of Mint Condition also shared a musical sensibility that transcended cultural and generational boundaries ....
Who were Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis?

music producers

...rmances. Discovered and originally signed to Perspective Records by music producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in 1989 (after being heard at a performa...
What was the name of the band's debut album?

Meant To Be Mint

...n Minneapolis called First Avenue), their debut album was entitled Meant To Be Mint (released in 1991). Despite their musical versatility the band att...
When was Meant To Be Mint released?

1991

...st Avenue), their debut album was entitled Meant To Be Mint (released in 1991 ). Despite their musical versatility the band attempted to attract New Ja...
What song did Pretty Brown Eyes release that was a hit with New Jack Swing listeners?

Breakin' My Heart

...s). However, they did enjoy major success with the stunning ballad Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes). The song stayed on the charts for 34 weeks, ...
What was the name of Pretty Brown Eyes' second platinum album?

From The Mint Factory

... 10 (6). Two years later they released their 2nd platinum album, From The Mint Factory (1993). They enjoyed success with the 2 hit U Send Me Swingin',...
Which two hits hit the R&B Top 30?

Someone To Love and So Fine

...They enjoyed success with the 2 hit U Send Me Swingin', while Someone To Love and So Fine hit the R&B Top 30. 1996 saw the release of Definition of a ...
What year saw the release of Definition of a Band?

1996

... U Send Me Swingin', while Someone To Love and So Fine hit the R&B Top 30. 1996 saw the release of Definition of a Band. The album hit the R&B Top 20....
In what year was the band originally signed to Perspective Records?

1989

...d to Perspective Records by music producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in 1989 (after being heard at a performance at a club in downtown Minneapolis ca...
What song did the band attempt to attract New Jack Swing listeners with?

Are You Free

...d attempted to attract New Jack Swing listeners with their dance cut Are You Free , but it was only a minor success (hitting 55 on the R&B charts). How...
How long did the single Breakin' My Heart stay on the R&B charts?

34 weeks

...ingle, Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes), stayed on the charts for 34 weeks , hitting the R&B top 5 (3), and the Pop Top 10 (6). Two years later th...
When was From The Mint Factory released?

1993

...ars later they released their 2nd platinum album, From The Mint Factory ( 1993 ). It landed hits with U Send Me Swingin', Someone To Love and So Fine. 1...
How many R&B hits did What Kind Of Man Would I Be have?

2

...ther strong collection that included the hits What Kind Of Man Would I Be ( 2 R&B), and You Don't Have To Hurt No More (10 R&B). After Perspective Reco...
What was the name of the album released in 2006?

Live From The 9:30 Club

...arium (7 R&B). The album hit 1 on the Independent Album Charts. Live From The 9:30 Club , a performance of a concert at the 9:30 club in Washington DC,...
Where was Live From The 9:30 Club held?

Washington DC

...lbum hit 1 on the Independent Album Charts. Live From The 9:30 Club, a performance of a concert at the 9:30 club in Washington DC , was issued in 2006....
The group is credited with being one of the last major funk bands to chart before hip hop and what other genre?

New Jack Swing

... being one of the last major funk bands to chart before hip hop and New Jack Swing dominated black music in the 1990s. The band was originally made up...
Who discovered the band in 1989?

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

... members of the group. They were discovered by music producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in 1989, during a performance at the downtown Minneapolis nig...
What nightclub did the band perform at?

First Avenue

... in 1989, during a performance at the downtown Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue . Despite the band's musical versatility, they attempted to attract n...
What was the name of the band's third single?

Forever In Your Eyes

...success (the song hit 55 on the R&B charts). Their third single, Forever In Your Eyes , was also a successful Top 10 R&B hit (7 R&B). Two years later, ...
How many R&B hits did Forever In Your Eyes have?

7

... third single, Forever In Your Eyes, was also a successful Top 10 R&B hit ( 7 R&B). Two years later, they released their second album, From The Mint Fa...