Jesse Powell was an R&B and soul singer and songwriter from the United States. Powell’s biggest success, “You,” which reached No. 2 on the R&B charts and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, was founded by Louil Silas Jr. Powell put out four albums and was the older brother of Trina and Tamara, who are also R&B singers of today.
Jesse Powell was an R&B and soul singer and songwriter from the United States. Powell’s biggest success, “You,” which reached No. 2 on the R&B charts and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, was founded by Louil Silas Jr. Powell put out four albums and was the older brother of Trina and Tamara, who are also R&B singers of today.
Powell was born in Gary, Indiana and grew up with his three sisters and brother. The family took part in local talent events, and in 1993, Carl Roland, a producer in Kansas City, heard about him. After witnessing him play, Louil Silas signed him to his Silas Records label.
After three years, he finished making his debut album. Powell, Sam Salter and Laney Stewart wrote his first hit, “All I Need.” It came launched in March 1996 and peaked at #32 on the Billboard R&B chart. On March 12, 1996, his self-titled album came out. It opened at #35 on the Billboard R&B chart and #32 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The second single, a reworking of “Gloria” by Enchantment from 1976, rose at #51 on the R&B charts.
Powell then started working on his second album. The lead song, “I Wasn’t with It,” came out in 1998. It was his first song to make the Billboard Hot 100 (#85 US, #25 R&B). His second album, “Bout It,” came out on September 8, 1998 and it went straight to the top of the Heatseekers chart.
The second single from the album, “You,” came out in February 1999. It was his biggest hit, reaching the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart at #2 and the Billboard Hot 100 at #10. The RIAA claimed that the record was gold, and it peaked at #15 on the R&B chart and #63 on the Billboard 200.
After MCA Records bought Silas Records, Powell’s first single on the label was “If I,” which reached No. 58 on the R&B chart in 2000. On March 27, 2001, his third studio album, JP, came out.
It opened at #18 on the R&B chart and #71 on the Billboard 200. Powell also helped get the word out about the release by pushing the second track, “Something in the Past,” which reached #67 on the R&B charts.
In 2002, he departed the label and joined Riviera Records. His fourth studio album, Jesse, was released on October 14, 2003 and was accompanied by the songs “By the Way” (#99 R&B) and “Touching It Tonight” (#85 R&B).
Powell died at his home in Los Angeles on September 13, 2022 one day after he turned 51. Powell was only 51 years old when he died of a heart attack in his Los Angeles home. Jesse Powell died in a very “peaceful” way at his home in Los Angeles, according to his recording artist sisters Trina Powell and Tamara Powell.