Influential American singer and songwriter who was a pioneer of ‘neo-soul’ music
The American R&B singer and songwriter D’Angelo, who has died aged 51 of pancreatic cancer, was a pioneer of what came to be known as “neo-soul” – forward-looking music that incorporated elements of funk, jazz and hip-hop.
Despite releasing just three albums over two decades from 1995 to 2014, he was influential well beyond the boundaries of the new musical style he helped to create, with a series of Top 40 single hits in the UK and US that included Brown Sugar, the title track of his debut album. His second long-player, Voodoo, reached No 1 in the US and his third and final album, Black Messiah, also made it into the Top 10, with both releases winning two of his four Grammys.
D’Angelo was born Michael Archer in Richmond, Virginia, to Luther Archer, a Pentecostal minister, and his wife, Mariann (nee Smith). A talented pianist and singer from an early age, he learned his music in the church, and in his teens put himself on the map by winning three consecutive amateur talent night contests at the Apollo theatre in Harlem, New York.
He also played in a series of groups in the Richmond area, including Three of a Kind, Michael Archer and Precise, and Intelligent, Deadly But Unique (IDU).
