Rome (R&B singer)

Rome
Birth nameJerome Woods
Born (1970-03-05) March 5, 1970 (age 54)
Benton Harbor, Michigan, U.S.
GenresR&B
Years active1996–2003, 2009–present
Labels
  • RCA (1996–1999)
  • JTJ (2001–2003)
  • Suthun Music Entertainment (2009–current)

Jerome Woods (born March 5, 1970, in Benton Harbor, Michigan), better known by his stage name Rome, is an American R&B singer. He is best known for his 1997 single "I Belong to You (Every Time I See Your Face)", which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. The song led his eponymous debut studio album (1997), which moderately entered the Billboard 200.

Career

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Woods performed in a cover band called Fire & Ice in high school, and toured regionally both as a solo artist and with the band. He briefly attended Oakwood University before dropping out in 1989; he moved to California in hopes of making a career as a singer.[1] He toured with Vesta but had little success until he met with Gerald Baillergeau and Victor Merrit, the producers who heard his demo and sent it to RCA Records. RCA signed him and released his eponymous debut album in 1997, which went on to sell over half a million copies in the U.S.,[1] mainly on the strength of its lead single "I Belong to You (Every Time I See Your Face)", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100; the album yielded two other singles which peaked within the chart's top 40.

Having achieved success with his RCA Records debut, a projected second album was rejected. Instead, his second album, Rome2000: Thank You, was released independently, although the material recorded while under his contract with RCA remains unreleased. In 2001, he returned with two albums: To The Highest and To Infinity (Thank You); the last one is just an alternative edition of Rome2000: Thank You. Do It followed in 2003, and three years later Sony issued Rome's Best Of, which contains ten songs from his 1997 debut.

Discography

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Albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
U.S. 200 U.S. R&B[2]
Rome
  • Released: 1997 (1997)
  • Label: RCA
30 7
To Infinity (Thank You)
  • Released: 1999 (1999)
  • Label: JTJ / Big Whale
48
To The Highest
  • Released: 2001 (2001)
  • Label: JTJ
Do It
  • Released: 2003 (2003)
  • Label: JTJ
The Best Of Rome
  • Released: 2006 (2006)
  • Label: Sony
My Time Again (EP)

Singles

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Year Song Peak chart positions Album
U.S.
Hot 100
U.S.
R&B
[3]
1993 "My World" Non-Album Single
1997 "I Belong to You (Every Time I See Your Face)" 6 2 Rome
"Do You Like This" 31 10
"Crazy Love"
1999 "Never Let You Go Away" Non-Album Single
2001 "Ride & Roll" To The Highest
2003 "Do It" Do It
2009 "Back On The Scene" Non-Album Single

Guest appearances and compilations

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  • SWV It's All About U cd2 1996 RCA records cds

Song: "Use Your Heart"

  • SoulTrain Christmas StarFest 1997 Sony records

Song: "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

Song "As Long As I Live"

Song: "I Missed My Loved Ones"

  • Blade Original Soundtrack 1998 TVT records

Song: "Fightin' A War"

Song: "Ride Baby"

Song: "Heart and Soul", "Give It Up"

Music videos

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Year Video Director
1997 "I Belong to You (Every Time I See Your Face)" Christopher Erskin
1997 "Crazy Love" Brian Luvar

References

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  1. ^ a b Rome at Allmusic
  2. ^ Billboard, Allmusic.com
  3. ^ Billboard Singles, Allmusic.com
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