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Date of Birth:
07 October, 1968
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Place of Birth: Severn, Maryland , United States
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Biography:
Toni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B/adult contemporary singer, songwriter, and actress who was popular during the 1990s with hits like "Un-Break My Heart", "You're Makin' Me High", "He Wasn't Man Enough" and "Breathe Again". She has won six Grammy Awards. The RIAA named Braxton as one of the top selling artists of all time.
Braxton met musician Keri Lewis in 1997, when the group Mint Condition (which he was a member of at that time) opened up for her while she was on tour. On April 21, 2001, they married. On December 2, 2001, she gave birth to their first child, a son named Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis. The couple's second son, Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis, was born on March 31, 2003. The couple currently lives in the Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas. In an October 2006 concert at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, it was reported that Braxton broke down in tears discussing her son, Diezel, who was recently diagnosed with autism. Braxton has been outspoken regarding her doctor's failure to diagnose Diezel's condition earlier, contending that if he had been diagnosed earlier, he could have been helped. As of August 2007 rumors surfaced that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Toni stated to Access Hollywood that the breast cancer rumors were false and that her health is in great condition.
Braxton has appeared on two Disney Broadway shows: "Beauty and the Beast" (as Belle) in 1998 and "Aida" (as Aida) in 2003. Her role in "Beauty and the Beast" marked the first (and only) time an African American commanded the leading role of Belle. It also marked the first time an African American female would star in a Disney musical on Broadway, making Toni the first African American female to star in a disney musical on Broadway. In 2001, she made her acting debut in the feature film Kingdom Come. In August 2005, Braxton announced that she would be shooting a sitcom pilot for The WB's fall 2006 line-up, though plans to put the show into full-production fell through when The WB announced it would cease to exist in fall 2006 (as part of a merger with UPN to form The CW).
Born in Severn, Maryland, Braxton is the oldest of six children. She attended elementary school at Quarterfield Elementary School, and middle school at Corkran Middle School in Glen Burnie, Maryland. She also attended Glen Burnie High School in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Her father was a clergyman, and the Braxton children were raised in a strict religious household. Braxton's first performing experience was singing in her church choir. She attended Bowie State University to obtain a teaching degree but decided to pursue a musical career.
