Ricky Fante

Neo-soulster Ricky Fante has the sort of warm, powdered sugary voice that makes your knees melt when you hear it. The Washington, D.C., native was influenced by his parents' substantial music collection growing up and could frequently be found singing Stevie Wonder and Elvis Presley classics on the street corners of his neighborhood. Fante joined his church's gospel choir while in his teens and honed his substantial singing skills until he graduated from high school. Upon graduation, Fante enlisted in the Marines and served his country for four years. Once his tour of duty was over, Fante headed to college in Los Angeles. In between classes, he entered singing contests and worked on getting a deal any way he could. His persistence eventually paid off, and he was signed to a small, independent label. In 2001, Fante was offered a developmental deal with Virgin Records, and partnered with Norah Jones' collaborator, Jesse Harris. Eventually, these songs would become the backbone of Fante's stirring 2004 debut, Rewind.