Toni Childs

Toni Childs was born on October 29, 1957 in Orange, California. She grew up in a strictly religious family and fled at the age of 15. She discovered her passion for singing and playing guitar at an early age. In 1979, she became the singer of the band Berlin, but left the group before the release of their first album. She later formed Toni and the Movers with Jack Sherman (bass) and Micki Steele (bass), but without releasing an album. Her solo debut album Union was released in 1988, combining pop, folk, blues and world music. The album reached number 63 in the USA (gold status), went platinum in New Zealand and achieved great chart success with the singles "Stop Your Fussin'", "Don't Walk Away" (US Billboard Hot 100 number 72) and "Walk and Talk Like Angels". Toni Childs received nominations for " Don't Walk Away " at the 1989 Grammy Awards ("Best New Artist" and "Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female"). The album House of Hope follows in 1991. It goes double platinum in Australia and platinum in New Zealand. The single "I've Got to Go Now" becomes internationally known, and the title track is also used in the film Thelma & Louise. The third studio album The Woman's Boat is released in 1994 and the single "Lay Down Your Pain" reaches number 13 in the US dance charts and earns a Grammy nomination in the category "Best Female Rock Vocal Performance". In 1997, Toni Childs is diagnosed with Graves' disease. She takes a long break and works on an album project called Bare, which is never released. In 1996, she released the best-of album The Very Best of Toni Childs, which sold six times platinum in Australia and achieved gold status in New Zealand. In 2004, she writes the anthem "Because You're Beautiful" for the documentary Until the Violence Stops by Eve Ensler. The song wins a Primetime Emmy for "Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics" in 2004. In 2008, she returns with the album Keep the Faith, which contains a mix of new material and earlier songs. It's All a Beautiful Noise follows in 2014. In 2018, the compilation The Vault is released with unreleased recordings.