Joseph Stephen Woods Jr., known professionally as Stevie Woods, was born on July 2, 1951, in Chatham, Virginia. He is an American singer specializing in Contemporary R&B and Soul music. Woods began his musical journey by joining the Funk band Crowed Pleasers in the late 1970s. His breakthrough came at the start of the 1980s when he signed with Cotillion Records and released his debut album Take Me to Your Heaven in 1981. This album, though moderately successful, featured singles "Steal The Night" and "Just Can’t Win ’Em All", which both reached number 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. These successes were bolstered by collaborations with notable musicians such as Ray Parker Jr. and Steve Lukather from Toto, as well as producer Jack White. Woods continued his career with albums The Woman in My Life (1982) and Attitude (1983), which showcased his artistic evolution but did not achieve the same chart success. He later moved to Europe and embarked on a second career as a musical theater actor, notably performing in Starlight Express. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Woods released several singles and albums, including Quiet Storm (2011), which was available only as an internet download. He also performed with Schlager legend Udo Jürgens on tour. Woods passed away on January 28, 2014, in Berlin at the age of 62.
