The Tony Rich Project scored just a single major hit. But that song delivered some of the finest old-school R&B vibes of any 90s track. It also somewhat pigeonholed Rich, based on the style of the song and the label for whom he recorded. Still, “Nobody Knows” gave the artist a no. 2 single upon its release in 1995. The song also became a huge country single for Kevin Sharp a year later. As it turned out, the track was a bit of a family effort.
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Rich’s Rise
Born Antonio Jeffries, Tony Rich grew up in Detroit, not a bad place to start if you’re going to be an R&B artist one day. Originally, he did most of his work behind the scenes, writing and producing songs for others and making connections along the way.
He got an early break when John Salley, an NBA player at the time who was also a music enthusiast, discovered him putting tracks together for another group. Eventually, the list of writing and producing credits ballooned to such an extent that Rich just couldn’t be denied as an artist in his own right, especially since he possessed a silky singing voice.
Rich showed great versatility as a writer, refusing to be confined to just a single genre with his work. After penning several hits for LaFace Records, he signed a record deal with them. And right off the bat, he gave the label a monster debut single in “Nobody Knows”.
“Nobody” Business
Rich wrote every song on his debut album, Words, except one. That one song was “Nobody Knows”, which was penned by his brother Joe Rich and Don DuBose. Rich figured that if his album was a hit, his brother would share in the royalties, which is partially why he recorded the track for the album.
Little did he know the song would get chosen as the first single. Although the lovelorn ballad proved highly successful, it also confused people to an extent. Because Rich recorded for LaFace, folks thought that Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who headed up the label with L.A. Reid, somehow created the track. Rich even shared a vocal resemblance to Edmonds, confusing matters even more.
Nonetheless, “Nobody Knows” proved to be a double whammy for the writers. Not long after Rich took to the very precipice of the no. 1 on the pop charts, Kevin Sharp recorded his version as a country track. That take on the song did indeed go all the way to the top of the country charts in 1996.
Behind the Lyrics of “Nobody Knows”
“Nobody Knows” expertly captures the plight of the silent sufferer. The narrator has lost his lover through his own negligence. And it’s too late now to rectify the situation. His brave face doesn’t help: “I pretended I’m glad you went away / These four walls closin’ more every day.” His after-the-fact revelations don’t help him now. “I can say it so clearly,” he admits. “But you’re nowhere around.”
His torment knows no limits. “I’m screamin’ at night as if I thought you’d hear me.” In the later moments of the song, he explains that he’s not giving up. “I’m gonna unload my heart / And hope you come back to me,” he explains. However, the ache in Rich’s voice doesn’t give us much confidence.
Although he never again matched the pop success of “Nobody Knows”, Tony Rich has sustained an impressive career in the R&B world as artist, writer, and producer. He has also dabbled in other genres along the way. His big hit still stands tall as an example of soul balladry done with restraint and beauty, courtesy of a song sturdy enough to be successful in multiple genres.
Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage
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