With early comparisons to Bill Withers and Bobby Womack, it is a wonder that soul singer Anthony Hamilton wasn't an instant success story after emerging in the early '90s. The Southern singer's career finally got rolling in the new millennium when he was nominated for a Grammy and signed with Jermaine Dupri's label So So Def Records.

Hamilton, a Charlotte, NC native, got his start at age 10 singing for his church choir, much like many young R&B hopefuls. After moving to New York City in 1993 Hamilton signed with Uptown Records, home to Mary J. Blige and Jodeci, and began recording his first album in 1995. Hamilton's debut would never drop, as Uptown folded before its release. The resilient singer signed with MCA and released the critically acclaimed yet commercially unsuccessful XTC in 1996 and switched labels to newcomer Soulife, started by some of Hamilton's Charlotte friends. Hamilton began working on another solo venture while penning tracks for artists like Sunshine Anderson but endured another setback when, upon returning from touring as backup vocalist for D'Angelo's "Voodoo Tour," Soulife collapsed.

After two unreleased albums and belly up label contracts, Hamilton focused on songwriting and singing backup vocals for rapper 2Pac and R&B singer Eve. In 2002 he earned the much-needed spotlight as the lead vocalist on the Nappy Roots song "Po' Folks," which was nominated for the 2003 Best Rap Song/Sung Collaboration at the Grammys. A subsequent Grammy gig got Hamilton noticed by Jermaine Dupri, who signed the struggling singer to his So So Def label in 2003. Although it was technically his fourth album, Hamilton released his So So Def debut Comin' from Where I'm From in 2003, followed by the Soulife recording compilation Soulife and Ain't Nobody Worryin' (both in 2005) and Southern Comfort (2007).