Az Yet

Az Yet is an American R&B group from Philadelphia, best known for their hit "Last Night" and their cover of the Chicago song "Hard to Say I'm Sorry." Formed in 1989 initially as a duo with Shawn Rivera and Dion Allen, the two were later joined by Kenny Terry, who they met singing in the lobby of the Wyndham Hotel in Philadelphia. Two other members, Dyshon Benson & Claude Thomas, left the group, and Darryl Anthony came on board. A demo by the group found its way into the hands of Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds through his mother-in-law, Jacqueline McQuam, who would one day hold various showcases to highlight their work. Impressed by their sound, Edmonds asked them to perform at a concert with After 7 and El DeBarge. Subsequently, the group added Boyz II Men founding member Marc Nelson. Az Yet first hit it big with a song from The Nutty Professor soundtrack, "Last Night." Az Yet released their self-titled debut (and only) album in 1996 on LaFace Records. The album featured a "who's who" of musical heavyweights, including David Foster, BabyFace, Sheila E., and Brian McKnight. The first single, "Last Night," reached #1 on the R&B charts, #9 on the Hot 100, peaked at #2 on Australia's ARIA charts, and spent 2 weeks at #1 in New Zealand's RIANZ charts, ultimately achieving platinum status. The group's second single, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" (a cover of the Chicago hit), was nominated for a Grammy award (Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals), reached #8 on the Hot 100, and achieved platinum status. Driven by these two singles, the album reached RIAA platinum status. Fueled by 2 Top Ten hits, the group's popularity led them to several television appearances in their early years. Live performances include 'The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show', 'All That' and two appearances on Soul Train (the first in 1996 with Marc Nelson as lead singer and the second in 1997 with Tony Grant). The group was also cast as "TJ's Band" and appeared in several episodes of the short-lived television drama "Fame L.A.". Az Yet appeared on movie soundtracks for "Hav Plenty" (1998 Sony Music) and "Kingdom Come" (2001 GospoCentric Records), as well as on the soundtrack for "Fame L.A." (1998 Polygram Records). "Kingdom Come" was nominated for a Dove Award in 2002.