Anita Denise Baker (born 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She was born in Toledo, Ohio. At two years of age, Anita was abandoned by her mother and raised in foster care in Michigan. When Anita was twelve, her foster parents died and the girl's care was provided by her foster sister. By the time she was sixteen, Anita was singing in nightclubs. Anita Baker is regarded as one of the most popular singers of soulful romantic ballads during the height of the quiet storm period of contemporary R&B in the 1980s. Starting her career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8, Baker released her first solo album, The Songstress, in 1983. In 1986, she rose to stardom following the release of her Platinum-selling second album, Rapture, which included the Grammy-winning single "Sweet Love". As of 2017, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards and has five Platinum albums and one Gold album.