Maxwell resurfaces, flies on "Pretty Wings" (Updated February 13, 2013)

Maxwell rolled into the 21st century on the release of his third album, "Now." Featuring the hit singles "Lifetime" and a studio version of "This Woman's Work," it became the first No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 album chart and the Billboard R&B chart. It also served as the last release before an eight-year hiatus by the artist, a period in which he said he felt disenchanted by the music industry.

In a time when artists are often one-hit wonders and crave the spotlight for as long as they can own it, Maxwell's retreat was a self-described "luxury" for the singer, who has been quoted as saying he has no actual desire to be famous. Still, he returned with new music and eager to meet the high expectations of fans and critics.

Maxwell officially resurfaced in 2008, when he performed Al Green's "Simply Beautiful" as part of the BET Awards. The appearance was a preface to his fourth studio album, "BLACKsummers'night," which bowed on July 7, 2009. It debuted at the top of the Billboard Albums 200 chart, and the lead single "Pretty Wings" moved into the Top 20 of the R&B/Hip-Hop chart after just three weeks.

In the annals of comeback stories, Maxwell's got even better when he received six nominations for the 2010 Grammy Awards, winning "Best R&B Album" and "Best Male R&B Vocal Performance."

The follow-up to "BLACKsummers'night" and the second installment in a planned trilogy, "blackSUMMERS'night" was set to be released in 2012 but no date was announced and the release was pushed back. He also canceled six concerts on a planned summer tour after developing vocal swelling and hemorrhaging, but later played a series of dates he dubbed the "World Winter Warm Up" to preview songs from the upcoming project.

Maxwell Tickets** - Gritty R&B; to the Core

The '90s saw not only a sexy R&B; style, but a gritty one -- sort of like Lenny Kravitz, only without the rock aspect. Enter: Maxwell. He was an artist born on May 23, 1973, along with such artists as D'Angelo and Erykah Badu to shape the neo-soul movement. With his culturally rich aspects and musical talent, he signed a contract with Columbia Records in 1994.

Maxwell Tickets - The Music of Maxwell

It wasn't until the Spring of 1996 that Maxwell really took off with the hit '...Til the Cops Come Knockin',' although it never even reached platinum status. It wasn't until the gold-selling single 'Ascension (Never Wonder) hit the airwaves that the album made it platinum. He even earned a Grammy nomination. "Embrya" was his second album, released back in 1998 and truly smashed the charts, debuting at number three. 1999 saw the monumental hit 'Fortunate' to continue Maxwell's trek to neo-soul stardom.

Maxwell Tickets - The Sound and Style of Maxwell

Mixing inspirations of Prince, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Ray Charles, this was an artist that not only loved the R&B;, but the breezy, gritty soul music of that era. He even looked it. Nothing could beat that beat and look that Maxwell had.