Among the surplus of suggestive R&B acts that followed Jodeci, Silk are among the few vocal groups to have remained active for over 30 years. Known most for "Freak Me," a provocative slow jam that topped Billboard's R&B and pop charts in 1993, the Atlantans were particularly successful throughout the '90s, a decade in which they racked up a string of gold and platinum albums with Lose Control (1992), Silk (1995), and Tonight (1999). Silk made an equal number of LPs in the 2000s, peaking during those years with Love Session (2001), their fourth Top Ten R&B album. They have since recorded occasionally for the Shanachie label, first delivering the covers set Always and Forever (2006) and then Quiet Storm (2016), which, contrary to its title, balanced soul-rooted ballads with contemporary uptempo productions.

Formed in 1989, the Atlanta-based Silk at first featured singers and instrumentalists Albert Allen, Timothy Cameron, Jimmy Gates, Tyga Graham, and Jonathan Rasboro, all of whom came up in the church. Gary Glenn and Gary Jenkins replaced Allen and Graham before the group found fame. Silk were discovered by Keith Sweat, who signed them to his Elektra-supported Keia label. "Happy Days," Silk's James Brown-sampling debut single, appeared on the Billboard R&B chart in November 1992, the same month parent album Lose Control, co-produced by Sweat, was issued. Although "Happy Days" reached number 13 on the Billboard R&B chart, it was quickly trumped by second single "Freak Me," which broke through the following February and topped the R&B and pop charts. Two additional cuts peaked within the R&B Top Ten and pushed Lose Control to certified double-platinum status in the U.S. Silk (1995) and Tonight (1999), despite lengthy incubation periods, also fared well, with the sweet "Hooked on You" and "If You (Lovin' Me)" coming close to matching the popularity of the first album's A-sides. These records were made with extensive casts of collaborators that included Mike Chapman, Gerald Levert, and Dave Hall. Also in the mix was Darrell Allamby, whose assistance on Tonight led to a long-term association.

After their fourth consecutive Top Ten R&B album, Love Session (2001), Silk went independent with Silktime (2003). They subsequently joined the Shanachie roster, where they made the covers album Always and Forever (2006) and Quiet Storm (2016), all the while remaining a live draw. In 2018, they celebrated the 25th anniversary of their mainstream breakthrough. Silk have continued performing into the 2020s. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi