Editing Lenny Kravitz (section)

===1985–1990: Virgin Records and career debut===
With record labels reportedly telling him his music was not "black enough" or "white enough", Kravitz decided to record an album on his own under the name Romeo Blue.<ref name=":0" /> Kravitz had met the recording engineer, keyboardist, and bassist Henry Hirsch in 1985 when recording a demo at his [[Hoboken, New Jersey]], recording studio. The two shared an interest in using real instruments and vintage recording equipment, as well as a love of R&B, jazz, and rock. Kravitz would go on to collaborate with Hirsch on most of his albums. Kravitz began working on his debut album with Hirsch over the next year and a half, with Kravitz's father paying for the studio time. Kravitz met saxophonist [[Karl Denson]] and invited him to play on the song "[[Let Love Rule (song)|Let Love Rule]]". Kravitz was so impressed with his playing that Denson played on much of the album. Beginning in the late 1980s, Denson toured with Kravitz for five years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.knkx.org/jazz-and-blues/2019-03-15/the-new-cool-karl-denson-talks-kravitz-stones-skerik-sexual-chocolate-and-his-new-album|title=The New Cool: Karl Denson talks Kravitz, Stones, Skerik, Sexual Chocolate and his new album.|first=Abe|last=Beeson|date=March 15, 2019|website=Knkx.org|access-date=February 15, 2022}}</ref>

In October 1988, after completing most of the recording, Kravitz approached friend Stephen Elvis Smith, who had served as the music supervisor on [[Lisa Bonet]]'s ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' spin-off ''[[A Different World]]''. Smith had also worked with Kravitz's mother on the hit sitcom ''[[The Jeffersons]]''. Kravitz urged Smith to manage his career and assist him in finding a record deal. In less than a month of shopping the recordings, five labels (Warner Bros, Elektra, Geffen, Capitol, and Virgin) were in a bidding war for Kravitz. Eventually, a deal was made with Virgin Records in January 1989, and signed by Virgin A&R executive Nancy Jeffries. The label was "excited" about the music he was making, music inspired by his relationship with wife Bonet and their new daughter, Zoe. On Smith's urging, Kravitz dropped the name Romeo Blue and reclaimed the Lenny Kravitz moniker. About his time as Romeo Blue, Kravitz said, "Ultimately, it got me back to myself. And when I finally did accept myself for myself, music started flowing out of me."<ref name="Henderson2002"/>

Kravitz released his debut album ''[[Let Love Rule (Lenny Kravitz album)|Let Love Rule]]'' in 1989, a combination of rock and funk with a 1960s vibe. Music critics were mixed: some felt Kravitz was a gifted new artist, others felt he was overpowered by his musical influences. The album was a moderate success in the United States, but became an instant hit outside of the US, especially in Europe. Lisa Bonet directed the debut music video for the title track, "Let Love Rule". Stephen Smith signed Kravitz with talent booking agency CAA, who soon were fielding offers for Kravitz, first on a club tour, and then in opening slots for [[Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers]], [[Bob Dylan]], and David Bowie. Having played essentially all of the instruments on the album, Kravitz had to quickly assemble a touring band to support the ''Let Love Rule'' release. In May 2009, a 20th-anniversary deluxe edition of ''Let Love Rule'' was released worldwide by Virgin. Kravitz launched a LLR(20) tour of Europe and the United States in support of the re-release.<ref>«C'est chez vous que tout a commencé pour ma carrière, raconte-t-il. J'ai donné un concert aux [[Transmusicales]] de Rennes en 1989. Le lendemain, la presse était extatique. Ils avaient, en toute modestie, découvert un génie»</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Steve|last=Hosley|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/new-again-lenny-kravitz|title=New Again: Lenny Kravitz|work=[[Interview (magazine)|Interview Magazine]]|date=November 20, 2012|access-date=May 21, 2018|quote=Lenny Kravitz: "My dad was a producer on the side. I think he did one of Patti Austin's first recordings, when she was around 13 years old. My dad used to take me to jazz concerts. I got to sit on Duke Ellington's lap when he played."|archive-date=April 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210401181611/https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/new-again-lenny-kravitz|url-status=live}} {{verify source |date=September 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/913922710 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/913918961 cite #21 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref><ref>Norment, Lynn (June 1994). "[https://web.archive.org/web/20050313171035/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n8_v49/ai_15405340 Lenny Kravitz: brother with a different beat – musician]". ''[[Ebony (magazine)|Ebony]]''. Retrieved on August 19, 2007. {{verify source |date=September 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/913922710 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/913918961 cite #20 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref>