The son of soap actress/singer Gloria Loring and TV actor Alan Thicke, Robin Thicke got his start as a songwriter, providing numbers for artist such as Christina Aguilera and Usher. He recorded an album under the name Thicke, but when it didn't go anywhere, he promptly returned to writing and producing. In 2006, Thicke teamed with super-producer Pharrell Williams for his album THE EVOLUTION OF ROBIN THICKE, and the combination of slick hip-hop production and soulful songs did the trick, landing the album on the pop and dance charts and rendering Thicke an unlikely R&B sensation.