Parker gained his reputation during the early 1970s as a member of the house band at the legendary 20 Grand nightclub. This Detroit hot-spot often featured Tamla/Motown acts, one of which the (Detroit) Spinners, was so impressed with the young guitarist's skills that they added him to their touring group. Parker was also employed as a teenaged studio musician for the emergent Holland-Dozier-Holland's Invictus/Hot Wax stable and his choppy style was particularly prevalent on 'Want Ads', a number one single for Honey Cone.
In the mid-1970s he was a sideman in Barry White's The Love Unlimited Orchestra, before creating Raydio, an R&B group, in 1977, with Vincent Bohnam, Jerry Knight, and Arnell Carmichael. Parker appeared briefly in the 1974 film Uptown Saturday Night as a guitar player. Parker also wrote songs and did session work for The Carpenters, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder (an association which prompted a permanent move to Los Angeles), Deniece Williams, Jean-Luc Ponty, Leon Haywood, Temptations, The Spinners, Boz Scaggs, David Foster, Rhythm Heritage, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Honey Cone, Herbie Hancock, Tina Turner and Diana Ross.
Ray Parker Jr. is a really nice guy. We did a few shows with him while he was playing with The Crusaders. Ray was telling me crazy stories about Clive Davis and the music business. We were rolling around singing old Raydio songs and just acting a fool. Great dude.
Heard him tell a story. He was working around Detroit. Got a call, guy said, Hi, this is Stevie Wonder I want you to record with me. Ray, thinking it was a friend of his playing a prank hangs up. Phone rings again, Hi this is Stevie.. Hangs up. Again. Hangs up Again "DON'T HANG UP! I want you to record with me"
And that's how he got to work with Wonder. I think he was kinda young at the time.
Maybe his nephew/or niece, can fill in the details of this story.
Comments
Here you go:
Batmon was quicker on the draw, oops.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Raydio is underated
Hey Batmon,
All is good on this end, just grinding hard and nursing a sore back from all that cotdamn shoveling on Thursday morning. How are things on your end?
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
How did he switch over from being a Great Session Guitarist to a keyboard dude by the late 70's?
Dude is on the classic Sesame Street Video w/ Stevie Wonder performing Superstition.
Did he play keys for other artists, and then went for self?
My back is sore as hell, from shovelling the Center's exterior. I've been out there all week.
Mad Advil. I think im gonna take a Salt Bath today.
I hear you, Batmon, a long jacuzzi bath is in my future (maybe Mrs. Stacks will join me). I bought a snowblower so my shoveling days are done.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
U got a separate Jacuzzi, or Jacuzzi Jets in your bathtub player?
I got jacuzzi jets in the bathtub, a double-sized garden tub with room for two. :real_headz:
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Many great songs.
Parker gained his reputation during the early 1970s as a member of the house band at the legendary 20 Grand nightclub. This Detroit hot-spot often featured Tamla/Motown acts, one of which the (Detroit) Spinners, was so impressed with the young guitarist's skills that they added him to their touring group. Parker was also employed as a teenaged studio musician for the emergent Holland-Dozier-Holland's Invictus/Hot Wax stable and his choppy style was particularly prevalent on 'Want Ads', a number one single for Honey Cone.
In the mid-1970s he was a sideman in Barry White's The Love Unlimited Orchestra, before creating Raydio, an R&B group, in 1977, with Vincent Bohnam, Jerry Knight, and Arnell Carmichael. Parker appeared briefly in the 1974 film Uptown Saturday Night as a guitar player. Parker also wrote songs and did session work for The Carpenters, Rufus and Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder (an association which prompted a permanent move to Los Angeles), Deniece Williams, Jean-Luc Ponty, Leon Haywood, Temptations, The Spinners, Boz Scaggs, David Foster, Rhythm Heritage, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Honey Cone, Herbie Hancock, Tina Turner and Diana Ross.
This was a big song when I was a kid in school.......
Ray Parker Jr. wrote and produced this New Edition classic..............
Joe Sample, Ray Parker Jr., Big Chan
b/w
"Raydio got slow jams for days.........."
yes
big fan, am half way through doing an edit of this atm
Great song. Plaese to post the edit when you finish it!
And that's how he got to work with Wonder. I think he was kinda young at the time.
Maybe his nephew/or niece, can fill in the details of this story.
Raydio would be high on a list of best bands always found in the dollar bin