He
is a singer born in Pittsburgh, Texas,
later moving to California,
who served in the Navy during the Vietnam War.On his return he started to work for
the Postal Service but wanting to explore avenues in music he was accepted
into the Doodletown Pipers, followed later with
The Cultures and then The Reason Why.He first made his name in music when he became a member of Stevie Wonder's backing group Wonderlove
and sang the opening lines for his "You Are The Sunshine of My
Life".He followed this in
1974 as a solo artists and saw success with the hit song "Swing Your
Daddy" with the later less successful "House of Strangers",
"Put Out the Fire",and
"Move Me".Going back
to working with a band he joined the group Side Effect who he recorded
"Run, Run, Run" with and then sang solo on Quincy Jones'
"Buffalo Soldier".Branching out as a session singer which he remains doing until the
present day, he has been a sought after backing vocalist for many singers
and groups such as Patti Austin,
The Blackbyrds, Elkie
Brooks, Michael Bolton, Brothers Johnson, Jackson Browne, Stanley Clarke, CelineDion, Willy DeVille, George Duke, Aretha Franklin, Jose
Feliciano, Art Garfunkel, Leon Haywood, Thelma Houston, James Ingram,
The Jacksons, Gladys Knight, Erich Kunzel, Patti LaBelle,
Stacy Lattisaw, Peggy Lee, Linda Lewis, Kenny Loggins, Melissa Manchester, Country Joe McDonald, Aaron Neville,
Dolly Parton, Teddy Pendergrass, Martha Reeves, Minnie Riperton, Seals & Crofts, Syreeta, Stanley Turrentine,
Luther Vandross and Bill Withers
to name a few.Albums he has
featured on over the years are far too numerous to mention but include his
own Swing Your Daddy and Love Talk as well as Rapture
by Anita Baker, Give Me the Night by George Benson, Genius Loves
Company by Ray Charles, Take It to the Limit by Norman Connors, Crowded
House by Crowded House, In My Lifetime by Neil Diamond
, Dr. Heckle & Mr. Jive by England Dan & John Ford Coley, Blue
Lights in the Basement by Roberta Flack, Christmas Album by David Foster
, Lite Me Up by Herbie
Hancock, Whitney by Whitney Houston, Ultimate Collection by
Michael Jackson, Best Of... by Al Jarreau,
Fox by Elton John
, King of Blues: 1989 by B.B. King, Vuelve
by Ricky Martin, That's What Friends Are For by Johnny Mathis
& Deniece Williams , Totally Hot by Olivia
Newton John, Back to Front by Lionel Richie,
Living in the U.S.A. by Linda Ronstadt , Patrice by Patrice Rushen, Spirits Dancing in the Flesh by Santana,
Leo by Leo
Sayer , Silk Degrees by BozzScaggs , Goodnight
Vienna by Ringo Starr , Best Of... by CandiStaton, Songbird
by Barbra Streisand, Dad Loves His Work by James Taylor
, Songs of the Beatles by Sarah Vaughan, Aquarela
Do Brazil by Dionne Warwick, Innervisions
by Stevie Wonder , Living With War by Neil
Young, Crossing by Paul Young and the soundtracks of Anastasia,
Cats Don't Dance, CorinnaCorinna, Grease, King Kong, Meteor Man and Three
Days of the Condor.In the
world of television he sang the theme songs for the shows Good Times
and the animated Tale Spin.
