Graydon, Jay (8th October 1949-Present)

He is a guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer who co-founded Westcoast Music with the producer and songwriter David Foster and founded his own label, Sonic Thrust Records.

He made his musical debut by singing on his second birthday on his father’s TV Show, The Joe Graydon Show, and he learned to play the drums before he turned to the guitar, which would become his forte. As a guitarist he performed on hits such as “Young Hearts Run Free” by Candi Staton and gained acclaim as being the guitar soloist on Steely Dan’s “Peg”.

As a songwriter has written over 220 songs with many of them appearing on albums that have gained gold or platinum status and among them are the Grammy Award winning ” Turn Your Love Around” sung by George Benson, “After the Love Has Gone” sung by Earth, Wind and Fire. He has further received another 10 Grammy nominations for songs that include “Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone” by The Manhattan Transfer and “Breakin’ Away” and “Mornin'” by Al Jarreau.

As a producer and/or musician he has worked with countless artists such as Air Supply, Paul Anka, Patti Austin, Joe Cocker, Alice Cooper, Mac Davis, DeBarge, Jackie DeShannon, The Dramatics, Donovan, George Duke, Sheena Easton, Randy Edelman, Yvonne Elliman, Tommy Emmanuel, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, Leif Garrett, Go West, Randy Goodrum, Hues Corporation, Booker T. Jones, Eddie Kendricks, Chaka Khan, Albert King, Mary MacGregor, Melissa Manchester, Barry Manilow, Country Joe McDonald, The Memphis Horns, The Miracles, Juice Newton, Maxine Nightingale, Alan O’ Day, Odyssey, Dolly Parton, Lou Rawls, Helen Reddy, Rhythm Heritage, Kenny Rogers, Brenda Russell, Carole Bayer Sager, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Dan Seals, Dara Sedaka, Ben Sidran, O.C. Smith, Dusty Springfield, Amii Stewart, The Supremes, Syreeta , Tavares, The Tubes, Stanley Turrentine, Gino Vannelli, Tata Vega, Barry de Vorzon, Andy Williams and Betty Wright.

He has released the album called Airplay for the Planet, which features his own compositions with vocals provided by Bill Champlin of Chicago and Joseph Williams of Toto and also Bebop and Heart From the Big Machine by Jay Graydon & Planet 3. The other hundreds of albums he has appeared on in one capacity or another include Best Of… by George Benson, Passage by The Carpenters, In One Eye and Out the Other by Cate Brothers, I’d Rather Believe in You by Cher, This is Your Life by Norman Connors, Everything Must Change by Randy Crawford, Love Me Again by Rita Coolidge , Another Page by Christopher Cross, Right There by Lamont Dozier, Best Of… Vol. 1 by Earth, Wind & Fire, Silk & Steel by Five Star, Lefty by Art Garfunkel , Classics Collection by Marvin Gaye, Along the Red Ledge by Hall & Oates, Lite Me Up by Herbie Hancock, Don’t You Love Me Anymore by Engelbert Humperdinck, Soulsation by The Jackson 5, This Time by Al Jarreau, Even Now by Barry Manilow, Friends in Love by Johnny Mathis , Making A Good Thing Better by Olivia Newton John, Thunder In My Heart by Leo Sayer , Down Two Then Left by Boz Scaggs , Hell Up In Harlem by Edwin Starr, House of Love by Candi Staton, Aja by Steely Dan, Live and More by Donna Summer, Lazy Afternoon by Barbra Streisand, He Who Rides the Tiger by Bernie Taupin, Love at First Sight by Dionne Warwick and Just for You by Barry White.

In the world of movies he has produced and/or written for soundtracks including his Grammy nominated St. Elmo’s Fire and Ghostbusters, and others such as Grease, Miami Vice, Navy Seals, One Hour Photo, Night Shift and The Fighting Temptations.

The Manhattan Transfer Recordings
Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone (Marius Constant/Jay Graydon/Alan Paul )

Here he is singing “Nothin’You Can Do About It” with David Foster on keyboards…

Sources:

Graydon, Jay (8th October 1949-Present)

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