Narada Michael Walden
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Narada Michael Walden | |
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![]() Walden performing in 2011 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Michael Walden |
Born | Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.[1] | April 23, 1952
Genres | Rock, R&B, pop, jazz fusion |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
Instrument(s) | Drums, keyboards, bass, vocals |
Years active | 1971–present |
Labels | Atlantic, Warner Bros., Tarpan |
Website | naradamichaelwalden |
Narada Michael Walden (/ˈnɑːrədə/ NAH-rə-də; Michael Walden; born April 23, 1952)[1][2] is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He acquired the nickname Narada from Sri Chinmoy.[2]
He began his career as a drummer, working primarily in the jazz fusion realm, appearing with John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter and Weather Report, and Allan Holdsworth. After being mentored by Quincy Jones, he transitioned into a role as a songwriter and producer, working in the 1980s and 1990s with numerous R & B acts such as Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, as well as other singers across a number of genres. In 2020, he became the drummer for Journey, replacing Steve Smith. In 2021, he became one of two drummers in the band alongside the returning Deen Castronovo prior to leaving in 2022.[3] He appears on the band's album Freedom (2022), having co-produced and played on the album before his departure.
Biography
Walden was born in Plainwell, Michigan. He attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1970 to 1972.[4]
Walden played with rock bands in Miami, Florida, after he graduated from college.[2] He was a member of the 'second incarnation' of the Mahavishnu Orchestra from 1974 to 1976, playing drums and providing vocals. Atlantic released his first album, Garden of Love Light, in 1977 with a single that reached the R&B chart.[2] This was followed by I Cry I Smile and The Awakening.[2] The latter album reached No. 15 on the R&B chart.[2] His singles continued to be popular in R&B during the 1980s. These included a duet with Patti Austin and an appearance on the soundtrack for the movie Bright Lights, Big City.[2]
He built his studio in 1985 and produced music for The Temptations, Stacy Lattisaw, Aretha Franklin, Angela Bofill, Lisa Fischer, Sister Sledge, Herbie Hancock, Patti Austin, Whitney Houston, Clarence Clemons, George Benson, Sheena Easton, Kenny G, Lionel Richie, Al Jarreau, and Mariah Carey.[5]
Walden has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards, winning three:[6] Best R&B Song for "Freeway of Love" (1985);[7] Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (1987);[8] and Album of the Year for The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album (1993).[2]
Discography
Albums
Year | Album | Label | Peak chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [9] |
US R&B [10] |
UK [11] | ||||
1976 | Garden of Love Light | Atlantic Records | — | — | — | |
1977 | I Cry, I Smile | — | — | — | ||
1979 | Awakening | 103 | 15 | — | ||
The Dance of Life | 74 | 9 | — | |||
1980 | Victory | 103 | 21 | — | ||
1982 | Confidence | 135 | 30 | — | ||
1983 | Looking at You, Looking at Me | — | 51 | — | ||
1985 | The Nature of Things | Warner Bros. | — | — | — | |
1988 | Divine Emotion | Reprise | — | 67 | 60 | |
1995 | Sending Love to Everyone | EMI | — | — | — | |
2013 | Thunder 2013 | Tarpan | — | — | — | |
2015 | Evolution | — | — | — | ||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
Singles
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [12] |
US R&B [13] |
US Dance [14] |
UK [15][11] | ||
1977 | "Delightful" | — | 81 | — | — |
1979 | "Give Your Love a Chance" | — | 80 | — | — |
"I Don't Want Nobody Else (To Dance with You)" | 47 | 9 | 64 | — | |
"I Shoulda Loved Ya" | 66 | 4 | 8 | 8 | |
1980 | "Tonight I'm Alright" | — | 35 | 8 | 34 |
"The Real Thang" | — | 22 | 25 | — | |
1981 | "I Want You" | — | 46 | 25 | — |
1982 | "Summer Lady" | — | 39 | — | — |
"You're #1" | — | 19 | — | — | |
1983 | "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" | — | 40 | 19 | — |
1985 | "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" | — | 39 | — | 87 |
"The Nature of Things" | — | 82 | 21 | — | |
1988 | "Divine Emotions" | — | 21 | 1 | 8 |
"Can't Get You Outta My Head" | — | — | — | 93 | |
"Wild Thing" | — | 97 | — | — | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |
Soundtracks
- Perfect
- Licence to Kill
- The Bodyguard
- Jason's Lyric
- 9½ Weeks
- Crooklyn
- Free Willy
- Mannequin
- The Associate
- Now and Again
- Innerspace
- Bright Lights, Big City
Other collaborations
As drummer
- Mahavishnu Orchestra – Apocalypse (1974), Visions of the Emerald Beyond (1975), Inner Worlds (1976)
- Tommy Bolin – "Marching Powder" on Teaser (1975)
- Chick Corea – My Spanish Heart (1976)
- Jeff Beck – Wired (1976)
- Alphonso Johnson – Moonshadows (1976)
- Nova – Vimana (1976)
- Allan Holdsworth – Velvet Darkness (1976)
- Jaco Pastorius – "Come On, Come Over" on Jaco Pastorius (1976)
- Weather Report – "Black Market" and "Cannon Ball" on Black Market (1976)
- James Mason – Rhythm of Life (1977)
- John McLaughlin – Johnny McLaughlin: Electric Guitarist (1978)
- Robert Fripp – "Breathless", "NY3", "I've Had Enough of You" on Exposure (1979)
- Carlos Santana – Oneness: Silver Dreams – Golden Reality (1979)
- Journey – Freedom (2022)
As producer
- Regina Belle – "Baby Come to Me"
- George Benson – "Kisses in the Moonlight" and "While the City Sleeps" (1986)
- Angela Bofill – "Too Tough", "Tonight I Give In", "I'm on Your Side"
- Tevin Campbell – "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do"
- Lisa Fischer – "How Can I Ease the Pain"
- Carl Carlton – "The Bad CC"
- Mariah Carey – "Vision of Love", "I Don't Wanna Cry"
- Ray Charles – Genius & Friends (2005)
- Clarence Clemons – Hero (1985)
- Natalie Cole – "I Do" (1989)
- Sheena Easton – "So Far, So Good" from About Last Night, No Sound but a Heart and My Cherie
- Brian Evans – "At Fenway"
- Aretha Franklin – Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985), Aretha (1986), Through the Storm (1989), "Everyday People" (1991), A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998)
- Michelle Gayle – "Sweetness", "Freedom", "Happy Just to Be with You", "Baby Don't Go", "All Night Long"
- Al Green – "Your Heart's in Good Hands"
- Taral Hicks – "Whoopty Whoop", "Don't Let the Feelin' Go Away", "I Wish You Were Here"
- Whitney Houston – "One Moment in Time" (1988), "How Will I Know" (1985), Whitney (1987), I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990), "I'm Every Woman" (1992)
- Al Jarreau – Heaven and Earth (1992)
- Elton John & Kiki Dee – "True Love" (1993)
- Gladys Knight – "Licence to Kill" (1989)
- Patti LaBelle – "Still in Love" (1989)
- Stacy Lattisaw – Let Me Be Your Angel, "Jump to the Beat", With You, Sneakin' Out, Sixteen and Perfect Combination
- LaToya London – "Every Part of Me", "Learn to Breathe" and "State of My Heart"
- Luba – "How Many"
- Milira – "One Man Woman (1992)"
- Eddie Murphy – "Put Your Mouth on Me" and "Till the Money's Gone" from So Happy (1989)
- Don Novello and Cat McLean – "Everyone Is Free to Wear Camouflage"
- Yōko Oginome – Verge of Love (1988)
- Mica Paris – "Whisper a Prayer" (1993)
- Pointer Sisters – "Be There" (1987)
- Diana Ross – Take Me Higher (1995)
- Sister Sledge – All American Girls
- Jermaine Stewart – "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off" (1986)
- Starship – "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (1987)
- The Temptations – Awesome (2001)
- Shanice Wilson – "I Love Your Smile", "I Hate to Be Lonely", "Love Is the Gift"
- Steve Winwood – Junction Seven (1997)
- Pia Zadora – "Pia Z"
- Sydney Brown – "Love Is Stronger than Smoke and Fire" (2018)
- Santana – "Whiter Shade of Pale", "Song for Cindy" (2021)
- Journey – Freedom (2022)
References
- ^ a b "Narada Michael Walden Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 21, 2002. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hogan, Ed. "Narada Michael Walden". AllMusic. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- ^ "JONATHAN CAIN Says NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN's Addition To JOURNEY's Touring Lineup 'Didn't Quite Pan Out'". Blabbermouth. March 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ "Narada Michael Walden Biography". Retrieved May 16, 2022.
- ^ "Narada Michael Walden | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- ^ "Narada Michael Walden". GRAMMY.com. March 17, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
- ^ "28th Annual GRAMMY Awards". GRAMMY.com. November 28, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
- ^ "30th Annual GRAMMY Awards". GRAMMY.com. November 28, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
- ^ "Narada Michael Walden - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "Chart History - Narada Michael Walden: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ a b "NARADA - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ "Narada Michael Walden: Chart History - HOT 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020.
- ^ "Chart History: Narada Michael Walden - HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ "Chart History: Narada Michael Walden - DANCE CLUB SONGS". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ "Narada Michael Walden - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company.
External links
- Official website
- Narada Michael Walden discography at Discogs
- Narada Walden Interview NAMM Oral History Library (1986)
- 1952 births
- Living people
- People from Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Musicians from Michigan
- African-American drummers
- American dance musicians
- American multi-instrumentalists
- Record producers from Michigan
- Grammy Award winners
- Devotees of Sri Chinmoy
- Reprise Records artists
- Weather Report members
- Mahavishnu Orchestra members
- 20th-century American drummers
- American male drummers
- American rock drummers
- Rhythm and blues drummers
- Soul drummers
- 21st-century American drummers
- Journey (band) members