American musician
Musical artist
Narada Michael Walden (
NAH -rə-də ; Michael Walden ; born April 23, 1952)
[1]
[6] is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He acquired the nickname
Narada from
Sri Chinmoy .
[6]
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 ,
Jeff Beck ,
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.
[7] He appears on the band's album
Freedom (2022), having co-produced and played on the album before his departure.
Biography
Video of Narada Michael Walden recording a drum groove for Italian artist
Zucchero Fornaciari for the 1986 album Rispetto .
Walden was born in
Plainwell, Michigan . He attended Western Michigan University in
Kalamazoo, Michigan from 1970 to 1972.
[8]
Walden played with rock bands in
Miami after he graduated from college.
[6] 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.
[6] The album was followed by I Cry I Smile and The Awakening .
[6] The latter album reached No. 15 on the R&B chart.
[6] Walden's singles continued to be popular in R&B during the 1980s including a duet with
Patti Austin and an appearance on the soundtrack for the movie Bright Lights, Big City .
[6]
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 .
[9]
Walden has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards and won three:
[10] Best R&B Song for "Freeway of Love" (1985);
[11] Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (1987);
[12] and Album of the Year for
The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album (1993).
[6]
Personal life
In 2013, Walden married former
Catholic school teacher, Katie Mersereau, at
Marin Civic Center in
San Rafael, California . The couple have two daughters, Kelly and Kayla as well as a son, Michael.
[13] The pair worked together on Walden's album Evolution , released in 2015, with Mersereau credited as providing backing vocals on four tracks and writing one song, under her married name, Katie Mersereau-Walden.
[14]
Discography
Albums
Singles
Year
Single
Peak chart positions
US
[18]
US R&B
[19]
US Dance
[20]
UK
[21]
[17]
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
Other collaborations
As drummer
As producer
Stacy Lattisaw –
Let Me Be Your Angel (1980), "
Jump to the Beat " (1980),
With You (1981) ,
Sneakin' Out (1982),
Sixteen (1983) and
Perfect Combination (with
Johnny Gill ; 1984)
Sister Sledge –
All American Girls (1981)
Carl Carlton – "The Bad CC" (1982)
Angela Bofill – "
Something About You " (1981), "
Too Tough " (1983), "Tonight I Give In" (1983), "I'm on Your Side" (1983)
Clarence Clemons –
Hero (1985)
Aretha Franklin –
Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985),
Aretha (1986),
Through the Storm (1989), "
Everyday People " (1991),
A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998)
Whitney Houston – "
How Will I Know " (1985),
Whitney (1987), "
One Moment in Time " (1988),
I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990), "
I'm Every Woman " (1992)
George Benson – "Kisses in the Moonlight" and "While the City Sleeps" from
While the City Sleeps... (1986)
Sheena Easton – "So Far, So Good" (1986) from About Last Night and
No Sound But a Heart and "Till Death Do Us Part" from
My Cherie (1995)
Luba – "How Many" (1986)
Jermaine Stewart – "
We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off " (1986)
Pointer Sisters – "
Be There " (1987)
Starship – "
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now " (1987)
Yōko Oginome –
Verge of Love (1988)
Regina Belle – "
Baby Come to Me " (1989)
Natalie Cole – "
I Do " (1989)
Gladys Knight – "
Licence to Kill " (1989)
Patti LaBelle – "
Still in Love " (1989)
Eddie Murphy – "Put Your Mouth on Me" and "Till the Money's Gone" from
So Happy (1989)
Pia Zadora – "Pia Z" (1989)
Mariah Carey – "
Vision of Love " (1990), "
I Don't Wanna Cry " (1991)
Tevin Campbell – "
Tell Me What You Want Me to Do " (1991)
Lisa Fischer – "
How Can I Ease the Pain " (1991)
Shanice Wilson – "
I Love Your Smile " and "I Hate to Be Lonely" from
Inner Child (1991)
Al Jarreau –
Heaven and Earth (1992)
Milira – "One Man Woman" (1992)
Elton John &
Kiki Dee – "
True Love " (1993)
Mica Paris – "
Whisper a Prayer " (1993)
Michelle Gayle – "
Sweetness ", "Freedom", "Happy Just to Be with You", "Baby Don't Go", "All Night Long" from the self titled album
Michelle Gayle (1994)
Al Green – "
Your Heart's in Good Hands " (1995)
Diana Ross –
Take Me Higher (1995)
Taral Hicks – "Whoopty Whoop", "Don't Let the Feelin' Go Away", "I Wish You Were Here" from
This Time (1997)
Steve Winwood –
Junction Seven (1997)
Don Novello as Father Guido Sarducci and Cat McLean – "Everybody's Free to Wear Camouflage" (1999)
Shanice Wilson – "Love Is the Gift" (2000)
The Temptations –
Awesome (2001)
Ray Charles –
Genius & Friends (2005)
LaToya London – "Every Part of Me", "Learn to Breathe" and "State of My Heart" from
Love & Life (2005)
Brian Evans – "At Fenway" (2011)
Sydney Brown – "Love Is Stronger than Smoke and Fire" (2018)
Santana – "
Whiter Shade of Pale ", "
Song for Cindy " (2021)
Journey –
Freedom (2022)
Ukrainian smooth jazz singer Shaxa (Shakhsanem Abraham) – “Never been higher”.
https://on.soundcloud.com/iF5FVH4NTzTNeVUb8
References
^
a
b
"Narada Michael Walden Page" . Soulwalking.co.uk . Archived from
the original on November 21, 2002. Retrieved December 30, 2020 .
^
"Narada Michael Walden Tells The Stories Behind Eight Great Tracks He's Worked On, From Mahavishnu Orchestra To Mariah Carey" . Stereogum . September 14, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ Records, Iconoclassic.
"Weather Report" . Iconoclassic Records . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ cameron (June 9, 2010).
"Narada Michael Walden and Jeff Beck Tour" . Audix . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ Wardlaw, Matt (May 13, 2022).
"Why Narada Michael Walden Left Journey" . Ultimate Classic Rock . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^
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 .
^ Liberatore, Paul (February 25, 2016).
"Paul Liberatore's Lib at Large: The new stars in record producer Narada Michael Walden's life: baby girls" . Marin Independent Journal .
^
"Narada Michael Walden – Evolution" . Discogs .
^
"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.
^
"Rispetto – Zucchero Sugar Fornaciari | Official Website" (in Italian). Retrieved February 6, 2023 .
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