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Michael Henderson

 
Artist: Michael Henderson
  • Active: '60s, '70s, '80s
  • Genres: Rhythm & Blues
  • Instrument: Bass, Vocals
  • Representative Albums: "The Best of Michael Henderson," "Wide Receiver," "Goin' Places"

Biography

Vocalist/bassist Michael Henderson has enjoyed successful careers as a player and performer. He moved from Yazoo City, Mississippi to Detroit in the early '60s, and was a session player. As a 13-year-old, Henderson played bass with the Fantastic Four, Detroit Emeralds, Billy Preston, and other Motown acts in 1964 and 1965. He later toured with Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin before joining Miles Davis. Henderson played and toured with Davis for seven years. When he met drummer/producer Norman Connors, Henderson pitched him some songs. Connors recorded "Valentine Love" on his Saturday Night Special LP, featuring Henderson with Jean Carne. This was his vocal debut, and it reached nubmer ten on the R&B chart. Henderson wrote two other hits for the LP, "We Both Need Each Other" and "You Are My Starship," which peaked at number four.

Those successes landed Henderson his own Buddah deal in 1976, and in 1978 he got his first Top 10 R&B hit with "Take Me I'm Yours" for Buddah. Henderson recorded for Buddah from 1976 to 1983, earning his biggest hit in 1980 with "Wide Receiver," a number four hit. He moved to EMI in 1986. Henderson also recorded "Can't We Fall in Love Again" with Phyllis Hyman on her own LP, and sang with Bobby Womack and Johnnie Taylor, as well as producing the Dramatics. He also helped discover Cherrelle, who was his next door neighbor in the late '70s. She sang background and toured with him for four years. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Michael Henderson
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Michael Henderson
Born July 7, 1951 (1951-07-07) (age 58)
Origin Detroit, Michigan
Genres Funk / R&B / Soul
Occupations bass player / Singer-Songwriter / Producer / Music arranger
Years active Early 70's - Present
Labels Buddah Records, Arista, EMI-Capitol
Website www.michaelhenderson.com

Michael Henderson born in Yazoo City, Mississippi is a bass guitarist and vocalist best known for his work with Miles Davis in the early 1970s, providing a deep funky groove to early fusion albums such as A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Pangaea, and Live-Evil. He was the only musician to play with Miles in both phases of his electric period, starting in 1970 at the age of 18 and continuing until Miles's semi-retirement in 1976. Henderson is the vocalist on Norman Connors' 1977 ballad "You Are My Starship".

Contents

Biography

With deep, funky grooves and a pop sensibility, he was one of the first notable bassists of the fusion era as well as being one of the most influential jazz and soul musicians of the past 40 years. In addition to Miles, he has played and recorded with Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, the Dramatics, Doctor John, and others. He is considered to be one of the three greatest Motown bass guitarists, along with Bob Babbitt and his primary influence, James Jamerson.

Before working with Miles, Henderson had been touring with Stevie Wonder, whom he met at the Regal Theater in Chicago while warming up for a gig. Miles Davis saw the young Henderson performing at the Copacabana in New York in early 1970 and reportedly said to Wonder simply "I'm takin' your fuckin' bass player."

After almost seven years with Miles, Henderson focused on songwriting and singing in a solo career that produced multiple hit songs and albums for Arista Records until his retirement in 1986. Although known primarily for ballads, he was an influential funk player whose riffs and songs have been widely covered. To date his solo recordings have sold well over one million albums. He did however have a track titled "Wide Receiver" which is highly favored by breakdancers. [1] The song was on an album of the same title which is now out of print; but a compilation titled The best of Michael Henderson made up for that discontinuation since it also features the Wide Receiver song.

In recent years, he has experienced a resurgence in popularity as many of his bass riffs have been imitated by players seeking the fat, deep grooves of the Motown sound. His bass riffs, from such hits as "Valentine Love" and "You Are My Starship," have been sampled by the likes of Snoop Dogg and L.L. Cool J, and his songs have been sampled and/or covered by Jay-Z (American Gangster (album)), Eminem (for 8 Mile), Notorious BIG, Rick James, Wayman Tisdale, and Sugar Ray, among others.[citation needed] However, it is surprising that the popular breakdancing number Wide Receiver has never been sampled by any hip hop musician.

He currently lives in Las Vegas and plays shows intermittently, performing his solo material as well as that of other Motown and soul musicians. He has also played reunion concerts with other former members of the Miles electric bands.

Discography

As leader

  • 1976: Solid (Buddah)
  • 1977: Goin' Places (Buddah)
  • 1978: In the Night Time (Buddah)
  • 1979: Do It All (Buddah)
  • 1980: Wide Receiver (Buddah)
  • 1981: Slingshot (Buddah)
  • 1983: Fickel (Buddah)
  • 1986: Bedtime Stores (EMI Records)

As sideman

With Miles Davis

References

External links


 
 
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Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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