Ray Parker Jr

Ray Erskine Parker Jr. was born on May 1, 1954, in Detroit, Michigan. His musical journey began at a young age, inspired by his music teacher at Angel Elementary School, leading him to play the clarinet at six. He honed his skills in high school, attending Cass Technical High School and graduating from Northwestern High School in Detroit in 1971. Early in his career, Parker gained recognition in the late 1960s as a member of Bohannon’s house band at the 20 Grand nightclub in Detroit, a venue frequently hosting Motown acts. His guitar talents led him to tour with The Spinners and as a studio musician for Holland-Dozier-Holland’s Invictus/Hot Wax. At 16, he began recording and co-writing songs with Marvin Gaye. In 1972, Parker moved to Los Angeles after becoming a guest guitarist on Stevie Wonder’s album “Talking Book,” and later served as Wonder’s lead guitarist during his opening act for the Rolling Stones’ 1972 tour. He also spent time as a sideman in Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973.

Parker’s career progressed with significant achievements in songwriting and performance. In 1974, he co-wrote “You Got the Love” with Chaka Khan, which became a number one R&B hit for Rufus. In 1977, he formed the R&B group Raydio, achieving success with “Jack and Jill” in 1978 and “You Can’t Change That” in 1979, both of which earned Gold certifications. The group, later known as Ray Parker Jr. and Raydio, continued to produce Gold albums with “Two Places at the Same Time” (1980) and “A Woman Needs Love” (1981), with the latter reaching number one on the R&B chart. Beyond his group work, Parker achieved solo success, including the top-5 hit “The Other Woman” in 1982. A major turning point in his career was writing and performing the theme song for the 1984 film “Ghostbusters,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, earned a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, and received an Academy Award nomination.

Throughout his career, Parker has worked with numerous notable artists, both as a guitarist and a producer. His collaborations include work with Cheryl Lynn, Michael Henderson, New Edition, Boz Scaggs, Randy Hall, Deniece Williams, Diana Ross, and La Toya Jackson. In 2006, he released the solo album “I’m Free.” Parker was invited in 2014 to record with Latin rock musicians El Chicano and others, demonstrating his versatility across genres. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2014, recognizing his enduring impact on the music industry. In 2022, he participated in “The Masked Singer” as “Sir Bug a Boo,” performing the “Ghostbusters” theme as an encore.