Song:Valentine Love
Album:The Best Of Michael Henderson
Michael Henderson went from being the ace bassist for Stevie Wonder and Miles Davis to being an R & B crooner and one of the founders of what would become Quiet Storm music. This 1975 Norman Connors hit Valentine Love was the first time Henderson sang on record. He was born July 7, 1951 in Yazoo City, MS. His family moved to Detroit in the early 60s and as a teen, Henderson played bass for The Fantastic Four, The Detroit Emeralds and Billy Preston. Henderson's major influences were legendary Motown bassist James Jamerson and legendary jazz bassist Paul Chambers. Henderson claims those two hung out together and he would pick their brains. Henderson toured with Stevie Wonder in the late 60s. Davis saw him on a show in New York and stole him from Wonder. His first album for Davis was Jack Johnson and he also played on On The Corner and Big Fun. Jazz drummer Norman Connors played with Pharoah Sanders but by the mid-70s, he signed with Buddah Records and wanted to record R & B. For the 1975 album Saturday Night Special, Connors recruited jazz guys like Henderson and Reggie Lucas from the Davis band. Henderson wrote Valentine Love and it was his first time singing on record. The female singer is Jean Carn. Valentine Love reached #10 on the R & B Singles chart. On Connors next album, Henderson wrote and sang You Are My Starship which reached #4 on the R & B Singles chart and #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. So now Buddah signs Henderson to a solo deal. His debut album Solid was released in 1976. Henderson's hits include Take Me I'm Yours in 1978 and Wide Receiver in 1980. He was a popular slow jam crooner for a few years. He recorded for Buddah/Arista until 1983 and then retired in 1986 after one album on EMI. He still performs occasionally but hasn't produced new music since 1986. You can get all of Henderson's hits including the Connors hits on this comp first released by BMG but then reworked when it was licensed to the German label Electrocord. Here's a video for Valentine Love by Michael Henderson featuring Jean Carn and Norman Connors.
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