Michael Henderson

Michael Henderson, 2008

Michael Henderson (born July 7, 1951 in Yazoo City , Mississippi ) is an American bassist and singer . He was best known for his collaboration with Miles Davis .

biography

Henderson was bassist for the Motown label in the late 1960s . In 1970 he was poached by Miles Davis. Davis saw Henderson at a Stevie Wonder concert and just said: "I'll take your fucking bass-player!" The bass player was first heard in a concert recording from the Fillmore West , which was recorded in 1970, but only in 1977 on the album Black Beauty: Miles Davis at Fillmore West .

Henderson laid the foundations in Davis' electrical sound phase from around 1970 to around 1976. He played simple, but very "fat" funk lines with wah-wah effects and the like. With this he shaped the group sound of albums such as Get Up with It , Dark Magus 1974 and Pangea 1975. His instruments were both the Fender Precision and the Fender Jazz Bass .

Henderson also starred with Marvin Gaye , Aretha Franklin , Stevie Wonder , Norman Connors , The Dramatics and Dr. John . He, Bob Babbitt and James Jamerson are counted among the three greatest Motown bassists.

After 1975 he made some records under his own name, on which he also sang. With Take Me I'm Yours (1978), Wide Receiver (1980) and Can't We Fall in Love Again (1981, a duet with Phyllis Hyman ), he achieved three top 10 hits in the American R&B charts.

Discography

Albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
		US	R&B
1976	Solid	US173 (7 weeks) US	R&B10 (26 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1976 Producer: Michael Henderson
1977	Goin 'places	US49 (13 weeks) US	R&B18 (17 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1977 Producer: Michael Henderson
1978	In the night time	US38 gold (28 weeks)US	R&B5 (32 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1978 Producer: Michael Henderson
1979	Do It All	US64 (12 weeks) US	R&B17 (17 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1979 Producer: Michael Henderson
1980	Wide receiver	US35 (18 weeks) US	R&B6 (27 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1980 Producer: Michael Henderson
1981	Slingshot	US86 (11 weeks) US	R&B14 (17 weeks) R&B	First published: September 1981 Producers: Michael Henderson, Chuck Jackson
1983	Fuckle	US169 (5 weeks) US	R&B41 (8 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1983 Producers: Michael Henderson, Paul Lawrence Jones II, Thomas McClary
1986	Bedtimes Stories	-	R&B30 (14 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1986 Producer: Michael Henderson

Compilations

• 1982: Mastermind
• 1990: The Best of Michael Henderson (Sequel)
• 2003: The Best of Michael Henderson (Electrocord; release: April 6th)
• 2007: The Essential, Vol. 1 (release: January)
• 2007: The Essential, Vol. 2 (release: January)
• 2014: Take Me I'm Yours: The Essential Selection (July 22nd)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
		US	R&B
1976	Be My Girl Solid	-	R&B23 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1976 Author: Michael Henderson
1977	You Haven't Made It to the Top Solid	-	R&B80 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1977 Author: Michael Henderson
	I Can't Help It Goin 'Places	-	R&B27 (14 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1977 Author: Michael Henderson
	Won't You Be Mine Goin 'Places	-	R&B82 (8 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1977 Author: Michael Henderson
1978	Take Me I'm Yours In the Night-Time	US88 (3 weeks) US	R&B3 (20 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1978 Author: Michael Henderson
	In the Night-Time In the Night-Time	-	R&B15 (13 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1978 Authors: Michael Henderson, Sylvester Rivers
1979	Do It All Do It All	-	R&B56 (7 weeks) R&B	First published: July 1979 Author: Michael Henderson
	To Be Loved Do It All	-	R&B62 (8 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1979 Authors: Berry Gordy , Tyran Carlo Original: Jackie Wilson , 1958
1980	Wide Receiver Wide Receiver	-	R&B4 (24 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1980 at number 42 (7 weeks) in the US dance charts. Authors: Michael Henderson, Randy Jacobs
	Prove It Wide Receiver	-	R&B27 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: October 1980 Author: Michael Henderson
1981	Reach Out for Me Wide Receiver	-	R&B78 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: February 1981 Authors: Burt Bacharach , Hal David Original: Lou Johnson, 1963
	Can't We Fall in Love Again Can't We Fall in Love Again	-	R&B9 (15 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1981 with Phyllis Hyman Authors: John Lewis Parker, Peter Iver Original: Phyllis Hyman, 1979
	(We Are Here To) Geek You Up Slingshot	-	R&B51 (8 weeks) R&B	First published: November 1981 Authors: Curtiss Boone, Everett Boone, Timothy McGhee
1982	Make It Easy on Yourself Slingshot	-	R&B68 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1982 Authors: Burt Bacharach , Hal David Original: Jerry Butler , 1962
1983	Fickle Fickle	-	R&B33 (10 weeks) R&B	First published: April 1983 Authors: Michael Henderson, Nate Robinson, Paul Lawrence Jones III
1986	Do It to Me Good (Tonight) Bedtimes Stories	-	R&B17 (14 weeks) R&B	First published: March 1986 Author: Michael Henderson
	Tin Soldier Bedtimes Stories	-	R&B86 (2 weeks) R&B	First published: June 1986 Author: Michael Henderson

More singles

• 1976: Time
• 1976: You Are My Starship ( Norman Connors feat. Michael Henderson; Release: August)
• 1983: Thin Walls (release: July)
• 1986: 'Til You Love Somebody (released August)

swell

1. ↑ ^{a b} Chart sources: Billboard Hot 100 Billboard 200
2. ↑ Gold / platinum database US
3. ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
4. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
5. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7 .

Web links

• Works by and about Michael Henderson in the catalog of the German National Library
• Michael Henderson at Allmusic (English)
• Michael Henderson at Discogs (English)
• Michael Henderson's Facebook page