Ralph MacDonald
| Ralph MacDonald | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Ralph Anthony MacDonald |
| Born |
March 15, 1944 Harlem, New York, U.S. |
| Died | December 18, 2011 (aged 67) Stamford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, arranger, pannist |
| Instruments | Steelpan, Percussion, Keyboards |
Ralph MacDonald (March 15, 1944 – December 18, 2011) was a Trinbagonian-American percussionist, song-writer, musical arranger, record producer, steelpan virtuoso and philanthropist.
His compositions include "Where Is the Love", a Grammy Award winner for the duet of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway; "Just the Two of Us", recorded by Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr.; and "Mister Magic" recorded by Grover Washington, Jr.
Growing up in Harlem, New York, United States, under the close mentorship of his Trinbagonian father, Patrick MacDonald (a calypsonian and bandleader originally from Trinidad and Tobago who went by the stage name "Macbeth the Great"), MacDonald began showing his musical talent, particularly with the steelpan, and when he was 17 years old started playing pan for the Harry Belafonte show.
He remained with the Belafonte band for a decade before deciding to strike out on his own. In 1967, together with Bill Eaton and William Salter, he formed Anisitia Music Incorporated. Anisitia is based in Stamford, Connecticut.
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