Ray Parker, Jr.

Ray Parker, Jr.

Ray Erskine Parker Jr. (born May 1, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As a solo performer, he wrote and performed the theme song to the 1984 film Ghostbusters. Previously, Parker achieved a US top-10 hit in 1982 with "The Other Woman". He also performed with his band, Raydio, and with Barry White. Ray Erskine Parker Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Venolia Parker and Ray Parker Sr. He has two siblings: his brother Opelton and his sister Barbara. Parker attended Angel Elementary School where his music teacher, Afred T Kirby, inspired him to be a musician at age six playing the clarinet. Parker attended Cass Technical High School in the 10th grade. Parker is a 1971 graduate of Detroit's Northwestern High School. He was raised in the Dexter-Grand Boulevard neighborhood on its West Side. Parker attended college at Lawrence Institute of Technology. Parker gained recognition during the late 1960s as a member of Bohannon's house band at the 20 Grand nightclub. This Detroit hotspot often featured Tamla/Motown acts, one of which, the (Detroit) Spinners, was so impressed by the young guitarist's skills that they added him to their touring group. Through the Bohannon relationship, he recorded and co-wrote his first songs at age 16 with Marvin Gaye. Parker was also employed as a studio musician as a teenager for the emergent Holland-Dozier-Holland's Invictus/Hot Wax stable, and his "choppy" style was especially prominent on "Want Ads", a number one single for Honey Cone. Parker was later enlisted by Lamont Dozier to appear on his first two albums for ABC Records. In 1972, Parker was a guest guitarist on Stevie Wonder's funk song "Maybe Your Baby", from Wonder's album Talking Book, an association which prompted a permanent move to Los Angeles. He also was the lead guitarist for Wonder when Wonder served as the opening act on the Rolling Stones' 1972 tour. In 1973, he became a sideman in Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra. Parker appeared briefly in the 1974 film Uptown Saturday Night as a guitar player in the church picnic scene. Parker also wrote songs and did session work for the Carpenters, Bill Cosby, Rufus and Chaka Khan, the Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Deniece Williams, Bill Withers, Michael Henderson, Jean-Luc Ponty, Leon Haywood, the Temptations, Boz Scaggs, David Foster, Rhythm Heritage, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Herbie Hancock, Tina Turner, and Diana Ross. Parker's first bona fide hit as a writer was "You Got the Love", co-written with Chaka Khan and recorded by Rufus. The single hit No. 1 on the R&B charts and No. 11 on the pop charts in December 1974. In 1976, he featured as rhythm guitarist on Lucio Battisti's album Io tu noi tutti, translated as "Me you and all of us". Parker has stated that he was the original songwriter of Leo Sayer's 1976 hit "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", but that when he submitted the tune as a demo, his accreditation as such was missed. ... Source: Article "Ray Parker Jr." from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

  • Title: Ray Parker, Jr.
  • Popularity: 2.988
  • Known For: Acting
  • Birthday: 1954-05-01
  • Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan, USA
  • Homepage:
  • Also Known As: Ray Erskine Parker Jr., Raydio
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Ray Parker, Jr. Movies

  • 1984
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    Vincent Price's Halloween Thriller

    Vincent Price's Halloween Thriller

    1 1984 HD

    Vincent Price playing host to a mix of “Halloween” music videos, including Halloween playlist staples like ‘Time Warp” from...

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  • 1987
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    Enemy Territory

    Enemy Territory

    5.8 1987 HD

    An insurance salesman inadvertently gets trapped after dark in an apartment building that is terrorized by a street gang called "The Vampires."

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  • 2017
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    Hired Gun

    Hired Gun

    6.9 2017 HD

    A documentary film about session and touring musicians that are hired by well-established and famous bands and artists. These people may not be...

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  • 2016
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    Ghostheads

    Ghostheads

    5.924 2016 HD

    A documentary that explores the extreme side of the Ghostbusters fandom. Join us as we travel the world meeting extreme Ghostbusters fans. Every...

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  • 2020
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    Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters

    Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters

    6.8 2020 HD

    The documentary that tells us the full story from where it all started through to the future of the "Ghostbusters" franchise.

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  • 2008
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    The Crusaders - Live at Montreux 2003

    The Crusaders - Live at Montreux 2003

    1 2008 HD

    This DVD focuses on the Crusaders performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2003, one of a number of visits the band have made to Montreux over...

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  • 2020
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    Who You Gonna Call?

    Who You Gonna Call?

    7 2020 HD

    Filmmaker Fran Strine explores the riveting true story of the man who wrote and recorded the global smash hit song “Ghostbusters,” which...

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  • 1987
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    Disorderlies

    Disorderlies

    4.9 1987 HD

    As not-quite-orderlies who're downright Disorderlies, rap-music favorites The Fat Boys rule. Playing the freewheeling caretakers of the frail...

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  • 1974
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    Uptown Saturday Night

    Uptown Saturday Night

    6.091 1974 HD

    Two blue-collar buddies search the underworld for a winning lottery ticket lost in a nightclub holdup.

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  • 1990
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    The Kid Who Loved Christmas

    The Kid Who Loved Christmas

    6.6 1990 HD

    In this sentimental holiday tale, a young boy is taken away from his loving, adoptive household when his new mom is killed in an auto accident and...

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  • 1984
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    Ghostbusters

    Ghostbusters

    7.489 1984 HD

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  • 1987
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    21 Jump Street

    21 Jump Street

    7.1 1987 HD

    21 Jump Street revolves around a group of young cops who would use their youthful appearance to go undercover and solve crimes involving teenagers...

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  • 1999
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    Where Are They Now?

    Where Are They Now?

    7.5 1999 HD

    Where Are They Now? was a television series on VH1 that featured past celebrities and updated on their current professional and personal status. Each...

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  • 2019
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    The Masked Singer

    The Masked Singer

    7.8 2019 HD

    Celebrities compete in a singing competition with one major twist: each singer is shrouded from head to toe in an elaborate costume, complete with...

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  • 2019
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    The Masked Singer

    The Masked Singer

    7.8 2019 HD

    Celebrities compete in a singing competition with one major twist: each singer is shrouded from head to toe in an elaborate costume, complete with...

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  • 2007
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    The Singing Bee

    The Singing Bee

    1 2007 HD

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  • 2014
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    A to Z

    A to Z

    6.5 2014 HD

    The story follows the lives of Andrew, an employee at an internet dating site who dreams of meeting the girl of his dreams, and Zelda, a no-nonsense...

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  • 2016
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    Greatest Hits

    Greatest Hits

    5 2016 HD

    A music series featuring Hit-Makers of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s with each episode highlighting a five-year period celebrating the biggest hits from...

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  • 1984
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    MTV Video Music Awards

    MTV Video Music Awards

    7.5 1984 HD

    An annual award ceremony presented by MTV to honor the best in the music video medium.

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  • 1982
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    Champs-Elysées

    Champs-Elysées

    6.2 1982 HD

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  • 2020
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    Reunited Apart

    Reunited Apart

    5.5 2020 HD

    Josh Gad reunites the cast and crews of various classic movies, and discusses the the films in hilarious yet heartfelt conversations.

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  • 1970
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    Reunited Apart

    Reunited Apart

    1 1970 HD

    Beauty and the Baller is a single-camera TV comedy series about a pro athlete, his hot wife and what their life is like off of the court. Despite...

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