Mark Davis (producer)

Last updated
Mark Davis
OriginUnited States
Occupation(s)Musician, record producer
InstrumentKeyboards

Mark Davis is a musician, songwriter, arranger and producer. Some of the hit songs he has produced or written include "The Devil in Mrs. Jones" for Jerry Butler, "Which Way Is Up" for Stargard, "Tailgate" by 21st Creation, "Remember Who You Are" for Sly & the Family Stone, "Let Me Show You" by The Black Flames and more.

Contents

Background

During the course of Mark Davis' career, he has been employed by Warner Bros. as a staff producer. [1] He has worked mainly in the funk and soul genres.

Career

Davis was the arranger on the Edwin Starr song "There You Go" which was a hit on the Cash Box R&B Top 70 chart [2] [3] and a Top 100 Singles chart hit in 1973. [4]

Davis produced tracks on the Me 'n Rock 'n Roll Are Here to Stay album for David Ruffin which was released in 1974. He also played keyboards on the album. [5] With Artis Phillips and McKinley Jackson, Davis composed the song "Tailgate" for 21st Creation. The song was a hit on the US Dance chart making it to no.32. [6]

Working with Executive producer Hillery Johnson, Davis produced the Weapons of Peace single, "Just Can't Be That Way (Ruth's Song)" bw "Mighty Hard Man" which was released in 1976. [7] Peaking at no. 102 on the Cash Box singles chart, [8] it also peaked at no. 55 on the Cash Box Top 100 R&B chart. [9] [10] [11]

Davis was the producer for Stargard in the late 70s. [12] He produced the group's hit single "Which Way Is Up". [13] He produced the Peace is our Weapon, Love is Our Song album for Weapons of Peace which was released in 1978 on Playboy PB 413. It received a positive review in the 9 October issue of Cash Box. [14]

Davis produced Sylvester Stewart, Hamp Banks compsoition "Remember Who You Are" for Sly & the Family Stone which was released in 1979. [15] [16] He also produced the group's album, Back on the Right Track . [17] "Remember Who You Are" peaked at no. 28 on the week of 10 November on the Cash Box Black Contemporary Top 100 chart. [18] [19] It also got to no. 38 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. [20] [21]

Davis composed, produced and played on the track "Gone Forever" which appears on Smokey Robinson's 1984 album, Essar . [22]

Davis co-wrote the hit "Let Me Show You" for The Black Flames. It was a hit for the group in 1991 making it to no. 37 on the r&b chart. [23]

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References

  1. ↑ Record World, September 15, 1979 - Page 10 WB Inks Sly & The Family
  2. ↑ Cash Box, July 7, 1973 - Page 22 VITAL STATISTICS, #99 There You Go (3:02), ARR: Mark Davis
  3. ↑ Cash Box, July 7, 1973 - Page 30 R&B TOP 70, 24 THERE YOU GO
  4. ↑ Cash Box, July 7, 1973 - Page 4 Cash Box Top 100 Singles 99 THERE YOU GO
  5. ↑ Session Days - 1974 David Ruffin – Me & Rock’n Roll Are Here To Stay
  6. ↑ MusicVF.com - Tailgate By: 21st Creation
  7. ↑ Discogs - Weapons Of Peace – Just Can't Be That Way (Ruth's Song)
  8. ↑ Ultimate 70s - Song: "Just Can't Be That Way (Ruth's Song)"
  9. ↑ Cash Box, October 30, 1976 - Page 49 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B October 30, 1976, 55, 10/23 59, Weeks On Chart 5
  10. ↑ Cash Box, November 6, 1976 - Page 48 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B November 6, 1976, 55, 10/30 55, Weeks On Chart 6
  11. ↑ Cash Box, November 13, 1976 - Page 39 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B November 13, 1976, 67, 11/6 55, Weeks On Chart 7
  12. ↑ Record World, March 18, 1978 - Page 24 Stargard's 'Trash Flash
  13. ↑ Record World, March 18, 1978 - Page 39 ALPHABETICAL LISTING SINGLES CHART PRODUCER, PUBLISHER, LICENSEE, WHICH WAY IS UP Mark Davis (Warner-Tamerlane/May Twelfth/Duchess, BM 23
  14. ↑ Cash Box, October 9, 1976 - Page 30 PEACE IS OUR WEAPON, LOVE IS OUR SONG — Weapons of Peace — Playboy PB 413 — Producer: Mark Davis — List: 6.98
  15. ↑ 45Cat - Sly And The Family Stone - Discography, USA, Sly And The Family Stone A: Remember Who You Are
  16. ↑ Who Sampled - Sly & the Family Stone Remember Who You Are
  17. ↑ Cash Box, September 15, 1979 - Page 8 Sly Back With New WB LP; Re -Mix Of Past Hits On Epic by Mike Glynn
  18. ↑ Cash Box, November 19, 1979 - Page 40 CASH BOX November 10, 1979 28, 11/3 31, Weeks On Chart 8
  19. ↑ Cash Box, November 17, 1979 - Page 43 CASH BOX TOP 100 November 17, 1979 36, 11/10 28, Weeks On Chart 9
  20. ↑ Billboard, November 3, 1979 - Page 81 Billboard Hot Soul Singles, This Week 38, Last Week 43, Weeks on Chart 6
  21. ↑ Billboard, November 10, 1979 - Page 54 Billboard Hot Soul Singles, This Week 39, Last Week 38, Weeks on Chart 6
  22. ↑ Session Days - 1984 Smokey Robinson – Essar
  23. ↑ MusicVF.com - Let Me Show You By: The Black Flames
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