Ronnie Laws | |
---|---|
Birth name | Ronald Wayne Laws |
Born | Houston, Texas, U.S. | October 3, 1950
Genres | |
Instrument(s) | Saxophone, flute, vocals |
Years active | 1971–present |
Labels | |
Website | www |
Ronald Wayne Laws (born October 3, 1950) [1] is an American jazz [2] and smooth jazz saxophonist, and singer. He is the younger brother of jazz flutist Hubert Laws, jazz vocalist Eloise Laws and the older brother of Debra Laws. [3]
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, United States, [1] Laws is the fifth of eight children. He started playing the saxophone at the age of 11. [4]
He attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, for two years.
In 1971, Laws journeyed to Los Angeles, California to embark upon a musical career. He started off by performing with trumpeter Hugh Masekela. In 1972, Laws joined the band Earth, Wind & Fire, where he played saxophone and flute on their album Last Days and Time . After 18 months working with Earth, Wind and Fire, he decided to become a solo artist. [4] In 1975, Laws issued his debut album entitled Pressure Sensitive on Blue Note Records. [5] The album reached No. 25 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart. [6] In 1976, Laws went on to release his second LP Fever . [7] The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard Top Soul LPs chart. [8]
His third album, Friends & Strangers , was issued in 1977 on United Artists Records. [9] The album has been certified gold in the US by the RIAA. [10] Laws' fourth studio LP, entitled Flame was released in September 1978 on United Artists. [11] The LP reached No. 16 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart. [12]
His follow up album Every Generation was issued in 1980 by United Artists Records. [13] The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart. [14]
Laws produced and sang on Debra Laws' 1981 album Very Special. He later played saxophone on Ramsey Lewis' 1983 album Les Fleurs, Sister Sledge's 1983 LP Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls , Deniece Williams' 1984 album Let's Hear It for the Boy and Jeff Lorber's 1984 LP In the Heat of the Night . Laws also performed on Alphonse Mouzon's 1985 album The Sky Is the Limit and 1988 LP Early Spring. He then made guest appearances on Howard Hewett's 1988 LP Forever and Ever , Norman Brown's 1992 album Just Between Us and Earth, Wind & Fire's 1993 LP Millennium . [15]
Laws has also worked with artists such as Guru, Brian Culbertson, and the Crusaders. [15]
Artists such as jazz saxophonist Boney James and jazz guitarist Norman Brown have been influenced by Laws. [16] [17]
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Record label | Certifications (sales thresholds) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [18] | US R&B [19] | US Jazz [20] | US Con. Jazz [21] | US Tra. Jazz [22] | ||||
1975 | Pressure Sensitive | 73 | 25 | — | — | — | Blue Note | |
1976 | Fever | 46 | 13 | — | — | — | Blue Note | |
1977 | Friends & Strangers | 37 | 13 | — | — | — | Blue Note | Gold: RIAA [23] |
1978 | Flame | 51 | 16 | — | — | — | United Artists | |
1980 | Every Generation | 24 | 4 | — | — | — | United Artists | |
1981 | Solid Ground | 51 | 17 | — | — | — | Liberty | |
1983 | Mr. Nice Guy | 98 | 24 | — | — | 19 | Capitol | |
1984 | Classic Masters (compilation) | — | 33 | — | — | 16 | Capitol | |
1986 | Mirror Town | — | — | — | — | — | Columbia | |
1987 | All Day Rhythm | — | — | — | — | — | Columbia | |
1989 | True Spirit | — | — | — | 13 | — | Par Records | |
1990 | Identity | — | 80 | — | 19 | — | ATA Records | |
1992 | Deep Soul | — | — | — | 6 | — | Par Records | |
1993 | Brotherhood | — | — | — | — | — | 101 South Records | |
1995 | Natural Laws | — | — | 34 | 25 | — | The Right Stuff/EMI | |
1997 | Tribute to the Legendary Eddie Harris | — | — | — | — | — | Blue Note | |
1998 | Harvest for the World (Portrait of the Isley Brothers) | — | — | 41 | — | — | Blue Note | |
2000 | Dream a Little | — | — | — | 16 | — | HDH Records | |
2004 | Everlasting | — | — | 39 | 25 | — | HDH Records | |
Year | Title | Chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
US [24] | US R&B [25] | ||
1975 | "Always There" | - | 45 |
1978 | "Love Is Here" | - | 57 |
1979 | "All for You" | - | 93 |
1980 | "Every Generation" | - | 12 |
1981 | "Stay Awake" | 60 | 19 |
"There's a Way" | - | 75 | |
1983 | "In the Groove" | - | 31 |
"Mr. Nice Guy" | - | 80 | |
1985 | "City Girl" | - | 31 |
1991 | "Morning in My Life" | - | 76 |
2000 | "Old Days / Old Ways" | - | 36 |
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.
Boney James is an American saxophonist, songwriter, record producer and recording artist.
The Emotions are an American soul/R&B vocal group from Chicago. The group started out in gospel music but transitioned into R&B and disco music. The Emotions were named by VH1 as one of the 18 most influential girl groups of all time.
Maurice White was an American musician, best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter and chief producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, also serving as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.
That's the Way of the World is the sixth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on March 3, 1975, by Columbia Records. It was also the soundtrack for a 1975 motion picture of the same name. The album rose to No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts. That's the Way of the World has also been certified Triple Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA. In 2002, the band released live version of the album, recorded in 1975 – That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75.
Philip James Bailey is an American singer, songwriter and percussionist, best known as an early member and one of the two lead singers of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. Noted for his four-octave vocal range and distinctive falsetto register, Bailey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire. Bailey was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his work with the band.
Gratitude is a double live album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, issued in November 1975 by Columbia Records. The album spent six weeks atop the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and three weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart. Gratitude has also been certified Triple Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Roland Bautista was an American guitarist. He was best known for his work with Earth, Wind & Fire. He also worked with such artists as Ronnie Laws, The Crusaders, George Duke and Randy Crawford.
Larry Dunn is an American keyboardist, producer and musical director. He was one of the early members of the music group Earth, Wind & Fire. Dunn was later inducted, as a former band member, into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. Within which he's also been bestowed with ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, 7 Grammy Awards, 4 American Music Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Dunn is a co-composer of EWF's "Shining Star", a song that's been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Spirit is the seventh studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on September 28, 1976, by Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts. Spirit has also been certified Double Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Open Our Eyes is the fifth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in March 1974 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 15 on the Top Pop Albums chart. Open Our Eyes has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Faces is the tenth studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire released on October 14, 1980, on ARC/Columbia Records. The album reached number 10 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, number 2 on the Billboard Top Soul albums chart and number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. Faces was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
Last Days and Time is the third studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in October 1972 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 15 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 9 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart.
Head to the Sky is the fourth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in May 1973 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 2 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. Head to the Sky has also been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Pressure Sensitive is the debut album by American saxophonist Ronnie Laws released in 1975 by Blue Note. The album reached No. 25 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.
Fever is the second album of American saxophonist Ronnie Laws released in 1976 by Blue Note Records. The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard Top Soul LPs chart.
Robert Brookins was an American singer, songwriter, producer and musician. A member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire he also worked with artists such as George Duke, Stephanie Mills, Stanley Clarke and The Whispers.
Flame is the fourth studio album by American saxophonist Ronnie Laws, released in September 1978 by United Artists Records. The album reached No. 16 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.
What You Hear Is What You Get – Live at Carnegie Hall is a live album by Ike & Tina Turner released on United Artists Records in 1971.
'Nuff Said is a studio album by Ike & Tina Turner released on United Artists Records in 1971.