Special Guest Narada Michael Walden pictured with Don Puluse (left) and Section Chair Tony Schultz (right) at Annual Boston AES Banquet June 17. 2013.
Boston AES Section
June 2013 Meeting
with Narada Michael Walden
The Boston Section held their Annual Banquet on Monday June 17, 2013 at the Henderson House in Weston, Massachusetts. Section Chair Tony Schultz presented A Certificate of Recognition Award to Jonathan Sage for his many years of service to the Boston Section as a member of the Executive Committee.
The evening featured Emmy and multi Grammy Award-winning Producer / Composer / Musician Narada Michael Walden. His talk covered many aspects of his career; how he got started, how he broke through as a drummer with the guidance of Mahavishnu John McLaughlin and how he eventually found himself in the role as Producer.
Billboard Magazine honored him as one of the Top Ten Producers of all time for his work with Artists as diverse as Aretha Franklin (including the platinum "Freeway of Love."), Steve Winwood, Ray Charles, Wynonna Judd, Whitney Houston, George Michael, Mariah Carey, Barbara Streisand, Lionel Ritchie, Lisa Fischer, Stevie Wonder, Tom Jones, Jeff Beck and The Temptations.
Narada's career began at 21 years old as a drummer with the pioneering Mahavishnu Orchestra (following Billy Cobham) and eventually toured with Jeff Beck, Tommy Bolin, and Weather Report. With Jeff Beck, Narada wrote and played drums on the seminal album "Wired" that earned them both their first Gold Album. Walden was an integral part of introducing Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey to millions of fans worldwide, producing and writing their breakthrough hits that first brought these divas to the spotlight.
Through eleven acclaimed solo recordings, along the way he has branched into a wide range of sonic arenas. Walden's music includes groundbreaking soundtrack work on such blockbuster films as The Bodyguard, Free Willy, Beverly Hills Cops II, 9 ½ Weeks and Stuart Little to the EMMY-winning "One Moment In Time," the theme to the 1988 Olympic Games.
Walden was presented with a plague in recognition of his presentation to the Section. Following his talk he was available for additional questions, pictures with attendees and signing of his book about his work with Whitney Houston titled Whitney Houston: The Voice, the Music, the Inspiration.
