Gordon Banks (musician)
Encyclopedia
Gordon Banks aka Gordon 'Guitar' Banks, is an American guitarist, producer, writer and musical director. He was voted one of the top 100 guitarists in America in 1985.
Banks played an important part in Marvin Gaye
's later years. Gaye referred to him as "ID" meaning "The Indicator".
. Adept at playing instruments at an early age, he joined his first band, The Showmen, at the age of twelve playing guitar. The group, noted for beach music
, was created by later Chairmen of the Board leader General Norman Johnson
. The group was noted for their minor hit single, "39-31-40 Shape". Banks would soon leave the band and Norfolk following his graduation at Norfolk State University
, moving to Los Angeles
where he landed gigs playing guitar for funk groups such as The Gap Band, New Birth
, and Mandrill
, gospel musician Edwin Hawkins
and Motown superstar Stevie Wonder
.
Marvin Gaye
-Here, My Dear 1978 -
New Birth – Platinum City 1979
Marvin Gaye
– Live In Montreux 1980
High Inergy
-High Inergy 1981
Marvin Gaye
-In Our Lifetime 1981
Marvin Gaye
– Live In Ostend 1981
Edwin Hawkins
-Edwin Hawkins Live 1981
Marvin Gaye
-Midnight Love 1982
Edwin Hawkins
-Edwin Hawkins Live Vol II 1982
Penitentiary II 1982
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Marvin Gaye
1983
Mona Lisa Young-Knife 1983
Phyllis St James- Aint No Turning Back-1984
Eddie Murphy
-How Could It Be 1985
Krystol-Talk Of The Town 1985
Marvin Gaye
-Dream of a Lifetime 1985
Marvin Gaye
-Romantically Yours 1986
Barry White
-Put Me In Your Mix 1991
in 1976. After a year, Banks joined Gaye's band. After first working with Gaye with the funk hit, "Got to Give It Up
" and playing guitar with Gaye on his 1977 U.S. tour, Banks helped in directing the music for Gaye's 1978 album, Here, My Dear
. Their musical partnership grew and Banks was soon performing all over the world with Gaye as his musical director and guitarist.
Banks was one of the few in Gaye's revolving door of backup musicians to continue to accompany him even as several musicians would leave, some later suing Gaye for failing to pay them money for earnings during the tour. Banks contributed on Gaye's final Motown album, In Our Lifetime, and was the musical director of Gaye's acclaimed 1980 European tour. In 1981, when Gaye moved to Belgium on a tax exile
, Banks relocated to Ostend
where Gaye was staying with musical promoter Freddy Couseart. Banks helped out on Gaye's short "Heavy Love Affair" European tour that year and after the tour, helped in creating music for what turned out to be Gaye's final album in his lifetime, Midnight Love
.
Released in 1982, Midnight Love became the biggest-selling album of Gaye's career, and its parent single, "Sexual Healing
", became a smash hit. Banks contributed to the song singing background and playing rhythm guitar
. Banks wrote the tune, "My Love is Waiting
", for another group but when the group failed to show up for a recording session, he rewrote the song for Gaye to record. While "Sexual Healing" was a huge hit in the UK, Marvin's label CBS
, released "My Love is Waiting" as a promotional single. Boost of the song sent it to number thirty-four on the UK charts. Banks again was the musical director of Gaye's final concert tour in 1983.
Following Gaye's tragic death in 1984, Banks finished production on a posthumous album, 1985's Dream of a Lifetime
, which included unfinished recordings Gaye had done between 1971 and 1982. Among the 1982 recordings included leftover Midnight Love tracks such as "Sanctified Lady
", which was essentially a demo, with Harvey Fuqua
adding in background vocalists, and Banks adding in electro-funk
influences. Banks produced another unfinished Midnight Love track, "Masochistic Beauty", which was a biographical account of Gaye's penchant for S&M. Banks played vocoder background vocals on the track. Banks also finished production on a 1978 demo, "Savage in the Sack". David Ritz
later contended that Gaye wouldn't have wanted the songs to be released but due to CBS looking to finish the singer's unfinished contractual obligations, they were put out to help in royalties for the singer's estate.
Banks played an important part in Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
's later years. Gaye referred to him as "ID" meaning "The Indicator".
Early life and career
Gordon Banks was born on February 22, 1955 in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. Adept at playing instruments at an early age, he joined his first band, The Showmen, at the age of twelve playing guitar. The group, noted for beach music
Beach music
Beach music, also known as Carolina beach music, is a regional genre which developed from various musical styles of the forties, fifties and sixties. These styles ranged from big band swing instrumentals to the more raucous sounds of blues/jump blues, jazz, doo-wop, boogie, rhythm and blues,...
, was created by later Chairmen of the Board leader General Norman Johnson
General Norman Johnson
General Norman Johnson was the frontman of Chairmen of the Board and an American rhythm and blues songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
. The group was noted for their minor hit single, "39-31-40 Shape". Banks would soon leave the band and Norfolk following his graduation at Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University is a four-year, state-supported, coed, liberal arts, historically black university located in Norfolk, Virginia. It is member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and the Virginia High-Tech Partnership.-Academics:...
, moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
where he landed gigs playing guitar for funk groups such as The Gap Band, New Birth
New Birth (band)
New Birth is an American funk and R&B group, originally conceived in Detroit, Michigan by former Motown songwriter/producer and veteran musician Vernon Bullock, and co-founded in Louisville, Kentucky by Vernon, with former Motown songwriter/producer Harvey Fuqua, and music industry veterans, Tony...
, and Mandrill
Mandrill (band)
Mandrill is an American funk band formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1968. The band was formed by three brothers: Carlos Wilson , Lou Wilson and Ric Wilson . The brothers were born in Panama and grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn...
, gospel musician Edwin Hawkins
Edwin Hawkins
Edwin Hawkins is a Grammy Award-winning American gospel and R&B musician, pianist, choir master, composer and arranger. He is one of the originators of the urban contemporary gospel sound. He are best known for his arrangement of "Oh Happy Day" , which was included on the Songs of the Century list...
and Motown superstar Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
.
Discography
Gordon BanksGordon Banks
Gordon Banks, OBE is a retired English football goalkeeper. The IFFHS named Banks the second best goalkeeper of the 20th century – after Lev Yashin and ahead of Dino Zoff ....
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
-Here, My Dear 1978 -
New Birth – Platinum City 1979
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
– Live In Montreux 1980
High Inergy
High Inergy
High Inergy was an American R&B and soul girl group who found fame on Motown Records in the late 1970s. They are best known for their hit, "You Can't Turn Me Off ".-History:...
-High Inergy 1981
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
-In Our Lifetime 1981
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
– Live In Ostend 1981
Edwin Hawkins
Edwin Hawkins
Edwin Hawkins is a Grammy Award-winning American gospel and R&B musician, pianist, choir master, composer and arranger. He is one of the originators of the urban contemporary gospel sound. He are best known for his arrangement of "Oh Happy Day" , which was included on the Songs of the Century list...
-Edwin Hawkins Live 1981
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
-Midnight Love 1982
Edwin Hawkins
Edwin Hawkins
Edwin Hawkins is a Grammy Award-winning American gospel and R&B musician, pianist, choir master, composer and arranger. He is one of the originators of the urban contemporary gospel sound. He are best known for his arrangement of "Oh Happy Day" , which was included on the Songs of the Century list...
-Edwin Hawkins Live Vol II 1982
Penitentiary II 1982
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Gladys Knight & the Pips
Gladys Knight & The Pips were an R&B/soul family musical act from Atlanta, Georgia, active from 1953 to 1989. The group was best known for their string of hit singles on Motown's "Soul" record label and Buddah Records from 1967 to 1975, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight...
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
1983
Mona Lisa Young-Knife 1983
Phyllis St James- Aint No Turning Back-1984
Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
-How Could It Be 1985
Krystol-Talk Of The Town 1985
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
-Dream of a Lifetime 1985
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
-Romantically Yours 1986
Barry White
Barry White
Barry White, born Barry Eugene Carter , was an American composer and singer-songwriter.A five-time Grammy Award-winner known for his distinctive bass voice and romantic image, White's greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with the Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring...
-Put Me In Your Mix 1991
Work with Marvin Gaye
Banks first got acquainted with Marvin GayeMarvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
in 1976. After a year, Banks joined Gaye's band. After first working with Gaye with the funk hit, "Got to Give It Up
Got to Give It Up
"Got to Give It Up" is a funk/disco song by American recording artist Marvin Gaye. Written by the singer and produced by Art Stewart, it was recorded in three studio dates in 1976 with a final mixing in early 1977...
" and playing guitar with Gaye on his 1977 U.S. tour, Banks helped in directing the music for Gaye's 1978 album, Here, My Dear
Here, My Dear
Here, My Dear is a studio double album by soul musician Marvin Gaye, released December 15, 1978 on Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Marvin's Room in Hollywood, California from 1976 to 1977. A deeply personal and controversial album, Here, My Dear is notable for...
. Their musical partnership grew and Banks was soon performing all over the world with Gaye as his musical director and guitarist.
Banks was one of the few in Gaye's revolving door of backup musicians to continue to accompany him even as several musicians would leave, some later suing Gaye for failing to pay them money for earnings during the tour. Banks contributed on Gaye's final Motown album, In Our Lifetime, and was the musical director of Gaye's acclaimed 1980 European tour. In 1981, when Gaye moved to Belgium on a tax exile
Tax exile
A tax exile is one who chooses to leave a country with a high tax burden and instead to reside in a foreign nation or jurisdiction which takes a lower portion of earnings. Going into tax exile is a means of tax mitigation or avoidance.-Legal status:...
, Banks relocated to Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
where Gaye was staying with musical promoter Freddy Couseart. Banks helped out on Gaye's short "Heavy Love Affair" European tour that year and after the tour, helped in creating music for what turned out to be Gaye's final album in his lifetime, Midnight Love
Midnight Love
Midnight Love is the final studio album recorded and issued by American soul singer Marvin Gaye and was the singer's first release from Columbia months after leaving his longtime label, Motown. It claimed the number one slot on NME Album of the Year....
.
Released in 1982, Midnight Love became the biggest-selling album of Gaye's career, and its parent single, "Sexual Healing
Sexual Healing
"Sexual Healing" is a 1982 song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye on the Columbia Records label. It was his first single since his exit from his long-term record label Motown earlier in the year, following the release of the In Our Lifetime album the previous year...
", became a smash hit. Banks contributed to the song singing background and playing rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
. Banks wrote the tune, "My Love is Waiting
My Love Is Waiting
"My Love is Waiting" is a song written by musician Gordon Banks and recorded and released by American singer Marvin Gaye, as a European-only single in early 1983, it was also the last track on Gaye's final album in his lifetime, Midnight Love.-Background:...
", for another group but when the group failed to show up for a recording session, he rewrote the song for Gaye to record. While "Sexual Healing" was a huge hit in the UK, Marvin's label CBS
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
, released "My Love is Waiting" as a promotional single. Boost of the song sent it to number thirty-four on the UK charts. Banks again was the musical director of Gaye's final concert tour in 1983.
Following Gaye's tragic death in 1984, Banks finished production on a posthumous album, 1985's Dream of a Lifetime
Dream of a Lifetime
Dream of a Lifetime was the first posthumously released compilation of music by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. It spawned the #2 R&B hit, "Sanctified Lady".-Background:...
, which included unfinished recordings Gaye had done between 1971 and 1982. Among the 1982 recordings included leftover Midnight Love tracks such as "Sanctified Lady
Sanctified Lady
"Sanctified Lady" is a song by American soul singer Marvin Gaye, released posthumously in 1985 by Columbia Records.The title of the track was originally "Sanctified Pussy", a phrase which Gaye can be heard mumbling during certain parts while the chorus chants "sanctified lady"...
", which was essentially a demo, with Harvey Fuqua
Harvey Fuqua
Harvey Fuqua, was an African-American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive.Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s...
adding in background vocalists, and Banks adding in electro-funk
Electro-funk
Electro-funk or electrofunk is an umbrella term for several genres of electronic dance music, notably:*boogie , a post-disco music genre from the late 1970s and precursor to electro music...
influences. Banks produced another unfinished Midnight Love track, "Masochistic Beauty", which was a biographical account of Gaye's penchant for S&M. Banks played vocoder background vocals on the track. Banks also finished production on a 1978 demo, "Savage in the Sack". David Ritz
David Ritz
David Ritz is an American author, most of whose books are biographies of soul music and R&B legends such as Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Janet Jackson. On four occasions, his co-authored autobiographies of musicians have been awarded the Ralph J...
later contended that Gaye wouldn't have wanted the songs to be released but due to CBS looking to finish the singer's unfinished contractual obligations, they were put out to help in royalties for the singer's estate.