Ray Parker Jr. on working with Bill Withers, Boz Scaggs
Guitarist Ray Parker Jr. describes collaborating with "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean on Me" singer-songwriter Bill Withers. Boz Scaggs weighs in on Parker's contributions to the song "Jojo."
Video Transcript
[MUSIC - BILL WITHERS, "LOVELY DAY"]
RAY PARKER, JR. First of all, when I got call and come play on Bill Withers' record-- I guess he heard about me from some other people-- but you know, I loved Bill Withers' records. So I thought this was just too cool. You know, I'm going to play with Bill Withers.
BILL WITHERS: (SINGING) When I wake up in the morning, love, and the sunlight hurts my eyes, and something without warning, love--
RAY PARKER, JR.: If you look at the back of the album, you'll see me in swimming trunks, eating barbecue, laying on the grass. [CHUCKLES] It's that [INAUDIBLE]. And so we go to Bill's house, and he loves to talk, right. So he's starting this song, and I'm thinking, wow, this could be one of those hits, like, you know, the other hits he's got.
BILL WITHERS: (SINGING) Just one look at you--
RAY PARKER, JR.: And so I came up with a little pluck chorus line on the guitar.
[PLUCKS GUITAR STRINGS]
A lot of people play different guitar parts, that's the guitar part on the song.
BILL WITHERS: (SINGING) Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day. A lovely day--
[MUSIC - BOZ SCAGGS, "JOJO"]
BOZ SCAGGS: The song "Jojo" was-- was Ray and Steve Lukather. [VOCALIZING] De-da-de-da-de-de-dit. Ch-ch-ch. De-da-de--
It's this little relentless thing that's more in the style of [INAUDIBLE]-- what Ray does to a song. It's just what Ray does.
(SINGING) --his gun.
He's always come through with the good stuff. And I just love him, so I get to see him and hang out to--
(SINGING) --mean to.
