Donald Geoffrey Peake
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| Donald Geoffrey Peake | |
|---|---|
| Born | Donald Geoffrey Peake June 7, 1940 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| 🏳️ Nationality | American |
| 💼 Occupation | Guitarist, arranger, composer |
| 📆 Years active | 1961–present |
| Known for | Member of The Wrecking Crew |
| Notable work | The People Under the Stairs, Let's Get It On (Marvin Gaye), ABC (The Jackson 5) |
| 🏅 Awards | Inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame (2007) |
Donald Geoffrey Peake (born June 7, 1940, Los Angeles) is an American guitar player, arranger and composer. He has performed on innumerable recordings, including many as a session musician, arranger or producer and member of The Wrecking Crew studio musicians. He is also a film and television music composer.
Biography[edit]
In 1961 Peake's professional career began as lead guitarist with The Everly Brothers.[1] at the age of 21, playing in the U.S. and Europe for two years. Peake returned to Los Angeles to establish himself as a recording musican and played on many of the legendary recordings under Phil Spector[2]'s production including The Righteous Brothers'[3] Ike & Tina Turner's "River Deep – Mountain High"[4] as well as recording with Mahalia Jackson[5], Cannonball Adderley[6] and Marvin Gaye.[7]
In 1964 Peake became the first white musician to play with the Ray Charles[8] Orchestra, touring with Charles and recording with him for ten years. During that time Peake studied guitar with Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts and Joe Pass. Peake became one of the busiest session guitarists in Los Angeles, recording for Jan and Dean,[9] The Mamas and the Papas[10], Sonny & Cher[11], The Beach Boys[12] and many others. Don was inducted into an elite group of studio musicians led by drummer Hal Blaine[13] known as "The Wrecking Crew".
He played lead guitar for Marvin Gaye[14] (Let's Get It On) and on all The Jackson 5's original hitsLiving Legend: Don Peake - Premier Guitar, "ABC", "I Want You Back[15]", etc. Peake was a staff guitarist for Motown Records when the company moved to Los Angeles in the early seventies and played on many of the top Motown artists recordings.
Peake also played on all of Barry White[16][17]'s hit records, several of which he arranged.
He was then moving into arranging and composition. His first arrangement was Tim Hardin's "If I Were a Carpenter[18]" for Bobby Darin. He contributed arrangements to Gloria Gaynor's platinum album Love Tracks[19], the first disco record to become a pop crossover.
Peake has also composed music for film and commercials. He studied composition and orchestration with Dr. Albert Harris, Academy Award winning composer Paul Glass and conducting with Samuel Krachmalnick.
In addition to his music career, Peake served in the United States Coast Guard Reserve for 8 years as a damage control man Second Class, and was honorably discharged.
Peake also participated in road racing and was the Southern Pacific Division Champion (SCCA) in 1968.[20] He also held the course record for the fastest lap at Riverside Raceway, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix International Raceway for many years and finished 3rd for the National Championship in 1968.
He earned a United States Coast Guard 100 ton Captains License for mechanical and sail in 1983.
After serving 27 years as a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Reserve Detective, Peake was honorably retired in 2016.
Don Peake is a member of the Music Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and also the Television Academy. He has served as a judge for the Grammy Award arranging category and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Composers and Lyricists. He was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame[21] in Nashville, Tennessee, on November 26, 2007.
Recently Don Peake, along with fellow Wrecking Crew members Don Randi and Chuck Berghofer and in conjunction with Denny Tedesco (producer/director The Wrecking Crew film), have been performing around the Los Angeles area with their "Wrecking Crew - Golden Hits With a Splash of Motown"[22] shows.
Discography[edit]
With Jermaine Jackson
- Frontiers[23] Motown 1978 – Arranger
- Let's Get Serious[24] Motown 1980 Album – Arranger
With Gloria Gaynor
- Love Tracks[25] Polydor 1978 – Arranger
With The Monkees
- [26] More of the Monkees] Colgems 1967 – Guitar, Arranger
With Minnie Riperton
- Stay In Love (Album) Epic 1977[27] – Arranger
With Barry White
- The Love Unlimited Orchestra Trend[16] 1973 – Arranger, Songwriter
- Love Unlimited Orchestra – Let 'Em Dance [28] Versailles 1993 – Arranger, Guitar
With Bobby Darin
- If I Were a Carpenter [29] Atlantic 1966 – Arranger, Guitar
With Tim Hardin
- Tim Hardin 2 Verve 1967[30]
With Tavares
- Don't Take Away the Music[31] – Capital 1976
With Noel Harrison
- Suzanne[32] – Reprise 1968
With Jan and Dean
- Jan and Dean Meet Batman [33] Liberty 1966 – Guitar
With Tommy Sands
- Candy Store Prophet/Second Star to the Left[34] Imperial 1967 – Arranger
With Priscilla Paris
With Sonny Bono
- My Best Friend's Girl is Out of Sight/Pammie's on a Bummer[37] Atco Records 1967 – Arranger
With Del Shannon
- The Further Adventures Of Charles Westover[38] Liberty 1968 – Orchestrator
- Raindrops/You Don't Love Me Liberty[39] 1968 – Arranger
With Brian Hyland
- Come With Me/Delilah [40] Dot Records 1968 – Orchestrator
With The Eric Ekstrand Ensemble
- Spiked Heel Stomp [41] Roller Coasters 1998 – Producer
With Wayne Newton
- Husbands and Wives/I Just Can't Help Believin'[42] MGM 1968 – Arranger
Filmography[edit]
Films Scored by Don Peake:
- Frankie and Johnny Are Married [43] Director: Michael Pressman
- A Fare To Remember [44] Starring Malcom Jamal Warner, Challen Cates, John Ratzenberger. Director: Jim Yukich
- The People Under the Stairs [45] Universal Pictures / Director: Wes Craven
- Hard Justice [46] Starring David Bradley New Line Pictures / Director: Greg Yaitanes
- The Dangerous [47] Orion Pictures / David Winters
- Modern Love (1990 film) [48] Starring Robby Benson Soisson-Murphy / Director: Robby Benson
- Walk Proud [49] Starring Robby Benson Universal Pictures / Turman-Foster
- The Hills Have Eyes (1977 film) Peter Locke / Wes Craven Director: Wes Craven
Selected Short Films Scored by Don Peake:
- Violet/Violet [50] Academy Award Winner Best Short Subject, Live Action Shelley Levinson / AFI
- Leon's Case [51] Golden Award Winner Best Short Subject, Live Action
- In the Region of Ice [52] Academy Award Winner Best Short Subject, Live Action Peter Werner / AFI
- The Bulkin Trail [53] Golden Eagle Award, Christopher Award, Bronze Apple Winner Starring David Hasselhoff Upstart Productions / Michael Nathanson
Selected Movies For Television:
- Code of Vengeance 1985 Universal Pictures TV / NBC
- The Meeting [54] 1989 American Playhouse / Bill Duke
Television Series and Specials:
- Taxicab Confessions[55] HBO
- Knight Rider[56] (77 Episodes) Universal Pictures Television
- My Two Dads[57] (Theme & Episodes) Tri Star Entertainment / Michael Jacobs
Peake has also scored over 40 television commercials.
References[edit]
- ↑ Sharp, Ken (December 9, 2015). "Albert Lee on Everly Brothers, the Crickets and Decades of Rock History (Interview)".
- ↑ Ribowsky, Mark (1989) He's a Rebel: Phil Spector--Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer, First Cooper Square Press Edition 2000 P. 50 ISBN 978-0-8154-1044-7 Search this book on
.
- ↑ "The Righteous Brothers – Back To Back (1965, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "Ike & Tina Turner – River Deep ~ Mountain High (1966, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ Kubernik, Harvey (October 31, 2013). "IZZY CHAIT By Harvey Kubernik | Cave Hollywood".
- ↑ "Cannonball Adderley – Big Man: The Legend Of John Henry (1975, Gatefold, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "Release "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye - MusicBrainz".
- ↑ Hartman, Kent (2012) The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret United States: St. Martin's Press. P. 81 - 86 ISBN 9780312619749, 031261974X Search this book on .
- ↑ Moore, Mark A. (3 March 2016). The Jan & Dean Record: A Chronology of Studio Sessions, Live Performances and Chart Positions. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786498123. Search this book on
- ↑ "The Mamas & The Papas – People Like Us (1971, Terre Haute Press, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "BEHIND THE MAKING OF SONNY & CHER Chapter 5 1967 Atco Imperial releases GOOD TIMES". www.sonnycher.com.
- ↑ Badman, Keith (2004) The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary of America's Greatest Band, on Stage and in the Studio, Backbeat Books p. 392 ISBN 0-87930-818-4 Search this book on .
- ↑ Blaine, Hal, Bonzai, Mr. (2010) Hal Blaine and the Wrecking Crew, Rebeats Publications [. 70 ISBN 0-918371-01-5 Search this book on ..
- ↑ "Living Legend: Don Peake - Premier Guitar".
- ↑ "Michael Jackson – The Ultimate Collection (2004, CD) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Kubernik: Barry White – Rocker and Disco Icon". Music Connection Magazine. August 15, 2023.
- ↑ "Barry White – Let The Music Play (1976, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "1966 Bobby Darin – If I Were A Carpenter | Sessiondays".
- ↑ "Gloria Gaynor - Love Tracks".
- ↑ https://cdn.connectsites.net/user_files/scca/downloads/000/007/320/07-club-mediaguide2.pdf?1433533922
- ↑ "Inductees". Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.
- ↑ "The El Portal Theatre". elportaltheatre.com.
- ↑ "Jermaine Jackson – Frontiers (1978, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "Jermaine Jackson – Let's Get Serious (1980, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "Gloria Gaynor – Love Tracks (1978, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "More of the Monkees".
- ↑ "1977 Minnie Riperton – Stay In Love | Sessiondays".
- ↑ "Let Em Dance" – via Amazon.
- ↑ http://bobbydarin.com/acarpenter.html
- ↑ Chilton, Martin (April 1, 2023). "'Tim Hardin 2': A Beautiful Album That Stands The Test Of Time".
- ↑ "Tavares – Don't Take Away The Music / Guiding Star (1976, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "Noel Harrison – Suzanne (1967, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "Facebook". www.facebook.com.
- ↑ "45cat - Tommy Sands - Candy Store Prophet / Second Star To The Left - Imperial - USA - 66229".
- ↑ Records, Ace. "Love, Priscilla". Ace Records.
- ↑ "Priscilla Paris : Love Priscilla -- Her 1960s Solo Recordings (Priscilla Sings Herself/Priscilla Sings Billie/bonus tracks) (CD)" – via www.dustygroove.com.
- ↑ "Sonny – My Best Friend's Girl Is Out Of Sight / Pammie's On A Bummer (1968, Plastic Products, Vinyl) - Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "Del Shannon - The Further Adventures Of Charles Westover | Releases | Discogs". Discogs.
- ↑ "DELSHANNON.COM - Full Length Biography". www.delshannon.com.
- ↑ "Psych! Brian Hyland Del Shannon Come With Me / Delilah | #151022738". Worthpoint.
- ↑ "Recordings". www.ericekstrandmusic.com.
- ↑ "45cat - Wayne Newton - Husbands And Wives / I Just Can't Help Believin' - MGM - USA - K-14014".
- ↑ "FRANKIE AND JOHNNY ARE MARRIED". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA.
- ↑ McCarthy, Todd (April 19, 1999). "A Fare to Remember".
- ↑ "The People Under the Stairs (1991)" – via letterboxd.com.
- ↑ "Hard Justice (1995)" – via www.filmaffinity.com.
- ↑ "The Dangerous (1995)" – via letterboxd.com.
- ↑ "Modern Love (1990)" – via www.filmaffinity.com.
- ↑ Canby, Vincent (15 June 1979). "Film: 'Walk Proud' is Upbeat Gang Movie:West Coast Story". The New York Times.
- ↑ "Violet (S) (S) (1981)" – via www.filmaffinity.com.
- ↑ "Leon's Case (1982) | MUBI" – via mubi.com.
- ↑ "In the Region of Ice (1976)" – via www.filmaffinity.com.
- ↑ Scott, Tony (November 24, 1993). "The Bulkin Trail".
- ↑ https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=michael&p=259&item=T:24365
- ↑ "Taxicab Confessions".
- ↑ "Knight Rider Soundtracks by: Don Peake". www.kittstillrocks.com. March 5, 2019.
- ↑ "My two dads (TV Series) (1987)" – via www.filmaffinity.com.
External links[edit]
https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/guitarists/don-peake https://www.discogs.com/artist/386822-Don-Peake https://www.facebook.com/WreckingCrewFilm/posts/happy-birthday-to-guitarist-composer-and-arranger-don-peake-who-was-born-donald-/10158640333538023/
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