Gene McDaniels(1935-2011)

Eugene McDaniels is respected by his peers, including such legends as Roberta Flack, Chick Corea, Phyllis Hyman, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Gladys Knight, Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson, Ron Carter, Aretha Franklin and B.B. King. McDaniels has written for, and with, most of his peers. He has produced for such major record companies as Ode, A&M, MGM, BMG, CBS Sony, Capitol, Motown, and many independent labels. He has had seven top-ten records in the various capacities of producer, writer and artist. In 1986 he received an award at BMI's Annual "Million Airs" function for the creation, production and publishing of a major work that has achieved over 3,000,000 performances--"Feel Like Makin' Love", originally recorded by Roberta Flack, which has now achieved over 4,000,000 performances and been recorded on nearly 400 albums. Gene's composition "Compared to What" has appeared in eight major films, including The Ice Storm (1997) starring Sigourney Weaver and Casino (1995) starring Robert De Niro, and was recently featured in an international Coca-Cola marketing campaign. Gene's first hit, "100 Pounds of Clay", reached #1 and remained on the charts for four months. Then came other recordings, which all reached the Top Five. Gene publishes his own and personal friends' music through his company Skyforest Music BMI, in New York City. Like the Japanese masters, who by age 60 recreate themselves by accepting the challenge of a new career, Gene is writing and producing film using a body of work personally created and developed by himself and his writing partner.