Don Edward Fagenson (born September 13, 1952), known professionally as Don Was (), is an American

musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...

record producer A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...

music director A music director, musical director or director of music is a person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert ...

, film composer, documentary filmmaker and radio host. Since 2011, he has also served as president of the American jazz label

Blue Note Records Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by History of the Jews in Germany, German-Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it deriv ...

. For his work as a record producer, he has won six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year in 1989 for

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In 1971, Raitt released her Bonnie Raitt (album), self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed Americana (mu ...

's '' Nick of Time'' and Producer of the Year in 1994. In 1995 he produced and directed a documentary about the life of

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025) was an American musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often Brian Wilson is a genius, called a genius for his novel approaches to pop compositio ...

, ''I Just Wasn't Made for These Times'', that won the San Francisco Film Festival's Golden Gate Award. As a film composer, he won the 1994 British Academy Award (BAFTA) for Best Original Score in recognition of his work on the film ''Backbeat''. He won the 2014

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

for Outstanding Music Direction for his work on the CBS TV special ''The Beatles: The Night That Changed America''. Records that he has produced have sold close to 100 million albums for a wide range of artists including

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...

John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but he left for Atlanta in 1997 with fellow guitarist Clay Cook, with whom he formed the short-liv ...

Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (August 25, 1933 – March 2, 2023) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader. Shorter came to mainstream prominence in 1959 upon joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, for whom he eventually became the primary comp ...

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a m ...

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter, actor and radio broadcaster. He was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band the Stooges, who were formed in 1 ...

The B-52s The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant grocer's apostrophe, apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate ...

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...

and

Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American Rock music, rock and Country music, country singer-songwriter. He has released 30 studio albums and three as a former member of Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams left Whiskeytown and released ...

. As an instrumentalist known mainly as a bassist, he has toured as a member of

Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with the Other Ones, later known as the Dead ...

and The Wolf Bros since 2018.

Life and career

Born in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, Was graduated from Oak Park High School in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, then attended the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

Ann Arbor Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

but dropped out after the first year. A

journeyman A journeyman is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee ...

musician, he grew up listening to the

Detroit blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple n ...

sound and the

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

music of

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

and

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

, amongst many others. As a teenager, Was was influenced by 1960s counterculture, most notably John Sinclair. In high school, Was became the lead singer and guitar player in a Detroit rock band called the Saturns. Using the stage name "Don Was", he formed the group

Was (Not Was) Was (Not Was) is an American band founded in 1979 in Detroit, Michigan, by David Weiss and Don Fagenson, who adopted the stage names David Was and Don Was. Their song catalog features an eclectic mix of pop and rock styles, often featuring g ...

with school friend David Weiss (

David Was David Jay Weiss, known as David Was, is an American musician, music producer and journalist. With his life-long friend and stage-brother Don Was, he was the founder of the 1980s pop group Was (Not Was). Career Was was born in Detroit, Michiga ...

). The group found commercial success in the 1980s – releasing four albums and logging several hit records. Their biggest hit was "Walk the Dinosaur", from their album ''

What up, Dog? ''What Up, Dog?'' is the third studio album by Was (Not Was). It became the group's breakthrough album worldwide and was ranked #99 on the ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the 100 Best Albums of the 1980s. The cover illustration was credited ...

'' A jazz/R&B album of

Hank Williams Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...

covers, " Forever's A Long, Long Time" was released in 1997, under the name Orquestra Was. In 2008, Was (Not Was) reunited for a new album titled '' Boo!'' and tour. Was has received six Grammy Awards including the 1994 Grammy Award for Producer of the Year. He produced several albums for

including her '' Nick of Time'' album that won the 1989

Grammy Award for Album of the Year The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is an award presented by the The Recording Academy, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the r ...

. Don also collaborated with co-producer

Ziggy Marley David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 2002, with whom he released eight studio albums. After ...

, on ''Family Time'', winner of 2009's Best Musical Album For Children. He produced

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

' 2016 album '' Blue and Lonesome,'' which won the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues album. He served as music director and/or consultant for several motion pictures such as ''

Thelma and Louise Thelma is a female given name. It was popularized by Victorian writer Marie Corelli who gave the name to the title character of her 1887 novel '' Thelma''. Although the character was supposed to be Norwegian, it is not a traditional Scandinavian n ...

'', '' The Rainmaker'', ''

Hope Floats ''Hope Floats'' is a 1998 American drama film directed by Forest Whitaker and starring Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jr., Mae Whitman, and Gena Rowlands. Written by Steven Rogers, the story follows Birdee (Bullock), a sheltered housewife whose ...

'', ''

Phenomenon A phenomenon ( phenomena), sometimes spelled phaenomenon, is an observable Event (philosophy), event. The term came into its modern Philosophy, philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be ...

'', ''

Tin Cup ''Tin Cup'' is a 1996 American romantic comedy sports film co-written and directed by Ron Shelton, and starring Kevin Costner and Rene Russo with Cheech Marin and Don Johnson in major supporting roles. The film received generally positive revie ...

'', ''

Honeymoon in Vegas ''Honeymoon in Vegas'' is a 1992 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Andrew Bergman and starring James Caan, Nicolas Cage and Sarah Jessica Parker. Plot Private eye Jack Singer swore to his mother on her deathbed that h ...

'', ''

8 Seconds ''8 Seconds'' is a 1994 American contemporary Western biographical drama film directed by John G. Avildsen. Its title refers to the length of time a bull rider is required to stay on for a ride to be scored. The film stars Luke Perry as Americ ...

'', ''

Switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type o ...

'', '' The Freshman'', ''

Days of Thunder ''Days of Thunder'' is a 1990 American sports action drama film produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The film stars Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes, Caroline Williams, a ...

'', ''

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

'', ''

Prêt-à-Porter Ready-to-wear (RTW)also called ''prêt-à-porter'', or off-the-rack or off-the-peg in casual useis the term for garments sold in finished condition in standardized sizes, as distinct from made-to-measure or bespoke clothing tailored to a parti ...

'', ''

Boys on the Side ''Boys on the Side '' is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross (in his final film as a director) and written by Don Roos. It stars Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker and Drew Barrymore. Real estate agent Robin finds Jane ...

'', ''

Toy Story ''Toy Story'' is a 1995 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the first installment in the Toy Story (franchise), ''Toy Story'' franchise and the Firsts in animation, firs ...

'' and '' The Paper''. In 1995, he directed and produced a documentary, ''

I Just Wasn't Made for These Times "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys from their 1966 album ''Pet Sounds''. Written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, the lyrics describe the disillusionment of someone who struggles to fit into so ...

'', about former

Beach Boy ''Beach Boy'' (1997) is the debut novel of Indian novelist Ardashir Vakil. It is a coming-of-age story (bildungsroman) set in 1970s Bombay. The novel won the Betty Trask Award and was nominated for the Whitbread Prize. It was first published by ...

. The film debuted at the

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...

and won the

San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by SFFILM, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in international film and vid ...

's Golden Gate Award. He also received the British Academy Award (

BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...

) for Best Original Score in recognition of his compositions for the film ''

Backbeat In music and music theory, the beat is the basic unit of time, the pulse (regularly repeating event), of the ''mensural level'' (or ''beat level''). The beat is often defined as the rhythm listeners would tap their toes to when listening to a pi ...

''. Was, a longtime

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

fan who saw them in concert when he was 12 in 1964, has produced for the band since 1994, working on their albums ''

Voodoo Lounge ''Voodoo Lounge'' is the twentieth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 11 July 1994. The album was their band's first release under their new alliance with Virgin Records and their first studio album in five year ...

'', '' Stripped'', ''

Bridges to Babylon ''Bridges to Babylon'' is the twenty-first studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released by Virgin Records on 29 September 1997. Released as a double album on vinyl and as a single CD, it was supported by the year-long worldw ...

'', ''

Forty Licks ''Forty Licks'' is a double compilation album by the Rolling Stones. A 40-year career-spanning retrospective, ''Forty Licks'' is notable for being the first retrospective to combine their formative Decca/London era of the 1960s, now licensed b ...

'', '' Live Licks'', ''

A Bigger Bang ''A Bigger Bang'' is the twenty-second studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released through Virgin Records on 5 September 2005. It was the band's last album of original material recorded entirely with Charlie Watts on drum ...

'', '' Blue & Lonesome'' and ''

Hackney Diamonds ''Hackney Diamonds'' is the twenty-fourth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 20 October 2023 on Polydor. It is the first album of original material by the Rolling Stones since 2005's ''A Bigger Bang'' an ...

''. He also worked on the Rolling Stones' reissues of ''

Exile on Main Street ''Exile on Main St.'' is the tenth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 12 May 1972, by Rolling Stones Records. The 10th released in the UK and 12th in the US, it is viewed as a culmination of a string of the ba ...

'', released in May 2010, and of ''

Some Girls ''Some Girls'' is the fourteenth studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 9 June 1978 by Rolling Stones Records. It was recorded in sessions held from October 1977 to February 1978 at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris ...

'' released in October 2011. Was scoured old master recordings of the albums for lost outtakes, remastering some songs while producing entirely new vocals and tracks on others. Was also produced

the B-52's The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, k ...

1989 album ''

Cosmic Thing ''Cosmic Thing'' is the fifth studio album by American New wave music, new wave band the B-52's, released in 1989 by Reprise Records. It contains the hit singles "Love Shack", "Roam" and "Deadbeat Club". The music video for "Love Shack" won the a ...

'', which included their hit "

Love Shack "Love Shack" is a song by American new wave band the B-52's from their fifth studio album, ''Cosmic Thing'' (1989). It was released on June 20, 1989, and was produced by Don Was. The song was a comeback for the band, following their decline in ...

". Since 2008, Was has hosted the proceedings (and led the house band) at the ''Detroit All-Star Revue'', an annual showcase of local acts from the Detroit music scene. From 2009 to 2012, Don hosted a weekly radio show on Sirius XM satellite radio's Outlaw Country channel called ''The Motor City Hayride''. During the 2011 season of American Idol, Was appeared in several episodes producing contestants Haley Reinhart, Scotty McCreery, Paul McDonald, Lauren Alaina and Casey Abrams. In January 2012, he was appointed president of the jazz record label,

in succession to

Bruce Lundvall Bruce Lundvall (September 13, 1935 – May 19, 2015) was an American record company executive, best known for his period as the President and CEO of the Blue Note Label Group, reporting directly to Eric Nicoli, the Chief Executive Officer of EMI ...

. He won the 2014

for Outstanding Music Direction for his work on the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

TV special '' The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles''. On November 18, 2015, at

DAR Constitution Hall DAR Constitution Hall is a List of concert halls, concert hall located at 1776 D Street NW, near the White House in Washington, D.C. It was built in 1929 by the Daughters of the American Revolution to house its annual convention when membership ...

in Washington, D.C., he led the house band that performed at a concert celebrating

, recipient of the 2015

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

Gershwin Prize for Popular Song The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is an award given to a composer or performer for their lifetime contributions to popular music. Created in 2007 by the United States Library of Congress, the prize is named after brothers ...

. In 2018, Was joined former

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...

guitarist

and drummer

Jay Lane Jay Lane (born December 5, 1964) is an American musician. He is a founding member of Bob Weir's RatDog, with Weir and Rob Wasserman, Wolf Bros, Furthur, Golden Gate Wingmen, Dead & Company and Alphabet Soup. He was the 5th and then later the 8 ...

to form

Wolf Bros Wolf Bros – also known as Bob Weir & Wolf Bros or Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros – is a rock band led by former Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Bob Weir. The band plays some Grateful Dead songs along with other roots rock music. History Wolf ...

, a trio which undertook a North American tour in the fall of 2018, and continued with a second tour of twenty more shows in the spring of 2019. On April 16, 2021, Was debuted a new radio show, the Don Was Motor City Playlist on WDET-FM, Detroit's NPR station, with co-host Ann Delisi. Was played bass on the 2021 Bob Dylan recordings of "

Blowin' in the Wind "Blowin' in the Wind" is a song written by Bob Dylan in 1962. It was released as a single and included on his album '' The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan'' in 1963. It has been described as a protest song and poses a series of rhetorical questions about ...

," "

Masters of War "Masters of War" is a song by Bob Dylan, written over the winter of 1962–63 and released on the album '' The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan'' in the spring of 1963. The song's melody was adapted from the traditional " Nottamun Town." Dylan's lyrics a ...

," " The Times They Are A-Changin'," "

Simple Twist of Fate "Simple Twist of Fate", a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, was recorded on September 19, 1974, and was released in 1975 as the second song on his 15th studio album '' Blood on the Tracks''. Background and recording "Simple Twist of ...

," "

Gotta Serve Somebody "Gotta Serve Somebody" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released as the opening track on his 1979 studio album '' Slow Train Coming''. It won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Male in ...

," and "

Not Dark Yet "Not Dark Yet" is a song by Bob Dylan, recorded in January 1997 and released in September that year as the seventh track on his album '' Time Out of Mind.'' It was also released as a single on August 25, 1997 and later anthologized on the compila ...

" produced by

T-Bone Burnett Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III (born January 14, 1948) is an American record producer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band during the 1970s. Burnett has won several Grammy Awards for his work on film sou ...

and recorded and mixed by Michael Piersante for a one-time sale as Ionic Originals. In 2023, it was announced that Was would join former

Dead & Company Dead & Company is an American rock band that formed in 2015 with a lineup of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar and vocals), Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), along with John Mayer (guitar and vocals), Oteil Burbridge ...

members Weir, Lane,

Jeff Chimenti Jeff Chimenti (born October 21, 1968) is an American keyboardist, best known for his ongoing work with former members of the Grateful Dead. Since May 1997 he has played with Bob Weir & RatDog, and has also played on every tour of The Dead (in ...

Oteil Burbridge Oteil Burbridge (born August 24, 1964) is an American multi-instrumentalist, specializing on the bass guitar, trained in playing jazz and classical music from an early age. He has achieved fame primarily on bass guitar during the resurgence of t ...

and

Mickey Hart Mickey Hart (born Michael Steven Hartman, September 11, 1943) is an American percussionist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 until February 19 ...

as part of Dead Ahead, a four-day festival in

Cancún Cancún is the most populous city in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, located in southeast Mexico on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is a significant tourist destination in Mexico and the seat of the municipality of Benito J ...

, Mexico in early 2024.

Personal life

Was is the son of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

veteran and

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious a ...

awardee Bill Fagenson, who served with the 96th Infantry, 381st Regiment. Was's sister is Nancy Potok, former Chief Statistician of the United States. Was is married to former

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), ...

A&R executive and video director Gemma Corfield, and they have three sons who are also musicians—

Tony Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony the Tiger, cartoon mascot for Frosted Flakes cereal * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * ...

, who played in

Eve 6 Eve 6, stylized as EVE 6 or EVƎ 6, is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Southern California, best known for its hit singles " Inside Out" and " Here's to the Night". It disbanded in 2004, returned for numerous tours in 2007 with a new l ...

, Henry who plays in Thumpasaurus and Justin Jay's Fantastic Voyage, and Solomon who has played in Leven Kali and Felly.

Selected discography

* 1981: ''

'' –

(bass, synthesizer, vocals, producer) * 1982: ''The Beat Goes On'' – Orbit featuring

Carol Hall Carol Hall (April 3, 1936 – October 11, 2018) was an American composer and lyricist. She was best known for composing the music and lyrics for the Broadway stage musical '' The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' (1978, adapted as a film in 19 ...

(co-producer) * 1983: ''

Born to Laugh at Tornadoes ''Born to Laugh at Tornadoes'' is a 1983 album by the art-funk band Was (Not Was). ''Rolling Stone'' declared it "conceptually, the best album of the year" shortly after its release. Despite the glowing reviews, ''Tornadoes'' made little commerc ...

'' – Was (Not Was) (producer, bass, keyboards, engineer) * 1984: ''Breathless'' –

Figures on a Beach Figures on a Beach was an early synth-pop and beyond band from Detroit, Michigan that was active from 1981 to 1992. The band had two charting singles in 1989: "Accidentally 4th Street (Gloria)", which reached #14 on the ''Billboard'' Modern Ro ...

(producer) * 1984: '' Into the Hot'' – Floy Joy (producer) * 1985: ''

Spoiled Girl ''Spoiled Girl'' is the 12th studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Epic Records, in June 1985. Recorded with a variety of producers in New York, this was Simon's only album for Epic. The album peaked at No. 88 on th ...

'' –

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Billboard Hot 100, top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation (song), Anticipatio ...

(producer) * 1985: '' TV Scene'' – Linda Di Franco (producer) * 1986 '' Weak in the Presence of Beauty'' – Floy Joy (producer) * 1986 '' Madness of It All'' – The Ward Brothers (producer) * 1986 " Cross That Bridge" – The Ward Brothers (producer) * 1988: ''

What Up, Dog? ''What Up, Dog?'' is the third studio album by Was (Not Was). It became the group's breakthrough album worldwide and was ranked #99 on the ''Rolling Stone'' magazine's list of the 100 Best Albums of the 1980s. The cover illustration was credited ...

'' – Was (Not Was) (producer, engineer, bass, guitar, keyboards) * 1989: '' Nick of Time'' –

(keyboards, producer) * 1989: ''

'' –

(producer) * 1990: ''

Take It to Heart ''Take It to Heart'' is the third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Michael McDonald. It was released on May 15, 1990, on the label Reprise, five years after his previous studio album, ''No Lookin' Back''. The album was slated to ...

'' – Michael McDonald (programming, producer, synthesizer, sequencing, synthesizer programming) * 1990: ''

Brick by Brick ''Brick by Brick'' is the ninth studio album by American singer Iggy Pop, released in June 1990 by Virgin Records. Production and content After attracting mixed reviews for much of his 1980s output, Pop hired producer Don Was, who was a lo ...

'' –

(producer) * 1990: ''

Under the Red Sky ''Under the Red Sky'' is the twenty-seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on September 10, 1990, by Columbia Records. It was produced by Don Was, David Was, and Dylan (under the pseudonym Jack Frost). The album ...

'' –

(bass, producer) * 1990: ''

To Be Continued A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious situation, facing a difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction or be ...

'' –

(producer) * 1991: '' Khaled'' – Khaled (producer, bass, keyboards) * 1991: '' Are You Okay?'' –

(producer, bass, engineer, guitar, vocals) * 1991: '' Luck of the Draw'' – Bonnie Raitt (producer) * 1991: '' The Fire Inside'' –

Bob Seger Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is a retired American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded with the groups Bob Seger and the Last Heard and the Bob Seger System throu ...

(bass, producer) * 1992: '' Kirya'' –

Ofra Haza Ofra Haza (; 19 November 1957 – 23 February 2000) was an Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress, commonly known in the Western world as " the Madonna of the East", or "the Israeli Madonna". Her voice has been described as a "tender" mezzo-sop ...

(producer) * 1992: '' Arkansas Traveler'' –

Michelle Shocked Michelle Shocked (born Karen Michelle Johnston; February 24, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter. Her music has entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album, and received an award ...

(producer) * 1992: ''

Time Takes Time ''Time Takes Time'' is the tenth studio album by Ringo Starr. His first studio album since 1983's ''Old Wave'', it followed a successful 1989 tour with his first All-Starr Band. Released in 1992, ''Time Takes Time'' was a critically-acclaimed co ...

'' –

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...

(producer) * 1992: ''

Good Stuff ''Good Stuff'' is the sixth studio album by American new wave band the B-52's, released in 1992 by Reprise Records. It was conceived after the band's manager urged them to quickly issue a follow-up to their highly successful album ''Cosmic Thin ...

'' – The B-52s (producer) * 1992: ''Read My Lips'' – A Thousand Points of Night (one-off side project alias) * 1992: '' Strange Weather'' –

Glenn Frey Glenn Lewis Frey (; November 6, 1948 – January 18, 2016) was an American musician. He was a founding member of the rock band Eagles, for whom he was the co-lead singer and frontman, roles he came to share with fellow member Don Henley, with ...

(producer) * 1992: ''

King of Hearts The king of hearts is a playing card in the standard 52-card deck. King of Hearts may also refer to: Games * The king of hearts has five sons, card game that may have been a precursor to Cluedo Books * King of Hearts (Alice's Adventures in ...

'' –

Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were ...

(producer, organ, background vocals) * 1992: ''

Never Been Rocked Enough ''Never Been Rocked Enough'' is a studio album by the American musician Delbert McClinton. It was released in 1992 by Curb Records. The first single was "Every Time I Roll the Dice". McClinton supported the album with a North American tour. Produ ...

'' – Delbert McClinton (producer) * 1993: '' Across the Borderline'' –

(producer) * 1993: ''

Thousand Roads ''Thousand Roads'' is the third solo studio album by the rock artist David Crosby, a founding member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. It was released on May, 4 1993 on Atlantic Records. It was the last solo studio album from Crosby until ''Croz'' ...

'' –

David Crosby David Van Cortlandt Crosby (August 14, 1941 – January 18, 2023) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He first found fame as a member of the Byrds, with whom he helped pioneer the genres of folk rock and psychedelic music, psych ...

(producer) * 1993: '' I'm Alive'' –

Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American rock musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 30 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he had his ...

(producer) * 1994: ''

Longing in Their Hearts ''Longing in Their Hearts'' is the twelfth album by American singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt, released in 1994. The album contained the mainstream pop hit, " Love Sneakin' Up On You," which reached #19 on the US ''Billboard'' singles chart, and " ...

'' – Bonnie Raitt (double bass on track 5, producer) * 1994: ''

'' –

(producer) * 1994: '' Waymore's Blues (Part II)'' –

Waylon Jennings Waylon Arnold Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He is considered one of the pioneers of the Outlaw country, outlaw movement in country music. Jennings started playing ...

(producer and bass) * 1995: '' The Road Goes on Forever'' – The Highwaymen (producer) * 1995: ''

MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...

'' – Bob Dylan (mixing) * 1995: ''

'' –

(producer) * 1995: ''

Road Tested ''Road Tested'' is a live album and first live album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1995. Track listing ;CD One #"Thing Called Love" (John Hiatt) – 4:48 #"Three Time Loser" (Don Covay, Ronald Dean Miller) – 3:39 #"Love Letter" (Bonnie Haye ...

'' – Bonnie Raitt (producer) * 1995: '' Stripped'' – The Rolling Stones (producer, organ) * 1996: ''

The Restless Kind ''The Restless Kind'' is American country music artist Travis Tritt's fifth studio album, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1996. The tracks "More Than You'll Ever Know", "Helping Me Get Over You" (a duet with Lari White), "She's Going Home wit ...

'' –

Travis Tritt James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American country music, country singer-songwriter. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In t ...

(producer) * 1996: ''

Organic Organic may refer to: * Organic, of or relating to an organism, a living entity * Organic, of or relating to an anatomical organ Chemistry * Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or is the product ...

'' –

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances featuring expressive body movements. Most of his best-known singles, such as "Feelin' Alright ...

(producer) * 1996: ''

El Equilibrio de los Jaguares ''El Equilibrio de los Jaguares'' is the debut album by the Mexican rock band Jaguares. It was released on September 17, 1996, under the label Bertelsmann de Mexico (BMG). It was produced by Don Was, Ed Cherney, and the band. Lead singer and s ...

'' – Jaguares (producer) * 1997: ''

'' – The Rolling Stones (bass, keyboards, executive producer, producer, piano) * 1997: '' The Mommyheads'' – The Mommyheads (co-producer) * 1998: ''

Undiscovered Soul ''Undiscovered Soul'' is the second solo studio album from Richie Sambora the guitarist from New Jersey band Bon Jovi. The album was released on February 23, 1998, and is more experimental than his earlier release '' Stranger in This Town''. Th ...

'' –

Richie Sambora Richard Stephen Sambora (born July 11, 1959) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Bon Jovi from 1983 to 2013. He and lead singer Jon Bon Jovi formed the main songwriting unit for the ...

(producer) * 1999: '' Suicaine Gratifaction'' –

Paul Westerberg Paul Harold Westerberg (born December 31, 1959) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the Replacements. Following the breakup of the Replacements, Westerberg launched a solo career that saw him r ...

(producer) * 1999: ''

Spirit of Music ''Spirit of Music'' is the ninth and final studio album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1999. The album peaked at No. 1 for Top Reggae Albums chart. Unlike their previous albums, it was not nominated for a Grammy award. Cri ...

'' –

(producer) * 1999: '' Avenue B'' – Iggy Pop (producer) * 1999: '' Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines'' –

(producer) * 2000: ''

Maroon Maroon ( , ) is a brownish crimson color that takes its name from the French word , meaning chestnut. ''Marron'' is also one of the French translations for "brown". Terms describing interchangeable shades, with overlapping RGB ranges, inc ...

'' –

Barenaked Ladies Barenaked Ladies (BNL) is a Canadian Rock music, rock band which was formed in 1988 in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, Ontario. The band developed a following in Canada, with their Barenaked Ladies (EP), self-titled 1991 cassette becoming th ...

(producer) * 2001: ''

Lions The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is se ...

'' –

The Black Crowes The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1984. Their discography includes ten studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer Geo ...

(bass, producer, mixing) * 2002: '' The Wide World Over'' –

The Chieftains The Chieftains were a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous w ...

(producer, bass) * 2003: '' Hootie & the Blowfish'' – Hootie & the Blowfish (producer) * 2004: '' Live Licks'' – The Rolling Stones (producer) * 2005: ''

Countryman Countryman may refer to: Arts and media * ''Countryman'' (album), an album by Willie Nelson * ''Countryman'' (film), a motion picture set in Jamaica * ''Countryman'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''Countryman'' (newspaper), a rural-themed new ...

'' – Willie Nelson (producer) * 2005: '' Make Do with What You Got'' – Solomon Burke (producer) * 2005: ''

'' – The Rolling Stones (producer, piano) * 2006: ''

This Old Road ''This Old Road'' is an album by Kris Kristofferson, released in 2006 on New West Records. The underlying theme of the record is a retrospective and reflective look at what Kristofferson deems to have been important elements of his life. It was ...

'' –

(producer, piano, acoustic and upright bass) * 2006: ''

Out of the Ashes Out of the Ashes may refer to: * ''Out of the Ashes'' (2003 film), an American TV film about the Holocaust * ''Out of the Ashes'' (2010 film), a documentary of the Afghanistan national cricket team's qualification for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 ...

'' –

Jessi Colter Mirriam Johnson (born May 25, 1943), known professionally as Jessi Colter, is an American country singer who is best known for her collaborations with her second husband, country musician Waylon Jennings, and for her 1975 crossover hit " I'm Not ...

(producer, bass) * 2006: ''

Fly Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced ...

'' –

Zucchero Adelmo Fornaciari (; born 25 September 1955), known professionally as Zucchero Fornaciari or simply Zucchero (), is an Italian singer, musician and songwriter. His stage name is the Italian word for "sugar", as his primary school teacher used to ...

(producer) * 2008: '' Last Days at the Lodge'' –

Amos Lee Amos Lee (born Ryan Anthony Massaro, June 22, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk music, folk, rock music, rock, and Soul music, soul. Lee has recorded five albums on Blue Note Records and has toured as ...

(producer) * 2008: ''

Tennessee Pusher ''Tennessee Pusher'' is the third studio album by folk/country/ old time band Old Crow Medicine Show. Released on September 23, 2008, the album was produced by Don Was. The album reached #1 on the Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums Chart. The album i ...

'' –

Old Crow Medicine Show Old Crow Medicine Show is an Americana (music), Americana string band based in Nashville, Tennessee, that has been recording since 1998. They were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on September 17, 2013. Their ninth album, ''Remedy (Old Crow Med ...

(producer) * 2008: '' Boo!'' – Was (Not Was) (producer, engineer, bass, keyboards, drums, vocals) * 2009: ''The Excitement Plan'' –

Todd Snider Todd Daniel Snider (born October 11, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter whose music incorporates elements of folk, rock, blues, alt country, and funk. Early career Snider was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up in nearby Beaverton, wher ...

(producer) * 2009: ''Shimmer (EP)'' – Pieta Brown (producer, bass) * 2009: ''Acquired Taste'' – Delbert McClinton (producer) * 2009: '' Closer to the Bone'' –

(producer) * 2009: '' California Years'' –

Jill Sobule Jill Susan Sobule ( ; January 16, 1959 – May 1, 2025) was an American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film ''Clueless''. Her folk-inflected compositions alte ...

(producer, bass) * 2010: ''

Y Not ''Y Not'' is the sixteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Ringo Starr, released on 12 January 2010 on the UMe and Hip-O Records labels. the album features several guest musicians, including Paul McCartney, who sang backing vocals o ...

'' – Ringo Starr (bass) * 2010: ''

Stone Temple Pilots Stone Temple Pilots, commonly abbreviated as STP, is an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Diego, California, in 1989. Originally consisting of lead vocalist Scott Weiland, guitarist Dean DeLeo, bassist Robert DeLeo, and drummer :Songs ...

'' –

(producer) * 2010: ''

Welder A welder is a person or equipment that fuses materials together. The term welder refers to the operator, the machine is referred to as the welding power supply. The materials to be joined can be metals (such as steel, aluminum, brass, stainles ...

'' – Elizabeth Cook (producer) * 2010: '' The Union'' –

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock a ...

(bass) * 2010: ''

Chocabeck ''Chocabeck'' is the eleventh studio album by Italian blues rock singer-songwriter Zucchero Fornaciari released in 2010. Overview The term ''chocabeck'' derives from the Emilian equivalent to Italian word , meaning the sound of empty beak. He ...

'' –

(producer) * 2011: ''

Wild and Free ''Wild and Free'' is the fourth solo studio album by Jamaican musician Ziggy Marley. It was released on June 14, 2011 via Tuff Gong Worldwide. Recording sessions took place at Ocean Way Studios and Barefoot Studios. Production was handled by Don W ...

'' –

(producer) * 2011: '' The Gate'' –

Kurt Elling Kurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz singer and songwriter. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Elling became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran church. He sang in cho ...

(producer) * 2011: ''

Blessed Blessed may refer to: * The state of having received a blessing * Blessed, a title assigned by the Roman Catholic Church to someone who has been beatified * Blessed, a saint title assigned by the Eastern Orthodox Church to various saints, typical ...

'' –

Lucinda Williams Lucinda Gayl Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums, ''Ramblin' on My Mind (Lucinda Williams album), Ramblin' on My Mind'' (1979) and ''Happy Woman Blues'' (198 ...

(producer) * 2012: '' Born and Raised'' –

(producer) * 2012: '' Born to Sing: No Plan B'' –

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...

(producer) * 2012: '' La sesion cubana'' –

(producer) * 2013: ''My True Story'' –

Aaron Neville Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer renowned for his distinctively smooth, vibrato-heavy tenor and a genre-crossing career that spans R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, country, and pop. He gained national prominence with hi ...

(co-producer with

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English musician, songwriter, singer and record producer who is an original member, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-principal songwriter of the Rolling Stones. His songwriting partnership wi ...

) * 2013: '' Paradise Valley'' –

(producer) * 2013: '' Una rosa blanca'' –

(producer) * 2014: ''You Should Be So Lucky'' –

Benmont Tench Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American musician and singer, and a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Early years Tench was born in Gainesville, Florida, the second child of Benjamin M ...

(bass) * 2014: '' Melody Road'' –

Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling musicians of all time. He has written and ...

(producer) * 2014: "All My Friends" concert, January 14, 2014 – a tribute to

Gregg Allman Gregory LeNoir Allman (December 8, 1947 – May 27, 2017) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. He was known for performing in the Allman Brothers Band. Allman grew up with an interest in rhythm and blues music, and the Allman B ...

(bass) * 2014: ''Rester Vivant'' –

Johnny Hallyday Jean-Philippe Léo Smet (; 15 June 1943 – 5 December 2017), better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday, was a French rock and roll and Pop music, pop singer and actor, credited with having brought rock and roll to France. During a career ...

(producer) * 2014: '' Everlasting'' – Martina McBride (producer) * 2014: ''Enjoy the View'' – Bobby Hutcherson, David Sanborn, Joey DeFrancesco (producer) * 2014: ''Heigh Ho'' – Blake Mills (bass) * 2014: '' All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller'' – Jason Moran (producer) * 2015: ''Yesterday I Had the Blues'' – Jose James (producer) * 2015: '' Duets: Re-working the Catalogue'' – Van Morrison (producer) * 2015: ''

No Pier Pressure ''No Pier Pressure'' is the tenth studio album by American musician Brian Wilson, released April 7, 2015 on Capitol Records. Originally planned as a follow-up to the Beach Boys' 2012 reunion album ''That's Why God Made the Radio'', ''No Pier Pr ...

'' – Brian Wilson (bass) * 2015: '' 1 Hopeful Rd.'' – Vintage Trouble (producer) * 2016: ''

Black Cat A black cat is a Cat, domestic cat with black fur. They may be a specific Purebred, breed, or a common domestic cat of no particular or mixed breed. Most black cats have golden iris (anatomy), irises due to their high melanin pigment content. Bl ...

'' –

(producer) * 2016: '' Blue & Lonesome'' – The Rolling Stones (producer) * 2017: '' Southern Blood'' – Gregg Allman (producer) * 2020: '' Wednesdays'' – Ryan Adams (bass, double bass, producer) * 2021: ''

Big Colors ''Big Colors'' is the eighteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ryan Adams. Originally slated for release on April 19, 2019, it was delayed following sexual misconduct allegations against Adams. It was eventually released on June 11, ...

'' – Ryan Adams (producer) * 2021: ''

Sob Rock ''Sob Rock'' is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on July 16, 2021, by Columbia Records. The single " New Light", released in May 2018, is included on the album, as are Mayer's two singles from 2019, "I Gue ...

'' –

(producer) * 2021: "

," "

The Times They Are A-Changin' (song) "The Times They Are a-Changin is a song written by Bob Dylan and released as the title track of his 1964 album of the same name. Dylan wrote the song as a deliberate attempt to create an anthem of change for the time, influenced by Irish and Scot ...

," "

," and "

" (bass) * 2022: ''

Live in Colorado ''Live in Colorado'' is an album by Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros. It was recorded at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on June 8 and 9, 2021, and at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre in Vail, Colorado on June 11 and 12, 2021. It was release ...

'' – Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros (double bass) * 2022: '' Live in Colorado Vol. 2'' – Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros (double bass) * 2023: ''

'' – The Rolling Stones (additional producer on "Live by the Sword")

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Was, Don 1952 births Living people 20th-century American Jews American male singers Record producers from Michigan Best Original Music BAFTA Award winners Grammy Award winners University of Michigan alumni People from Oak Park, Michigan Was (Not Was) members American rock bass guitarists American music industry executives Singers from Detroit Guitarists from Detroit American male bass guitarists 20th-century American bass guitarists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American Jews