Featured Artist:
Paul Peterson, Bass
Paul Peterson is the youngest son of
a musical dynasty lovingly referred to as Minnesota's
First Family of Music, based in Minneapolis.
Peterson was discovered at the young
age of seventeen by the legendary artist Prince, and was
designated to appear in his 1984 Academy Award Winning
film Purple Rain as the new keyboard player in the chart
topping R & B group The Time. Peterson's foray into
the big leagues was under way at a rapid pace. He shortly
thereafter contributed his keyboard prowess to the groups
platinum album Ice Cream Castles (#24 pop), and the infectious
single Jungle Love (#6 R&B/20 pop).
After the surprising disintegration of
the group later that year, Prince, who had recognized
Peterson's talent as a gifted vocalist during the filming
of Purple Rain, recruited him to front the burgeoning
new group, The Family, whose self-titled debut was released
on Prince's expanding Paisley Park label in September
of 1985.
With the eventual demise of The Family,
St. Paul released his self-titled debut album on MCA Records
in 1986. In 1990, Peterson released his second eagerly
awaited solo CD, Down To The Wire on Atlantic Records.
More recent releases consist of 1996's Blue Cadillac,
a personal project created to satiate his many international
fans, and a fiery live recording as a member of the funky
Minneapolis All-stars.
With his musical skills and contributions
firmly established, Peterson has been and continues to
be in high demand as a studio musician lending his musical
chops to yet another impressive list of artists and their
varied recording projects, a partial list including Jonny
Lang, The Corrs, The Spice Girls, Neneh Cherry, Shannon
Curfmann, Tuck & Patty, Anita Baker, Paula Abdul,
Prince, Tevin Campbell, Sergio Mendes, David Sanborn,
and George Benson.
Peterson is indeed a prestigious recording
artist, but is also known as a thrilling live performer
complementing a richly diverse list of talented artists
he has performed with, including, Stevie Wonder, Steve
Miller, Boz Scaggs, Lionel Richie, Reba McIntire, Kenny
Loggins, The Beach Boys, Little Richard, Boy George, Kenny
Loggins, Robert Palmer, David Sanborn and Dolly Parton
to name but a few.
Peterson recently finished up a two-year
assignment playing bass on the popular nationally syndicated
Donny & Marie television show. Always wanting to stretch
himself artistically, Peterson has recently signed on,
after a personal request by Donny Osmond, to serve as
his musical director for the singer's first solo tour
in eleven years.
Obviously a man on a mission, Peterson
continues to embrace new musical challenges and is always
searching for new ways to express his explosive creativity.
He has in fact throughout his acclaimed career, expertly
demonstrated himself to be a consummate artist, studio
musician, live performer, multi-instrumentalist (bass,
keyboards, drums, guitar and vocals), songwriter, arranger,
producer and musical director, with many more musical
horizons ahead of him to explore.
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