Arnold McCuller
Encyclopedia
Arnold McCuller is an American vocalist, record producer
, born and raised in Cleveland
, Ohio
. While establishing his own career as a singer, and working as a very busy session musician
, McCuller has become best known for his work as a back-up singer for famous artists with long careers, including Phil Collins
, Beck
, and Bonnie Raitt
, and Todd Rundgren
. He has toured for thirty years with James Taylor
and is an audience favorite for his featured vocal parts on the songs "Shower the People
", "I Will Follow", and "Is That the Way You Look". He has also toured extensively with Collins and is one of the main lead vocalists on the live version of "Easy Lover
". McCuller has had numerous acting parts in films; in particular he has gained notoriety in movies with musical roles. In 2010 McCuller joined the Troubadour Reunion Tour
supporting James Taylor
and Carole King
.
singing the "The Star-Spangled Banner
". Although he did not appear onscreen in Duets
with Huey Lewis
and Gwyneth Paltrow
, his vocals were blended with those of actor Andre Braugher
to make a composite singing voice for the character "Reggie Kane". In the film, Reggie Kane sang with Paul Giamatti
on "Try a Little Tenderness
" and performed an acapella version of "Free Bird
".
McCuller also performed the song "Nowhere to Run" for the 1979 film The Warriors and was one of the four singers in the "guitar duel sequence" on the 1986 film Crossroads
.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, born and raised in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. While establishing his own career as a singer, and working as a very busy session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, McCuller has become best known for his work as a back-up singer for famous artists with long careers, including Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
, Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
, and Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
, and Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
. He has toured for thirty years with James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
and is an audience favorite for his featured vocal parts on the songs "Shower the People
Shower the People
"Shower the People" is the opening track on James Taylor's 1976 album In the Pocket. The song reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S. that fall, remaining in the Top 40 for eight weeks...
", "I Will Follow", and "Is That the Way You Look". He has also toured extensively with Collins and is one of the main lead vocalists on the live version of "Easy Lover
Easy Lover
"Easy Lover" is a hit song performed by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins, and written by Bailey, Collins, and Nathan East. The song appeared on Bailey's solo album Chinese Wall. Collins has performed the song in his live concerts and it appears on his 1990 album Serious Hits.....
". McCuller has had numerous acting parts in films; in particular he has gained notoriety in movies with musical roles. In 2010 McCuller joined the Troubadour Reunion Tour
Troubadour Reunion Tour
The Troubadour Reunion Tour was a 2010 international concert tour by Carole King and James Taylor. It celebrated the 40th anniversary of their first performance together at The Troubadour in November 1970, and was a continuation of their reunion at the Troubadour in November 2007.-History:The tour...
supporting James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
and Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
.
Film
McCuller appeared in the film The Sum of All FearsThe Sum of All Fears
The Sum of All Fears is the best-selling thriller novel by Dan Fogelman and Tom Clancy, and part of the Jack Ryan series. It was the fourth book of the series to be turned into a film. An interesting historical note is that this book was released just days before the Moscow uprising in 1991, which...
singing the "The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
". Although he did not appear onscreen in Duets
Duets
An original motion picture soundtrack CD was released on September 12, 2000 by Hollywood Records. The CD contained twelve tracks including the original music composed for the film by David Newman....
with Huey Lewis
Huey Lewis
Huey Lewis is an American musician, songwriter and occasional actor.Lewis sings lead and plays harmonica for his band Huey Lewis and the News, in addition to writing or co-writing many of the band's songs...
and Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut on stage in 1990 and started appearing in films in 1991. After appearing in several films throughout the decade, Paltrow gained early notice for her work in films such as Se7en and Emma...
, his vocals were blended with those of actor Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
to make a composite singing voice for the character "Reggie Kane". In the film, Reggie Kane sang with Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti
Paul Edward Valentine Giamatti is an American actor. Giamatti began his career as a supporting actor in several films produced during the 1990s including Private Parts, The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, The Negotiator, and Man on the Moon, before earning lead roles in several projects in the...
on "Try a Little Tenderness
Try a Little Tenderness
"Try a Little Tenderness" is a love song written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods, and recorded initially on December 8, 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra followed by both Ruth Etting and Bing Crosby in 1933...
" and performed an acapella version of "Free Bird
Free Bird
"Free Bird" is a song by the American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
".
McCuller also performed the song "Nowhere to Run" for the 1979 film The Warriors and was one of the four singers in the "guitar duel sequence" on the 1986 film Crossroads
Crossroads (1986 film)
Crossroads is a 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson.The film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and featured an original score featuring Ry Cooder and Steve Vai on the soundtrack's guitar, and...
.
Discography
- A Part of Me That's You (1984) with David Benoit
- Exception to the Rule (1990)
- You Can't Go Back (1999)
- Exception to the Rule (2000) reissue (with fewer songs)
- Back to Front (2002)
- Live at the Baked Potato (2002)
- Circa 1990 (2003)
- HairsprayHairspray (2007 film)Hairspray is a 2007 musical film produced by Kolaja Productions and distributed by New Line Cinema. It was released in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on July 20, 2007. The film is an adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John...
[Soundtrack to the Motion Picture] (2007) - Sabor (2009)
- Soon as I Get Paid (2011)