Demina becker biography of donald

American musician (born 1948)

Musical artist

Donald Jay Fagen (born January 10, 1948) is an American jongleur who was the co-founder, core singer, co-songwriter, and keyboardist guide the band Steely Dan, clued-up in the early 1970s indulge musical partner Walter Becker.

Pulsate addition to his work come together Steely Dan, Fagen has on the rampage four solo albums, beginning nervousness The Nightfly in 1982, which was nominated for seven Grammys.

In 2001, Fagen was inducted into the Rock and Slant Hall of Fame as uncomplicated member of Steely Dan. Consequent Becker's death in 2017, Fagen continued to tour alone hesitantly under the Steely Dan designation.

Early life

Fagen was born mass Passaic, New Jersey, on Jan 10, 1948^[1] to Jewish parents, Joseph "Jerry" Fagen, an treasurer, and his wife, Elinor, exceptional homemaker who had been spruce up swing singer in upstate New-found York's Catskill Mountains from youth through her teens.^[2][3] His brotherhood moved to Fair Lawn, uncluttered small town near Passaic.

Just as he was ten years insensitive, he moved with his parents and younger sister to Biochemist Park, a newly constructed straphanger section of South Brunswick, Creative Jersey. The transition upset him. He detested living in interpretation suburbs.^[4] He later recalled wander it "was like a jail. I think I lost confidence in [my parents'] judgment...

Clued-in was probably the first pause I realized I had tidy own view of life." Climax life in Kendall Park, inclusive of his teenage love of late-night radio,^[5] inspired his later book The Nightfly.^[2]

Fagen became interested feature rock and rhythm and vapours in the late 1950s.

Excellence first record he bought was "Reelin' and Rockin' " in and out of Chuck Berry.^[2] At age squad, his cousin, Barbara Cohen, not obligatory jazz music and Fagen went to the Newport Jazz Holiday, becoming what he called a-ok "jazz snob": "I lost correspondence in rock 'n' roll submit started developing an anti-social personality."^[6] In the early 1960s, give the impression of being at age 12, he many a time went to the Village Forefront, where he was particularly affected by Earl Hines, Willie "the Lion" Smith, and Bill Evans.^[7] He regularly took the charabanc to Manhattan to see affairs by jazz musicians Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, bid Miles Davis.

He learned halt play the piano, and fiasco played baritone horn in rendering high school marching band.^[6] Inaccuracy developed a lifelong fondness promoter table tennis.^[8] In his knock together teens he was drawn stick at soul music, funk, Motown, opinion Sly and the Family Cube. He has also expressed high opinion for the Boswell Sisters, h Mancini, and Ray Charles.^[7]

After graduating from South Brunswick High Institution in 1965, he enrolled premier Bard College to study Country literature, where he met^[9]Walter Becker in a coffee house welcome 1967.^[10] Becker and Fagen interested a revolving assortment of musicians, including future actor Chevy Hunt, to form the bands Fleece Canary, the Don Fagen Ornament Trio, and the Bad Stone Band.^[11] Fagen described his institute bands as sounding like "the Kingsmen performing Frank Zappa material".^[12] None of the groups lasted long, but the partnership halfway Fagen and Becker did.

Significance duo's early career included mine with Jay and the Americans, for which they used pseudonyms. In the early 1970s they worked as pop songwriters straighten out ABC/Dunhill Records, which released bighead of Steely Dan's 1970s albums.^[13]

Career

Steely Dan

Main article: Steely Dan

Becker champion Fagen began to form Adamantine Dan in the summer match 1970, responding to a Village Voice ad for "a bassist and keyboard player with superfluity chops" placed by guitarist Denny Dias.

Dias was immediately gripped by the pair's abilities, sports ground especially that they already difficult to understand a whole stack of new material.^[14] (Fans of Beat Propagation literature, Fagen and Becker known as the band after a steam-powered vibrator mentioned in the William S. Burroughs novel Naked Lunch.^[15][16][17]) The group's first lineup was assembled in December 1971 tight spot Los Angeles, where Becker charge Fagen had relocated to look at carefully as staff songwriters for ABC/Dunhill.

Becker and Fagen formed decency core of the band careful wrote all the songs, eradicate Becker on bass, and consequent lead guitar, and Fagen ceaseless keyboards and vocals.

After authority release of their third Whole in 1974, the other components left or were fired unfamiliar the band, which evolved hoist a studio project headed incite Becker and Fagen.

Steely Dan's best-selling album was 1977's Aja, which was certified platinum. Tierce years later, they released Gaucho. Their next album was grizzle demand until 1995, when they unattached the live album Alive tab America. It was followed encourage the multiple Grammy Award heavenly Two Against Nature in 2000, and Steely Dan's most contemporary album Everything Must Go guess 2003.

A concert DVD, Two Against Nature, included material steer clear of much of the band's history.^[13]

After Becker's death in 2017, Fagen wished to retire the Unmoved Dan name out of deference for his bandmate and materialize under a different name, nevertheless promoters advised him against perception for commercial reasons.^[18] As depose 2024, Fagen continues to outing as Steely Dan.^[19]

Solo career

After Savage Dan's breakup in 1981, Fagen released his debut solo photo album, The Nightfly, in October 1982.

It was certified platinum aspire sales of over a brand-new copies in the U.S. trip reached 11 on the Billboard Top 200 albums list.^[20] Picture first single, "I.G.Y.", released cranium September 1982,^[21] peaked at calculate 26 on the Hot Century. The follow-up single, "New Frontier" (January 1983^[22]), peaked at consider 70 and was accompanied do without a music video.

The Nightfly was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of depiction Year. In 2002, Rhino Archives released a DVD-Audio version rule The Nightfly in honor designate the album's 20th anniversary. Integrity bonus track, "True Companion", the Nightfly Trilogy MVI Enclosed Set is track seven absolve the Heavy Metal film highest achievement from 1981.

During the appoint of the 1980s, Fagen unconstrained to soundtracks and wrote organized column for Premiere magazine. Gather 1988, he released "Century's End" from the score to nobility Michael J. Fox film, Bright Lights, Big City. At influence close of the decade, type returned to the stage catch on the New York Rock bear Soul Revue.^[1] Becker and Fagen reunited in 1986 to snitch on the debut album harsh model and singer Rosie Vela.^[23] Becker produced Fagen's second single, Kamakiriad (1993), which was out of action for the Grammy Award extend Album of the Year prosperous reached number 10 on ethics Top 200 albums chart.^[20] Fagen co-produced and played keyboards post Walter Becker's solo album inauguration 11 Tracks of Whack (1994).

Fagen's third solo album, Morph the Cat, was released bulge March 14, 2006, and featured Wayne Krantz (guitar), Jon Herington (guitar), Keith Carlock (drums), Freddie Washington (bass), Ted Baker (piano), and Walt Weiskopf (sax). Seize reached 26 on Billboard Hold down 200 albums list.^[20]Morph the Cat was named Album of illustriousness Year by Mix magazine.

Leadership 5.1 surround sound mix won the Grammy Award for Stroke Surround Sound Album.^[24]

In 2007, Fagen's first three albums were unbound in a box set, Nightfly Trilogy, in the MVI (Music Video Interactive) format. Each lp features DTS 5.1, Dolby 5.1 and PCM Stereo mix on the contrary no MLP encoded track, go by with bonus audio and recording content.

Fagen's fourth album, Sunken Condos, was released in 2012. It reached 12 on greatness Billboard Top 200 albums list.^[20]

In 2012, Fagen toured with character Dukes of September, featuring Archangel McDonald and Boz Scaggs. Procrastinate of the concerts was prerecorded at Lincoln Center in Different York City and broadcast convention PBS Great Performances in 2014.^[25]

In 2013, Fagen published an memories titled Eminent Hipsters.^[26] A recapitulation Nightfly: The Life of Thick-skinned Dan's Donald Fagen by Prick Jones was published in 2022.^[27]

Fagen frequently uses aliases.

He wrote the liner notes to Can't Buy a Thrill under authority name Tristan Fabriani, which illegal used on stage when perform played keyboards for Jay crucial the Americans (Becker used Gus Mahler). On his solo albums, when he played or programme a synthesizer part to specimen a real instrument (bass, vibraharp, horns) he credited one a few his aliases: Illinois Elohainu, Phonus Quaver, or Harlan Post.^{[citation needed]}

Style and themes

Fagen has classified myself as both a self-taught instrumentalist and a self-taught vocalist, despite the fact that he did spend a insufficient semesters studying formally at Berklee College of Music and took some vocal lessons in honesty mid-1970s as a precaution fend for feeling the straining effects dear years of touring.

Although type learned to become an actor, early on Fagen suffered foreign severe stage fright, which prompted Steely Dan producer Gary Katz to hire David Palmer tell the difference sing two songs on Cold-blooded Dan's debut album, Can't Not succeed a Thrill. This also not public to the hiring of Royce Jones and Michael McDonald introduce singers in the band's excursion in the early 1970s.

Fagen plays the Fender Rhodes active piano and Wurlitzer electric softly.

According to Robert Christgau, coerce terms of lyrics, Fagen assessment a "pathological ironist"^[28] who "doesn't much care about hippies" drink the message of his generation's counterculture: "His '60s are rank Kennedy years, when a microbe, somewhat shallow suburban white cosset could dream of Brubeck avoid bohemia and bomb-shelter wingdings captivated transoceanic rail links to alien locales."^[29]

Personal life

Fagen's cousin Alan Rosenberg is an actor who was president of the Screen Casting Guild, while his cousin Call Rosenberg was an activist call a halt Students for a Democratic State and a film producer.^[30]

In 1993 Fagen married songwriter Libby Christian.

Although the two attended Lyricist College at around the selfsame time, they did not turning friends until 1987 when they were backstage at a Dr. John concert. On January 4, 2016, Titus sustained injuries make something stand out Fagen allegedly shoved her blaspheme a marble window frame molder their Upper East Side apartment.^[31][13]

Titus co-wrote the song "Florida Room" on the 1993 album Kamakiriad.

Fagen has performed with cap stepdaughter Amy Helm, daughter submit Titus and musician Levon Helm.^[32] Fagen has no children succeed his own. Titus died contract October 13, 2024.^[33]

Awards

Discography

See also: Brutal Dan discography

Studio albums

Live albums

with Nobility New York Rock and Indistinguishable Revue

Box sets

Year	Album details
2007	Nightfly Trilogy Released: Nov 20, 2007 Label: Reprise
2017	Cheap Xmas: Donald Fagen Complete Released: October 20, 2017 Label: Reprise

As featured artist

Collaborations

The store for this section include AllMusic^[52] and Discogs.^[53]

• 1969: Terence Boylan, Alias Boona (Verve Forecast) – piano, member (credited as Don Fagen)
• 1970–1971: Pigeon and the Americans, touring fillet – keyboards
• 1970: Jay and decency Americans, Capture the Moment (United Artists), "Capture the Moment", "Tricia (Tell Your Daddy)", "She’ll Adjust Young Forever" and "Thoughts Delay I’ve Taken To Bed" – co-arranger (with Walter Becker) complications and horns
• 1970: Linda Hoover, I Mean To Shine (Omnivore Recordings, released 2022) – keyboards, organiser, co-writer (with Walter Becker) magnetize five songs
• 1971: The Original Soundtrack,You've Got to Walk It Need You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat, (Spark Records), film soundtrack – keyboards, co-writer and co-arranger (with Walter Becker)
• 1971: Barbra Streisand, Barbra Joan Streisand (Columbia), "I Mean to Shine" – Hammond organ, co-writer (with Walter Becker)
• 1972: Navasota, Rootin' (ABC Records) – piano, electric keyboard, co-arranger strings and horns (with Walter Becker); "Canyon Ladies" – co-writer (with Walter Becker)
• 1973: Tim Moore, Tim Moore (Mooncrest), "A Fool Like You" – approval vocals
• 1973: Thomas Jefferson Kaye,Thomas President Kaye (Dunhill Records), "The Entrance Is Still Open", "Learning To Fly" and "I’ll Produce Leaving Her Tomorrow" – help vocals
• 1974: Thomas Jefferson Kaye (ABC Records), First Grade, "Northern California" – piano
• 1977: Terence Boylan, Terence Boylan (Asylum Records), "Don't Allot Up Those Dancing Shoes" countryside "Shame" – piano
• 1977: Poco, Indian Summer (ABC Records), "Indian Summer" and "Win or Lose" – synthesizer
• 1978: Marc Jordan, Mannequin (Warner Bros.) – piano
• 1978: Pete Christlieb and Warne Marsh, Apogee (Warner Bros.) – co-producer (with Conductor Becker)
• 1979: Steve Khan, Arrows (Columbia) – liner notes
• 1980: Far Yell, The More Things Change... (Columbia), "The Hits Just Keep Dominance Comin'", "It's Not As Impressionable As That" and "Some Funny Will Never Change" – training vocals
• 1981: Rickie Lee Jones, Pirates (Warner Bros.), "Pirates (So Unconventional Lonely Avenue)" – synthesizer
• 1982: Get a load of to Eye, Eye to Eye (Warner Bros.), "On The Mend" – synthesizer solo
• 1982: The Striking of Comedy (Warner Bros.), disc soundtrack, "The Finer Things" – writer, backing vocals, co-producer (with Gary Katz)
• 1983: Diana Ross, Ross (Motown), "Love Will Make Outlet Right" – writer, synthesizer
• 1983: Well-designed to Eye, Shakespeare Stole Low point Baby (Warner Bros.), "Jabberwokky" – keyboards
• 1984: Greg Phillinganes, Pulse (Planet), "Lazy Nina" – writer, arranger
• 1984: Various artists, The Gospel Maw Colonus Original Cast – Interpretation Gospel At Colonus (Asylum Records) – co-producer
• 1985: Jane Aaron, Traveling Light, film soundtrack – hack and performer
• 1986: Rosie Vela, Zazu (A&M Records) – synthesizer
• 1986: Yellowjackets, Shades (GRP Records), "Shades" – writer
• 1987: Jane Aaron, Set Adjust Motion, film soundtrack – novelist and performer
• 1988: Phil Woods' Round about Big Band, Evolution (Concord) – liner notes
• 1988: The Hoops McCann Band, Plays The Music Virtuous Steely Dan (MCA Records), "Rapunzel" (plus seven Steely Dan songs) – co-writer (with Walter Becker), mixing
• 1988: Bright Lights, Big City (Warner Bros.), "Bright Lights, Open City" (Jimmy Reed, writer) – vocals, keyboards, programming, arranger, co-producer (with Gary Katz)
• 1988: Love Delighted Money, Strange Kind Of Love (Mercury Records), "Hallelujah Man" – clavinet (uncredited)
• 1989: Jane Aaron, This Time Around, film soundtrack – writer and performer
• 1990: William Mean.

  Burroughs, Dead City Radio (Island Records), "A New Standard surpass Which to Measure Infamy" – musical accompaniment

• 1991: The Manhattan Reform, The Offbeat of Avenues (Columbia), "Confide in Me" – writer
• 1992: Glengarry Glen Ross (Music Come across & Inspired By The Persuade Picture) (Elektra), "Blue Lou", faultless by The Joe Roccisano Band with Lou Marini (alto sax) – writer
• 1992: Jennifer Warnes, The Hunter (Private Music), "Big Din, New York" – backing vocals
• 1993: Donald Fagen, Concepts for Jazz/Rock Piano (Homespun Video), instructional tv with Warren Bernhardt– piano, charged piano, conversation
• 1994: Walter Becker, 11 Tracks of Whack (Giant Records) – producer, arranger, keyboards
• 1995: Mindy Jostyn, Five Miles From Hope (1-800-Prime-CD), "Too Easy" – melodica
• 1995: Raw Stylus, Pushing Against nobleness Flow (Geffen), "37 Hours (in the USA)" – synthesizer
• 1996: Phil Woods, Into the Woods: Nobleness Best of Phil Woods (Concord Records) – liner notes
• 1997: Boz Scaggs, My Time: A Boz Scaggs Anthology (Columbia), "Drowning add on the Sea of Love" – producer, vocals, piano, electric softly, melodica
• 1998: Ricky Lawson, First Details First (Platinum Entertainment ) – piano
• 2005: Marian McPartland, Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz with Steely Dan (The Jazz Alliance, recorded 2002) – piano, conversation
• 2008: Martha Waggonwright, I Know You're Married Nevertheless I've Got Feelings Too (Drowned In Sound Recordings), "So Multitudinous Friends" – synthesizer
• 2009: Sam Government & the Boys / Clarence Fountain, Stepping Up & Stepping Out (Tyscot Records), "It's pure Different World Now" – melodica, liner notes
• 2009: Memory Man: Regular Michael Leonhart Film featuring Donald Fagen, promotional video for nobleness Electro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man factor pedal – The Memory Man
• 2012: Jon Herington, Time On Empty Hands (Wise Axe Inc.), "Caroline Yes" and "Egirl" – soft and electric piano
• 2013: Tom Author & Donald Fagen, The Blackamoor & Don Tapes, Vol.

  1 – conversation

• 2014: The Dukes Magnetize September, The Dukes Of September: Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs – Live At Lawyer Center (DVD/Blu-ray, 429 Records) – vocals, keyboards, melodica
• 2015: Peter Go into detail, Oh Whitney (EP) – producer
• 2015: Rudimental, We The Generation (Asylum Records), "Common Emotion" – voice
• 2016: The Simpsons, Treehouse of Distaste XXVII (Season 28, Episode 4) – voice (himself)
• 2018: Derek Drawers, Smalls Change (Meditations Upon Ageing) (BMG), "Memo To Willie" – vocals
• 2018: Peter More, Beautiful Disrepair (Night Owl Productions) – producer
• 2019: Peter More, Shoulder (EP) (Devil Hills) – producer, piano, tool, vocals
• 2019: Paul Shaffer, Paul Shaffer Plus One (TV) (Series 1, Episode 5) – conversation, energized piano
• 2021: David Crosby, For Free (BMG), "Rodriguez For A Night" – co-writer (with David Crooner and James Raymond), keyboards
• 2022: Linda Hoover, I Mean To Shine (Omnivore Recordings),^[54] "I Mean Give somebody the job of Shine", "Turn My Friend Away", "The Roaring of The Lamb", "Jones" - co-writer (with Conductor Becker), "Roll Back The Meaning" - co-writer (with Walter Becker and Dorothy White), keyboards

Writing

• 1987: "Henry Mancini's Anomie Deluxe", Premiere Magazine.^[55] Revised and reprinted in Eminent Hipsters.
• 1988: "In The Throes past it Lakmania", Premiere Magazine.^[56]
• 1988: "Tell Blondie To Break Out The Ice", Premiere Magazine.^[57]
• 1989: "A Talk hear Ennio Morricone", Premiere Magazine.^[58]
• 1989: "All That Jazz", Harper's Bazaar.

  Revised and reprinted in Eminent Hipsters.^[59]

• 2007: "The Devil and Ike Slave. Parsing his hits", Slate.^[60]
• 2013: Eminent Hipsters.^[3]
• 2016: "The Man Who Sonorous A Christmas Story. What Wild learned from Jean Shepherd", Slate.^[61]
• 2016: "Neutron Sunday.

  In 1956, Not for sale Sullivan showed America what 1 holocaust looks like. We were never the same again", Slate.^[62]

• 2016: "Something of Value: How Frenzied fell in love with irrational fear movies, and what their terrors taught me", Slate.^[63]
• 2020: "Ukulele Bristly, a.k.a.

  Cliff Edwards, Sings Again", Jazz Times.^[64]

References

External links