Rhett Lawrence

Rhett Lawrence with his Ford GT that was the inspiration for the Kelly Clarkson song "Go"

James Everette "Rhett" Lawrence is a record producer and songwriter, who has been described as a visionary who has the ability to create career-defining hits for artists.^[1][2] Throughout his career, Lawrence’s creative contributions helped generate sales of over 225 million records and he received over 725 gold, platinum and diamond awards worldwide. He has produced, mentored, and helped launch the career of 5 of the top 200 artists of all time who have sold over 350,000,000 records worldwide.^[3][4] He has worked with 30 of the top 500 artists of all time who have sold over 2.2 billion records worldwide.^[5][6] He is originally famous for producing the Grammy Award–winning, Billboard No. 1 Hot 100 and No. 1 R&B single "Vision of Love" for Mariah Carey.^[7] He produced and co-wrote Kelly Clarkson's first single following her American Idol victory... The pop rock hit, "Miss Independent," was No. 1 for 6 weeks at Top 40 Radio and received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Lawrence's second collaboration with Clarkson led to the creation of a new anthem for Ford Motor Company titled "Go." The song was introduced first during American Idol and was inspired by Lawrence's love for Ford's anniversary re-issue of the GT40 Lemans race car (Ford GT). "Go" became Ford's theme song for the Americas, and led to Ford sponsoring Clarkson's tour for two years. Ford and Clarkson gave away a Ford Mustang or Ford Fusion to a lucky audience member at each concert.^[8][9] He produced and co-wrote the Billboard No. 2 Rap single “Request + Line” for The Black Eyed Peas featuring Macy Gray, which gave them their first top 40 hit in many countries worldwide. Lawrence's belief in will.i.am's talent and potential led to a mentoring friendship which lasted many years and led to great success.^[10][11] He produced and co-wrote the No. 1 UK hit single "Never Be The Same Again" with Melanie C. of The Spice Girls and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC, which was No. 1 in 35 countries. He wrote the No. 1 single "Angel of Mine" recorded by Monica and Eternal and co-wrote the No. 1 UK song “I Wanna Be the Only One” for Eternal featuring BeBe Winans. He also programmed the distinctive drum loop (with Maurice Gibb & Scott Glasel) for the Bee Gees 1987 No.1 hit "You Win Again" which sold over 3 million copies worldwide. In addition, he has produced and written songs for and with the likes of Whitney Houston, June Pointer of the legendary pop/R&B group The Pointer Sisters, Crystal Lewis, Enrique Iglesias, Victoria Beckham, Paula Abdul with Ofra Haza, Selena, Earth Wind and Fire (singles and albums), Little Richard, Philip Bailey, Gladys Knight, Hilary Duff, Jessica Simpson, 98 Degrees, Crystal Bernard, Jon Anderson (Yes), Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, Carola Häggkvist, gospel greats BeBe & CeCe Winans, and Kirk Franklin.

Foundation as a programmer, arranger and studio musician

Prior to becoming a producer, Lawrence was a first-call programmer, arranger and studio musician in Los Angeles and New York. Some of the artists he worked with during this period include: Michael Jackson, Van Halen, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Stevie Wonder, Barbra Streisand, Billy Preston, Gladys Knight, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (Yes), The Bee Gees, Roger Hodgson (Supertramp), Julio Iglesias, Belinda Carlisle, Richard Marx, Earth Wind and Fire, Phil Keaggy, The Gap Band, The Dazz Band, Chicago, Larry Carlton, George Benson and Earl Klugh, Boz Scaggs, Neil Diamond, David Foster, Andrae Crouch, and Quincy Jones.

Equipment

In addition to the use of synthesizers, Lawrence pioneered the use of computers and sampling on albums and was the first musician in Los Angeles to own and use the Fairlight CMI (computer music instrument). Always eager to embrace new technology, he was an early advisor to Digidesign and would later become the first producer to mix an album using Pro Tools, alongside legendary mixer Dave Pensado.^[12] The emergence of this new digital platform helped forge a lasting creative partnership as Lawrence and Pensado would team up through the years, exchanging ideas and becoming the best of friends.^[13][14] Lawrence also owns and records with a large collection of vintage guitars and recording equipment including Jimi Hendrix's first Marshall amplifier which was given to Jimi by Kit Lambert, manager of The Who during the '60s, after its guitarist and original owner, Pete Townshend, had switched amplifier companies.

References