Dr. Miles Grayson, GRAMMY award-winning songwriter passes away

The late Dr. Miles Grayson passed away last week.   The memorial service will be held on Friday, December 6, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Grayson enjoyed playing golf and had a resume that covers over five decades of experience in the recording industry as a recording artist, musician, arranger, composer, record producer, and A&R. As Founder of Grayson Productions, Respect Music Company, BMI and Family Affair Music Co. ASCAP, he continually grew his companies and presence by collaborating with some of the music industry’s most significant artists, songwriters, record labels, music publishers, music supervisors, and artist managers. Miles successes included creative contributions to Gold and Platinum-selling albums, and as a creative contributor to over 1,000 major recording sessions covering a wide gamut of popular music from Urban, Contemporary, Pop, R&B, Blues, Soul, Jazz, Rock, Latin and Country.

His career as an artist began as a teenager in Los Angeles, California, singing and recording in 1950s Doo-Wop groups, The Continentals (Miles Grayson, Edward DeVold, Earl Williams, Everett Williams, and Bobby ‘Lorenzo’ Adams); The Poets (Miles Grayson, Elmo Jones Jr, Edward DeVold, Earl Williams and Ron Mosely); and The Echoes (Miles Grayson, Marzetta Freeman, Elmo Jones, Edward DeVold and Darlene Franklin – aka Darlene Love). The Poets released singles on Lew Chudd’s, Imperial Records, and The Echoes on Impala Records and Art Rupe’s, Specialty Records. After leaving The Echoes, Miles began playing piano in his own jazz groups, The Milestones and The Miles Grayson Trio, releasing singles on Hill Records. Miles is a legendary name among European soul collectors. His recordings, productions and arrangements have given him cult status on the Northern Soul scene in the UK.

Click Here to download “The Miles Grayson Story”.Miles discovered his gift of having an ear for arranging and hearing a hit song while sitting in on a 1957 Keen Records, Sam Cooke and Bumps Blackwell Orchestra session, where he offered a few of his own embellishments on the arrangement of a song. Irving Ashby, Cooke’s guitarist and bandleader, thought Miles’ suggestions for the arrangement were definite improvements. Pleased by the input, Ashby gave Miles ten dollars. After this positive encouragement, Miles seriously thought about making arranging and producing records a full-time profession. From that point forward, Miles became one of Los Angeles’s most significant masters of arranging, producing, and soul grounded composition.

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Miles has fulfilled the role as an accomplished, avant-garde arranger/conductor for many major recording artists throughout his enduring career. Some his early arrangements and rare recordings are, Tommy Youngblood “Now You’re On Your Own/Why Did You Leave Me”, Ray-Co Records – 1962; The Jillettes “Please Say You’ll Love Me/Daddy Do”, Carbs Records – 1962; Jeri Shaw “A Little Less Talk/I’m So Sorry”, Mastersound Records – 1966; Hayes Cotton ‎”Black Wing’s Have My Angel/I’ll Be Waiting”, Resist Records – 1966; The Groovers “Just Go For Me /I’m A Bashful Guy”, Mint Records – 1966. and Mary Love “The Hurt Is Just Beginning /If You Change Your Mind”, Josie Records – 1968.

One of his first significant call to arms as an independent arranger, was from Dennis Wilson and The Beach Boys with Capitol Records. In 1968, Miles wrote and arranged the horns for Canned Heat on their “Living The Blues” album on Liberty Records. 1968 also included Mary Love “The Hurt Is Just Beginning /If You Change Your Mind” for Josie Records. 1969 found him arranging master sessions for Billy Keene, Ted Taylor and Little Johnny Taylor with Ronn Records in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Ironing Board Sam for Atlantic Records. In the 1970s, Miles arranging talents were being tapped by many artists and label producers including, the internationally successful band, Jefferson Starship, and as a composer and arranger for Starship’s violinist, Papa John Creach. Both artists recorded on Grunt Records, distributed by RCA.

In 1972, Miles was once again recruited to write and arranged the horns for Canned Heat for their “Historical Figures And Ancient Heads” album on United Artists Records. Other significant Miles Grayson arranging credits include; The Righteous Brothers (Verve Records), Sonny & Cher (Atco Records), Joe Cocker (A&M Records), Bobby Womack (United Artists Records), Ashford & Simpson (Warner Bros Records), Tony Orlando & Dawn (Bell Records), Carla Thomas (Stax Records), Rufus Thomas (Stax Records), Sam Cooke (Keen Records), Jackie DeShannon (Imperial Records), Willie Clayton (Polydor Records), and The Edwin Hawkins Singers (Buddah Records).

As a producer, Miles is acknowledged for being an integral part of cultivating the voices and successful careers of; Little Johnny Taylor, Z.Z. Hill, Darlene Love, Lynn Varnado, Betty Swan, Brenda George, Ted Taylor, and other artists who are now and forever etched in the walls of timeless music legends.

Miles had a deep heart and soul for intuitive lyric and melody composition. Testament to that are the many major recording artists of whom to this day, continue to adapt their interpretations from his profound book of songs. Among those artists are; Big Joe Turner (United/Cadet Records), Mike Bloomfield (Pilz Entertainment), Bobby Bland (ABC/Dunhill), Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St Rhythm Band (WarnerBros), Prince (Parachute Records), Mick Jagger & Gary Moore (Atlantic Records), B.B. King (MCA Records), Little Johnny Taylor (Ronn/Jewel Records), W.C. Clark (Alligator Records), Ted Taylor (Ronn Records), and The Rolling Stones (Interscope/UMG).

Grayson was on top of his game in keeping up with the latest trends in mainstream music. Finding and nurturing new and upcoming artist and songwriting talent is always at the forefront for Grayson. As with any real A&R person, he genuinely cared about helping talented individuals to develop and reach their greatest potential. Miles offered creative talent the opportunity to contribute their art to painting the future of the recording industry.

Miles Grayson maintained a fun-loving – youthful spirit, a positive outlook on the music industry, and a great “respect” for people and life in general. Among the many in the recording industry, Miles stands out as an esteemed executive, visionary producer, A&R legend, and GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriter.