Dennis Coffey

Dennis Coffey (born November 1940, Detroit, Michigan) is an American guitarist. He was a studio musician for many soul and R&B; recordings.

Career

Coffey learned to play guitar at the age of thirteen, in the Michigan Upper Peninsula town of Copper City. In 1955, as a fifteen year-old sophomore at Detroit's Mackenzie High School, Dennis played his first record session - backing Vic Gallon in "I'm Gone", on the Gondola record label. In the early 1960s he joined The Royaltones who had had hits with "Poor Boy" in 1958 and "Flamingo Express" in 1961. The Royaltones played sessions with other artists including Del Shannon.

As a member of the Funk Brothers studio band, Coffey played on dozens of recordings for Motown Records, and introduced a hard rock guitar sound to Motown record producer Norman Whitfield's recordings, including distortion, Echoplex tape-loop delay, and wah-wah; most notably heard on "Cloud Nine", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" and "Psychedelic Shack" by The Temptations. He played on numerous other hit records of the era including #1 singles like Edwin Starr's "War, The Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing", Diana Ross & The Supremes "Someday We'll Be Together" and Freda Payne's "Band of Gold". In addition, Coffey scored the blaxploitation film, Black Belt Jones.

In 1971, Coffey recorded "Scorpio" which was a million selling instrumental single that peaked at #6 on the Billboard pop chart. The instrumental track featured the former Motown "funk brother", Bob Babbitt on the bass. On January 8, 1972 Coffey became the first white artist invited to perform on the television show Soul Train, playing "Scorpio". "Scorpio" received a gold disc awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America on 9 December 1971.

In the years following its release "Scorpio" has been sampled extensively by a variety of artists, including: Busy Bee Starski- Old School Double D & Steinski - Lesson 3 Geto Boys - Do it Like a G.O. House of Pain - All My Love LL Cool J - Jinglin' Baby Lord Finesse - Keep it Flowing Moby - Mobility Mos Def - Universal Magnetic Professor Griff - Bro Kemit Splitting Atoms in the Corporate War Zone Public Enemy - Night of the Living Baseheads Queen Latifah - Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children Roni Size - Share the Fall Rage Against the Machine - Renegades of Funk Young MC - Bust a Move Fugees - The Score West Coast Rap All Stars - We're All In The Same Gang Girl Talk - Down For The Count Tuff Crew - Open Field Attack

The follow-up in 1972 was "Taurus", both credited to Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band. Since then, he has recorded several solo albums, most of them for the Sussex and Westbound labels. While at Sussex Records Coffey arranged and produced along with Mike Theodore the million selling "Nice To Be With You" by the group, Gallery.

Coffey was interviewed in the 2002 film, Standing In the Shadows of Motown, which told the story of Funk Brothers and explained that he had sold his Fender Stratocaster to buy a Gibson Firebird after he heard Eddie Willis of Funk Brothers play it during a Motown session.

In 2004, he published a memoir, Guitars, Bars and Motown Superstars.

In 2008, he co-produced the Carl Dixon sessions at Studio A, Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Four tracks were recorded featuring some of the Funk Brothers including Uriel Jones, Bob Babbitt, Coffey and Ray Monette, plus other distinguished Detroit session musicians. Spyder Turner, Pree and Gayle Butts were vocalists on the session. The session was arranged by David J. Van De Pitte.

On April 26, 2011 (April 25 outside the US) Coffey will release the self-titled album Dennis Coffey, consisting of new songs and new versions of songs which originally featured Coffey's distinctive guitar work. Promotion for the album is set to include an international tour, kicking off with several appearances at SXSW.

Discography

Albums

1969: Hair and Thangs (Maverick)

1971: Evolution (Sussex) U.S. #36, U.S. R&B; #13

1972: Goin' for Myself (Sussex) U.S. #90, U.S. R&B; #37

1973: Electric Coffey (Sussex) U.S. #189

1974: Dance Party (Sussex)

1974: Instant Coffey (Sussex)

1975: Gettin' It On (Carrere)

1976: Back Home (Westbound)

1976: Finger Lickin' Good (Westbound) U.S. #147, U.S. R&B; #31

1978: Sweet Taste of Sin (Westbound)

1989: Under the Moonlight (Orpheus)

1990: Motor City Magic (TSR)

2006: Rise of the Phoenix

2011: Dennis Coffey (Strut)

Singles

Notable Publications

Guitars, Bars, and Motown Superstars (University of Michigan Press, 2004)

References

Further Reading

Dennis Coffey in-depth interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' May 2011

External links

Coffey official website

Carl Dixon/Bandtraxs web site

Category:American rhythm and blues guitarists Category:American soul guitarists Category:American session musicians Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:People from Detroit, Michigan Category:Musicians from Michigan Category:Musicians from Detroit, Michigan Category:The Funk Brothers members