Melvin Davis

Melvin Lee Davis is an American bass player, vocalist, keyboard player, producer, TV composer and engineer based in Orange County, California. He is the music director for Grammy-award winning artist Chaka Khan and has recorded with The Pointer Sisters, Lee Ritenour, Bryan Ferry, Patti Austin and Gladys Knight & the Pips. He co-wrote "Soul Train's a-Comin", the theme song for the television show Soul Train. His albums, Tomorrow's Yesterday and Nature's Serenade were released through The Orchard; LTV: Love, Truth & Victory was released through P-Vine Records. Born and raised in Orange County, Melvin Lee Davis played the violin at age four and the saxophone at age six; he took up guitar while he was in high school. He was discovered by a saxophone player in Buddy Miles's jazz band who was dating his sister while Davis was playing at a club. Miles flew Davis to New York City to audition and hired him on the spot. Davis played in New York City clubs and met Soul Train producer Don Cornelius through a mutual friend, Ron Kersey. According to Davis, Davis made many of his contacts in R&B through Cornelius. "...if you were a black musician in the business of making R&B and soul music and wanted to get on television, you had to go through Don Cornelius," he said. His association with Cornelius lead him to co-write the Soul Train theme, "Soul Train's A-Comin'". Davis has worked for Grammy award winning singer Chaka Khan as a session and touring bassist in addition to music director. He's also worked with Lee Ritenour, Patti Austin, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Pointer Sisters, and Bryan Ferry. LTV: Love, Truth & Victory (1996) Tomorrow’s Yesterday (2000) Nature's Serenade (2003) Genre: Music (2011) With Lee Ritenour Alive in L.A. This Is Love Rit's House Overtime Wes Bound Smoke 'n' Mirrors 6 String Theory With George Benson Love Remembers Standing Together Irreplaceable With Patti Austin That Secret Place Reach With others Gladys Knight & the Pips, All Our Love Allen Hinds, Touch Jeff Kashiwa, Simple Truth Liebman, Jon (17 May 2010). "Melvin Lee Davis". For Bass Players Only. Retrieved 3 March 2015. Bentley, Mark (April 2011). "On the Side: Melvin Lee Davis". Smooth Views: Keeping Smooth Jazz in Sight. Retrieved 3 March 2015. "Melvin Lee Davis". Viva Roxy Music. Retrieved 3 March 2015. Melvin Lee Davis at AllMusic Official website