Ray Parker, Jr.

Acting

Ray Parker, Jr.

Born 1954-05-01 · Detroit, Michigan, USA

Ray Erskine Parker Jr. (born May 1, 1954) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. As a solo performer, he wrote and performed the theme song to the 1984 film Ghostbusters. Previously, Parker achieved a US top-10 hit in 1982 with "The Other Woman". He also performed with his band, Raydio, and with Barry White. Ray Erskine Parker Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Venolia Parker and Ray Parker Sr. He has two siblings: his brother Opelton and his sister Barbara. Parker attended Angel Elementary School where his music teacher, Afred T Kirby, inspired him to be a musician at age six playing the clarinet. Parker attended Cass Technical High School in the 10th grade. Parker is a 1971 graduate of Detroit's Northwestern High School. He was raised in the Dexter-Grand Boulevard neighborhood on its West Side. Parker attended college at Lawrence Institute of Technology. Parker gained recognition during the late 1960s as a member of Bohannon's house band at the 20 Grand nightclub. This Detroit hotspot often featured Tamla/Motown acts, one of which, the (Detroit) Spinners, was so impressed by the young guitarist's skills that they added him to their touring group. Through the Bohannon relationship, he recorded and co-wrote his first songs at age 16 with Marvin Gaye. Parker was also employed as a studio musician as a teenager for the emergent Holland-Dozier-Holland's Invictus/Hot Wax stable, and his "choppy" style was especially prominent on "Want Ads", a number one single for Honey Cone. Parker was later enlisted by Lamont Dozier to appear on his first two albums for ABC Records. In 1972, Parker was a guest guitarist on Stevie Wonder's funk song "Maybe Your Baby", from Wonder's album Talking Book, an association which prompted a permanent move to Los Angeles. He also was the lead guitarist for Wonder when Wonder served as the opening act on the Rolling Stones' 1972 tour. In 1973, he became a sideman in Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra. Parker appeared briefly in the 1974 film Uptown Saturday Night as a guitar player in the church picnic scene. Parker also wrote songs and did session work for the Carpenters, Bill Cosby, Rufus and Chaka Khan, the Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Deniece Williams, Bill Withers, Michael Henderson, Jean-Luc Ponty, Leon Haywood, the Temptations, Boz Scaggs, David Foster, Rhythm Heritage, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Herbie Hancock, Tina Turner, and Diana Ross. Parker's first bona fide hit as a writer was "You Got the Love", co-written with Chaka Khan and recorded by Rufus. The single hit No. 1 on the R&B charts and No. 11 on the pop charts in December 1974. In 1976, he featured as rhythm guitarist on Lucio Battisti's album Io tu noi tutti, translated as "Me you and all of us". Parker has stated that he was the original songwriter of Leo Sayer's 1976 hit "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", but that when he submitted the tune as a demo, his accreditation as such was missed. ... Source: Article "Ray Parker Jr." from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Acting credits

Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters poster
6.9

The documentary that tells us the full story from where it all started through to the future of the "Ghostbusters" franchise.

Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters

2020

Disorderlies poster
4.9

As not-quite-orderlies who're downright Disorderlies, rap-music favorites The Fat Boys rule. Playing the freewheeling caretakers of the frail Dennison, they stir up a comedic culture clash in Palm Beach society that only proves laughter is the best medicine this side of a tax refund.

Disorderlies

1987

Ghostheads poster
6.0

A documentary that explores the extreme side of the Ghostbusters fandom. Join us as we travel the world meeting extreme Ghostbusters fans. Every Ghosthead is unique. Every Franchise is its own. Every pop culture fandom should learn how to give back to the community.

Ghostheads

2016

The Groove Under the Groove poster
8.0

An intimate look at the life and career of Paulinho da Costa, the most recorded percussionist in music history. The documentary explores his unique rhythmic language and his collaboration with legendary icons.

The Groove Under the Groove

2026

Friend to Friend: Armenian Earthquake Relief poster
NR

Over one hundred of Hollywood's glittering stars came together to record a musical tribute to the survivors of earthquake ravaged Armenia. Directed by world renowned Peter Bogdanovich, and beautifully photographed by Academy Award winning cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, this very special one hour show narrated by Robert Stack is not to be missed! Bogdanovich brings together footage and interviews from the recording session, footage of Armenia before and after the earthquake, information on Armenian history and culture, and a piece on the Armenian Genocide.

Friend to Friend: Armenian Earthquake Relief

1989

Uptown Saturday Night poster
6.2

Two blue-collar buddies search the underworld for a winning lottery ticket lost in a nightclub holdup.

Uptown Saturday Night

1974

Enemy Territory poster
5.6

An insurance salesman inadvertently gets trapped after dark in an apartment building that is terrorized by a street gang called "The Vampires."

Enemy Territory

1987

Who You Gonna Call? poster
7.0

Filmmaker Fran Strine explores the riveting true story of the man who wrote and recorded the global smash hit song “Ghostbusters,” which became a universally recognized pop culture classic.

Who You Gonna Call?

2020

Vincent Price's Halloween Thriller poster
NR

Vincent Price playing host to a mix of “Halloween” music videos, including Halloween playlist staples like ‘Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters,” and Ozzy Osbourne’s “Bark at the Moon.” The special also features two performances from illusionist Abb Dixon, who performs a “cremation” and “the table of death.”

Vincent Price's Halloween Thriller

1984

The Kid Who Loved Christmas poster
6.6

In this sentimental holiday tale, a young boy is taken away from his loving, adoptive household when his new mom is killed in an auto accident and his traveling musician dad is deemed unfit to care for him, being on the road too much. Now, the only thing that can help is if a cold, bureaucratic adoption agency caseworker sees the error of her ways and allows them to be together.

The Kid Who Loved Christmas

1990

Hired Gun poster
7.0

A documentary film about session and touring musicians that are hired by well-established and famous bands and artists. These people may not be household names, but are still top-notch performers!

Hired Gun

2017

Charlie Barnett's Terms of Enrollment poster
NR

Charlie Barnett shows you how to succeed in college without trying.

Charlie Barnett's Terms of Enrollment

1986

The Crusaders - Live at Montreux 2003 poster
NR

This DVD focuses on the Crusaders performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2003, one of a number of visits the band have made to Montreux over the years. Founding members Joe Sample and Wilton Felder were joined in the line-up by long standing friend and collaborator Ray Parker Jr. on guitar and featured a special guest appearance by the inimitable Randy Crawford on vocals. They delivered a set that spanned their career from early days up to their latest album capped by a stunning rendition of their classic "Street Life".

The Crusaders - Live at Montreux 2003

2008