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Greg Phillinganes

Biography

Though given birth to in Detroit, Greg Phillinganes relocated to Los Angles, where he continues to be one of the city’s most prolific session musicians. Stevie Question noticed some instrumental variations of his tunes carried out by Phillinganes and recruited him for the Wonderlove music group, where he continued to be from 1976 to 1981. He fulfilled Quincy Jones as well as the duo worked well together on the music for Billy Eckstine, “A VERY IMPORTANT THING,” in 1976. Phillinganes ultimately was presented on every Michael Jackson Epic program, and wrote tunes for Paulinho Da Costa, the Brothers Johnson, and Lionel Richie. He toured with Jackson, Richie, George Benson, Aretha Franklin, Paul McCartney, and Jones. Phillinganes performed on recordings by Atlantic Starr, Debarge, Donald Byrd, Patti Austin, Diana Ross, and Patti Labelle, amongst others. He started doing his personal recordings in the first ’80s for RCA, though he offers yet to take pleasure from a big strike as a innovator.

Quick Facts


Full Name Greg Phillinganes
Date Of Birth May 12, 1956
Profession Songwriter, Keyboard Player, Music Director
Education Cass Technical High School
Nationality American
Awards Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction
Music Groups Toto, Buckshot LeFonque
Music Songs Behind the Mask, Countdown to Love, Lazy Nina, Playin' With Fire, Come as You Are, I Have Dreamed, Won't Be Long Now, Signals, Girl Talk, Shake It
Albums Pulse, Falling in Between, Falling in Between Live, The Collection, Live, Kamen-Hotel: Guitar Concerto, Pulse (Expanded Edition)
Movies Live 1986


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#Fact
1 Phillinganes acted as a replacement for David Paich on tour with the band Toto. In 2005, he joined the band and set to helping Toto with their new album, Greg now covers for David Paich when he is unable to tour with the rest of the band.


Music Department

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
BBC Stevie Wonder 1981 Documentary Documentary conductor / musical director post-production
The 58th Annual Grammy Awards 2016 TV Movie music director
Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life an All Star Grammy Salute 2015 TV Movie music director
In Performance at the White House: Women of Soul 2014 TV Movie music director
The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles 2014 TV Special musician: keyboard / musician: piano
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards 2011 TV Special music director
Ethan Bortnick and His Musical Time Machine 2010 TV Movie musical director
The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards 2008 TV Special music director
An All-Star Salute to Patti LaBelle: Live from Atlantis 2005 TV Special musical director
Motown Christmas 2002 TV Special musician / song performer
Big Trouble 2002 musician: keyboards
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration 2001 TV Special documentary arrangements / music director
Vibe 1997 TV Series musical director
Dangerous: The Short Films 1993 Video musician: keyboard
Michael Jackson Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour 1992 TV Special documentary musical director
Michael Jackson: Bad 1987 Video short musician: solo synthesizer
Running Scared 1986 musician: keyboard
We Are The World: The Story Behind The Song 1985 TV Movie documentary musician: keyboards - uncredited

Soundtrack

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Britain's Got Talent 2015 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Bulworth 1998 "Joints & Jam" / writer: "Joints & Jam"
Eric Clapton: Live in Hyde Park 1997 TV Movie documentary writer: "Tearin' Us Apart"
Malice 1993 writer: "MISS YOU"
The Cream of Eric Clapton 1990 Video documentary writer: "Tearing Us Apart"
Eric Clapton and Friends 1986 TV Movie documentary writer: "Miss You", "Tearing Us Apart"
Olivia: Soul Kiss 1986 Video short "Soul Kiss"
Touch and Go 1986 "Signals" / performer: "Signals", "Playing With Fire"
The Prince's Trust Rock Gala: 10th Birthday 1986 TV Movie documentary writer: "Tearing Us Apart"
Weird Science 1985 producer: "PRIVATE JOY"
We Are The World: The Story Behind The Song 1985 TV Movie documentary "We Are the World", uncredited
Michael Jackson: Thriller 1983 Video short "Thriller"
Best Friends 1982 arranger: "How Do You Keep The Music Playing?", "Think About Love"

Actor

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Toto: Falling in Between - Live in Paris 2007 Video
The Color Purple 1985 Jook Joint Musician

Composer

Composer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards 2008 TV Special
Motown Christmas 2002 TV Special

Producer

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Imagine John Lennon 75th Birthday Concert 2015 TV Movie music producer
Quincy Jones' 75th Birthday Celebration: Live at Montreux 2008 producer

Thanks

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
We Are The World: The Story Behind The Song 1985 TV Movie documentary special thanks

Self

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Allee Willis Loves Detroit Documentary filming Himself
Hired Gun 2016 Documentary Himself
Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music 2016 TV Mini-Series documentary Himself
The 58th Annual Grammy Awards 2016 TV Movie Himself - Performer
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall 2016 Documentary Himself
2015 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2015 TV Movie Himself - Winner: Outstanding Music Direction
Nathan East: For the Record 2014 Documentary Himself
In Performance at the White House: Women of Soul 2014 TV Movie Himself - keyboards
Michael Jackson Live at Wembley July 16, 1988 2012 Himself
Bad 25 2012 Documentary Himself
Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour 2012 TV Movie documentary Himself
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 2011 TV Series Himself - Musical Guest
Down the Rhodes: The Fender Rhodes Story 2011 Documentary Himself
Unsung 2009-2010 TV Series documentary Himself
Sinbad: Where U Been? 2010 TV Special documentary Himself
Quincy Jones' 75th Birthday Celebration: Live at Montreux 2008 Himself - Host
Herbie Hancock: Possibilities 2006 Documentary Himself
Wetten, dass..? 2006 TV Series Himself
An Evening of Stars: Tribute to Stevie Wonder 2006 TV Movie documentary Himself
Come Together Now 2005 Video documentary short Himself
The Essential Michael Jackson 2002 TV Movie documentary Himself - Keyboard Player
The Arsenio Hall Show 1994 TV Series Himself
Eric Clapton: 24 Nights 1991 TV Special documentary Himself - Keyboards, Vocals
Michael Jackson: From Motown to Your Town 1988 TV Movie Himself - Music Director
Eric Clapton and Friends 1986 TV Movie documentary Himself (Keyboards)
Soul Train 1985 TV Series documentary Himself - Guest
New American Bandstand 1965 1985 TV Series Himself
We Are The World: The Story Behind The Song 1985 TV Movie documentary Himself - Keyboardist

Archive Footage

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Songs 2011 TV Series Himself
BingoLotto 2000 TV Series Themselves

Won awards

Won awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovieAward shared with
2015 Primetime Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Music Direction Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life an All Star Grammy Salute (2015)


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