Mark Radice
{{short description|American musician}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Mark Radice
| image = File:Mark Radice 2020 LIVE GIG.jpg
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|11|23}}
| birth_place = Newark, New Jersey, United States
| origin =
| instrument = Keyboards, guitars, vocals
| genre =
| occupation = Musician, songwriter, producer
| years_active = 1964–present
| label = RCA, Decca, Paramount, United Artists
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|http://markradice.150m.com/}}
}}
Mark Radice (born November 23, 1957) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and producer. Since the early 1970s he has worked with a variety of different artists while also achieving success with his own material. He is a multi-instrumentalist{{Cite web|title=East Tennessee's Own WDVX — Bullet Backstory with Mark Radice|url=https://wdvx.com/bullet-backstory-mark-radice/|access-date=2020-11-18|website=wdvx.com}} and is credited with writing more than 5,500 songs.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-19|title=2019 Hall of Fame Inductee – Mark Radice|url=https://nutleyhalloffame.nutleypubliclibrary.org/2019-radice/|access-date=2020-11-18|website=Nutley Hall of Fame|language=en-US}}
Early life
Mark Radice was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1957, and from 1968 to 1982 he lived in nearby Nutley, where he was inducted into the Nutley Hall of Fame in 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/nutley/sections/arts-and-entertainment/articles/nutley-hall-of-fame-announces-2019-inductees-ceremony-to-take-place-nov-17-2019|title=Nutley Hall of Fame Announces 2019 Inductees, Ceremony to take place Nov. 17, 2019|website=TAPinto}} His father Gene Radice was a well-known recording engineer who worked with Jimi Hendrix, Velvet Underground, Lovin' Spoonful, Janis Ian, the Four Seasons, Cowsills, Mamas & the Papas, The Tokens, Vanilla Fudge, and many more.{{Citation |last= Garmon| first =Ron |editor-last1 = Smay |editor-first1 = David |editor-last2 = Cooper |editor-first2 = Kim |title = Lost in the Grooves: Scram's Capricious Guide to the Music You Missed |publisher = Routledge |year = 2005 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jFKsR0K82hYC&q=mark+radice+new+jersey&pg=PT157|isbn = 9781135879211}} Mark Radice began writing songs, after teaching himself guitar while listening to Beatles albums, at the age of seven.
Career
In 1964, at age of seven, Radice was signed to RCA Records. His single "Natural Morning" was later covered by Frankie Valli.{{Citation |last = Didier Delinotte |first = Didier Delinotte |title = Donovan Le baladin du monde occidental |publisher = Camion Blanc |year = 2019 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=VWjKDwAAQBAJ&q=mark+radice++Donovan+Le+baladin+du+monde+occidental&pg=PT136 |isbn = 9782378481506}} In 1967 while signed to Decca Records he released "10,000 Year Old Blues", which featured the 20-year-old Steven Tyler. His first full-length self-titled LP was released in 1971 on Paramount Records.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lCgEAAAAMBAJ&q=rolling+stone+mark+radice&pg=PA52|title= Album Reviews|date=July 15, 1972 |publisher= Billboard |quote= "Very interesting debut LP from the young Radice. As both a writer and performer he shows great potential. Very fine songs included here are: Your Yesterdays, Take Me to the Park, Seen Through my Pillow. This talented young balladeer deserves much accclaim and attention." |via=Google Books}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lCgEAAAAMBAJ&q=Mark+Radice+aquarian+weekly&pg=PA12|title= Talent |date=July 15, 1972|publisher= Billboard|via=Google Books}} The song "Hey, My Love" was later covered by Dion and Mark Holden.
In 1973 Radice was invited by Donovan to move to England, where he would contribute to Donovan's album 7-Tease album and the associated tour. In 1976, Radice released his second solo album Ain't Nothin' But A Party, featuring Brass Construction. The album included the hit single "If You Can't Beat 'Em Join 'Em."{{Citation|title=Ain't Nothin' But a Party - Mark Radice {{!}} Releases {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/aint-nothin-but-a-party-mw0000976253/releases|language=en-us|access-date=2020-11-18}}
As a writer for EMI Publishing in the 1970s, he collaborated with artists such as Michael Bolton, Eddie Money, Dave Edmunds, Barbra Streisand,{{Cite web|url=https://secondhandsongs.com/work/198618/versions?sort=date&reverse=1|title=Cover versions of Some Good Things Never Last written by Mark Radice | SecondHandSongs|website=secondhandsongs.com}} Barry Manilow, Johnny Mathis, Helix, Cheap Trick, Aldo Nova, Deodato, Phyllis Hyman, Jetboy, Box of Frogs, Gene Simmons, Shark Island, Jennifer Rush, and The Muppets.{{Cite web|title=Mark Radice {{!}} Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mark-radice-mn0000830231/credits|access-date=2020-11-18|website=AllMusic|language=en-us}} In a chance encounter in a Los Angeles hotel lobby, Radice ran into Steven Tyler who asked him to tour with Aerosmith on keyboards and backing vocals. Radice appeared on Aerosmith's 1978 live album Live! Bootleg.{{Citation |last = Bienstock |first = Richard |title = Aerosmith |date = 15 September 2011 |publisher = Voyageur Press |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=X2Opr3N1X4YC&q=mark+radice+aerosmith&pg=PA82 |isbn = 9781610597692 |quote = ...1978...joined by keyboardist and backing vocalist Mark Radice}} In the mid-1980s Radice toured with Cheap Trick and appeared on their album Standing on the Edge. In the 1990s he toured with blues musician Matt "Guitar" Murphy.
Radice was introduced to Jim Henson by Phil Ramone and wrote 50-plus songs for The Muppets franchise over eight years, including for the film Elmo's Christmas Countdown.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=coySDgAAQBAJ&q=Mark+Radice+muppets&pg=PT92|title=How the Movies Saved Christmas: 228 Rescues from Clausnappers, Sleigh Crashes, Lost Presents and Holiday Disasters|first=William D.|last=Crump|date=March 29, 2017|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9781476627700|via=Google Books}} From 2005 to 2011 Radice wrote 160 songs for Sesame Street, including rearranging the original theme in 2008. Radice was nominated for three Emmy Awards for his work on Sesame Street.
In 2012 he moved to Tennessee where he became involved with the Children's Media Studio and wrote 27 songs, one for each letter of the alphabet plus a "new" alphabet song, for the Sing and Spell Learning Letters project.{{Cite web|url=http://www.knoxnews.com/entertainment/life/lesli-bales-sherrod-south-knox-company-launches-interactive-learning-program-ep-819787496-353843341.html|title=Lesli Bales-Sherrod: South Knox company launches interactive learning program|website=www.knoxnews.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tnledger.com/Knoxville/editorial/ArticleEmail.aspx?id=86564&print=1|title=Knoxville's weekend pitchfest a boost for local entrepreneurs - TNLedger Knoxville Edition|website=www.tnledger.com}} In 2019, that project became an animated television show currently showing regionally in various test areas.{{Cite web|title=Children's Media Studio in South Knoxville produces Sing and Spell animated series|url=https://www.wbir.com/article/features/childrens-media-studio-in-south-knoxville-produces-sing-and-spell/51-913732cd-7e96-4c23-9d59-0b95b3c51193|website=wbir.com|date=16 December 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-28}} Radice has also been employed DigiTrax Entertainment in Knoxville since 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://karaokecloud.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/music-genius-mark-radice-joins-digitrax-entertainment/|title=Music Genius Mark Radice Joins DigiTrax Entertainment|date=August 6, 2013}} In 2016 Radice released the limited-edition Audio Quicksand compilation spanning his songwriting career.
Solo discography
=Albums=
- Mark Radice (1971)
- Ain't Nothin' but a Party (1976)
- Intense (1977)
- Store in a Cool Dry Place (1993)
- Generation Why (2004)
- Stay Tuned (2007)
- Generation Why (2008)
- Sing and Spell Learning Letters (2013)
- Audio Quicksand (2016)
=Singles=
- "Natural morning" / "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" (1968)
- "10,000 Year Old Blues" / "Three Cheers (for the Sad Man)" (1968)
- "Richest Man in the World" / "Girl by the Meter" (1969)
- "Save Your Money" / "Wooden Girl" (1972)
- "Your Love is Like Fire" / "Hey My Love" (1972)
- "Hey My Love" / "Your Love is Like Fire" (1972)
- "New Day" / "Take Me to the Park" (1972)
- "If You Can't Beat 'em, Join 'em" / "The Whole Wide World Ain't Nothin' But a Party" (1976){{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Mark-Radice-If-You-Cant-Beat-Em-Join-Em-The-Whole-Wide-World-Aint-Nothin-But-A-Party/release/590849|title=Mark Radice - If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em / The Whole Wide World Ain't Nothin' But A Party|website=Discogs}}
- "The Answer is You" / "Monkey See Monkey Do" (1976)
- "It's You My Love" / "Love is Free" (1977) United Artists 5C 006-60377
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2583857/ Mark Radice on iMDB]
- [https://www.reverbnation.com/musician/markradice Reverbnation]
- [https://www.longneckfilm.com/music The Longneck Goodbye]
- [https://wdvx.com/bullet-backstory-mark-radice/ WDVX interview]
- [http://users.skynet.be/rockofages/Markradicedisco/ MARK RADICE DISCOGRAPHY]
- [http://www.gilmarkle.com/mark-radice Remembering Mark Radice]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Radice, Mark}}
Category:American male singer-songwriters
Category:Record producers from New Jersey
Category:American rock keyboardists
Category:Musicians from Newark, New Jersey
Category:People from Nutley, New Jersey
Category:People from Sevierville, Tennessee
Category:Singer-songwriters from New Jersey
Category:Singer-songwriters from Tennessee