Paul Delph (February 28, 1957 – May 21, 1996) was a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, producer, engineer, and studio musician whose catalog includes work with many well-known recording artists from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s. Delph died from complications of HIV/AIDS at his parents home in Cincinnati, Ohio. His ashes are interred at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati. A panel in Delph's name is part of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.[1]
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From 1980 to 1987 Paul was the keyboardist/vocalist for the band Zoo Drive which also featured John Goodsall (guitar), Doug Lunn (bass) and Ric Parnell (drums). They made their primary living touring and recording as rhythm section for many artists. The best known of these projects was the Word of Mouth album by Toni Basil. The song "Mickey" which featured Paul on Farfisa organ went to #1 on the Billboard Magazine singles chart in December 1982.
In 1983 he recorded an album with Zahara, a group with several notable members including Reebop Kwaku Baah (percussion), Paul Delph (keyboards), Bryson Graham (drums), Rosko Gee (bass).[2] From 1988 to 1991 Paul fronted his own solo project called Walk The Walk.
Artists with whom Delph worked include:
Bryan Adams, Jon Anderson, Roy Thomas Baker, Peter Banks(Yes, Empire), Toni Basil, Peabo Bryson, Richard Burmer, Mike Chapman, Ava Cherry, Alice Cooper, Michael Des Barres, Rhett Davies, Bob Esty, Roberta Flack, John Goodsall, Sam Harris, Phyllis Hyman, Alfonso Johnson, Johnny Mandel, Martin Page, The Pointer Sisters, Suzi Quatro, Robbie Robertson, Jimmie Spheeris, Donna Summer, Bernie Taupin, Chester Thomson, Gino Vannelli, The Weather Girls, Alee Willis and Gary Wright.[3]
Performances on The Tonight Show and opening concerts for The Police, The Moody Blues and Iggy Pop, television scores for Falcon Crest, Perfect Strangers, Full House and film scores for Universal Studios and Lorimar Productions were also part of his repertoire.[4]
Delph’s final album, A God That Can Dance, was independently released in 1995. It chronicles the artist’s struggle with HIV/AIDS and draws its title from a quote attributed in the liner notes to Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900):