Patrick Moten
Patrick Lawrence Moten[1] (March 17, 1957 – November 22, 1999) was an American musician and songwriter. He was also an arranger and producer. He primarily performed on piano and organ.
Early life and education
Moten was born in Los Angeles, California.[1][2] At an early age he displayed a remarkable interest and ability in music. He graduated from Westchester High School in 1975.
He studied classical music with Lucille B. Hughly and William Wilkins, but he switched to soul music after witnessing Billy Preston perform.[1]
Career
At age 15, Moten formed Manufactured Funk,[2] a band that opened for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Rufus, the Dramatics, the Young Hearts, Donny Hathaway, Natalie Cole, New Birth, the Undisputed Truth, B.B. King, and others. Later he traveled the world on a Tina Turner tour.[2] Turner's her ex-husband, Ike, instructed him with recording and engineering.
Through Ike, he befriended Bobby Womack, working with him on many projects, including both Poet albums and another with Sam Cooke's daughter, Linda Womack (Bobby's sister-in-law). Moten co-wrote Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now". (Years later, he would be credited as a co-writer of Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together", when Carey would reuse portions of "If You're Think You're Lonely Now" in "We Belong Together", which would win a Grammy Award in 2006 for R&B Song.[3]) Moten wrote "Love Has Finally Come At Last" for Bobby Womack and Patti LaBelle.
Moten produced Johnnie Taylor's Just Ain't Good Enough on Beverly Glen Records in 1982 (featuring "What About My Love"). The following year, he produced Anita Baker's debut album, The Songstress, and co-wrote all of the album's tracks. In 1987, he wrote several songs for Rosie Gaines' album No Sweeter Love (featuring the track "Crazy"), that was subsequently shelved at the time, later to be resurrected by the Expansion label in the UK in 2000.
Moten penned nearly 60 registered compositions. He toured with a jazz showcase featuring Joe Sample, Lalah Hathaway, and Gerald Albright.[1] He also toured with Frankie Beverly and Maze, and additionally wrote tunes for Mica Paris, Tone Lōc and Sarah Vaughan. He continued the liaison with Anita Baker on her Rhythm of Love album.
Personal life
Moten resided in Marina Del Rey, California. He was a Prince Hall Freemason.
He died in Los Angeles on November 22, 1999, from liver failure[2] at the age of 42. He had been diagnosed as HIV positive two years earlier.[2]
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 Hamilton, Andrew. "Patrick Moten: Artist Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Wells, Chris (1 December 1999). "Patrick Moten". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ↑ "The 2006 Grammy Winners". The New York Times. 9 February 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
External links
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