Norman Connors

Like Roy Ayers, George Benson, and Patrice Rushen, Norman Connors is best known for his major R&B hits when in fact he started out as a jazz improviser. The drummer and composer was born and raised in Philadelphia, and studied music at Philly's Temple University and Juilliard. After gigs and recordings with Archie Shepp and Pharoah Sanders, Connors recorded his first album as a leader, 1972's Dance of Magic. In 1975, he made R&B his main priority with Saturday Night Special, which included the number ten soul hit "Valentine Love." The rest of the 1970s found Connors scoring R&B hits such as "We Both Need Each Other," "Once I've Been There," and the lovely "You Are My Starship," often working with singers Michael Henderson, Jean Carn, and Phyllis Hyman. He later focused on urban contemporary and crossover, recording for Capitol, MoJazz, and Shanachie.