Wikipedia

Ronnie Laws

Ronald Wayne Laws(born October 3, 1950)[1]is an American jazz[2]and smooth jazz saxophonist, and singer. He is the younger brother of jazz flutistHubert Laws,jazz vocalistEloise Lawsand the older brother ofDebra Laws.[3]

Ronnie Laws
Birth nameRonald Wayne Laws
Born(1950-10-03)October 3, 1950(age 74)
Houston,Texas, U.S.
Genres
Instrument(s)Saxophone, flute, vocals
Years active1971–present
Labels
Websitewww.ronnielawsmusic.net

Biography

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Born and raised inHouston,Texas,United States,[1]Laws is the fifth of eight children. He started playing thesaxophoneat the age of 11.[4]

He attendedStephen F. Austin State UniversityinNacogdoches,Texas, for two years.

In 1971, Laws journeyed toLos Angeles,California to embark upon a musical career. He started off by performing with trumpeterHugh Masekela.In 1972, Laws joined the bandEarth, Wind & Fire,where he played saxophone andfluteon their albumLast Days and Time.After 18 months working with Earth, Wind and Fire, he decided to become a solo artist.[4]In 1975, Laws issued his debut album entitledPressure SensitiveonBlue Note Records.[5]The album reached No. 25 on theBillboardTop Soul Albumschart.[6]In 1976, Laws went on to release his second LPFever.[7]The album reached No. 13 on theBillboardTop Soul LPschart.[8]

His third album,Friends & Strangers,was issued in 1977 onUnited Artists Records.[9]The album has been certifiedgoldin the US by theRIAA.[10] Laws' fourth studio LP, entitledFlamewas released in September 1978 on United Artists.[11]The LP reached No. 16 on theBillboardTop Soul Albumschart.[12]

His follow up albumEvery Generationwas issued in 1980 by United Artists Records.[13]The album reached No. 4 on theBillboardTop Soul Albumschart.[14]

Work with other artists

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Laws produced and sang onDebra Laws' 1981 albumVery Special.He later played saxophone onRamsey Lewis' 1983 albumLes Fleurs,Sister Sledge's 1983 LPBet Cha Say That to All the Girls,Deniece Williams' 1984 albumLet's Hear It for the BoyandJeff Lorber's 1984 LPIn the Heat of the Night.Laws also performed onAlphonse Mouzon's 1985 albumThe Sky Is the Limitand 1988 LPEarly Spring.He then made guest appearances onHoward Hewett's 1988 LPForever and Ever,Norman Brown's 1992 albumJust Between Usand Earth, Wind & Fire's 1993 LPMillennium.[15]

Laws also performed onGuru's 2007 albumGuru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: Back to the FutureandBrian Culbertson's 2007 LPBringing Back The Funk.[15]

Legacy

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Artists such as jazz saxophonistBoney Jamesand jazz guitaristNorman Brownhave been influenced by Laws.[16][17]

Discography

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Albums

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Year Title Peak chart positions Record label Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[18] 		US
R&B
[19] 		US
Jazz
[20] 		US
Con. Jazz
[21] 		US
Tra. Jazz
[22]
1975 Pressure Sensitive 73 25 — — — Blue Note
1976 Fever 46 13 — — — Blue Note
1977 Friends & Strangers 37 13 — — — Blue Note Gold:RIAA[23]
1978 Flame 51 16 — — — United Artists
1980 Every Generation 24 4 — — — United Artists
1981 Solid Ground 51 17 — — — Liberty
1983 Mr. Nice Guy 98 24 — — 19 Capitol
1984 Classic Masters(compilation) — 33 — — 16 Capitol
1986 Mirror Town — — — — — Columbia
1987 All Day Rhythm — — — — — Columbia
1989 True Spirit — — — 13 — Par Records
1990 Identity — 80 — 19 — ATA Records
1992 Deep Soul — — — 6 — Par Records
1993 Brotherhood — — — — — 101 South Records
1995 Natural Laws — — 34 25 — The Right Stuff/EMI
1997 Tribute to the LegendaryEddie Harris — — — — — Blue Note
1998 Harvest for the World (Portrait of theIsley Brothers) — — 41 — — Blue Note
2000 Dream a Little — — — 16 — HDH Records
2004 Everlasting — — 39 25 — HDH Records

Charted singles

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Year Title Chart positions
US
[24] 		US
R&B
[25]
1975 "Always There" - 45
1978 "Love Is Here" - 57
1979 "All for You" - 93
1980 "Every Generation" - 12
1981 "Stay Awake" 60 19
"There's a Way" - 75
1983 "In the Groove" - 31
"Mr. Nice Guy" - 80
1985 "City Girl" - 31
1991 "Morning in My Life" - 76
2000 "Old Days / Old Ways" - 36

References

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  1. ^abColin Larkin,ed. (1992).The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music(First ed.).Guinness Publishing.p. 1439.ISBN0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^"Ronnie Laws Music".Ronnielawsmusic.net.RetrievedJanuary 20,2020.
  3. ^Darling, Cary (October 31, 1981)."Ronnie Laws Gambles And Wins"(PDF).Billboard:78 – via worldradiohistory.
  4. ^abKohlhaase, Bill (December 26, 1992)."Old Enough to Have Paid Dues and Then Some".Latimes.
  5. ^Ronnie Laws: Pressure Sensitive.Blue Note Records.1975.
  6. ^"Ronnie Laws: Pressure Sensitive (Top Soul Albums)".billboard.
  7. ^Ronnie Laws: Flame.Blue Note Records.1976.
  8. ^"Ronnie Laws: Fever (Top Soul LPs)".billboard.
  9. ^Ronnie Laws: Friends and Strangers.United Artists Records.1977.
  10. ^"Ronnie Laws: Friends and Strangers".riaa.
  11. ^Ronnie Laws: Flame.United Artists Records.September 1978.
  12. ^"Ronnie Laws: Flame (Top Soul Albums)".billboard.
  13. ^Ronnie Laws: Every Generation.United Artists Records. 1980.
  14. ^"Ronnie Laws: Every Generation (Top Soul Albums)".billboard.Billboard.
  15. ^ab"Ronnie Laws".allmusic.
  16. ^"Boney James Takes Guest Artists For A 'Ride'".billboard.October 11, 2001.
  17. ^"A guitarist who won't play what he practices".dailynews.August 7, 2009.
  18. ^"Ronnie Laws: Billboard 200".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 13,2019.
  19. ^"Ronnie Laws: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 13,2019.
  20. ^"Ronnie Laws: Top Jazz Albums".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 13,2019.
  21. ^"Ronnie Laws: Contemporary Jazz Albums".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 13,2019.
  22. ^"Ronnie Laws: Traditional Jazz Albums".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 13,2019.
  23. ^"Ronnie Laws".riaa.
  24. ^"Ronnie Laws: Hot 100".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 12,2020.
  25. ^"Ronnie Laws: R&B".Billboard.RetrievedAugust 12,2020.
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