Michael Zager Explained

Michael Zager (born January 3, 1943)^[1] is an American record producer, composer, and arranger of original music for commercials, albums, network television, and theme music for films. He teaches music at Florida Atlantic University.^[2] Zager was a member of jazz rock band Ten Wheel Drive from 1968 to 1973.^[3]

Music career

Zager has produced for artists such as Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston, Peabo Bryson, Luther Vandross, Deniece Williams, Jennifer Holliday, Joe Williams, Arturo Sandoval, Herb Alpert, Olatunji, and the (Detroit) Spinners. Zager also produced for R&B artist Street Corner Symphony (1975), Marilyn Chambers (1976), Andrea True (1977),^[4] Dee Edwards (1980), Take Five (1981), and Elusion (1981). He also co-wrote the Patti Day song "Right Before My Eyes" with Alexandra Forbes.

In 1978, the Michael Zager Band had a popular disco anthem with "Let's All Chant".^[5]

Between 1979 and 1981, Zager composed new bridges for the Spinners' cover versions of three 1960s and 1970s hits, each of which was billed as a medley with the original hit:^[6]

• "Forgive Me, Girl", paired with a cover of the Four Seasons' "Working My Way Back to You", from the 1979 album Dancin' and Lovin' – (No. 2 US Billboard Hot 100 in March–April 1980; No. 1 UK Singles Chart)
• "I've Loved You for a Long Time", paired with a cover of Sam Cooke's "Cupid," from the 1980 album Love Trippin' – (No. 4 US Hot 100 in July–August 1980; No. 4 UK)
• "Nothing Remains the Same", paired with a cover of the Carpenters' "Yesterday Once More," from the 1981 album Labor of Love – (No. 52 US Hot 100 in March 1981; did not chart in the UK)

Appointments

Zager graduated from University of Miami and the Mannes College of Music. He taught at the Mannes College of Music, a division within The New School, in New York City.^[2]

During the summers of 2006 and 2008 Zager taught at the College of Music at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand.^[7]

He holds the positions of the Dorothy F. Schmidt Eminent Scholar in Performing Arts and professor of music at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.^[2]

He is the author of Writing Music for Television and Radio Commercials (A Manual for Composers and Students) published by Scarecrow Press,^[8] and Music Production: For Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students, also published by Scarecrow Press.^[9]

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album	Label	US 200 [10]
1978	Let's All Chant	Private Stock Records	align=center	120
	Life's a Party	Columbia Records	align=center	—
1980	Zager		align=center	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
		US Pop [11] [12]	US Dance [13] [14]	US R&B [15]	UK [16]
1976	"Do It with Feeling" (with Peabo Bryson)	align=center	94	align=center	3	align=center	25	align=center	―
1977	"Let's All Chant"	align=center	36	align=center	1	align=center	15	align=center	8
1978	"Life's a Party"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―
	"Soul to Soul"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―
	"Love Express"	align=center	―	align=center	1	align=center	―	align=center	―
	"You Don't Know a Good Thing"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―
	"Music Fever"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―
1980	"Don't Sneak on Me"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―
1981	"Dr. Rhythm"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―
1984	"Shot in the Dark"	align=center	―	align=center	24	align=center	―	align=center	―
1986	"Like a Tiger"	align=center	―	align=center	27	align=center	―	align=center	―
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

See also

• List of Billboard number-one dance club songs
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart

External links

• • Official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Michael Zager. Disco-Disco.com. 6 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20060524195637/http://www.disco-disco.com/artists/zager.shtml. May 24, 2006.
2. Web site: Michael Zager. FAU. 6 February 2022.
3. Web site: Biography: Ten Wheel Drive. Viglione. Joe. AllMusic. 31 May 2010.
4. Paoletta. Michael. Billboard - Dance: Artist & Music. Billboard. 16 January 1999. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 28–. 0006-2510.
5. Web site: Alex. Henderson. Michael Zager – Let's All Chant. AllMusic. February 5, 2022.
6. Web site: Michael Zager Page. Soulwalking.co.uk. 6 February 2022.
7. Web site: Music: The Universal Language Across Cultures. Fulbright. 6 February 2022.
8. Book: Zager. Michael. Writing Music for Television and Radio Commercials: A Manual for Composers and Students. 2003. Scarecrow Press. 9780810847224. illustrated.
9. Book: Zager. Michael. Music Production: For Producers, Composers, Arrangers, and Students. 2012. Scarecrow Press. 9780810882010. illustrated.
10. The Michael Zager Band: Chart History - The Billboard 200. Billboard. 6 February 2022.
11. The Michael Zager Band: Chart History - Billboard Hot 100. Billboard. 6 February 2022.
12. Michael Zager's Moon Band/Peabo Bryson: Chart History - Billboard Hot 100. Billboard. 6 February 2022.
13. The Michael Zager Band: Chart History - Dance Club Songs. Billboard. 6 February 2022.
14. Web site: Michael Zager Band Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography. Music VF. 6 February 2022.
15. The Michael Zager Band: Chart History - Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Billboard. 6 February 2022.
16. Web site: MICHAEL ZAGER BAND - full Official Chart History. Official Charts Company. 6 February 2022.