Thursday, November 7, 2024

Exclusive: Sting, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana Join Narada Michael Walden for Super Secret All Star Single

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Back in 2007, superstar producer Narada Michael Walden — famous for working with Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey — had a brilliant idea. He wrote and recorded a jubilant song called “The More I Love My Life.” Like the songs Walden wrote for Mariah and Whitney, you can’t get it out of your head after the first listen.

Walden’s famous music pals liked it so much they offered to add their talents to it. Sting contributed vocals, Stevie Wonder went to town on his harmonica, and Carlos Santana wailed away on the guitar.

The result was a secretly made all star single that would have gone to number 1.

And then, nothing happened. The single languished as everyone went on to other projects.

Now, Walden says, the single is coming out. It’s part of his new album, called “Euphoria,” available on November 17th.

For the occasion, “The More I Love My Life” has been remixed and sounds more exciting than ever. Sting’s vocal, especially, is stunning. I guess timing is everything.

Narada (pronounced Narda, which means a sage or traveling storyteller in Sanskrit), explains the recording process:

“Sting was the first one to record his parts on The More I love MY life, second verse and choruses! WOW what a sound he brought with his voice and harmony for the chorus. I’m forever grateful to my brother Sting. We have done over 13 Rainforest concerts together so to record together was the BOMB !  Legendary Carlos Santana was next to add his golden guitar solo and back and forth with Stevie on the ending. Carlos inspired me to listen to the artist Ishmael Lo from Africa where I found the origins of the song. Carlos plays some of best guitar here on this recording, REALLY PEAKING! 

“Last to record at Capital studios was the legend himself Stevland Morris the GREAT, Stevie WONDER. He broke out the right harmonica for the key of the song and added the touches you hear. However the soloing on the ending he really got into as he reacted to what Carlos had previously put down in grand fashion. Stevie played some of his most AMAZING EVER Harmonica in history on this recording… And he was well pleased on the playbacks. For me it’s a dream come true to have these Champions on the same track.”

Stay tuned…we’ll have a snippet shortly…

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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