Ronald Bruce Rogers (born November 5, 1952), better known as Ron Rogers or Ronnie Rogers, is a songwriter,[1] composer, recording artist and record producer from New York City. His career spanned from the late 1970s until the 1990s.

Ron Rogers

Life and career

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Rogers was born in Soundview, South Bronx, New York in 1952.

After recording a debut RCA Victor LP entitled Gichy Dan’s Beachwood # 9,[2] co-produced with songwriter August Darnell, Rogers composed the words and music to Don Armando's hit "Deputy of Love", which reached number one on the Billboard U.S. dance chart. Following this initial success, Michael Zilkha, founder of ZE Records, began publishing Rogers' compositions through Island Records. The compositions were recorded on 24-track analog recording decks by New York session musicians, including Rogers multitracking on piano, drums and vocals.[3] Among the disco-inspired recordings were: "Spooks In Space" by The Aural Exciters, written by Rogers; Gichy Dan's "Cowboys and Gangsters", written and produced by Rogers; and Rogers' own solo EP "Don't Play With My Emotions", all released on ZE Records / Arista Records / Island Records.

Rogers went on to compose, produce and perform on recordings including "The Lifeboat Party",[4] lead track of the Kid Creole and the Coconuts album Doppelganger;[5] "Gina Gina", from Kid Creole's Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places LP;[6] "City Nights/ Manhattan Cafe's"[7] and "In The Middle Of The Night",[8] released on Rogers' own Blue Chip record label,[9] featuring vocalist Cory Daye of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band; and Elbow Bones and the Racketeers' UK Top 40 hit "A Night In New York", co-written with lyricist D. Clarkin and released on EMI. In total Rogers has writing or production credits on over 30 recordings.[10]

Selected discography

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* (#)X = denotes re-issues/remixes+number of releases

Year Song (s) Producer (s) Written By Artist Title/Label
1979 Deputy of Love* (8) August Darnell / Andy Hernandez Ron Rogers Don Armando Don Armando's Rhumba Band / Ze Records
1978 all cuts Ron Rogers / August Darnell August Darnell Gichy Dan Gichy Dan's Beachwood # 9 / RCA
1983 The Lifeboat Party * 3X August Darnell Ron Rogers / August Darnell Kid Creole and the Coconuts Doppelganger [11] ZE / Island Records
1984 Take Me For A Night In NY* 2X August Darnell Ron Rogers / D. Clarkin Elbow Bones and the Racketeers New York At Dawn / EMI America
1983 Cowboys & Gangsters * 5X Ron Rogers Ron Rogers Gichy Dan Gichy Dan [12] / ZE / Island Records
1979 Spooks In Space* 5X [13] Bob Blank Ron Rogers Aural Exciters Spooks In Space / ZE
1987 So Far So Good * 2X Ron Rogers Ron Rogers August Darnell Kid Creole I Too Have Seen The Woods [14] / Sire Records
1986 City Nights / Manhattan Cafe's Ron Rogers Ron Rogers / B.D.Hutz Cory Daye Cory Daye / Profile Records
1987 Gina Gina August Darnell Ron Rogers / August Darnell Kid Creole and the Coconuts Fresh Fruit In Foreign Places / Ze Records
1987 In The Middle Of The Night - all cuts Ron Rogers Ron Rogers Cory Daye In The Middle of the Night / Blue Chip / Profile Records
1983 Don't Play With My Emotions * (2) - all cuts Ron Rogers / Vince Traina Ron Rogers Ron Rogers Don't Play With My Emotions / [15] ZE / Island Records
1983 Piranana * (2) - all cuts Ron Rogers Ron Rogers / Caroline Loeb Caroline Loeb Piranana /[16] ZE
1995 Dr. Paradise Ron Rogers August Darnell Kid Creole Private Waters in the Great Divide / [17] Columbia
1995 Calling Out to Marlboro Ron Rogers August Darnell Ron Rogers Kid Creole Traveling Sideways / [18] ---
2004 Naughty Boy / YA YA Ron Rogers Ron Rogers Ron Rogers Mutant Disco / [19] Strut Records
2009 Various cuts Ron Rogers Ron Rogers Compilation Zevolution / [20] Strut Records

References

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  1. Ron Rogers SONGS .COM
  2. Ron Rogers Discography
  3. Listen To: “The Lifeboat Party”