What is Ghostbusters without that iconic theme song? Ray Parker Jr., who is best known for composing and performing the popular melody, is now getting his own documentary which is premiering on June 7th! The trailer can be viewed below.
From the trailer, we get to see teases and an in-depth view of the life of the R&B legend! We get interviews from colleagues, photos, and archival recordings of a call from Stevie Wonder! The trailer is only a taste of Parker’s career, which is so much more than just Ghostbusters.
Ray Parker Jr. started out in the 60’s as a member of the 20 Grand nightclub band. His skill earned the attention from the Spinners, a rhythm and blues vocal group, who added him to their touring group. His big break, however, was in 1972 when Stevie Wonder brought him on as a guest guitarist for “Maybe Your Baby” from Wonder’s album “Talking Book”. Parker would continue to work with Wonder as lead guitarist when Wonder served as an opening act for Rolling Stones during their 1972 tour. Throughout his career, Parker would go on to work with other notable artists such as Boz Scaggs, Barry White, and Herbie Hancock, the latter of which make appearances in the film.
Ray Parker Jr Is Living the Dream!
Who You Gonna Call? is directed by Fran Strine, who was granted access to exclusive archival footage and previously never told stories from Parker’s life. The film will cover from his upbringing in segregated Detroit up to getting his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Strine comments with Variety on his enthusiasm for telling the musician’s story.
“When I interviewed Ray for my previous documentary ‘Hired Gun,’ I knew there was a bigger story to tell. From the moment I sat down with him, I was instantly hooked on telling his life’s story. When most people think of Ray Parker Jr they think of ‘Ghostbusters.’ Yes, he’s had great success with that song, but Ray is so much more than that. The list of legendary artists Ray has performed with and written for is staggering and people don’t know this side of him. After learning more about him I knew right away I needed to tell his story. I’m positive people will draw inspiration from his life story, as I still do, by watching this film.”
Parker comments also on how far he’s come since his start in music.
“At a very young age, I knew I wanted to be a musician. It was my dream. My life. I did everything and anything I could to make that happen. I’d like to say that luck was very much on my side, but I think dedication and determination to make my dreams come true played a larger part. I always tell young musicians that if you want something then work hard at it and go after it. When you find something you’re good at, the fun part just comes along for the ride! Also don’t think about Option 2. Make Option 1 a reality. You are the only one to make it happen. Know that creating music is a collaborative process, so always deliver, have fun and enjoy the process. This usually guarantees call backs.”
Who You Gonna Call? will be hitting streaming services on June 7th through Sony, where it is available for Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu.