In 1974, Michael Walden was given the name Narada which means “Supreme Musician” by his guru Sri Chimnoy. His career (and this interview) features him giving the knowledge of the many hats he wears as a drummer, producer, songwriter, and bandleader that has resulted in fifty-seven #1 hits, three Grammy’s, and one Emmy. Recently, there is also a highly recommended book written about Narada called, Narada Michael Walden: Drumming, Spirit, and Music. Today, when you look at Narada’s website, it opens with a bold question, “What do these Stars have in common?” Then there is a graphic of 40 records of people like Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, Weather Report, Lou Rawls, Al Jarreau, Elton John, Steve Winwood, Ray Charles, Al Green, among many others. The answer is (of course,) Narada Michael Walden. Our conversation takes a deep dive into Narada’s fascinating career and his […]

July 2025 Issue