Minor brings ‘Idol’ some major players
“American Idol” fans know Paula, Simon, Randy and Ryan.
But there’s a fifth star who’s rarely seen: Rickey Minor, the man behind the music.
Minor made a significant change in the show when he took over as its musical director in 2005, ditching the karaoke-style canned tunes in favor of a live band.
He also was instrumental in bringing some certified superstars to the “Idol” stage, including Prince, Mary J. Blige and Al Jarreau.
At 47, Minor has earned some serious industry clout. He’s worked with heavy hitters including Christina Aguilera and Stevie Wonder, and served as musical director for the Grammys in February.
Q: Why does live music make a difference on “Idol”?
A: The ability to change on a dime is priceless. You can’t do that (on tape). … Still, some of the kids sound karaoke, but at least with the live band, it gives them what the top professionals in the world not only expect but get when they work with me. They’re getting what Stevie Wonder gets. They’re getting what Whitney (Houston) and Beyonce get. This is what Aretha Franklin sings to. It’s like a high school basketball team getting Phil Jackson to coach them, and Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are all on your team.
Q: How does working on “American Idol” compare to the Grammys?
A: Working on “Idol,” we have the kids and the experience varies. Some are musicians, like Taylor Hicks had his own band already, so he had experience working with a band. Kelly Pickler had never sung with a band in her life. Carrie Underwood lived on a farm, so she just sang at home walking around with the cows.
Q: With all this work, how do you unwind?
A: My wife (of 22 years, Karen) and I walk most mornings, a few miles every morning. The thing that I love to do is garden, mostly flowers and trees, cutting hedges and pulling weeds. I just love being outdoors. On weekends I unplug.
Q: What’s on your iPod?
A: Everything that I work on. In my car I listen to satellite and I listen to pretty much jazz … it’s the thing I love because there are no boundaries. You can play one note a million times and approach it differently every time, and no two solos are the same.
People send me demos but I don’t listen to them. There’s only so much you can listen to. It’s like smelling perfume: How much can you smell before you’re numb?
The birthday bunch
Comedian Shecky Greene is 81. Singer-actor John Schneider is 47. Singer Julian Lennon is 44. Rapper Biz Markie is 43. Actress Robin Wright Penn is 41. Actress Patricia Arquette is 39. Actor Taran Noah Smith (“Home Improvement”) is 23.