Greg Phillinganes

Artist Bio

Greg Phillinganes is one of the world’s most sought after Keyboard artists. A Detroit native and music veteran for over 40 years, he began his career in 1975 with Stevie Wonder as part of his band, Wonderlove. Since leaving Stevie in 1979, Phillinganes went on to record, perform, tour and or write with a staggering array of GRAMMY Award winning artists. A short list includes Quincy Jones, Eric Clapton, Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick, Barbra Streisand, Rod Stewart, Neil Diamond, Andrea Bocelli, Herbie Hancock, Mick Jagger, Babyface, David Gilmour, John Mayer, Garth Brooks, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Steven Tyler, Jennifer Hudson, Lionel Richie, Bruno Mars, Santana and Paul McCartney.

Greg is an ASCAP Pop Award Winner for the song “Love Will Conquer All,” which he co-wrote with Lionel Richie. Phillinganes was the music director for Richie’s “Can’t Slow Down” tour- his first as a solo artist- as well as Michael Jackson’s “Bad” and “Dangerous” tours. Greg was also music director for the Jacksons’ 30th Anniversary special at Madison Square Garden, Quincy Jones’ “VIBE” tv show, The 60th EMMY Awards and the first Annual GRAMMY Nominations Live Concert, along with a wide range of special events including the 1999 Super Bowl Halftime show and MUSICARES’ “Person of the Year” event– both honoring Stevie Wonder. In 1991, Greg toured asia with Eric Clapton and George Harrison. In 2004, Phillinganes was music director for Quincy Jones’ “We Are The Future” globally televised celebration in Rome, featuring artists from the US, Europe and the Middle East.

A GRAMMY nominee himself, Greg has been a cornerstone in hundreds of GRAMMY Award winning & nominated albums, including Stevie Wonder’s “Songs In The Key Of Life,” Quincy jones’ “Back On The Block” and Michael Jackson’s “thriller.” Phillinganes was also a member of the GRAMMY Award winning supergroup Toto from 2003 to 2008 and is featured on their album and live concert DVD entitled “Falling In Between.”

As an event producer, Greg’s credits include the Society of Singers’ Tributes to Elton John and Natalie Cole, The Michael Jordan Classic Golf Invitational, the US Doctors For Africa “Leadership For Health” Gala featuring 16 First Ladies of African Nations and Quincy Jones’ 75th Birthday Celebration filmed live in Montreux, Switzerland. He was also a producer and music director for a stunning multi artist tribute to Bill Withers at Carnegie Hall. This extraordinary event also recreated his iconic “Live At Carnegie Hall” album in its entirety.

Phillinganes was featured vocally as well as a sideman with Jazz icon Herbie Hancock on his “Imagine Project” Tour 2010-2011. Greg was also the Music Director for the 2011 Grammy Awards, the “In Performance At The White House” Celebration of Motown and Oprah’s Final “Surprise Spectacular” shows. He also completed an 18 month stint as music director for the Cirque du Soleil/Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour, a second “In Performance At The White House” event honoring “Women Of Soul” as well one of the ‘Ultimate sidemen’ joining Ringo Starr for the 2014 Grammys and the CBS special, “The Beatles: The Night That Changed America.”

In 2014 and ‘15, Greg was Music Director for Stevie Wonder’s exclusive “Songs In The Key Of Life – The Performance” Tour and won his first EMMY Award for the CBS TV GRAMMY Salute of the same name. Phillinganes was also music director for the televised Tribute to John Lennon, featuring artists ranging from steven Tyler and Sheryl Crow to Willie Nelson and Chris Stapleton.

2016 began with Greg as Music Director for the 58th Grammy Awards featuring an all star tribute to Lionel Richie, followed by the Gershwin Prize/Library Of Congress Tribute to Smokey Robinson. Later that year, Phillinganes joined David Gilmour for a European tour of a lifetime on his “Rattle That Lock” tour, playing legendary venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall and the Colosseum of Pompei, where the spectacular “Live At Pompei” DVD was filmed.

The highlight of 2018 featured Phillinganes as MD for the BET special, “Q85: A Musical Celebration of Quincy Jones.

In 2019, Greg served as MD for another MUSICARES’ “Person of the Year” event, honoring Dolly Parton, as well as Opening New York’s “The Shed” venue with the unprecedented “Soundtrack Of America” concert series featuring young, cutting edge artists paying tribute to their musical heroes.

2020: a year like NO OTHER began with a flurry of events for Phillinganes as Music Director:

• Yet another MUSICARES’ “Person of the Year” event honoring AEROSMITH.
• Arranging/Producing “America The Beautiful” for Yolanda Adams’ performance at the Super Bowl.
• Another Library Of Congress/Gershwin Prize honoring Garth Brooks on PBS.
• The non televised “Keep Memory Alive” event honoring Neil Diamond featuring an exclusive mini concert-the final live performance of his career.
• A GRAMMY SALUTE TO LEGENDS tv special presenting Grammy lifetime achievement awards to a stellar array of artists including Chicago, Isaac Hayes and Roberta Flack.

Most recently, Greg can be found on the new John Mayer album, “Sob Rock.”