Eric Mercury

Eric Mercury is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and musician. He was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario into a family of musicians.[1] He performed with groups including The Pharaohs and Eric Mercury and the Soul Searchers in the 1960s, and moved to New York in 1968 to perform by himself.[1]

Mercury recorded his debut solo album, Electric Black Man, in 1969,[1] and it was released the following year. Village Voice critic Robert Christgau dismissed its release as, "all things considered", "tasteless hype, demeaning concept, kudos from David Clayton-Thomas, violins-and-wah-wah production, oh, the exploitative stupidity of it all—this isn't a complete disaster, because Mercury is a fairly strong singer. Maybe some day he'll put out a fairly strong album."[2] Mercury followed that album with Funky Sounds Nurtured in the Fertile Soil of Memphis That Smell of Rock (1972), Love Is Taking Over (1973), Eric Mercury (1975), and Gimme A Call Sometime (1981).[3]

Later he began writing material for other artists such as Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway for whom he also produced. He appeared in the stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar.[4] He also had a role in the film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh as Rudy, the league commissioner, and as Tyrone Blackwood in American Hot Wax.[5]

Mercury moved to Los Angeles from 1971 until Christmas 1978, when he relocated to New York. Eventually returning to Toronto, he worked in a management and production role for the band Age of Reason. The band failed to attract any interest from major record labels, and Mercury went to Chicago until 1997, when he again returned to Toronto.[4]