Narada Michael Walden, born Michael Walden on April 23, 1952 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a jazz-fusion drummer in the mid-1970s, performing with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, and Jeff Beck. His debut solo album, Garden of Love Light (1976), yielded the R&B chart single "Delightful" in 1977, followed by I Cry, I Smile (1977) and The Awakening (1979). In the 1980s, he transitioned into producing, crafting hits for Whitney Houston ("I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", "How Will I Know", "So Emotional"), Starship ("Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now"), and Aretha Franklin ("Freeway of Love"). He earned 2 Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Song for "Freeway of Love" in 1986 and Producer of the Year in 1988. From 2020 to 2021, he served as the drummer for Journey, contributing to the band's 2022 studio album Freedom.
