Ralph Anthony MacDonald, born on 15 March 1944 in Harlem, New York, was an American percussionist, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. At 17, he entered the music scene by stepping in for a member of Harry Belafonte’s steel‑pan band, a role that opened touring and producing opportunities and established him as a session percussionist. In 1967, MacDonald, with Bill Salter and William Eaton, founded Antisia Music Incorporated and in 1971, he penned "Where is The Love", a duet for Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway that sold more than one million copies and earned a Grammy. His solo catalog began with the 1976 Sound of a Drum and continued through The Path (1978), Counterpoint (1979), Universal Rhythm (1984), and Surprize (1985). MacDonald co‑composed international hits such as "Calypso Breakdown" (1976), which was featured on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, and "Just The Two of Us" (1980) for Grover Washington Jr. He collaborated with artists ranging from Quincy Jones to Jimmy Buffett, and toured with Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band. MacDonald died of lung cancer on 18 December 2011 in Stamford, Connecticut, at age 67.
