Eric Mercury

Eric Alexander Mercury (28 June 1944 – 14 March 2022) was a Canadian musician, singer and composer.

Eric Mercury
Birth nameEric Alexander Mercury
Born(1944-06-28)28 June 1944
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died14 March 2022(2022-03-14) (aged 77)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • singer
  • composer
  • record producer
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1962–2022

He was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario into a family of musicians.[1] He was the youngest of seven children.[2] Mercury 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 and it was released in 1969.[1] From Village Voice critic Robert Christgau: "Mercury is a fairly strong singer. Maybe some day he'll put out a fairly strong album."[3] Others proved to be bigger fans of the LP, including Miles Davis.[2]

Mercury left his original label AVCO Embassy and signed a deal with Enterprise Records, an imprint of Stax Records.[2] His follow-up solo albums were Funky Sounds Nurtured in the Fertile Soil of Memphis That Smell of Rock (1971), Love Is Taking Over (1973), Eric Mercury (1975), and Gimme A Call Sometime (1981).[4][5]

His single "I Can Smell That Funky Music" reached number 30 in Canada, January 15, 1972.[6]

Merc and Monk, a duo project with Thelonious Monk Jr., released a self-titled album in 1985.[7]

Mercury wrote material for other artists such as Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway for whom he also produced.[8] He appeared in the stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar.[9] 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.[10]

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.[9]

His other contributions include vocals to Michael Jordan's “Be Like Mike” advertising jingle for Gatorade.[2]

Mercury died from pancreatic cancer on 14 March 2022, at the age of 77.[2][11]

Discography

Studio albums
List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
CAN
Electric Black Man
  • Released: 1969
  • Label: AVCO Embassy
 —
Funky Sounds Nurtured in the Fertile Soil of Memphis That Smell of Rock
  • Released: 1971
  • Label: Enterprise
 58[12]
Love Is Taking Over
  • Released: 1973
  • Label: Enterprise
 —
Eric Mercury
  • Released: 1975
  • Label: Mercury
 —
Gimme a Call Sometime
  • Released: 1981
  • Label: Capitol
 —
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released.

References
  1. Dillon, Charlotte (2009). "Eric Mercury – Biography". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  2. Friend, David (16 March 2022). "Eric Mercury, Canada's 'Electric Black Man,' singer for 'Be Like Mike' campaign, dies". The Toronto Star/The Canadian Press. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  3. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved 7 March 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  4. Discogs http://www.discogs.com/artist/Eric+Mercury
  5. Eric Mercury - Gimme A Call Sometime, retrieved 17 March 2022
  6. "RPM Top 100 Singles - January 15, 1972" (PDF).
  7. "Merc And Monk". Discogs. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  8. "Discogs credits". Discogs.
  9. Jam Eric Mercury
  10. Imdb Eric Mercury Overview
  11. Canadian Singer-Songwriter and Musician Eric Mercury Has Passed Away
  12. Canadian peak


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