Arnold McCuller

Arnold McCuller (born August 26, 1950) is an American vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He was active as a solo artist and session musician, but is perhaps best known for his work as a touring back-up singer with artists such as James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Phil Collins, Beck, Bonnie Raitt, and Todd Rundgren. He toured for forty-five years with Taylor and is an audience favorite for his featured vocal parts on the songs "Shower the People", "I Will Follow", and "Is That the Way You Look". He has also toured extensively with Collins and is one of the main lead vocalists on the live version of "Easy Lover". In 2010 McCuller joined the Troubadour Reunion Tour supporting James Taylor and Carole King.

McCuller has had numerous acting parts in films, particularly in movies centered on music, such as American Hot Wax (1978) and The Hollywood Knights (1980). He appeared in the film The Sum of All Fears singing "The Star-Spangled Banner". Although he did not appear onscreen in Duets, his vocals were blended with those of actor Andre Braugher to make a composite singing voice for the character "Reggie Kane"; in the film, Reggie Kane sang with Paul Giamatti on "Try a Little Tenderness" and performed an a cappella version of "Free Bird".

McCuller also performed the song "Nowhere to Run" for the 1979 film The Warriors, which appears on the film's soundtrack (A&M Records); and was one of the four singers in the "guitar duel sequence" in the 1986 film Crossroads, with Ry Cooder.

With many years of touring from 1977 to 2022; with the exception of 1990 (Phillip Ballou filled in), 1994 (Dorian Holley filled in), 2012 (Jim Gilstrap filled in with the exception of solo on "Shower the People"), and some of 2019 (Dorian Holley filled in at first and then both performed at Las Vegas & Tanglewood).[citation needed ]