I’m primarily--and most passionately--a ghostwriter.

My work includes collaborations with Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, Don Rickles, B.B. King, Val Kilmer, Janet Jackson, Buddy Guy, Joe Perry, Jessi Colter, the Neville Brothers, Lang Lang, Smokey Robinson, Etta James, Rick James, Morris Day, Kevin Garnett and many others.

I’m also a biographer. I’ve written the definitive life stories of Marvin Gaye (Divided Soul), Aretha Franklin (Respect) and Jimmy Scott (Faith in Time).

My many novels include Pretty Paper (co-written with Willie Nelson), Blue Notes Under a Green Felt and Barbells and Saxophones.

I’ve written two books on spirituality: Messengers: Portraits of African American Ministers, Evangelists and Gospels Singers and a personal memoir, The God Groove: A Blues Journey to Faith.

Over the past 47 years, I’ve written 65 books, 15 of which have appeared on bestseller lists.

As a lyricist, my songs include “Sexual Healing” (co-written with Marvin Gaye and Odell Brown) as well as compositions with Janet Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Kem and Narada Michael Walden.

I’ve written 75 sets of liner notes for everyone from Michael Jackson to Frank Sinatra.

My honors include a Grammy, four Rolling Stone/Ralph Gleason Book awards and the ACASP Timothy White award for outstanding musical biography.