LOCAL GOSPEL ARTIST AND PRODUCER – RUFUS MCGEE
– By Paul Boutte
The Hammond website describes this extraordinary young man best. Rufus McGee Jr., son of Bishop Rufus & Lady Linda McGee, is Rochester’s best-kept secret. However, now the secret is out! His parents began molding him at age two to become a musician. Although he began as the church drummer at six years old; at 11, he progressed to becoming one of the most extraordinary organists/keyboardist that anyone has ever heard. His ability is God-given but can also be attributed to years of absorbing Gospel music passed down through the classic COGIC style of music, and the music of the church that he attended growing up in his hometown of Rochester, New York. His drive and confidence developed from the challenge to rise above mediocrity.
He is an exemplary musician, producer, and the founder of RMJ Productions. In March 2013, Rufus McGee Jr. released his longawaited single “Draw Me Nearer.” The single will mark the first release off McGee’s debut album.
UNYGM Gospel Entertainment Director, Paul Boutte had the opportunity to sit down with music producer Rufus McGee Jr. Being a musician himself, Paul has had the pleasure of knowing Rufus his entire life and helping groom him into the musician he is today. Let’s join this conversation between two of Rochester’s greatest musicians.
How did you get your start in music?
My father, Rufus McGee, Sr, was the choir director and minister of music at Powerhouse Church of God In Christ in Rochester, NY. I think I was about two years old when I got behind a drum set and started playing. No one showed me anything. I just started playing. My father kept me in all his rehearsals. He kept me around the music, so it was just in me to play.
Your dad is the legendary Rufus McGee Sr, who had both the Powerhouse choir and the Youth Explosion 100 voice choir. How was life growing up around all that music, with all those choirs?
It was kool because the choir was made up of people 14-25. One hundred kids and literally, they would rehearse in the sanctuary/ auditorium of a church because no one’s choir stand was large enough. I was always around the sound (of music) and was able to latch on and keep on learning.
And man did you learn. Rufus, what instruments do you play?
Organ, piano, drums, and I mess around on the bass.
I remember you were our drummer for Youth Explosion back in the day when we had both a kid drummer and an adult
drummer.
Yes, I was about 11, and once again, I was with my dad. He was pastor of the church, and we used to clean the church every Saturday. So I would sit there playing with the drums then the organ. The only training I received was when a couple of guys, Antoine and Chris showed me the baseline while cleaning the church. One Sunday morning, the organist didn’t show up, and the church was in high praise. I got on the organ and started playing that baseline they had showed me. The church shouted for about 45 minutes. That was my actual start playing the organ.
Now, who is your biggest musical influence?
In the beginning, it was Chris Horton at Powerhouse. Then Paul Boutte showed me the Funkdafied by DA’Brat. Back then, I had a DX7 keyboard. Paul had just left the music store and bought a Roland D70. He brought it by the house and told me I could keep it while he went on tour. I had that brand new keyboard for almost a year before he came back for it. To answer your question Paul Boutte, Jason Wright, Paul Burrell, Ernie Allen from Chicago, Mike Davis from Connecticut.
Your favorite/most influential musical artist? Mine was always Whitfield. Most definitely, Whitfield.
His chord changes and a lot of the older music like the Clark Sisters, the Bronsons, Judy McAllister. I studied Judy McAllister because Jason Wright, her music producer, had this clear, crisp sound that I wanted. I would come home from school and ask my dad to take me to the church. I would sit at the organ with an old cassette tape ad play it over and over until I learned every chord, every song. Every single day, that was my routine.
