Kevin Saunderson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kevin Saunderson
Saunderson in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Kevin Maurice Saunderson
Also known as	Tronik House Reese Project Essaray E-Dancer
Born	(1964-09-05) September 5, 1964 (age 60)
Origin	New York City, U.S.
Genres	Detroit techno house music acid house
Occupation(s)	DJ, record producer
Labels	Network Records Giant/Warner Bros. Records
Associated acts	Derrick May Juan Atkins Inner City

Kevin Maurice Saunderson (born September 5, 1964) is an American DJ and record producer who makes electronic dance music. He is well-known as one of "the Belleville Three". This group, which also included Juan Atkins and Derrick May, helped create techno music. They are especially famous for defining Detroit techno, which was the first style of this music. Kevin was born in New York. When he was nine, he moved to Belleville, Michigan, near Detroit. There, at Belleville High School, he became friends with Juan and Derrick.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Kevin Maurice Saunderson was born on September 5, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York. He lived in Brooklyn for about ten years. Then, his family moved to Belleville, Michigan, a small town near Detroit. Kevin met Derrick May when they were both fourteen. They became good friends after an argument.

During high school, Kevin and his classmate Juan Atkins loved listening to DJ Charles "The Electrifying Mojo" Johnson. Juan and Derrick started mixing music and creating their own songs. Kevin first focused on other things. He studied telecommunications and played American football at Eastern Michigan University. Juan began recording music in 1981. Derrick also started making records in 1987. Kevin was inspired to create his own music after watching Juan and Derrick work on a song called "Let's Go."

Creating New Sounds: Kreem

Juan Atkins taught Kevin a lot about making music. Their early sessions led to a song called "Triangle of Love." Kevin said he would often wake up at night with ideas. He would go to his studio and record them. He released "Triangle of Love" under the name Kreem. It came out on Juan Atkins' record label, Metroplex.

Inner City: A Big Hit

Inner City is a music group Kevin Saunderson formed by chance. In 1987, he made a music track in his home studio. He needed someone to sing on it and write lyrics. His friend, Terry ‘Housemaster’ Baldwin, suggested Paris Grey. Paris came to Detroit, wrote the words, and the song "Big Fun" was created.

Kevin put the song aside for a while. Months later, a music expert from the UK, Neil Rushton, came to Detroit. He was looking for music for a new album called Techno - The New Dance Sound Of Detroit. Rushton included "Big Fun" on the album. It quickly became a huge hit around the world. Inner City's next song, "Good Life," sold even more copies. Their first album, Paradise, was also very popular. Over the years, Inner City had many hit songs and sold millions of albums.

E-Dancer: Underground Music

Kevin also created music under the name E-Dancer. This project focused on "more underground" sounds. The first E-Dancer album, 'Heavenly,' came out in 1998. It received great reviews. Spin magazine even called it "one of the ten best albums you’ve never heard."

Later Activities and Contributions

Kevin Saunderson continued to run his record label, KMS. He wanted to help new artists and release great music. He also supports youth baseball teams. He helps coach and manage one team, the Metro Detroit Dodgers.

In 2007, Kevin performed live in a virtual world called Second Life. He also put together a music mix for Triple J, an Australian radio station. In 2012, his mixing board was put on display at the Detroit Historical Museum.

Kevin Saunderson's Music Style

Kevin Saunderson's music is known for being energetic and new. He often used many sound samples and strong drum beats. Sometimes, his songs had a repeated chanted part as the only singing. However, his Inner City songs were smoother and more like house music. These songs featured the vocals of Paris Grey and later, his wife Ann.

Influence on Music

Kevin Saunderson is considered one of the most skilled of the Detroit techno pioneers. His music was some of the strongest and most mechanical techno from Detroit.

One of his songs from 1988, "Just Want Another Chance," was very important. It was released under his "Reese" name. The bassline from this song became very famous in jungle and drum and bass music. Many other artists used this "Reese Bassline" in their own songs. This special bass sound was made using a Casio CZ-1000 synthesizer.

Other Names Kevin Saunderson Used

Kevin Saunderson has used several different names for his music projects. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Saunderson para niños

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart