Donald McPherson (July 9, 1941 – July 3, 1971) – Black Seeds Keep On Growing (1971)

The Main Ingredient's original lead singer wrote this Black Power anthem and title track to their third LP, but tragically died shortly before its release.

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The great singer/songwriter Donald McPherson was one of the three founding members of the Main Ingredient and the group’s original lead singer before his tragic death, gone much too soon at age 29.

In 1964, McPherson joined together with Luther Simmons Jr. and Tony “Panama” Silvester to form the Harlem-based vocal trio The Poets, who later became the Insiders before a final name change to the Main Ingredient.

See our posts on Luther Simmons Jr. and producer/arranger Bert DeCoteaux for more on the group’s history.

McPherson was the Main Ingredient’s social conscience. For their masterpiece third album Black Seeds (1971), he wrote the lyrically profound Black Power anthem and title track “Black Seeds Keep On Growing.”

Starting with an epic spoken word intro, it told the story of Black Americans overcoming 400 years of oppression to survive and thrive, growing strong in the soil of struggle and adversity. Like the rest of the LP, it was co-produced by the group’s three members, and arranged and conducted by DeCoteaux.

For the album’s closing cut, McPherson wrote another masterpiece message song. The powerful “Why Can’t We All Unite” was a flawlessly orchestrated, stirring call for global unity, peace and justice.

“The way to true salvation is to love both Black and white…instead we fuss and fight. Why can’t we all unite. War machines keep a rollin’…killing everything in sight. It makes me so uptight…why can’t we all unite.”

Tragically, McPherson developed leukemia and died suddenly, shortly before the release of the Black Seeds LP. It was less than a week before his 30th birthday.

He was replaced by Cuba Gooding, Sr., who went on to lead the group on their many 70s hits like “Everybody Plays The Fool” (1972), the epic jam “Happiness Is Just Around The Bend” (1974) and “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely” (1974), co-written by Bobby Eli and Vinnie Barrett. Sadly, with McPherson’s death, the Main Ingredient almost entirely stopped recording message songs.

Rest In Power, Donald McPherson.

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