Ralph MacDonald, Esteemed Percussionist and Writer of ‘Just the Two of Us,’ Dies

Ralph MacDonald, an esteemed percussionist and composer who co-wrote the hits “Just the Two of Us” and “Where is the Love?,” died on Sunday (December 18) of lung cancer. The Connecticut resident was 67.

Born in New York City, MacDonald played steelpan percussion in Harry Belafonte’s band for a decade before striking out on his own. His big break came in 1971, when Roberta Flack scored a hit with “Where is the Love?” – a song MacDonald had written with William Salter. Ten years later, Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr. reached #2 on the Billboard charts with “Just the Two of Us,” another co-write of MacDonald’s and Salter’s, which went on to win a Grammy.

MacDonald’s recording credits numbered in the hundreds. His distinctively Caribbean-flavored percussion work can be heard on such tracks as David Bowie’s “Young Americans” and Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville.” Despite being in-demand among such stars, MacDonald remained true to his roots, and often traveled to his ancestral home of Trinidad and Tobago. His devotion to calypso remained evident in his work throughout his career.

Listen to MacDonald’s tasteful work on Jimmy Buffett’s classic “Margaritaville.”

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