Donald McPherson (The Main Ingredient)

Donald McPherson (b. Indianapolis, July 9, 1941 – d. July 4, 1971. Singer and songwriter. Indianapolis native Donald McPherson was highly praised for his singing when he was a member of the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. While living in Harlem following his time in the service, he was the lead singer and songwriter for a newly-formed R & B trio called the Poets, which became The Main Ingredient. (According to legend, the group’s name came from the writing on a coca-cola bottle.) During McPherson’s tenure, The Main Ingredient recorded three albums, which included five hit singles. “Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling in Love”) (1972) charted the highest at #7 on the R & B list. Only five days before his thirtieth birthday, McPherson died of Leukemia. With a new lead singer in Cuba Gooding, Sr., The Main Ingredient enjoyed greater commercial success—especially with the #2 R & B hit “Everybody Plays the Fool” (1972). Without McPherson’s creativity, however, the group no longer recorded its own songs.