Ralph Anthony MacDonald (March 15, 1944 – December 18, 2011)[1] was an American percussionist, steelpan virtuoso, songwriter, musical arranger, and record producer.

Growing up in Harlem, New York, United States, under the close mentorship of his Trinbagonian father, Patrick MacDonald (a calypsonian and bandleader originally from Trinidad and Tobago who used the stage name "Macbeth the Great"), MacDonald began showing his musical talent, particularly with the steelpan, and when he was 17 years old started playing pan for the Harry Belafonte show.

[6][1][7] His recording collaborations number in the hundreds and include Burt Bacharach, George Benson, David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Art Garfunkel, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Carole King, Miriam Makeba, David Sanborn, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Amy Winehouse, Bob James, Ashford and Simpson, Nana Mouskouri, The Average White Band, Hall & Oates, The Brothers Johnson, and he spent years as a charter member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band.

He provided the percussion to "Mister Magic" recorded by saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. MacDonald also appears on Amy Lee's CD Use Me.

With Peter Allen With Average White Band With Patti Austin With Ashford & Simpson With Gato Barbieri With Bee Gees With George Benson With Blood, Sweat & Tears With David Bowie With The Brecker Brothers With Martin Briley With The Brothers Johnson With James Brown With Jimmy Buffett With Kenny Burrell and Grover Washington Jr. With Jonathan Butler With Ron Carter With Merry Clayton With Judy Collins With Randy Crawford With Lou Courtney With Jackie DeShannon With Paul Desmond With Yvonne Elliman With Little Feat With Roberta Flack With Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway With Aretha Franklin With Michael Franks With Glenn Frey With Art Garfunkel With Barry Goldberg With Lesley Gore With Hall & Oates With Tim Hardin With Donny Hathaway With Lena Horne With Bob James With Bob James and Earl Klugh With Milt Jackson With Al Jarreau With Garland Jeffreys With Billy Joel With Dr. John With Margie Joseph With Eric Kaz With Carole King With Morgana King With Hubert Laws With Donal Leace With Julian Lennon With O'Donel Levy With Kenny Loggins With Jon Lucien With Elliot Lurie With Taj Mahal With Junior Mance With Herbie Mann With Arif Mardin With Esther Marrow With Mac McAnally With Gene McDaniels With Don McLean With Bette Midler With Melba Moore With The Neville Brothers With David "Fathead" Newman With Laura Nyro With Teddy Pendergrass With Esther Phillips With John Prine With Bernard Purdie With Bonnie Raitt With The Rascals With Leon Redbone With Martha Reeves With Lionel Richie With Max Roach With Diana Ross With David Ruffin With David Sanborn With Shirley Scott With Don Sebesky With Janis Siegel With Carly Simon With Lucy Simon With Paul Simon With Frank Sinatra With Phoebe Snow With Splinter With Starland Vocal Band With Steely Dan With Gábor Szabó With Howard Tate With James Taylor With Kate Taylor With The Manhattan Transfer With Kenny Vance With Grover Washington Jr. With Mary Lou Williams With Cris Williamson With Bill Withers With Zulema