On December 26, 1999, Curtis Lee Mayfield died aged 57. He was musician (guitar, keyboards, piano), singer, songwriter and record producer, regarded as one of the most influential musicians and composers in soul and politically conscious African-American music. Mayfield started the career in a gospel choir, gained wide recognition as member and main composer of The Impressions, and later had a successful solo career. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked his 1965 song “People Get Ready” at number 24 on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. The same song was also included in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll”, and in 1998 was inducted into the “Grammy Hall of Fame”. His album with the soundtrack for the 1972 movie “Super Fly” was ranked at number 72 on “Rolling Stone’s” list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”. In 1994, Mayfield won a “Grammy Legend Award” in and a “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award” in 1995. In 1991, he was inductee into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” as a member of the Impressions, and in 1999 as a solo artist.
Tag Archives: 1972
New Riders of the Purple Sage: Gypsy Cowboy
In December 1972, “Columbia” label released “Gypsy Cowboy”, the third New Riders of the Purple Sage album. It was recorded in 1972, and was produced by Stephen Barncard.
Personnel:
- John Dawson – lead and co-lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- David Nelson – lead and co-lead vocals, lead guitar, dobro, mandolin, bagpipes
- Dave Torbert – lead and co-lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar
- Buddy Cage- pedal steel guitar
- Spencer Dryden- drums
- Mark Naftalin- piano
- Jack Schroer- saxophone
- Richard Greene – violin
- Darlene DiDomenico – backing vocals
- Donna Jean Godchaux- backing vocals
- Stephen Barncard, Dave Brown, Ellen Burke – recording
- Lore Orion – cover art
- John Tobler – liner notes
Track listing:
- Gypsy Cowboy – Dave Torbert
- Whiskey – John Dawson
- Groupie – Dave Torbert
- Sutter’s Mill – John Dawson
- Death and Destruction – John Dawson
- Linda – John Dawson
- On My Way Back Home – Dave Torbert
- Superman – John Dawson
- She’s No Angel – Wanda Ballman
- Long Black Veil – Danny Dill, Marijohn Wilkin
- Sailin’ – John Dawson
REO Speedwagon: R.E.O./Two
On December 1972, “Epic” label released “R.E.O./T.W.O.”, the second REO Speedwagon studio album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Columbia Studios” in Nashville, and was produced by Paul Leka and Billy Rose II.
Personnel:
- Kevin Cronin- lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Gary Richrath- lead guitar
- Neal Doughty- keyboards
- Gregg Philbin – bass, backing vocals
- Alan Gratzer – drums, backing vocals
- Boots Randolph – saxophone
- Kelly Bowen, Tomi Lee Bradly – backing vocals
Track listing:
- Let Me Ride – Kevin Cronin
- How the Story Goes – Gary Richrath
- Little Queenie – Chuck Berry
- Being Kind (Can Hurt Someone Sometimes) – Kevin Cronin
- Music Man – Kevin Cronin
- Like You Do – Gary Richrath
- Flash Tan Queen – Gary Richrath
- Golden Country – Gary Richrath
Uriah Heep: The Magician’s Birthday
In November 1972, “Bronze” label released “The Magician’s Birthday”, the fifth Uriah Heep studio album. It was recorded September – October 1972, at “Lansdowne Studios” in London, and was produced by Gerry Bron. The album cover design was by Roger Dean.
Personnel:
- David Byron– lead vocals
- Mick Box– guitars
- Ken Hensley– keyboards, guitars, moog synthesizer
- Gary Thain– bass guitar
- Lee Kerslake– drums, percussion
- Brian Cole– pedal steel guitar
- Peter Gallen – engineer
- Ashley Howe – engineer assistant
Track listing:
All tracks by Ken Hensley except where noted.
- Sunrise
- Spider Woman – Mick Box, David Byron, Lee Kerslake, Gary Thain
- Blind Eye
- Echoes in the Dark
- Rain
- Sweet Lorraine
- Tales
- The Magician’s Birthday
Joan Armatrading: Whatever’s for Us
In November 1972, “A&M” label released “Whatever’s for Us”, the debut Joan Armatrading album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Château d’Hérouville” in France, “Trident Studios” and “Marquee Studios” in London, and was produced by Gus Dudgeon.
Personnel:
- Joan Armatrading – vocals, piano, acoustic guitar, harmonium
- Davey Johnstone- guitars, sitar
- Larry Steele – bass guitar
- Gerry Conway, Henry Spinetti– drums
- Ray Cooper– percussion, vibes
- Chris Hughes – saxophone
- Del Newman – string, horns arrangements
- Chris Hughes – brass arrangements
- Robin Geoffrey Cable, Ken Scott, Roy Baker, Phil Dunne – engineer
- John Hays – art direction
- Sumiko Davies – cover design
- Derek Davies – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Joan Armatrading and Pam Nestor, except where noted.
- My Family
- City Girl – Joan Armatrading
- Spend a Little Time – Joan Armatrading
- Whatever’s for Us, for Us
- Child Star
- Visionary Mountains
- It Could Have Been Better
- Head of the Table
- Mister Remember Me
- Gave It a Try
- Alice
- Conversation – Joan Armatrading
- Mean Old Man
- All the King’s Gardens
Joe Cocker: Something To Say
In November 1972, “Cube” label released “Something To Say”, the third Joe Cocker studio album. It was recorded 1971 – 1972, and was produced by Denny Cordell and Nigel Thomas.
Personnel:
- Joe Cocker – lead vocals
- Neil Hubbard – guitar
- Chris Stainton – piano, organ
- Allan Spenner – bass
- Jim Keltner, Alan White, Conrad Isidore – drums
- Felix Falcon – percussion
- Rebop Kwaku Baah- congas
- Fred Scerbo, Milton Sloane, Jim Horn- saxophone
- Rick (Alphonso) Alfonso – trumpet
- Gloria Jones, Viola Wills, Virginia Ayers, Beverly Gardner – backing vocals
Track listing:
All tracks by Joe Cocker and Chris Stainton, except where noted.
- Pardon Me Sir
- High Time We Went
- She Don’t Mind
- Black-Eyed Blues
- Something to Say – Joe Cocker, Peter Nicholls
- Midnight Rider – Gregg Allman, Robert Payne
- Do Right Woman (live)- Dan Penn, Chips Moman
- Woman to Woman
- James Infirmary (live)– Frey Assunto
Gordon Lightfoot: Old Dan’s Records
In November 1972, “Reprise” label released “Old Dan’s Records”, the ninth Gordon Lightfoot album. It was recorded in 1972, and was produced by Lenny Waronker. The album won the 1974 “Juno Award” for “Folk Album of the Year”, and Gordon Lightfoot won the same award as “Folk Singer of the Year”.
Personnel:
- Gordon Lightfoot – guitar, vibes
- Red Shea – guitar, classical guitar, dobro
- Terry Clements – guitar
- Ollie Strong – steel guitar
- Larry Good – 5-string banjo
- David Bromberg- slide dobro
- Nick De Caro – piano, orchestral arrangements
- Rick Haynes – bass
- Barry Keane – drums, percussion
- Dave Brown – percussion
- Bruce Good – autoharp
Track listing:
All tracks by Gordon Lightfoot.
- Farewell to Annabel
- That Same Old Obsession
- Old Dan’s Records
- Lazy Mornin’
- You Are What I Am
- Can’t Depend on Love
- My Pony Won’t Go
- It’s Worth Believin’
- Mother of a Miner’s Child
- Hi’way Songs
Can: Ege Bamyasi
In November 1972, “United Artists” label released “Ege Bamyasi”, the fourth Can studio. It was recorded in 1972, at “Inner Space Studios” and was produced by Holger Czukay, Michael Karoli, Jaki Liebezeit, Irmin Schmidt and Damo Suzuki.
Personnel:
- Damo Suzuki– vocals
- Michael Karoli– guitar
- Holger Czukay– bass, engineer, editing
- Irmin Schmidt– keyboards
- Jaki Liebezeit– drums
- Ingo Trauer – original artwork
- Richard J. Rudow – original design
Track listing:
All tracks by Holger Czukay, Michael Karoli, Jaki Liebezeit, Irmin Schmidt and Damo Suzuki.
- Pinch
- Sing Swan Song
- One More Night
- Vitamin C
- Soup
- I’m So Green
- Spoon
Steely Dan: Can’t Buy A Thrill
In November 1972, “ABC” label released “Can’t Buy a Thrill”, the debut Steely Dan studio album. It was recorded in 1972 at “The Village Recorder” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Gary Katz. The album cover features a photomontage by Robert Lockart.
Personnel:
- David Palmer – lead and backing vocals
- Donald Fagen– acoustic and electric pianos, plastic (YC-30) organ, lead and backing vocals
- Jeff “Skunk” Baxter– guitar, pedal steel guitar, spoken word
- Denny Dias– guitar, electric sitar
- Walter Becker – electric bass, dual lead and backing vocals
- Jim Hodder– drums, percussion, lead vocal, backing vocals
- Elliott Randall– lead guitar
- Jerome Richardson– tenor saxophone
- Snooky Young– flugelhorn
- Victor Feldman– percussion
- Venetta Fields, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews– backing vocals
- Roger Nichols – engineer
- Tim Weston – engineer assistant
Track listing:
All tracks by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.
- Do It Again
- Dirty Work
- Kings
- Midnite Cruiser
- Only a Fool Would Say That
- Reelin’ in the Years
- Fire in the Hole
- Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)
- Change of the Guard
- Turn That Heartbeat Over Again
Ry Cooder: Boomer’s Story
In November 1972, “Reprise” label released “Boomer’s Story”, the third Ry Cooder studio album. It was recorded in 1972, at “Amigo Studios” in Burbank, California, and was produced by Jim Dickinson and Lenny Waronker.
Personnel:
- Ry Cooder – vocals, guitars, mandolin, bottleneck guitar
- Sleepy John Estes- vocals, guitar
- Randy Newman- piano
- Jim Dickinson- piano, bass, vocals
- Gene Finney – harmonica
- Dan Penn- vocals
- Tommy McClure – bass
- Jim Keltner, Roger Hawkins- drums
- Milt Holland- percussion
- George Bohanon- horns
- Charles Lawing – clarinet
Track listing:
- Boomer’s Story – traditional
- Cherry Ball Blues – Skip James
- Crow Black Chicken – Lawrence Wilson
- Ax Sweet Mama – Sleepy John Estes
- Maria Elena – Bob Russell, Lorenzo Barcelata
- The Dark End of the Street – Dan Penn, Chips Moman
- Rally ‘Round the Flag – George F. Root
- Comin’ in on a Wing and a Prayer – Jimmy McHugh, Harold Adamson
- President Kennedy – Sleepy John Estes
- Good Morning Mr. Railroad Man – traditional
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