Tag Archives: Cissy Houston

Donny Hathaway: Extension Of A Man

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On June 18, 1973, “Atco” label released “Extension of a Man”, the fourth and final Donny Hathaway studio album. It was recorded October – November 1972, at “A&R”, “Bell Sound”, “Regent Sound” and “Atlantic” in New York City, “Universal” in Chicago, and was produced by Arif Mardin.

Personnel:

  • Donny Hathaway – lead vocals, Fender Rhodes electric piano, all pianos, Hammond organ, keyboards, bass, arrangements
  • Cornell Dupree – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Hugh McCracken – banjo, guitar
  • Willie Weeks, Russ Savakus, Stanley Clarke, Gordon Edwards – bass
  •  Grady Tate, Fred White, Rick Marotta, Ray Lucas – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion
  • Emanuel Green, Harry Lookofsky, Julien Barber, Noel DaCosta, Sanford Allen, Theodore Israel – violin
  • Charles McCracken, George Ricci, Kermit Moore – cello
  • Gloria Agostini – harp 
  • David Newman – saxophone
  • Marvin Stamm, Joe Newman, Ernie Royal – trumpet
  • Dominick Gravine, Garnett Brown, Paul Faulise, Wayne Andre, Tony Studd, Garnett Brown – trombone
  • Hubert Laws – flute
  • Don Butterfield – tuba
  • Phil Bodner – clarinet, alto saxophone
  • Seldon Powell – clarinet, reeds, tenor saxophone
  • Vincent Abato – clarinet
  • Romeo Penque, William Slapin – reeds
  • Jim Buffington, Julius Watkins, Tony Miranda – French horn
  • Henry Schuman – oboe
  • Myrna Summers & The Interdenominational Singers – choir 
  • Cissy Houston, Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shemwell, Jimmy Douglass, Mario “Big M” Medious, Richard Wells, William “Mac” McCollum – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Donny Hathaway, except where noted.

  1. I Love the Lord; He Heard My Cry (Parts I & II)
  2. Someday We’ll All Be Free – Donny Hathaway, Edward Howard
  3. Flying Easy
  4. Valdez in the Country
  5. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know – Al Kooper
  6. Come Little Children
  7. Love, Love, Love – J.R. Bailey, Ken Williams
  8. The Slums
  9. Magdalena – Danny O’Keefe
  10. I Know It’s You – Leon Ware
  11. Lord Help Me – Joe Greene, Billy Preston

Bette Midler: The Divine Miss M

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On November 7, 1972, “Atlantic” label released “The Divine Miss M”, the debut Bette Midler studio album. It was recorded 1971 – 1972, at “Atlantic Recording Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Ahmet Ertegun, Barry Manilow. Geoffrey Haslam and Joel Dorn. The album was certified Platinum in US and Canada.

Personnel:

  • Bette Midler – lead vocals
  • Dickie Frank – guitar
  • David Spinozza – guitars
  • Don Arnone – guitar
  • Dick Hyman – piano
  • Barry Manilow – piano
  • Pat Rebillot – piano
  • Ron Carter – bass guitar
  • Michael Federal – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Milt Hinton – bass
  • Ted Sommer – drums
  • Ray Lucas – drums
  • Kevin Ellman – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald – percussion instruments
  • Cissy Houston – backing vocals
  • Tender Loving Care (Renelle Broxton, Diedre Tuck, Beverly McKenzie) – backing vocals
  • Gail Kantor – backing vocals
  • Melissa Manchester – backing vocals
  • Merle Miller – backing vocals
  • Gene Orloff – violin
  • Emanuel Green – violin
  • Selwart Clarke – viola
  • Kermit Moore – cello
  • Thom Bell – horn and string arrangements
  • Barry Manilow – arranger, conductor
  • William S. Fischer – string arrangement
  • Marty Nelson – vocal arranger
  • Arif Mardin – arrangements
  • Lew Hahn – engineer
  • Richard Amsel – illustration
  • Richard Mantel – art direction, design
  • Kenn Duncan – photography
  • Geoffrey Haslam, Lew Hahn, Bob Liftin – remix

Track listing:

  1. Do You Want to Dance – Bobby Freeman
  2. Chapel of Love – Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector
  3. Superstar – Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell
  4. Daytime Hustler – Jeff Kent
  5. Am I Blue – Harry Akst, Grant Clarke
  6. Friends (Session 1) – Mark Klingman, Buzzy Linhart
  7. Hello in There – John Prine
  8. Leader of the Pack – George Morton, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich
  9. Delta Dawn – Larry Collins, Alex Harvey
  10. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy – Don Raye, Hughie Prince
  11. Friends (Session 2) – Mark Klingman, Buzzy Linhart

Paul Simon: Same

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On January 24, 1972, “Columbia” label released the self-titled, second Paul Simon album. It was recorded January – March 1971, at “CBS Studios” in san Francisco, “CBS Studios” in Los Angeles, “CBS Studios” in New York City, “Western Recorders” in Los Angeles, “Dynamic Sound Studios”, “Kingston Studio CBE” in Paris, and was produced by Paul Simon and Roy Halee.

Personnel:

  • Paul Simon – vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion,  arranger
  • Stéphane Grappelli – violin
  • Lynford “Hux” Brown – lead guitar
  • David Spinozza – acoustic guitar
  • Wallace Wilson – rhythm guitar 
  • Stefan Grossman – bottleneck guitar 
  • Jerry Hahn – electric guitar
  • Neville Hinds – Hammond organ 
  • Larry Knechtel – piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, harmonium, Hammond organ
  • Charlie McCoy – bass harmonica
  • Jackie Jackson – bass guitar
  • Joe Osborn – bass guitar
  • Ron Carter – double bass
  • Russell George – bass guitar
  • Hal Blaine – drums
  • Winston Grennan – drums
  • Denzil Laing – percussion
  • Victor Montanez – congas 
  • Airto Moreira – percussion
  • Fred Lipsius – alto saxophone
  • John Schroer – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
  • Steven Turre – trombone
  • Los Incas – flute, charango, percussion
  • Mike Mainieri – vibes 
  • Cissy Houston, Von Eva Sims, Renelle Stafford and Deirdre Tuck – backing vocals
  • Roy Halee – engineer
  • Phil Ramone – engineer
  • Bernard Estardy – additional engineering
  • John Berg, Ron Coro – design
  • P.A. Harper – photography
  • Leslie Kong – contractor

Track listing:

All tracks by Paul Simon, except where noted. 

  1. Mother and Child Reunion
  2. Duncan
  3. Everything Put Together Falls Apart
  4. Run That Body Down
  5. Armistice Day
  6. Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard
  7. Peace Like a River
  8. Papa Hobo
  9. Hobo’s Blues – Paul Simon, Stéphane Grappelli
  10. Paranoia Blues
  11. Congratulations

J. Geils Band: Monkey island

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On June 9, 1977, “Atlantic” label released “Monkey Island”, the seventh J. Geils Band album. It was recorded in 1977, and was produced by Peter Wolf, J. Geils, Magic Dick, Seth Justan, Danny Klein and Stephen Bladd.

Personnel:

  • Peter Wolf- lead vocals
  • Geils- guitar
  • Magic Dick- harmonica
  • Seth Justman- keyboards
  • Danny Klein- bass
  • Stephen Bladd – drums
  • Michael Brecker- tenor saxophone
  • Randy Brecker– trumpet
  • Ronnie Cuber– saxophone
  • Lew Del Gatto – saxophone
  • Arif Mardin- strings conductor
  • Alan Rubin– trumpet
  • Lew Soloff– trumpet
  • Frank Vicari– saxophone
  • Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals
  • Evette Benton – backing vocals
  • Cissy Houston- backing vocals
  • Barbara Ingram- backing vocals
  • Theresa Reed – backing vocals
  • Diane Sumler – backing vocals
  • Harriet Tharpe – backing vocals
  • Luther Vandross- backing vocals
  • David Thoener – engineer
  • Jay Krugman, Rod O’Brien, Corky Stasiak – engineer assistant
  • David Thoener – mixing
  • George Marino – remastering
  • Peter Corriston – design
  • Alen MacWeeney – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman except where noted.

  1. Surrender
  2. You’re the Only One
  3. I Do – Melvin Mason, Johnny Paden, Frank Paden, Alfred Smith, Willie Stephenson
  4. Somebody
  5. I’m Falling
  6. Monkey Island
  7. I’m Not Rough
  8. So Good
  9. Wreckage

 

Gregg Allman: Laid Back

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In October 1973, “Capricorn” label released “Laid Back”, the debut Gregg Allman studio album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Record Plant” in New York City, and “Capricorn Sound Studios” in Macon, Georgia, and was produced by Johnny Sandlin and Gregg Allman.

Personnel:

  • Gregg Allman – vocals, organ, acoustic guitar
  • Tommy Talton – acoustic, electric and slide guitars, dobro, tambourine
  • Buzz Feiten– guitar
  • Jim Nalls – guitar
  • Scott Boyer – acoustic, electric and steel guitars, electric piano
  • Chuck Leavell– acoustic and electric pianos, vibes
  • Paul Hornsby– organ, keyboards, clavinet
  • Charlie Hayward– bass
  • David Brown – bass
  • Johnny Sandlin – bass
  • Bill Stewart – drums
  • Jai Johanny Johanson– percussion, conga
  • Butch Trucks– percussion, cabasa
  • David “Fathead” Newman– saxophone
  • Max Cahn, Tony Posk – violin
  • Ed Freeman – strings and horn arrangements, conductor
  • Carl Hall, Linda November, Hilda Harris, Cissy Houston, Emily Houston, June McGruder, Helene Miles, Eileen Gilbert, Maretha Stewart, Albertine Robinson – backing vocals
  • Johnny Sandlin – arrangements, engineer
  • Ovie Sparks, Buddy Thornton, Jim Reeves – engineer
  • George Marino – engineer, mastering
  • Abdul Mati Klarwein – cover art

Track listing:

All tracks by Gregg Allman; except where noted.

  1. Midnight Rider – Gregg Allman, Robert Kim Payne
  2. Queen of Hearts
  3. Please Call Home
  4. Don’t Mess Up a Good Thing – Oliver Sain
  5. These Days – Jackson Browne
  6. Multi-Colored Lady
  7. All My Friends – Scott Boyer
  8. Will the Circle Be Unbroken – traditional; arranged by Gregg Allman and Johnny Sandlin

John Prine: Sweet Revenge

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In October 1973, “Atlantic” label released “Sweet Revenge”, the third John Prine album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Arif Mardin.

Personnel:

  • John Prine – vocals, guitar
  • Steve Goodman- guitar, backing vocals
  • Grady Martin- guitar, dobro
  • Steve Burgh, Johnny Christopher – guitar
  • Judy Clay – steel guitar, backing vocals
  • Doyle Grisham – steel guitar
  • Leo LeBlanc – guitar, steel guitar
  • Raun MacKinnon – gut string guitar, harmony vocals
  • Dave Prine – guitar, banjo, dobro, fiddle
  • Reggie Young- guitar
  • David Briggs- organ, piano
  • Bobby Wood, Kenny Ascher- keyboards, piano
  • Jerry Shook – harmonica
  • Mike Leech – bass, upright bass
  • Hugh McDonald – bass, percussion
  • Bill Slater – bass
  • Kenny Malone– drums
  • Steve Mosley – drums
  • Ralph MacDonald- percussion
  • Cissy Houston- backing vocals
  • Deirdre Tuck Corley – backing vocals
  • Arif Mardin- horn arrangements
  • Brad Davis, Jimmy Douglass, Steve Ham, Frank Hubach, Bob Liftin – engineer

Track listing:

All tracks by John Prine, except where noted.

  1. Sweet Revenge
  2. Please Don’t Bury Me
  3. Christmas in Prison
  4. Dear Abby
  5. Blue Umbrella
  6. Often is a Word I Seldom Use
  7. Onomatopoeia
  8. Grandpa Was a Carpenter
  9. The Accident (Things Could Be Worse)
  10. Mexican Home
  11. A Good Time
  12. Nine Pound Hammer – traditional

Felix Cavaliere: Same

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In September 1974, “Bearsville” label released the self-titled, same Felix Cavaliere solo album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Todd Rundgren.

Personnel:

  • Felix Cavaliere – vocals, piano, organ
  • Todd Rundgren – guitar
  • Elliot Randall, John Hall- guitar
  • Gualberto Garcia Perez – flamenco guitar
  • Hank DeVito- pedal steel guitar
  • Kenneth Bichel, Roger Powell – ARP synthesizer
  • John Siegler, Mervin Bronson – bass
  • Jack Scarangella, Kevin Ellman – drums
  • Antonio Jiminez Arana, Pablo Rosario – percussion
  • Antonio Jiminez Arana – congas
  • Paul Fleisher – saxophone, clarinet
  • Barry Rogers – trombone
  • Al Rubin, Larry Spencer, Randy Brecker- trumpet
  • Carman Moore – string arrangements
  • Noel Da Costa, Raymond Kunicki, W. Sanford Allen – violin
  • Alfred Brown, Julien Barber, Selwart Clarke – viola
  • Kermit Moore – cello
  • Jack Jeffers – baritone horns
  • Cissy Houston, Deidre Tuck, Felix Cavaliere, Judy Clay, Renelle Stafford – backing vocals
  • Alex Rutsch – design

Track listing:

All tracks by Felix Cavaliere and Carman Moore

  1. A High Price to Pay
  2. I Am a Gambler
  3. I’ve Got a Solution
  4. Everlasting Love
  5. Summer in El Barrio
  6. Long Times Gone
  7. Future Train
  8. Mountain Man
  9. Funky Friday
  10. It’s Been a Long Long Time
  11. I am Free

Aretha Franklin: Jump To It

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In July 1982, “Arista” label released “Jump To It”, the thirtyfirst Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded 1981 – 1982, at “Mediasound Studios” in New York City, “Record Plant” and “The Village Recorder” in Los Angeles, “Soundsuite” in Detroit, and was produced by Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin. The album received the “American Music Award” for “Best Soul Album”.

Personnel:

  • Aretha Franklin – lead vocals, rhythm and vocal arrangements
  • Levi Stubbs – lead vocals
  • Doc Powell– guitar
  • Steve Love – guitar
  • George Duke– piano
  • Sonny Burke– keyboards
  • Nat Adderley, Jr.– keyboards, rhythm arrangements
  • Luther Vandross– keyboards, backing vocals, rhythm and vocal arrangements
  • Marcus Miller– bass, keyboards, synthesizer, synthesizer and rhythm arrangements
  • Francisco Centeno, Louis Johnson– bass
  • Yogi Horton, Buddy Williams– drums
  • Errol “Crusher” Bennett – congas, percussion
  • Paulinho Da Costa– percussion
  • George Young – soprano saxophone
  • Paul Riser, Leon Pendarvis, Jr., Jerry Hey– horn and string arrangements
  • Four Tops– backing vocals, vocal arrangements
  • Erma Franklin, Pam Vincent, Sandra Dance, Brenda White, Cissy Houston, Fonzi Thornton, Michelle Cobbs, Phillip Ballou, Tawatha Agee, Norma Jean Wright, Alexandra Brown, Darlene Love, Paulette McWilliams, Stephanie Spruill, Brenda Corbett – backing vocals
  • Michael Brauer – recording, mixing
  • Carl Beatty, Lee Keifer – additional engineering
  • Michael Christopher, Karat Faye, John Hanlon, Harry Spiridakis, Don Wershba, Warren Woods
  • Ria Lewerke-Shapiro – art direction, design
  • Harry Langdon – photography
  • Sue Reilly – lettering
  • Sephra Herman – production coordinator

Track listing:

  1. Jump to It – Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller
  2. Love Me Right – Luther Vandross
  3. If She Don’t Want Your Lovin’ – Sam Dees
  4. This Is for Real – Luther Vandross
  5. (It’s Just) Your Love – Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller
  6. I Wanna Make It Up to You – Aretha Franklin
  7. It’s Your Thing – O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley
  8. Just My Daydream – Smokey Robinson

Carly Simon: Boys in the Trees

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In April 1978, “Elektra” label released “Boys in the Trees”, the seventh Carly Simon studio album. It was recorded in 1978, and was produced by Arif Mardin. The album won “Grammy Award” for “Best Album Package”.

Personnel:

  • Carly Simon – vocals, guitar, piano
  • James Taylor- guitar, backing vocals
  • John Hall – guitar, backing vocals
  • Hamish Stuart- guitar, backing vocals
  • Richard Tee- keyboards
  • Cornell Dupree- guitar
  • Eric Gale- guitar
  • Hugh McCracken- guitar
  • Onnie McIntyre – guitar
  • Jeff Mironov – guitar
  • Stuart Scharf – guitar
  • Don Grolnick- keyboards
  • Ken Bichel- keyboards
  • Gordon Edwards – bass
  • Will Lee- bass
  • Tony Levin- bass
  • Steve Gadd- drums
  • Rubens Bassini- percussion
  • Errol “Crusher” Bennett – percussion
  • David Sanborn- alto saxophone
  • George Young – alto saxophone
  • Michael Brecker- tenor saxophone
  • Ronnie Cuber- baritone saxophone
  • Jaroslav Jakubovic- baritone saxophone
  • Randy Brecker- trumpet
  • James Buffington – French horn
  • Brooks Tillotson – French horn
  • Eddie Bert – trombone
  • Barry Rogers- trombone
  • Phil Bodner – oboe
  • Joe Farrell- flute
  • Gloria Agostini – harp
  • Margaret Ross – harp
  • David Carey – marimba
  • Alex Ligertwood- backing vocals
  • Lucy Simon- backing vocals
  • Luther Vandross – backing vocals
  • Cissy Houston- backing vocals
  • Steven Dickson, Marc Embree, Ruderick George, Alyia Orme, Joanna Simon, Ken Williams – backing vocals
  • George Marge – recording
  • Harvey Estrin – recording

Track listing:

All tracks by Carly Simon except where noted.

  1. You Belong to Me – Carly Simon, Michael McDonald
  2. Boys in the Trees
  3. Back Down to Earth
  4. Devoted to You – Boudleaux Bryant
  5. De Bat (Fly in Me Face)
  6. Haunting
  7. Tranquillo (Melt My Heart) – Carly Simon, James Taylor, Arif Mardin
  8. You’re the One
  9. In a Small Moment
  10. One Man Woman – James Taylor
  11. For Old Times Sake – Carly Simon, Jacob Brackman

Wishbone Ash: Locked In

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In March 1976, “MCA” label released “Locked In” the sixth Wishbone Ash studio album. It was recorded 1975-1976, at “Atlantic Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Tom Dowd.

Personnel:

  • Andy Powell – vocals, guitars
  • Laurie Wisefield – vocals, guitars
  • Martin Turner– vocals, bass
  • Steve Upton– drums
  • Pete Wood – keyboards
  • Cissy Houston, Sylvia Shemwell, Eunice Peterson – backing vocals
  • Geogg Daking, Jay Borden – recording, mixing
  • Bobby Warner – mixing
  • Alan Sussman, Bob Defrin – art direction
  • Chris Corey – cover illustration
  • David Gahr – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Martin Turner, Andy Powell, Laurie Wisefield and Steve Upton, except where noted

  1. Rest in Peace
  2. No Water in the Well – Laurie Wisefield
  3. Moonshine
  4. She Was My Best Friend – Martin Turner
  5. It Started in Heaven – Laurie Wisefield, Steve Upton
  6. Half Past Lovin’
  7. Trust in You
  8. Say Goodbye – Martin Turner, Laurie Wisefield