On October 19, 2025, Anthony Claiborne Jackson died aged 73. He was musician (electric bass, contrabass, guitar), bassist, regarded as “one of the masters of the instrument”. He performed live in more than 30 countries and recorded in more than 3000 sessions on more than 500 albums, with Al Di Meola, Billy Paul, Carlos Garnett, Roberta Flack, Patti Austin, Alex Bugnon, Michel Camilo, Jorge Dalto, Mandoki Soulmates, Will Downing, Carlos Franzetti, Jun Fukamachi, Eric Gale, Terumasa Hino, Garland Jeffreys, Chaka Khan, Steve Khan, Tania Maria, Harvey Mason, Michel Petrucciani, Buddy Rich, Lee Ritenour, Mike Stern, Hiromi Uehara, Grover Washington Jr., Monty Alexander, Peter Allen, Gabriela Anders, Ashford & Simpson, Fahir Atakoglu, Anita Baker, Bob Baldwin, Gato Barbieri, Thereza Bazar, Jim Beard, Bee Gees, George Benson, Warren Bernhardt, Randy Bernsen, Rory Block, Perry Botkin Jr., Ralph Bowen, Till Brönner, Peabo Bryson, Jimmy Buffett, Dina Carroll, Dennis Chambers, Sandeep Chowta, John Clark, Norman Connors, Chick Corea, Hank Crawford, Randy Crawford, Lou Courtney, Eddie Daniels, Michael Davis, Rainy Davis, Eumir Deodato, Devonsquare, Paul Dresher, Ned Rothenberg, Gene Dunlap, Eliane Elias, Pee Wee Ellis, Jon Faddis, Donald Fagen, Joe Farrell, Rachelle Ferrell, Barry Finnerty, Sonny Fortune, Hiroshi Fukumura, Four Tops, Henry Gaffney, Carlos Garnett, Stephane Grappelli, Urbie Green, Michael Gregory, Dave Grusin, Kit Hain, Delores Hall, Lionel Hampton, Gene Harris, Takehiro Honda, Lena Horne, Miki Howard, Bobbi Humphrey, Phyllis Hyman, Masaru Imada, Freddie Jackson, Joe Jackson, Rebbie Jackson, Al Jarreau, Quincy Jones, Ryo Kawasaki, Earl Klugh, Kahoru Kohiruimaki, Wayne Krantz, Bireli Lagrene, Yusef Lateef, Webster Lewis, Dave Liebman, Reggie Lucas, Ralph MacDonald, Teo Macero, Madonna, Teena Marie, Sleepy Matsumoto, Maureen McGovern, Sergio Mendes, Pat Metheny, Bette Midler, Barry Miles, Russell Morris, Gerry Mulligan, Milton Nascimento, David “Fathead” Newman, Maxine Nightingale, Claude Nougaro, The O’Jays, Jeffrey Osborne, Phil Perry, Peter, Paul & Mary, Esther Phillips, Simon Phillips, Noel Pointer, Jesse Rae, Ernest Ranglin, Lou Rawls, Jess Roden, Diana Ross, Ray Russell, Sam & Dave, David Sanborn, Arturo Sandoval, Alejandro Sanz, Lalo Schifrin, Helen Schneider, John Scofield, John Sebastian, Doc Severinsen, Carly Simon, Edward Simon, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Kathy Sledge, Lonnie Liston Smith, Steve Smith, Phoebe Snow, Bert Sommer, David Spinozza, Steely Dan, Jeremy Steig, Charles Sullivan, Ximo Tebar, Nino Tempo, John Tropea, Michal Urbaniak, Dave Valentin, Luther Vandross, Harold Vick, Roch Voisine, Martha Wash, Kazumi Watanabe, Sadao Watanabe, Frank Weber, Dave Weckl, James D-Train Williams, Vanessa Williams, Nancy Wilson, Bernie Worrell and Akiko Yano. As co – leader Jackson released three albums.
Tag Archives: Four Tops
Four Tops: Same
On January 21, 1965, “Motown” label released self-titled, debut Four Tops studio album. It was recorded in 1964, and was produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier.
Personnel:
- Levi Stubbs – baritone, lead vocals and backing vocals
- Abdul Fakir – first tenor, backing vocals
- Renaldo Benson – bass, backing vocals
- Lawrence Payton – second tenor, backing vocals
- The Andantes – backing vocals
- The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
Track listing:
- Baby I Need Your Loving – Holland–Dozier–Holland
- Without the One You Love (Life’s Not Worth While) – Holland–Dozier–Holland
- Where Did You Go? – Holland–Dozier–Holland
- Ask the Lonely – William “Mickey” Stevenson
- Your Love Is Amazing – Holland–Dozier–Holland
- Sad Souvenirs – Ivy Jo Hunter, William “Mickey” Stevenson
- Don’t Turn Away – Ivy Jo Hunter, William “Mickey” Stevenson
- Tea House in China Town – Jo Hunter, William “Mickey” Stevenson
- Left With a Broken Heart – Marv Johnson
- Love Has Gone – Holland–Dozier–Holland
- Call on Me – Holland–Dozier–Holland
Four Tops: Four Tops Second Album
On November 13, 1965, “Motown” label released “Four Tops Second Album”, the second Four Tops studio album. It was recorded in 1965, at “Hitsville USA” in Detroit, and was produced by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Smokey Robinson.
Personnel:
- Levi Stubbs – lead (baritone) and backing vocals
- Abdul Fakir – first tenor and backing vocals
- Renaldo Benson – bass backing vocals
- Lawrence Payton – second tenor backing vocals, lead vocals, keyboards
- The Andantes – backing vocals
- The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
Track listing:
All tracks by Holland–Dozier–Holland (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland), except where noted.
- I Can’t Help Myself
- Love Feels Like Fire
- Is There Anything That I Can Do – Warren “Pete” Moore, Smokey Robinson, Ronald White
- Something About You
- It’s the Same Old Song
- Helpless
- Just as Long as You Need Me
- Darling, I Hum Our Song
- I Like Everything About You
- Since You’ve Been Gone
- Stay in My Lonely Arms
- I’m Grateful – Eddie Holland, Cleo Drake, George Fowler
Abdul Kareem “Duke” Fakir
On July 22, 2024, Abdul Kareem “Duke” Fakir died aged 88. He was singer, a founding member of the quartet Four Tops. In 1990, as a member of the Four Tops, Fakir was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1997, he was inducted into the “Vocal Group Hall of Fame”, in 1999, in the “Grammy Hall of Fame”, in 1998, received the “Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award”.
The Supremes And Four Tops: The Return Of The Magnificient Seven
On July 13, 1971, “Motown” label released “The Return of the Magnificent Seven”, the second Supremes (The) and Four Tops collaborative album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Frank Wilson.
Personnel:
- Jean Terrell – vocals
- Mary Wilson – vocals
- Cindy Birdsong – vocals
- Levi Stubbs – vocals
- Abdul “Duke” Fakir – vocals
- Lawrence Payton – vocals
- Renaldo “Obie” Benson – vocals
- The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
- David Van DePitte, Henry Cosby, Paul Riser, Tom Baird – arrangements
- Frank Wilson – executive producer
Track listing:
- You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart – Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris
- I Wonder Where We’re Going – Tom Baird
- Call Me – Tony Hatch
- One More Bridge to Cross – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
- If You Could See Me Now – Janie Bradford, Joe Hinton, Henry Cosby
- I’ll Try Not to Cry – Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris
- I’m Glad About It – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
- Let’s Make Love Now – Nick Zesses, Dino Fekaris
- I Can’t Believe You Love Me – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol
- Where Would I Be Without You Baby – Clarence McMurray, Martin Coleman
- What Do You Have to Do (To Stay on the Right Side of Love) – Pam Sawyer, Leon Ware
Kid Rock: Sweet Southern Sugar
On November 3, 2017, “Broken Bow Records”, “Top Dog”, “BMG Rights Management” labels released “Sweet Southern Sugar”, the eleventh Kid Rock studio album. It was recorded in 2017, at “The Allen Roadhouse” in Clarkston, Michigan and “Starstruck Studios” in Nashville, Tennessee, and was produced by Mike E. Clark.
Personnel:
- Kid Rock (Robert James Ritchie Sr.) – acoustic guitar, keyboards, B3 organ, drums, percussion, drum programming, backing vocals, turntables
- Gordy Quist – electric guitar
- Adam Shoenfeld – electric guitar
- Nathan Young – electric guitar
- Jason Krause – electric guitar
- Derek Wells – electric guitar
- Rob McNelley – electric guitar
- Paradime – tambourine, turntables
- Tim Lauer – piano, keyboards, mellotron, synth, Rhodes, string machine
- Justin Niebank – piano, synth
- Jim “Moose” Brown – piano, B3 Organ
- Dave Cohen – piano, B3 Organ, keyboards, synths
- Jimmie Bones – piano, backing vocals
- Marlon Young – bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitar
- Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar
- Tony Lucido – bass guitar
- Aaron Julison – bass guitar
- Jerry Roe – drums
- Stefanie Eulinberg – drums
- John “Rook” Cappelletty – drums
- Mike E. Clark – drum programming
- Herschel Boone – backing vocals
- Danny Rader – backing vocals
- Joey Hyde – backing vocals
- Shannon Curfman – backing vocals
- Aaron Eshuis – backing vocals
- Stacy Michelle – backing vocals
- Kristen Rogers – backing vocals
- Morgan Hebert – backing vocals
- Stephcynie Curry – backing vocals
Track listing:
All tracks by Kid Rock.
- Greatest Show on Earth
- Po-Dunk
- Tennessee Mountain Top
- I Wonder
- American Rock ’n’ Roll
- Back to the Other Side
- Raining Whiskey – Frankie Miller, Ralph Murphy
- Stand the Pain
- Sugar Pie Honey Bunch – Four Tops
- Grandpa’s Jam
Aretha Franklin: Through the Storm
On April 27, 1989, “Arista” label released “Through the Storm”, the thirty-second Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded in 1988, and was produced by Narada Michael Walden, Walter Afanasieff, Arif Mardin, Joe Mardin and Aretha Franklin.
Personnel:
- Aretha Franklin– lead and backing vocals, piano, vocal engineer
- James Brown – lead vocals
- Elton John– lead vocals
- Four Tops– lead and backing vocals
- Whitney Houston– lead vocals
- Corrado Rustici – guitar, rhythm guitar
- Steve Khan– guitar
- Reggie Griffin – guitar
- David Paich– piano
- David Foster– piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer
- Walter Afanasieff– keyboards, synthesizer, programming
- Aaron Zigman– keyboards, bass vocals
- Ren Klyce– additional keyboards, programming
- Robbie Kondor – synthesizer, piano
- Louis Johnson– bass guitar
- Jerry Knight – bass guitar
- Jeff Porcaro– drums
- John Robinson– drums
- Yogi Horton– drums
- Sammy Merendino – electronic drums
- Narada Michael Walden– electronic drums, sequencer, synthesizer, arrangements
- Steve Kroon – percussion
- George Devens – percussion
- Greg Gigi Gonaway– cymbal
- Kenny G– saxophone
- Marc Russo– saxophone
- Andy Snitzer – tenor saxophone
- Kenneth Hitchcock – baritone saxophone
- Kent Smith – trumpet
- Chris Botti– trumpet
- Mike Davis – trombone
- Liz Jackson – backing vocals
- Skyler Jett – backing vocals
- Melisa Kary – backing vocals
- Brenda Corbett – backing vocals
- Edie Lehman – backing vocals
- Marti McCall – backing vocals
- Claytoven Richardson– backing vocals
- Kitty Beethoven – backing vocals
- Margaret Branch – backing vocals
- Siedah Garrett– backing vocals
- “Bongo” Bob Smith – programming
- Arif Mardin– arrangements
- Rod Hui – recording, mixing
- Mike Lacopelli – recording, vocal recording
- Lincoln Clapp – engineer
- David Frazer – engineer
- Darren Klein – engineer, mixing
- Joe Mardin– programming, sequencer, recording, mixing
- Peter Max – front and back cover art
- Marlene Cohen – art direction
- Norman Parkinson – photography
Track listing:
- Gimme Your Love – Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen
- Mercy – Siedah Garrett, Glen Ballard
- He’s the Boy – Aretha Franklin
- It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Never Gonna Be – Albert Hammond, Diane Warren
- Through the Storm – Albert Hammond, Diane Warren
- Think (1989) – Aretha Franklin, Ted White
- Come to Me – Willard Eugene Price
- If Ever a Love There Was – Pamela Phillips Oland, Todd Cerney
Aretha Franklin: Jump To It
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:
- Jump to It – Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller
- Love Me Right – Luther Vandross
- If She Don’t Want Your Lovin’ – Sam Dees
- This Is for Real – Luther Vandross
- (It’s Just) Your Love – Luther Vandross, Marcus Miller
- I Wanna Make It Up to You – Aretha Franklin
- It’s Your Thing – O’Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley
- Just My Daydream – Smokey Robinson
Four Tops: On Top
On July 2, 1966, “Motown” label released “On Top”, the third Four Tops studio album. It was recorded in 1966, and was produced by Brian Holland, Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier.
Personnel:
- Renaldo Benson– vocals
- Abdul Fakir– vocals
- Lawrence Payton– vocals, keyboards
- Levi Stubbs– vocals
- The Andantes- vocals
Track listing:
- I Got a Feeling – Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
- Brenda – Edward Holland Jr.
- Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever – Ivy Jo Hunter, Stevie Wonder
- Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over – Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
- Until You Love Someone – Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
- There’s No Love Left – Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
- Matchmaker, Matchmaker – Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick
- Michelle – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
- In the Still of the Night – Cole Porter
- Bluesette – Norman Gimbel, Toots Thielemans
- Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Gene Lees
- Then – Warren “Pete” Moore, Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers
Aretha Franklin: Through the Storm
In May 1989, “Arista” label released “Through the Storm”, the thirty-fifth Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded in 1988, and was produced by Narada Michael Walden, Walter Afanasieff, Arif Mardin, Joe Mardin and Aretha Franklin.
Personnel:
- Aretha Franklin– lead and backing vocals, acoustic piano, vocals engineer
- James Brown – lead vocals
- Whitney Houston– lead vocals
- Elton John– lead vocals
- Four Tops– vocals
- Reggie Griffin – guitar
- Corrado Rustici – guitar, rhythm guitar
- Steve Khan– guitar
- Narada Michael Walden– Simmons drums, synthesizer, arrangements
- Aaron Zigman– bass vocal, keyboards
- David Foster– electric piano, synthesizer
- Robbie Kondor – synthesizer, acoustic piano
- David Paich– acoustic piano
- Walter Afanasieff– keyboards, synth bass, drum programming
- Ren Klyce– Fairlight CMI programming, additional keyboards
- Louis Johnson– bass guitar
- Jerry Knight – bass guitar
- Yogi Horton– drums
- Jeff Porcaro– drums
- John Robinson– drums
- George Devens – percussion
- Steve Kroon – percussion
- Greg “Gigi” Gonaway – cymbal
- Marc Russo– saxophone solo
- Kenny G– saxophone
- Andy Snitzer – tenor saxophone
- Kenneth Hitchcock – baritone saxophone
- Chris Botti– trumpet
- Kent Smith – trumpet
- Mike Davis – trombone
- Arif Mardin– arrangements
- “Bongo” Bob Smith – drum programming
- Sammy Merendino – additional drum samples
- Joe Mardin – programming, sequencing, recording, mixing
- Claytoven Richardson– backing vocals
- Edie Lehman – backing vocals
- Siedah Garrett– backing vocals
- Kitty Beethoven – backing vocals
- Margaret Branch – backing vocals
- Brenda Corbett – backing vocals
- Liz Jackson – backing vocals
- Skyler Jett – backing vocals
- Melisa Kary – backing vocals
- Marti McCall – backing vocals
- Rod Hui – recording, mixing
- Mike Iacopelli – recording , vocal recording
- Darren Klein – engineer, mixing
- Lincoln Clapp – engineer
- David Frazer – engineer
- Marlene Cohen – art direction
- Peter Max – cover art
- Norman Parkinson – photography
Track listing:
- Gimme Your Love – Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen
- Mercy – Siedah Garrett, Glen Ballard
- He’s the Boy – Aretha Franklin
- It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Never Gonna Be – Albert Hammond, Diane Warren
- Through the Storm – Albert Hammond, Diane Warren
- Think – Aretha Franklin, Ted White
- Come to Me – Willard Eugene Price
- If Ever a Love There Was – Pamela Phillips Oland, Todd Cerney
musicalphabet 