On April 19, 2024, “via Ipecac” label released “Tarantula Heart”, the 27th Melvins (The) studio album. It was recorded in 2023, and was produced by Toshi Kasai, Buzz Osborne, Gary Chester, Steven Shane McDonald, Dale Crover and Roy Mayorga.
On May 1, 1961, “Atco” label released “Spanish Harlem”, the debut Ben E. King album. It was recorded 1960 – 1961, and was produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
Personnel:
Ben E. King – vocals
Al Caiola – guitar
George Barnes – guitar
Ernest Hayes – piano
George Duvivier – double bass
Gary Chester – drums
Ray Barretto – percussion
Charlie Margulis – trumpet
Urbie Green – trombone
Stan Applebaum – arrangements
Allen Vogel, Loring Eutemey – artwork
Track listing:
Amor – Gabriel Ruíz, Sunny Skylar, Ricardo López Méndez
Sway – Norman Gimbel, Gabriel Ruíz
Come Closer to Me – Al Stewart, Osvaldo Farrés
Perfidia – Alberto Dominguez, Milton Leeds
Granada – Agustín Lara, Dorothy Dodd
Sweet and Gentle – George Thorn, Otilio del Portal, Martin Ledyard
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps – Joe Davis, Osvaldo Farrés
On December 1, 1973, “ABC” label released “I Got a Name”, the fifth, final and first posthumous Jim Croce studio album. It was recorded in 1973, at “The Hit Factory” in New York City, and was produced by Terry Cashman and Tommy West.
Personnel:
Jim Croce – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar
Maury Muehleisen – lead acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals
Henry Gross – lead and rhythm electric guitar, slide guitar
Tommy West – piano, electric piano, keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Michael Kamen – ARP synthesizer, oboe, ARP tuba synthesizer
On March 21, 1995, “Island” label released “A Secret Life”, the twelfth Marianne Faithfull studio album. It was recorded in 1994, at “Excalibur Sound” and “National Edison Recording Studio” in New York City, and was produced by Angelo Badalamenti.
Personnel:
Marianne Faithfull – vocals
Carmine D’Amico – guitar
Vinnie Bell – guitar, mandolin
Kinny Landrum, Angelo Badalamenti – keyboards
Rufus Reid, Mark Egan, Rob Devito – bass
Sammy Merendino, Gordon Gottlieb – drums, percussion
Albert Regni, Pamela Sklar, Lawrence Feldman – flute, alto flute
On September 15, 1972, “RCA” label released “Rocky Mountain High”, the sixth John Denver album. It was recorded in 1972, and was produced by Milton Okun.
Personnel:
John Denver – vocals, 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars, arrangements
Paul Prestopino – acoustic guitar, autoharp
Mike Taylor – acoustic guitar
Eric Weissberg– banjo, steel guitar
Frank Owens – piano
Richard Kniss – double bass, arranger
Gary Chester– drums, percussion
Bill Danoff, Martine Habib, Bruce Innes, Mike Kobluk, Taffy Nivert– backing vocals
Pupils of the Whitby School, Greenwich, Connecticut – backing vocals
Track listing:
Rocky Mountain High – John Denver, Mike Taylor
Mother Nature’s Son – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Paradise – John Prine
For Baby (For Bobbie) – John Denver
Darcy Farrow – Steve Gillette, Tom Campbell
Prisoners – John Denver
Goodbye Again – John Denver
Season Suite: Summer – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
Season Suite: Fall – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
Season Suite: Winter – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
Season Suite: Late Winter, Early Spring (When Everybody Goes To Mexico) – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
Season Suite: Spring – John Denver, Mike Taylor, Dick Kniss
In September 1967, “Bang” label released “Blowin’ Your Mind!, the debut Van Morrison studio album. It was recorded in March 1967, and was produced by Bert Berns. “Rolling Stone” magazine included it in its list of the “40 Essential Albums of 1967”.
Personnel:
Van Morrison – vocals, guitar
Al Gorgoniand Hugh McCracken – guitars
Paul Griffin- piano
Eric Gale– bass
Gary Chester– drums
Garry Sherman – conductor, organ, actual arranger, musical supervisor
Brooks Arthur – engineer
Vic Anesini – mastering
Bert Berns– arranger, liner notes
Adam Block – project director
Garry Sherman – music supervisor
Track listing:
All tracks by Van Morrison, except where noted.
Brown Eyed Girl
He Ain’t Give You None
B. Sheets
Spanish Rose
Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) – Wes Farrell, Bert Russell
On July 1, 1973, “ABC” label released “Life and Times”, the fourth Jim Croce studio album. It was recorded in 1972, at “The Hit Factory” in New York City, and was produced by Terry Cashman and Tommy West.
Personnel:
Jim Croce – guitar, vocals
Maury Muehleisen – vocals, guitar
Alan Rolnick – vocals, guitar
Michael Kamen- synthesizer
Kenny Ascher- organ
Tommy West – vocals, bass, keyboards
Joe Macho – bass
Gary Chester- drums
Eric Weissberg- violin
Ellie Greenwich- vocals
Terry Cashman- vocals
Tasha Thomas – vocals
Bruce Tergesen – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Jim Croce.
One Less Set of Footsteps
Roller Derby Queen
Dreamin’ Again
Careful Man
Alabama Rain
A Good Time Man Like Me Ain’t Got No Business (Singin’ the Blues)
In April 1972, “ABC” label released “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim”, the third Jim Croce studio album. It was recorded 1971-1972, at “The Hit Factory” in New York City, and was produced by Terry Cashman and Tommy West.
Personnel:
Jim Croce – lead and backing vocals, guitar, rhythm guitar
Maury Muehleisen – guitar, backing vocals
Tommy West- bass, percussion, piano, rhythm guitar, keyboards, electric piano, backing vocals
On April 5, 1971, “RCA” label released “Poems, Prayers & Promises”, the fourth John Denver album. It was recorded in 1970 – 1971, and was produced by Milton Okun and Susan Ruskin. The album contains contains “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, which would become Denver’s signature song.
Personnel:
John Denver – vocals, 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars
Taffy Nivert– vocals
Bill Danoff– vocals, guitar
Eric Weissberg– banjo, steel guitars
Mike Taylor– acoustic guitar
Frank Owens – piano
Richard Kniss – double bass
Gary Chester– drums, percussion
Don Wardell – executive producer
Track listing:
Poems, Prayers and Promises – John Denver
Let It be – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
My Sweet Lady – John Denver
Wooden Indian – John Denver
Junk – Paul McCartney
Gospel Changes – Jack Williams
Take Me Home Country Roads – Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, John Denver
I Guess He’d Rather Be in Colorado Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert
Sunshine on My Shoulders – John Denver, Richard Kriss, Mike Taylor