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