Tag Archives: Melissa Manchester

Bette Midler: The Divine Miss M

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

Michael Lang

On August 5, 2022, Michael Anthony Lang died aged 80. He was musician (piano, keyboards, organ, synthesizer) and composer, recorded more than 2500 film scores, and worked with some of the biggest names of modern music such as Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Vince Gill, Milt Jackson, Lee Konitz, Diana Krall, Arturo Sandoval, Josh Groban, Frank Zappa, Lee Ritenour, Oliver Nelson, Bud Shank, Kenny Rogers, Barbra Streisand, Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Peggy Lee, Vanessa Williams, Jose Feliciano, Bette Midler, Russell Watson, Michael Bolton, Don Ellis, Robbie Williams, Paul Anka, Sarah Vaughan, Amy Grant, Willie Nelson, Natalie Cole, Dusty Springfield, Melissa Manchester, Neil Diamond, Shelly Manne and Stan Kenton.  

Ringo Starr: Ringo The 4th

On September 20, 1977, “Polydor” label released “Ringo the 4th”, the sixth Ringo Starr studio album. It was recorded February – June 1977, in Cherokee, Los Angeles, Atlantic, and New York City, and was produced by Arif Mardin.

Personnel:

  • Ringo Starr– lead vocals, drums
  • David Spinozza– guitar
  • John Tropea– guitar
  • Jeff Mironov – guitar
  • Cornell Dupree– guitar
  • Lon Van Eaton– guitar
  • Dick Fegy – guitar
  • Danny Kortchmar– guitar
  • David Bromberg– guitar
  • Tony Levin– bass guitar
  • Chuck Rainey– bass guitar
  • Hugh McDonald– bass guitar
  • Don Grolnick– keyboards
  • David Foster– keyboards, clavinet, piano
  • Richard Tee– clavinet, piano
  • Jeff Gutcheon – keyboards
  • Ken Bichel– keyboards
  • Steve Gadd– drums
  • Michael Brecker– saxophone
  • Randy Brecker– trumpet
  • Don Brooks– harmonica
  • Arnold McCuller – backing vocals
  • Brie Howard– backing vocals
  • David Lasley – backing vocals
  • Debra Gray – backing vocals
  • Duitch Helmer – backing vocals
  • Jimmy Gilstrap – backing vocals
  • Joe Bean – backing vocals
  • Luther Vandross– backing vocals
  • Lynn Pitney – backing vocals
  • Marietta Waters – backing vocals
  • Maxine Anderson – backing vocals
  • Melissa Manchester– backing vocals
  • Rebecca Louis – backing vocals
  • Robin Clark– backing vocals
  • Vini Poncia– backing vocals
  • Bette Midler– backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Drowning in the Sea of Love – Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff
  2. Tango All Night – Steve Hague, Tom Seufert
  3. Wings – Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia
  4. Gave It All Up – Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia
  5. Out on the Streets – Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia
  6. Can She Do It Like She Dances – Steve Duboff, Gerry Robinson
  7. Sneaking Sally Through the Alley – Allen Toussaint
  8. It’s No Secret – Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia
  9. Gypsies in the Flight – Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia
  10. Simple Love Song – Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia

 

Melissa Manchester: Singin’…

On September 6, 1977, “Arista” label released “Singin’…” the sixth Melissa Manchester album. It was recorded in 1977, at “A&R Studios”, “Sound Labs” in Hollywood, and was produced by Vini Poncia.

Personnel:

  • Melissa Manchester – lead vocals
  • Jeff Mironov – guitar
  • David Spinozza– guitar
  • Sid McGinnis– guitar
  • Don Grolnick– keyboards
  • James Newton Howard– Oberheim synthesizer, string arrangements
  • Will Lee– bass guitar
  • Tony Levin– bass guitar
  • Steve Gadd– drums
  • Lenny Castro– percussion
  • Tom Saviano – woodwind arrangements, flute, horn arrangements, tenor saxophone
  • Mike Carnahan – flute
  • Leo Potts – flute
  • Andy Macintosh – baritone saxophone
  • Stanley Schwartz – tenor saxophone
  • George Bohanon– trombone
  • Richard Felts – trumpet, flugelhorn solo
  • Sid Sharp – concertmaster
  • Vini Poncia– backing vocals
  • Claudia Cagan – backing vocals
  • Wendy Haas – backing vocals
  • Brie Howard – backing vocals
  • Gail Kantor – backing vocals
  • The Faragher Brothers– backing vocals
  • Bob Schaper – engineer
  • Tom Bush – second engineer
  • Galen Senogles – mixing
  • Ron Hitchcock – mastering
  • Kay Steele – cover coordinator
  • John Kosh – art direction, desiign
  • David Alexander – photography
  • Anne Streer – production coordinator

Track listing:

  1. Sad Eyes – David Spinozza
  2. I Wanna Be Where You Are – Arthur Ross, Leon Ware
  3. A Love Of Your Own – Ned Doheny
  4. No One’s Ever Seen This Side Of Me – Melissa Manchester
  5. You Make It Easy – James Taylor
  6. Stand – Melissa Manchester
  7. My Love Is All I Know – Wendy Waldman
  8. Time – Robert Marshall, John Miles
  9. Let Me Serenade You – John Finley
  10. The Warmth Of The Sun – Brian Wilson

Jeff Porcaro

On August 5, 1992, Jeffrey Thomas Porcaro died aged 38. He was a songwriter, musician (drums), and record producer, best known as the drummer with Toto. He was one of the most south after session drummers in popular music, played on hundreds of albums and worked with numerous artists such as Paul McCartney, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson, George Benson, Greg Lake, Seals & Crofts, Les Dudek, Joe Cocker, Steely Dan, The Jacksons, Tommy Bolin, Jackson Browne, Leo Sayer, Boz Scaggs, Carly Simon, Eric Carmen, Valerie Carter, Lisa Dal Bello, Hall & Oates, Diana Ross, Colin Blunstone, Larry Carlton, Allen Toussaint, Dave Mason, Warren Zevon, Ruben Blades, Bim, Jerry Williams, Al Stewart, Marc Jordan, Rickie Lee Jones, Janne Schaffer, Lowell George, Aretha Franklin, Jon Anderson, Luis Miguel, Love and Money, Patti Austin, Mariya Takeuchi, The Brothers Johnson, Peter Frampton, Bee Gees, Char, Christopher Cross, Randy Crawford, Al Jarreau, Amii Ozaki, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Eye to Eye, Donna Summer, Elton John, Melissa Manchester, Donald Fagen, Herbie Hancock, Don Henley, Michael McDonald, Lionel Richie, Paul Simon, Randy Newman, Russ Taff, Chicago, David Gilmour Joe Walsh, Eric Clapton, Peter cetera, Earth Wind & Fire, roger Hodgson, David Benoit, Dr. John, Steve Porcaro, Nik Kershaw, Poco, Clair Mario, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, Madonna, Jude Cole, Sandy Patty, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Bolton, Cher, Dire Straits, Richard Marx, Bonnie Raitt, Rod Stewart, B-52’s, Go West, 10CC, Roger Waters, Paul Young, and David Crosby. In 1993, Porcaro was posthumously inducted into the “Modern Drummer Hall of Fame”.

Leon Ware

On February 23, 2017, Leon Ware died aged 77. He was composer,  released eleven albums as a performer, but he was best known for producing and writing music for other musicians and bands including: The Isley Brothers,  Donny Hathaway, The Miracles, Teena Marie, Jeffrey Osborne, Loose Ends, James Ingram, Melissa Manchester, Krystol, Bobby Womack, Lulu,  Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Maxwell, Minnie Riperton and Marvin Gaye.