Tag Archives: Rose Royce

Rose Royce: Rainbow Connection IV

On August 17, 1979, “Whitfield” label released “Rainbow Connection IV”, the fourth Rose Royce album. It was recorded in 1979, at “Fort Knox Studio” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Gwen Dickey – lead vocals
  • Kenji Brown – lead vocals, guitar
  • Michael Nash – keyboards, c0 – producer
  • Michael Moore – saxophone
  • Kenny Copeland – lead vocals, trumpet
  • Freddie Dunn – trumpet
  • Lequeint “Duke” Jobe – vocals, bass
  • Henry Garner – vocals, drums
  • Terry Santiel – congas
  • Walter Downing – clavinet, Rhodes piano
  • Lafayette Trey Stone, Isy Martin, Wah Wah Watson – guitar
  • Jack Ashford – tambourine, cowbell
  • Norman Whitfield – arrangements, mixing, album concept
  • Bruce Miller – string and horn arrangement
  • Leanard Jackson, Steve Smith – recording, mixing
  • Tim Bryant / Gribbitt! – art direction
  • Norman Moore – design
  • Scott Hensell – photography
  • Bill Whitfield – album coordinator

Track listing:

All tracks by Norman Whitfield, except where noted.

  1. I Wonder Where You Are Tonight – Robert Daniels
  2. Is It Love You’re After – Miles Gregory
  3. Shine Your Light – Robert Daniels
  4. What You Waitin’ For – Norman Whitfield
  5. Bad Mother Funker
  6. You Can’t Run from Yourself
  7. Lock It Down – Miles Gregory
  8. Pazazz – Michael Nash

Melvin Ragin

On October 24, 2018, Melvin M. Ragin aka Wah Wah Watson died aged 67. He was musician (guitar), famous for his unique skills with wah-wah pedal. He was member of The Funk Brothers, the studio band for “Motown Records”, recorded and performed with Dizzy Gillespie, John Lee Hooker, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Vanessa Williams, Thelma Houston, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Michael Jackson, Maxwell, The Beach Boys, George Benson, Bobbi Humphrey, Janet Jackson, Yung Berg, Blondie, Norman Whitfield, The Undisputed Truth, Donald Byrd, Labelle, Love Unlimited, Cher, Meshell Ndegeocello, Gloria Gaynor, The Temptations (his guitar work on “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”), Pointer Sisters, Martha Reeves, Rose Royce, Bob Scaggs and Herbie Hancock. As leader, Wah Wah Watson released one solo album (Elementary, 1976).

Rose Royce: Strikes Again

In August 1978, “Warner Bros” label released “Strikes Again”, the third Rose Royce album. It was recorded in 1978, at “Sound Factory West”, “One Step Up Recording Studio”, “Westlake Studios”, “Fort Knox Recording Studio”, and was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Gwen Dickey – lead vocals
  • Kenji Brown – lead vocals, guitar
  • Cornelius Grant – guitar
  • Melvin “Wah Wah” Watson – guitar
  • Mark Davis keyboards
  • Michael Nash – keyboards
  • Walter Downing – organ
  • Lequeint “Duke” Jobe – vocals, bass
  • Mark Kenoly – bass
  • Henry Garner – vocals, drums
  • Jimi Valdezm – drums
  • Jack Ashford – percussion
  • Terral Santiel – congas
  • Michael Moore – saxophone
  • Kenny Copeland – lead vocals, trumpet
  • Freddie Dunn – trumpet
  • Gene Page – orchestration
  • Norman Whitfield – arranger, engineer 
  • Steve Smith engineer
  • Leanard Jackson – recording
  • Steve Smith – recording
  • Pamela Clare – cover illustration
  • Eleven Twenty-Four Design, A.S. – art direction, design
  • Andy Engel – lettering
  • Bobby Holland, Jeffrey Mayer, Rainbow Photography- photography
  • Bill Whitfield – album coordinator

Track listing:

All tracks by Norman Whitfield, except where noted.

  1. Get Up off Your Fat
  2. Do It, Do It
  3. I’m in Love (And I Love the Feeling)
  4. First Come, First Serve
  5. Love Don’t Live Here Anymore – Miles Gregory
  6. Angel in the Sky – Billie Calvin
  7. Help – Robert Daniels
  8. Let Me Be the First To Know – Miles Gregory
  9. That’s What’s Wrong with Me

Rose Royce: Car Wash

rose-royce-car-wash

On September 13, 1976, “MCA” label released “Car Wash”, the debut Rose Royce album. It was film score to the 1976 movie “Car Wash” and was produced by Norman Whitfield.  The “Car Wash” soundtrack won a 1977 “Grammy Award” for “Best Score Soundtrack Album”.

Personnel:

  • Gwen “Rose” Dickey – vocals
  • Richard Pryor– dialogue on “Richard Pryor Dialogue”
  • The Pointer Sisters– vocals
  • Melvin “Wah-Wah Watson” Ragin– guitar
  • Kenji Brown – guitar
  • Victor Nix – keyboards
  • Mark Davis, Ben Wilber – keyboards
  • Lequeint “Duke” Jobe – bass
  • Henry Garner – drums
  • Terry Santiel – congas
  • Michael Moore – saxophone
  • Kenny Copeland, Freddie Dunn – trumpet
  • Paul Riser– orchestra direction
  • Norman Whitfield– recording
  • Baker Bigsby, Cal Harris, Leanard Jackson – recording
  • Clay McMurray – recording, album coordinator

Track listing:

  1. Car Wash – Norman Whitfield
  2. 6 O’Clock DJ (Let’s Rock) – Norman Whitfield
  3. I Wanna Get Next to You – Norman Whitfield
  4. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is – Norman Whitfield
  5. Zig Zag – Rose Royse
  6. You’re on My Mind – Lequeint Jobe, Henry Garner
  7. Mid Day DJ Theme – Norman Whitfield
  8. Born to Love You – Rose Royce
  9. Daddy Rich – Norman Whitfield
  10. Richard PryorDialogue – Norman Whitfield
  11. You Gotta Believe – Norman Whitfield
  12. I’m Going Down – Norman Whitfield
  13. Yo Yo – Rose Royce
  14. Sunrise – Norman Whitfield
  15. Righteous Rhythm – Norman Whitfield
  16. Water – Norman Whitfield
  17. Crying – Norman Whitfield
  18. Doin’ What Comes Naturally – Norman Whitfield
  19. Keep on Keepin’ On – Norman Whitfield

The Temptations: 1990

Temptations-1990

On December 7, 1973, “Gordy” label released “1990”, the 17th  Temptations (The) album. It was recorded in 1973, and was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Dennis Edwards: vocals
  • Damon Harris: vocals
  • Richard Street: vocals
  • Melvin Franklin: vocals
  • Otis Williams: vocals
  • The Funk Brothers and Rose Royce: instrumentation
  • Kenji Brown – guitar
  • Eddie Hazel – guitar
  • Dennis Coffey – guitar
  • Wah – Wah Watson – guitar
  • Eddie Willis – guitar
  • Melvin ”Wah Wah” Ragin – guitar
  • Jack Ashford – tambourine
  • Earl Van Dyke – keyboards
  • Don Baldwin – keyboards, wind, synthesizer
  • Victor Nix – keyboards
  • James Jamerson – bass
  • Leqyeint Jobe – bass
  • Billy “Bass” Nelson – bass
  • Ollie E. Brown – drums
  • Zachary Fraizer – drums
  • James Gadson – drums
  • Henry Gamer Jr. – drums
  • Ed Green – drums
  • Bobbye Hall – congas
  • Terral ”Terry” Santiel – congas
  • Michael Moore – saxophone
  • Kenneth Copeland – trumpet
  • Fred Dunn – trumpet
  • George Bohanon – trombone
  • Don Baldwin – design
  • John Cabalka – design
  • Jim Britt – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Norman Whitfield.

  1. Let Your Hair Down
  2. I Need You
  3. Heavenly
  4. You’ve Got My Soul on Fire
  5. Ain’t No Justice
  6. 1990
  7. Zoom