Tag Archives: The Sweet Inspirations

Elvis Presley: That’s The Way It Is

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On November 11, 1970, “RCA” label released “That’s the Way It Is”, the twelfth Elvis Presley studio album. In 1970, the eight studio tracks were recorded at “RCA Studio B” in Nashville, and four live tracks were recorded at “The International Hotel” in Las Vegas, and was produced by Felton Jarvis. In March 2018, the album was certified Platinum in US by the “RIAA”.

Personnel:

Studio tracks:

  • Elvis Presley – lead and harmony vocals, guitar
  • James Burton – lead guitar
  • Chip Young – rhythm guitar
  • Charlie Hodge – acoustic rhythm guitar, harmony vocals
  • Weldon Myrick – steel guitar
  • David Briggs – piano, organ
  • Charlie McCoy – organ, harmonica, marimba
  • Norbert Putnam – bass
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Farrell Morris – percussion, vibes
  • The Jordanaires – backing vocals
  • The Imperials – backing vocals

Live tracks

  • Elvis Presley – lead vocals, guitar
  • James Burton – lead guitar
  • John Wilkinson – rhythm guitar
  • Charlie Hodge – acoustic rhythm guitar, scarves, harmony and backing vocals
  • Glen Hardin – piano, electric piano
  • Jerry Scheff – bass
  • Ronnie Tutt – drums
  • Millie Kirkham – backing vocals
  • The Sweet Inspirations – backing vocals
  • The Imperials – backing vocals
  • The Joe Guercio Orchestra

Track listing:

  1. I Just Can’t Help Believin’ – Cynthia Weil, Barry Mann
  2. Twenty Days and Twenty Nights – Ben Weisman, Clive Westlake
  3. How the Web Was Woven – Clive Westlake, David Most
  4. Patch It Up – Eddie Rabbitt, Rory Bourke
  5. Mary in the Morning – Johnny Cymbal, Michael Rashkow
  6. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me – Vicky Wickham, Simon Napier-Bell, Pino Donaggio, Vito Pallavicini
  7. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ – Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Phil Spector
  8. I’ve Lost You – Alan Blaikley, Ken Howard
  9. Just Pretend – Guy Fletcher, Doug Flett
  10. Stranger in the Crowd – Winfield Scott
  11. The Next Step Is Love – Paul Evans, Paul Parnes
  12. Bridge Over Troubled Water – Paul Simon

Elvis Presley: Elvis

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On July 16, 1973, “RCA” label released “Elvis”, the eighteenth Elvis Presley studio album. It was recorded in March 1971 and March 1972, at “RCA” in Hollywood, “RCA Studio B” in Nashville, and was produced by Felton Jarvis.

Personnel:

  • Elvis Presley – lead vocals, piano
  • James Burton – lead guitar
  • Joe Esposito – guitar, percussion
  • John Wilkinson – rhythm guitar
  • Chip Young – rhythm guitar
  • Charlie Hodge – rhythm guitar
  • Glen D. Hardin – piano, string arrangements
  • David Briggs – piano
  • Charlie McCoy – harmonica
  • Emory Gordy Jr. – bass
  • Norbert Putnam – bass
  • Jerry Scheff – bass
  • Kenneth A. Buttrey – drums
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Ron Tutt – drums
  • J. D. Sumner – vocals
  • The Sweet Inspirations – backing vocals
  • The Nashville Edition – backing vocals
  • Joe Babcock – backing vocals
  • Dolores Edgin – backing vocals
  • Ginger Holladay – backing vocals
  • The Imperials Quartet – backing vocals
  • Millie Kirkham – backing vocals
  • June Page – backing vocals
  • Temple Riser – backing vocals
  • Hurshel Wiginton – backing vocals
  • Mary Holliday – backing vocals
  • Kathy Westmoreland – backing vocals
  • Joe Guercio – conductor

Track listing:

  1. Fool – James Last, Carl Sigman
  2. Where Do I Go from Here – Paul Williams
  3. Love Me, Love the Life I Lead – Roger Greenaway, Tony Macaulay
  4. It’s Still Here – Ivory Joe Hunter
  5. It’s Impossible – Armando Manzanero, Sid Wayne
  6. (That’s What You Get) For Lovin’ Me – Gordon Lightfoot
  7. Padre – Jacques Larue, Paul Francis Webster, Alain Romans
  8. I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen – Thomas Paine Westendorf
  9. I’ll Be True – Ivory Joe Hunter
  10. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right – Bob Dylan

Elvis Presley: From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis

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On October 14, 1969, “RCA Victor” label released “From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis”, the eleventh studio and the second live Elvis Presley album. It was released as a double album: the first album, titled In “Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada”, contains the live recordings of Presley’s hits recorded at the International Hotel in Winchester, Nevada; the second album, titled “Back in Memphis”, contains entirely new material recorded at “American Sound Studio” in Memphis. The live album was produced by Felton Jarvis, and the studio album was produced by Chips Moman.

Personnel:

Elvis in Person at the International Hotel

  • Elvis Presley – lead and overdubbed backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
  • Bobby Morris and his Orchestra – orchestra
  • James Burton – lead guitar
  • John Wilkinson − rhythm guitar
  • Charlie Hodge − acoustic rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Larry Muhoberac − keyboards
  • Jerry Scheff – bass
  • Ronnie Tutt − drums
  • Millie Kirkham − backing vocals
  • The Imperials − backing vocals
  • The Sweet Inspirations − backing vocals

Back in Memphis

  • Elvis Presley − vocals, guitar, piano
  • Reggie Young − electric guitar
  • Bobby Wood − piano
  • Bobby Emmons − organ
  • Ed Kollis − harmonica
  • Tommy Cogbill, Mike Leech – bass
  • Gene Chrisman – drums
  • Andrew Love, Jackie Thomas, Glen Spreen, J.P. Luper − saxophone
  • Wayne Jackson, Dick Steff, R. F. Taylor − trumpet
  • Ed Logan, Jack Hale, Gerald Richardson − trombone
  • Tony Cason, Joe D’Gerolamo − French horn
  • Glen Spreen − strings and horn arrangements
  • Joe Babcock, Dolores Edgin, Mary Greene, Charlie Hodge, Ginger Holladay, Mary Holladay, Millie Kirkham, Ronnie Milsap, Sonja Montgomery, June Page, Susan Pilkington, Sandy Posey, Donna Thatcher, Hurschel Wiginton − backing vocals

Track listing:

Elvis in Person at the International Hotel

  1. Blue Suede Shoes – Carl Perkins
  2. Johnny B. Good – Chuck Berry
  3. All Shook Up – Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley
  4. Are You Lonesome Tonight – Lou Handman, Roy Turk
  5. Hound Dog – Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
  6. I Can’t Stop Loving You – Don Gibson
  7. My Babe – Willie Dixon
  8. Mystery Train/Tiger Man – Junior Parker, Sam Phillips, Joe Hill Louis, Sam Burns
  9. Words – Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb
  10. In the Ghetto – Mac Davis
  11. Suspicious Minds – Mark James
  12. Can’t Help Falling in Love – George Weiss, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore

Back in Memphis

  1. Inherit the Wind – Eddie Rabbitt
  2. This Is the Story – Chris Arnold, David Martin, Geoff Morrow
  3. Stranger in My Own Home Town – Percy Mayfield
  4. A little Bit of Green – Chris Arnold, David Martin, Geoff Morrow
  5. And the Grass Won’t Pay You No Mind – Neil Diamond
  6. Do You Know Who I Am? – Bobby Russell
  7. From a Jack to a King – Ned Miller
  8. The Fair’s Moving On – Guy Fletcher, Doug Flett
  9. You’ll Think of Me – Mort Shuman
  10. Without Love (There Is Nothing) – Danny Small

Yusef Lateef: Suite 16

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On November 2, 1970, “Atlantic” label released “Suite 16”, the 28th Yusef Lateef album. It was recorded in April 1970, at “Regent Sound Studios”, in New York City, June 1970, at “Corner Studios” in Cologne, Germany and was produced by Joel Dom.

Personnel:

  • Yusef Lateef – tenor saxophone, flute, bamboo flute, pneumatic bamboo flute, oboe, bells, tambourine
  • Neal Boyar – vibraphone 
  • Barry Harris, Joe Zawinul – piano
  • Eric Gale, Earl Klugh – guitar
  • Chuck Rainey – electric bass
  • Robert Cunningham – bass, electric bass
  • Albert Heath, Jimmy Johnson – drums
  • Selwart Clarke – viola
  • Kermit Moore – cello
  • Cologne Radio Orchestra conducted by William S. Fischer
  • The Sweet Inspirations – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Yusef Lateef except where noted.

  1. Buddy and Lou
  2. Down in Atlanta
  3. Nocturne
  4. When a Man Loves a Woman – Calvin Lewis, Andrew Wright
  5. Michelle – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  6. Symphonic Blues Suite: First Movement; Folia
  7. Symphonic Blues Suite: Second Movement; Minuet (Hybird, Atonal)
  8. Symphonic Blues Suite: Third Movement; Blues (Twelve Measure Form) Variation  Interlude
  9. Symphonic Blues Suite: Fourth Movement; Passacaglia
  10. Symphonic Blues Suite: Fifth Movement; Chorale / Sixth Movement; Blues (Extended Form)
  11. Symphonic Blues Suite: Seventh Movement; Blues, Coda

Judy Clay

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On July 19, 2001, Judy Clay died aged 62. She was a singer (soul, gospel),  member of Drinkard Singers, who later became better known as The Sweet Inspirations, and teamed with singer-songwriter Billy Vera. As a background vocalist, she worked with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Donny Hathaway, and Wilson Pickett.

Aretha Franklin: Spirit in the Dark

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On August 24, 1970, “Atlantic” label released “Spirit in the Dark”, the seventeenth Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded May – October 1969, March 1970, and was produced by Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin and Jerry Wexler.

Personnel:

  • Aretha Franklin – lead vocals, piano
  • Dave Crawford– organ
  • Buzz Feiten– guitar
  • Jimmy Johnson– guitar
  • Jimmy O’Rourke – guitar
  • Charlie Freeman – guitar
  • Duane Allman– guitar
  • Cornell Dupree– guitar
  • Eddie Hinton– guitar
  • Tommy McClure – bass guitar
  • Harold “Hog” Cowart – bass guitar
  • David Hood– bass guitar
  • Sammy Creason– drums
  • Ron Ziegler – drums
  • Roger Hawkins– drums
  • Ray Lucas – drums
  • Jim Dickinson– additional keyboards
  • Michael Utley– additional keyboards
  • Barry Beckett– additional keyboards
  • The Sweet Inspirations– backing vocals
  • Wylene Ivy – backing vocals
  • Margaret Branch – backing vocals
  • Almeda Lattimore – backing vocals
  • Pat Lewis– backing vocals
  • Evelyn Green – backing vocals
  • Brenda Bryant – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Don’t Play That Song – Ahmet Ertegün, Betty Nelson
  2. The Thrill Is Gone (From Yesterday’s Kiss) – Rick Darnell, Roy Hawkins
  3. Pullin’ – Carolyn Franklin, Jimmy Radcliffe
  4. You and Me – Aretha Franklin
  5. Honest I Do – Jimmy Reed, Ewart Abner
  6. Spirit in the Dark – Aretha Franklin
  7. When the Battle Is Over- Jessie Hill,  John
  8. One Way Ticket – Jessie Hill,  John
  9. Try Matty’s – Aretha Franklin
  10. That’s All I Want from You – Fritz Rotter
  11. Oh No Not My Baby – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  12. Why I Sing the Blues – B. King, Dave Clark

Aretha Franklin: Aretha Arrives

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On August 4, 1967, “Atlantic” label released “Aretha Arrives”, the eleventh Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded in June 1967 at “Atlantic Studios” in New York City, and was produced by Jerry Wexler.

Personnel:

  • Aretha Franklin – lead and background vocals, piano
  • Jimmy Johnson, Joe South– guitar
  • Tommy Cogbill– bass guitar
  • Roger Hawkins– drums
  • Ted Somers – vibraphone
  • Spooner Oldham, Truman Thomas – piano, organ, Fender Rhodes
  • Charles Chalmers, King Curtis– tenor saxophone
  • Tony Studd – bass trombone
  • Melvin Lastie– trumpet
  • Gene Orloff– director of string section
  • The Sweet Inspirations– backing vocals
  • Carolyn Franklin, Erma Franklin– backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Satisfaction – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
  2. You Are My Sunshine – Jimmie Davis, Charles Mitchell
  3. Never Let Me Go – Joe Scott
  4. 96 Tears – Rudy Martinez
  5. Prove It – Randy Evretts, Horace Ott
  6. Night Life – Willie Nelson, Walt Breeland,Paul Buskirk
  7. That’s Life – Dean Kay, Kelly Gordon
  8. I Wonder – Cecil Gant, Raymond Leveen
  9. Ain’t Nobody (Gonna Turn Me Around) – Carolyn Franklin
  10. Going Down Slow – Louis Jimmy Oden
  11. Baby, I Love You – Ronnie Shannon

 

Elvis Presley: Moody Blue

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In July 1977, “RCA” label released “Moody Blue”, the final Elvis Presley studio album. It was recorded February – October 1976, April 1977, and was produced by Felton Jarvis, Chick Crumpacker and Don Wardell. The album was a mixture of live and studio work, and included the four tracks from Presley’s final studio recording sessions in October 1976 and two tracks left over from the previous Graceland session in February 1976. The album was certified 2 x Platinum in Canada by “CRIA”, and 2 x Platinum in US by “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Elvis Presley – vocals, piano, guitars, executive producer
  • James Burton– lead guitar
  • John Wilkinson – rhythm guitar
  • David Briggs– keyboards
  • Jerry Scheff– bass
  • Grayham Passmore – bass
  • Ronnie Tutt– drums
  • The Sweet Inspirations– backing vocals
  • Sherrill Nielson – backing vocals
  • Kathy Westmoreland – backing vocals
  • D. Sumner& The Stamps – backing vocals
  • Myrna Smith– backing vocals
  • Bergen White – string and horn arrangements
  • Dick Baxter – engineer
  • Don Wardell – executive producer

Track listing:

  1. Unchained Melody – Alex North, Hy Zaret
  2. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) – John Rostill
  3. Little Darlin’ – Maurice Williams
  4. Let Me Be There – John Rostill
  5. Way Down – Layng Martine, Jr.
  6. Pledging My Love – Don Robey, Ferdinand Washington
  7. Moody Blue – Mark James
  8. She Thinks I Still Care – Dickey Lee, Steve Duffy
  9. It’s Easy for You – Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice

James Gang: Thirds

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In April 1971, “ABC” label released “Thirds”, the third James Gang studio album. It was recorded in 1970, at “Record Plant” in Los Angeles, “Cleveland Recording Company” in Cleveland, “Hit Factory” in New York City, and was produced by Bill Szymczyk, Joe Walsh, Dale Peters and Jim Fox. It was the last band’s album with Joe Walsh.

Personnel:

  • Joe Walsh– vocals, lead, rhythm, pedal steel and slide guitars, acoustic and electric pianos, keyboards, sound effects, organ
  • Dale Peters– vocals, electric and upright basses, vibraphone
  • Jim Fox– vocals, drums, percussion, piano, organ
  • Bob Webb – guitars, backing vocals
  • Tom Baker – horns
  • Mary Sterpka – backing vocals
  • The Sweet Inspirations– backing vocals
  • Bill Szymczyk – engineer
  • Kenneth Hamann – engineer
  • Eddie Youngblood – engineer
  • Tom Wilkes – design
  • Tom Wright – design, photography

Track listing:

  1. Walk Away – Joe Walsh
  2. Yadig? – Dale Peters, Jim Fox, Joe Walsh
  3. Things I Could Be – Jim Fox
  4. Dreamin’ In The Country – Dale Peters
  5. It’s All The Same – Joe Walsh
  6. Midnight Man – Joe Walsh
  7. Again – Joe Walsh
  8. White Man/Black Man – Dale Peters
  9. Live My Life Again – Jim Fox