On March 18, 2014, Joseph Anthony Lala died aged 66. He was musician (percussion), singer and actor, worked with many musicians and bands including The Byrds, Ringo Starr, Bill Wyman, Stephen Stills, Barbra Streisand, Dan Fogelberg, Manassas, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Neil Young, Dione Warwick, The Stills-Young Band, Rod Stewart, Graham Nash, The Bee Gees, Neil Diamond, Jackson Browne, Whitney Houston and Joe Walsh, but was best known as founding member and leader of the band Blues Image.
Tag Archives: Whitney Houston
David Williams
On March 6, 2009, David Williams died aged 58. He was musician (guitar, bass guitar), vocalist, song writer and music producer, known as a prominent and most in demand session guitarist. He worked with The Dells, The Temptations, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Chanson, The Pointer Sisters, Peter Allen, Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops, Julio Iglesias, George Benson, The Manhattan Transfer, Michael McDonald, Melissa Manchester, Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart, Dionne Warwick, Shalamar, Go West, ABC, Boz Scaggs, Karen Carpenter, Mariah Carey, Julian Lennon, Bryan Ferry, Paul McCartney, Johnny Mathis, Del Shannon, Chaka Khan, Paul Hardcastle, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Lionel Richie, Jessica Simpson, Diana Ross, the Crusaders, Andraé Crouch, Eddie Murphy, Herbie Hancock, Peter Cetera, Whitney Houston and Monkey Business. As leader he released two albums.
Gene Page
On August 24, 1998, Eugene Edgar Page Jr. aka Gene Page, died aged 58. He was a conductor, composer, arranger, and record producer, one of the most successful arrangers and conductors from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s, who worked on more than 200 Platinum and gold records. He created specific sound in the arrangements, and work with numerous artists including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, George Benson, The Jackson 5, Jefferson Starship, The Righteous Brothers, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Roberta Flack, Elton John, Leo Sayer, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Frankie Valli, Helen Reddy, Lionel Richie, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Donna Loren, Martha and The Vandellas, Cher, Barry White, The Love Unlimited Orchestra, and Dionne Warwick. Page released four solo albums and composed soundtracks for few movies.
Aretha Franklin: Through the Storm
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
Aretha Franklin: Through the Storm
In May 1989, “Arista” label released “Through the Storm”, the thirty-fifth 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, acoustic piano, vocals engineer
- James Brown – lead vocals
- Whitney Houston– lead vocals
- Elton John– lead vocals
- Four Tops– vocals
- Reggie Griffin – guitar
- Corrado Rustici – guitar, rhythm guitar
- Steve Khan– guitar
- Narada Michael Walden– Simmons drums, synthesizer, arrangements
- Aaron Zigman– bass vocal, keyboards
- David Foster– electric piano, synthesizer
- Robbie Kondor – synthesizer, acoustic piano
- David Paich– acoustic piano
- Walter Afanasieff– keyboards, synth bass, drum programming
- Ren Klyce– Fairlight CMI programming, additional keyboards
- Louis Johnson– bass guitar
- Jerry Knight – bass guitar
- Yogi Horton– drums
- Jeff Porcaro– drums
- John Robinson– drums
- George Devens – percussion
- Steve Kroon – percussion
- Greg “Gigi” Gonaway – cymbal
- Marc Russo– saxophone solo
- Kenny G– saxophone
- Andy Snitzer – tenor saxophone
- Kenneth Hitchcock – baritone saxophone
- Chris Botti– trumpet
- Kent Smith – trumpet
- Mike Davis – trombone
- Arif Mardin– arrangements
- “Bongo” Bob Smith – drum programming
- Sammy Merendino – additional drum samples
- Joe Mardin – programming, sequencing, recording, mixing
- Claytoven Richardson– backing vocals
- Edie Lehman – backing vocals
- Siedah Garrett– backing vocals
- Kitty Beethoven – backing vocals
- Margaret Branch – backing vocals
- Brenda Corbett – backing vocals
- Liz Jackson – backing vocals
- Skyler Jett – backing vocals
- Melisa Kary – backing vocals
- Marti McCall – backing vocals
- Rod Hui – recording, mixing
- Mike Iacopelli – recording , vocal recording
- Darren Klein – engineer, mixing
- Lincoln Clapp – engineer
- David Frazer – engineer
- Marlene Cohen – art direction
- Peter Max – cover art
- 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 – Aretha Franklin, Ted White
- Come to Me – Willard Eugene Price
- If Ever a Love There Was – Pamela Phillips Oland, Todd Cerney

