Thursday 2/16/23 10am ET: Feature LP: James Ingram – It’s Your Night (1983)

It’s Your Night is the debut album by American singer-songwriter James Ingram, released by Qwest Records/Warner Records on July 27, 1983. The album was commercially successful, as it peaked at number 46 on the Billboard 200 album chart and reached number 10 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. It was later certified music recording certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in early 1984, making this his highest-charting album and only RIAA-certified album.

The aforementioned album and its parent singles were nominated for quadruple Grammy Awards for both 1984 and 1985, with “Yah Mo B There” winning for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group.

1. “Party Animal” 4:55
2. “Yah Mo B There” 4:40
3. “She Loves Me (The Best That I Can Be)” 3:40
4. “Try Your Love Again” 4:25
5. “Whatever We Imagine” 3:58
6. “One More Rhythm” 4:05
7. “There’s No Easy Way” 3:51
8. “It’s Your Night” 3:37
9. “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” 4:16

James Ingram – lead vocals (all tracks), synthesizers (1, 2, 8), synth bass (1), arrangements (1, 2), backing vocals (2, 8), keyboards (8)
Michael Boddicker – synthesizers (1–3, 8)
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (1, 4), synthesizers (1, 4, 6), acoustic piano (6)
Mark Vieha – synthesizers (1), arrangements (1)
Craig Hundley – synthesizer programming (1, 4-6), synthesizers (4)
Quincy Jones – arrangements (1–3, 7, 9), African voices (2), electric piano (3)
Michael McDonald – synthesizers (2), arrangements (2), lead and backing vocals (2)
Rod Temperton – synthesizers (2, 6), arrangements (2)
Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (3), synthesizers (3, 8), arrangements (3)
Don Dorsey – synthesizers (3)
David Paich – synthesizers (3, 7, 9), arrangements (7)
David Foster – keyboards (5), synthesizers (5), acoustic piano (9), arrangements (9)
Ian Underwood – synthesizer programming (5, 6)
Jimmy Smith – organ (6), synthesizers (6)
Steve Porcaro – synthesizer programming (7, 9)
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (1, 4, 8, 9)
Larry Carlton – guitar (3)
George Doering – guitar (9)
Louis Johnson – bass guitar (1, 8)
Abe Laboriel – bass guitar (7)
Nathan East – bass guitar (9)
Harvey Mason Sr. – drums (1)
John Robinson – drums (2, 4, 5, 7, 8)
Raymond Calhoun – drums (3)
Leon “Ndugu” Chancler – drums (9)
Paulinho Da Costa – percussion (2, 4, 5, 8)
Steve Ray – fingerpopper (8)
Ernie Watts – tenor sax solo (4)
Larry Williams – saxophone (4, 6)
Tom Scott – lyricon (5), saxophone (6), lyricon solo (8)
Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (4, 6)
Gary Grant – trumpet (4, 6), flugelhorn (4)
Jerry Hey – trumpet (4, 6), flugelhorn (4)
Johnny Mandel – arrangements (9)
Ollie E. Brown – backing vocals (1)
Zane Giles – backing vocals (1)
Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (1)
Susaye Greene Brown – backing vocals (1)
Howard Hewett – backing vocals (1, 6)
Bunny Hull – backing vocals (1, 8)
David Pack – backing vocals (2)
Phillip Ingram – backing vocals (1)
Augie Johnson – backing vocals (1)
Valerie Johnson – backing vocals (1)
Scherrie Payne – backing vocals (1)
Luther Vandross – backing vocals (1)
Tom Bahler – backing vocals (6)
Linda Harmon – backing vocals (6)
Edie Lehmann – backing vocals (6)
Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (8)
Carmen Twillie – backing vocals (8)
Maxine Willard Waters – backing vocals (8)
Patti Austin – lead and backing vocals (9)

Monday 7/12/21 12pm ET: Artist Countdown – Linda Ronstadt Top 30 Hits

Linda Ronstadt, an American rock, pop and country artist (who also recorded in other genres, such as light opera and traditional Mexican music), consists of 24 solo studio albums, one live album, numerous compilation albums, and 63 singles. After recording three albums with her folk rock band, The Stone Poneys, Ronstadt debuted on Capitol Records as a solo artist with 1969’s Hand Sown … Home Grown. Her final album was released in 2006. Ronstadt has sold over 30 million records in the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

1	Blue Bayou	1977
2	Don’t Know Much (with Aaron Neville)	1989
3	You’re No Good	1975
4	When Will I Be Loved	1975
5	The Tracks of My Tears	1975
6	That’ll Be the Day	1976
7	It’s So Easy	1977
8	Back in the U.S.A.	1978
9	Somewhere Out There (with James Ingram)	1986
10	Poor Poor Pitiful Me	1977
11	All My Life (with Aaron Neville)	1989
12	Tumbling Dice	1978
13	Ooh Baby Baby	1978
14	Hurt So Bad	1980
15	Just One Look	1979
16	I Knew You When	1982
17	Heat Wave	1975
18	How Do I Make You	1980
19	When Something Is Wrong with My Baby (with Aaron Neville)	1990
20	Love Has No Pride	1973
21	Get Closer	1982
22	Telling Me Lies (Emmylou Harris & Dolly Parton)	1987
23	Someone to Lay Down Beside Me	1976
24	Adios	1990
25	Long, Long Time	1970
26	To Know Him Is To Love Him (Emmylou Harris & Dolly Parton)	1987
27	Silver Threads and Golden Needles	1974
28	Easy for You to Say	1983
29	Blue Train	1995
30	Love Is a Rose	1975

Sunday 3/28/21 1:15am ET: Feature LP: Quincy Jones – Back On The Block (1989)

Back on the Block is a 1989 studio album, released November 8, produced by Quincy Jones. The album features legendary musicians and singers from across three generations, including Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinul, Ice-T, Big Daddy Kane, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge, Ray Charles and a 12-year-old Tevin Campbell.

1 “Prologue (2Q’s Rap)” 1:04
2 “Back on the Block” 6:34
3 “I Don’t Go for That” 5:11
4 “I’ll Be Good to You” 4:54
5 “The Verb To Be (Introduction to Wee B. Dooinit)” 0:29
6 “Wee B. Dooinit (Acapella Party by the Human Bean Band)” 3:34
7 “The Places You Find Love” 6:25
8 “Jazz Corner of the World (Introduction to “Birdland”)” 2:54
9 “Birdland” 5:33
10 “Setembro (Brazilian Wedding Song)” 5:05
11 “One Man Woman” 3:44
12 “Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)” 4:46
13 “Prelude to the Garden” 0:54
14 “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)” 6:41

Quincy Jones – lead vocals (track 1), choir conductor (7), handclaps (2, 6, 9), drums (6), drum machine (2), M1 pads (10)
Gerald Albright – alto saxophone solo (tracks 10, 12)
Nadirah Ali – background vocals (track 3)
Maxi Anderson – background vocals (track 7)
George Benson – guitar solo (tracks 8–10)
Peggi Blu – sampled background vocals (track 7)
Michael Boddicker – drum machine (track 2), M1 pads (10), synth pads (10), synth programming (4, 7, 9)
McKinley Brown – background vocals (track 12)
Ollie E. Brown – percussion (track 12)
Jorge Calandrelli – synth strings (track 13)
Tevin Campbell – lead vocals (tracks 2, 12)
Ray Charles – lead vocals (track 4)
Paulinho da Costa – percussion (track 10, sampled on 7)
Andraé Crouch – vocal arranger, choir conductor, background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
Sandra Crouch – choir conductor (track 2), background vocals (2, 7)
Miles Davis – trumpet solo (tracks 8–9)
El DeBarge – lead and background vocals (track 14)
George Duke – keyboard solo (track 11), Fender Rhodes solo (10)
Chad Durio – backing vocals (track 12)
Sheila E. – timbales solo (track 11)
Nathan East – bass guitar (track 9)
Geary Lanier Faggett – background vocals (track 7)
Vonciele Faggett – background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
Ella Fitzgerald – lead vocals (tracks 6, 8–9)
Kenneth Ford – background vocals (track 12)
Jania Foxworth – background vocals (track 12)
Siedah Garrett – lead vocals (tracks 3, 6–7, 11), background vocals (tracks 3, 11, 14, sampled on 7, additional on 4), choir director (12)
Tammi Gibson – background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet solo (tracks 8–9)
James Gilstrap – background vocals (track 4)
J. C. Gomez – African percussion (track 2)
Jackie Gouche – background vocals (track 7)
Gary Grant – trumpet (track 9)
Reginale Green – background vocals (track 12)
Herbie Hancock – keyboard solo (tracks 3, 7, 10), synth pads (10)
Alex Harris – background vocals (track 12)
Howard Hewett – sampled background vocals (track 7)
Jerry Hey – trumpet (track 9), additional keyboards (7)
Jennifer Holliday – sampled background vocals (track 7)
Pattie Howard – sampled background vocals (track 7)
Ice-T – rap (track 2)
James Ingram – lead vocals (track 14), additional background vocals (4), sampled background vocals (7)
Jesse Jackson – narrator (track 2)
Paul Jackson Jr. – sampled guitar (track 7)
Al Jarreau – vocals (track 6)
George Johnson – guitar (track 4), sampled background vocals (4)
Louis Johnson – Moog synth bass (tracks 2, 4), bass guitar (2, 4, sampled on 7), sampled background vocals (4)
Tiffany Johnson – background vocals (track 12)
Jean Johnson-McRath – background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
Big Daddy Kane – rap (vocals) (tracks 2, 8)
Randy Kerber – keyboards (track 12), sampled keyboards (7), sampled synthesizer (7)
Chaka Khan – lead vocals (tracks 4, 7)
Michael Landau – sampled guitar (track 7)
Rhett Lawrence – Fairlight bass and analog guitar synthesizer (track 7)
Edie Lehman – background vocals (tracks 6, 7)
Steve Lukather – guitar (tracks 12, 14)
Clif Magness – sampled background vocals (track 7)
Harvey Mason Sr. – drums (track 4)
Donovan McCrary – background vocals (track 12)
Howard McCrary – background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
Bobby McFerrin – vocals, additional percussion (track 6)
Melle Mel – rap (track 2)
Kool Moe Dee – rap (tracks 2, 8)
James Moody – alto saxophone solo (tracks 8–9)
Perry Morgan – background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
David Paich – keyboards (tracks 4, 10, additional on 7)
Phil Perry – additional background vocals (track 4)
Tyren Perry – background vocals (track 12)
Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (tracks 2, 4, 10–11), Fender Rhodes (12, 14)
Steve Porcaro – synth programming (tracks 2, 4, 7, 10)
Ian Prince – keyboards (tracks 3–4, 9–11), vocoder (6), background vocals (3)
Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (track 9)
John Robinson – drums (tracks 12, 14, sampled on 7)
Derrick Schofield – background vocals (track 7)
Caiphus Semenya – background vocals (track 2)
Shane Shoaf – background vocals (track 12)
Alfie Silas – background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
Neil Stubenhaus – synth bass (track 12), bass guitar (14)
Rose Stone – choir director (track 12), background vocals (2, 7)
Bill Summers – percussion (track 8, African on 2, additional on 7), hindewhu
Al B. Sure! – lead and background vocals (track 14)
Bruce Swedien – recording engineer (all tracks), mixing (all tracks), kick & snare drums (tracks 4, 14)
Take 6 – background vocals (tracks 1, 6, 10)
Rod Temperton – drum machine (tracks 1–2), handclaps (2, 6, 9)
Ian Underwood – handclaps (tracks 2, 6, 9), synth programming (3–4, 10)
Luther Vandross – sampled background vocals (track 7)
Sarah Vaughan – lead vocals (tracks 6, 8–10)
Mervyn Warren – background vocals (tracks 1, 6, 10), voices (5)
Dionne Warwick – sampled background vocals (track 7)
Barry White – lead vocals (track 14)
Larry Williams – saxophone (track 9), keyboards (9, 13–14, sampled on 7), sampled synthesizer (7), synth programming (3–4, 11, 13–14)
Syreeta Wright – sampled background vocals (track 4)
Charity Young – background vocals (track 12)
Michael C. Young – synth programming (track 9)
Joe Zawinul – synthesizer solo (tracks 2, 8), sampled synthesizer (9)

In Memoriam: James Ingram (1952 – 2019)

James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song.

Since beginning his career in 1973, Ingram had charted eight Top 40 hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart from the early 1980s until the early 1990s, as well as thirteen top 40 hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In addition, he charted 20 hits on the Adult Contemporary chart (including two number-ones). He had two number-one singles on the Hot 100: the first, a duet with fellow R&B artist Patti Austin, 1982’s “Baby, Come to Me” topped the U.S. pop chart in 1983; “I Don’t Have the Heart”, which became his second number-one in 1990 was his only number-one as a solo artist. In between these hits, he also recorded the song “Somewhere Out There” with fellow recording artist Linda Ronstadt for the animated film An American Tail. The song and the music video both became gigantic hits. Ingram co-wrote “The Day I Fall in Love”, from the motion picture Beethoven’s 2nd (1993), and singer Patty Smyth’s “Look What Love Has Done”, from the motion picture Junior (1994), which earned him nominations for Best Original Song from the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Grammy Awards in 1994 and 1995.

Ingram died on January 29, 2019, from brain cancer, aged 66, at his home in Los Angeles. Choreographer–actress Debbie Allen announced his death on her official Twitter page.

Artist Countdown: Patty Smyth w/ Scandal Top 20 10am ET @PattySmyth4real

Patty Smyth (born June 26, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter. She first came into national attention in 1982 as the lead singer of the band Scandal. She went on to record and perform on her own. Her distinctive voice and new-wave image gained broad exposure through video recordings aired on what were then newly emerging cable music video channels such as MTV. Her debut album Never Enough was well received, and generated a pair of Top 40 hits. Smyth had a remarkable stage presence and drew large audiences through the mid-1980s. In the early 1990s she again reached the Top 10 with the hit single “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough”, a duet sung with Don Henley. She performed and co-wrote with James Ingram the song “Look What Love Has Done” for the 1994 motion picture, Junior. The work earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written for Visual Media, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.  Smyth married tennis star John McEnroe in 1997.

Scandal is a rock band from the 1980s fronted by Patty Smyth. The band scored a hit in the United States with the song “The Warrior”, which peaked at No. 7 in 1984. Their other major hits were “Goodbye to You” (1982 – No. 65 US), “Love’s Got A Line On You” (1983 – No. 59 US), “Hands Tied” (1984 – No. 41 US), and “Beat of A Heart” (1985 – No. 41 US). – Wikipedia

1	Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough (with Don Henley)
2	Where Do The Children Go (with The Hooters)
3	The Warrior
4	No Mistakes
5	Beat Of A Heart
6	Hands Tied
7	Never Enough
8	Goodbye To You
9	Love’s Got A Line On You
10	Downtown Train
11	Isn’t It Enough
12	I Should Be Laughing
13	Shine
14	My Town
15	Only The Young
16	River Of Love
17	Less Than Half
18	Carnival Lights
19	Make Me A Believer
20	Everyone Gets Older