I Am (Earth, Wind & Fire album)

I Am was produced by Maurice White. Artists such as The Emotions and Toto's Steve Lukather also made guest appearances on the album.[1]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
New York Times	(favorable)[8]
Gannett	(favourable)[9]
Village Voice	B[10]
Rolling Stone	(mixed)[11]
Los Angeles Times	(favourable)[12]
Creem Magazine	(favourable)[13]
Baltimore Sun	(favourable)[14]
Stereo Review	(favourable)[15][16]
The Morning Call	(favourable)[17]
New York Daily News	(favourable)[18]

Eric Sieger of the Baltimore Sun described I Am as "faultlessly produced". Sieger added "The album features a horn and string section, synthesizers, congas and kalimbas and the material ranges from straight boogie to soulful ballads. Lyrically, some of the numbers leave something to be desired, but Earth, Wind & Fire is one group where the musicianship is so sharp and vibrant that the words don't seem to matter quite so much."[14] Phyl Garland of Stereo Review said "As Earth, Wind & Fire have strengthened their grip on success, the mystical and extraterrestrial emblems adorning their albums have gained proportionately in grandiosity. This latest one, with a title echoing the majesty of Jehovah and an inside cover featuring a portrait of the group costumed and posed as princes out of fable, is no exception. Such bombast may be considered forgivable in this case, however, because of the excellence of the music on the record. As usual, this astral outfit blasts off in a balls -of -fire flurry of rhythm, which is cleverly varied through the album, even within selections, without losing its driving thrust. There is some evidence of capitulation to disco, particularly on Boogie Wonderland, to which the Emotions lend a few spirited soprano embellishments, but the emphasis throughout is on a dazzling interplay between precision ensemble voices-employed like horns-in rapid, robust exchanges with the group's instruments augmented by a large orchestra."[19] Rose Riggins of Gannett exclaimed "I Am is explosive and ready to lift you off your feet to boogie wonderland. Earth Wind & Fire's 10th album, it shows the band is still on the move upward. This is a fine LP, both versatile and creative."[9] Dave Marsh of Rolling Stone exclaimed " I Am is obviously meant to portend something, but who knows what? Is this Maurice White’s vision of paradise?"[11] John Rockwell of The New York Times stated "This flashily theatrical, musically imaginative creation of Maurice White can almost always be counted on for interesting records, and the new 'I Am' album is no exception." Rockwell added "Mr. White's records reaffirm one of the basic truths about the shifting fashions of black music. All these up‐tempo Idioms are inherently related. Disco and funk and soul and rhythm and blues are all fruits of the same tree —the music of rural black people, growing from African roots and shaped by influences from the dominant white culture, evangelical Christianity and the ‘urban experience. A band like Earth, Wind and Fire will enjoy its disco hits. But those hits won't sound like a very significant change in direction because a slight emphasis of the bass line entails only the most modest modification of the basic style."[8] Allen Weiner of Morning Call stated "EW&F's latest effort goes beyond every level of achievement Maurice White's legions have yet attempted. "I Am" is a splendid example of EW&F's ability to create soul with individuality and without cliches, music that is both artistic and commercial."[17] Robert Christgau of the Village Voice wrote "Sexy, dancey pop music of undeniable craft, and it doesn't let up. But as we all know, they could be doing a lot better."[10] Connie Johnson of The Los Angeles Times proclaimed "I Am is freshly innovative for EW&F in that it emphasizes the one-on-one as opposed to the cosmic experience, and freely utilizes the skill of other writers to propel that message. The album should also enforce EW&F's image as trend-setters for other rhythm & blues groups seeking to escape the traditional, doo-wop mold."[12] Robot A. Hull of Creem described the LP as "a rhythmic utopia".[13] Ace Adams of the New York Daily News called the album "A collection of numbers from disco to rhythm and blues and into a little jazz." Adams added "The group's impressive vocals make this album a must".[18]

NME placed I Am at No. 16 on their albums of the year list for 1979.[20] Melody Maker also placed the album at No. 8 on their albums of the year list for 1979.[21] Bandleader Maurice White was also Grammy nominated in the category of Producer of the Year Non-Classical.[22]

The song "After the Love Has Gone", reached No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Songs charts.[23][24] After The Love Has Gone also reached No. 3 on both the Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs and UK Pop Singles charts.[25][26] The ballad was Grammy nominated in the category of Record of the Year. After the Love Has Gone also won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.[27]

Another single, "Boogie Wonderland" featuring The Emotions, reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[28][29] Boogie Wonderland was also Grammy nominated in the categories of Best Disco Recording and Best R&B Instrumental Performance.[27]

• "Let Your Feelings Show" was featured in an episode of the TV series Fame called "Heritage".[32] This song was later sampled in Kid Ink's song "The Movement", from his 2014 album My Own Lane.

• Lead Vocals - Junior Wells (additional on 11), Philip Bailey, Maurice White
• Background Vocals - The Emotions (additional on 5), Philip Bailey, Maurice White
• Bass - Verdine White
• Cello - Daniel Smith, Delores Bing, Jacqueline Lustgarten, Jan Kelley, John Walz, Kevan Torfeh, Larry Corbett, Miguel Martinez
• Congas - Philip Bailey
• Drums - Fred White, Maurice White
• French horn - Barbara Korn, Sidney Muldrow, Richard Perissi, Marilyn Robinson
• Guitar - Johnny Graham (1-9, 11), Marlo Henderson, Steve Lukather, Al McKay
• Harmonica - Junior Wells (11)
• Harp - Sir Alexander Dutkewych (12), Dorothy Ashby
• Kalimba - Maurice White
• Keyboards - David Foster, Eduardo del Barrio, Bill Meyers
• Percussion - Philip Bailey, Paulinho Da Costa, Ralph Johnson
• Piano, Oberheim and Moog Synthesizers - Larry Dunn
• Synthesizer programming - Steve Porcaro
• Alto and Baritone Saxophones - Don Myrick
• Tenor Saxophone - Andrew Woolfolk, Don Myrick
• Saxophone Solo - Don Myrick (3)
• Additional Saxophones - Fred Jackson, Jr., Herman Riley, Jerome Richardson
• Timpani - Richard Lepore
• Trombone - George Bohanon, Garnett Brown, Bill Reichenbach Jr., Louis Satterfield, Benjamin Powell, Maurice Spears
• Trumpet Solo - Rahmlee Michael Davis (6)
• Trumpets - Oscar Brashear, Bobby Bryant, Michael Harris, Jerry Hey, Elmer Brown, Rahmlee Michael Davis, Steve Madaio
• Viola - James Ross, Laurie Woods, Linda Lipsett, Marilyn Baker, Rollice Dale, Virginia Majewski
• Violin - Anton Sen, Sherman Bryana, Carl LaMagna, Cynthia Kovaks, Gina Kronstadt, Haim Shtrum, Harris Goldman, Henry Ferber, Henry Roth, Ilkka Talvi, Jack Gootkin, Jerome Reisler, Jerome Webster, Joseph Goodman, Joseph Livoti, Judith Talvi, Leeana Sherman, Marcy Dicterow, Pamela Gates, Pavel Farkas, Ronald Clarck, Rosmen Torfeh, Sheldon Sanov, William Henderson[30][31]

• Design by Roger Carpenter
• Illustration by Shusei Nagaoka
• Mastered by Michael Reese
• Producer - Maurice White (Original, Reissue), Leo Sacks (Reissue), Paul Klingberg (additional on 10, 12)
• Engineer - Tom Perry, George Massenburg
• Assistant Engineers - Craig Widby, Ross Pallone
• Mixing - Mark Wilder (11), George Massenburg
• Concertmaster - Janice Gower
• Horn Arrangements - Jerry Hey (1, 3, 7-8, 10-12), Tom Tom 84 (2, 4, 6-7, 9), Benjamin F. Wright (5)
• String Arrangements - David Foster (1, 3, 8, 10), Tom Tom 84 (2, 4, 6-7, 9), Benjamin F. Wright (5)

[31]

The information regarding accolades attributed to I Am is adapted from Acclaimed Music and NME[21][20]

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1979 (U.S.)