Power of Love (Luther Vandross album)
Power of Love is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Luther Vandross, released in April 1991. The following year, the album earned Vandross two American Music Awards for "Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist" and "Favorite Soul/R&B Album" and one Grammy Award for "Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male", and the track "Power of Love/Love Power" won in the "Best R&B Song" category. It reached number seven on the US Billboard 200, while topping the Top R&B Albums chart for five nonconsecutive weeks. On the latter chart, it was Vandross's last number one for twelve years until Dance with My Father was released. Power of Love was later certified double platinum Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Power of Love | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 26, 1991 (US) | |||
Recorded | 1990—March 1991[1] | |||
Studio | Various
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Genre | ||||
Length | 55:19 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer |
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Luther Vandross chronology | ||||
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Singles from Power of Love | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Chicago Tribune | [3] |
Entertainment Weekly | A−[4] |
Los Angeles Times | [5] |
Robert Christgau | [6] |
Rolling Stone | [7] |
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "She Doesn't Mind" | Luther Vandross, Reed Vertelney | 4:05 |
2. | "Power of Love/Love Power" | Vandross, Marcus Miller, Teddy Vann | 6:42 |
3. | "I'm Gonna Start Today" | Vandross, Miller | 6:12 |
4. | "The Rush" | Vandross, Miller | 6:45 |
5. | "I Want the Night to Stay" | Vandross, Nat Adderley, Jr. | 5:26 |
6. | "Don't Want to Be a Fool" | Vandross, Miller | 4:34 |
7. | "I Can Tell You That" | Vandross, Hubert Eaves III | 5:25 |
8. | "Sometimes It's Only Love" | Vandross, Skip Anderson | 4:54 |
9. | "Emotional Love" | Vandross, Eaves | 3:53 |
10. | "I (Who Have Nothing)" (Duet with Martha Wash) | Carlo Donida, Mogol, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller | 7:26 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[8]
Technical
- Produced by Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller
- Engineered and Mixed by Ray Bardani
- Recorded by Fred Bova, Brian Cowieson, Carrie McConkey, Michael Morongell and Shelly Yakus.
- Recording Assistants – Martin Brumbach, Mark Harder, Robert Hart, John Herman, Rob Jaczko, Chad Munsey, Brian Schueble and Rich Travali.
- Mastered by Steve Hall at Future Disc (Hollywood, California).
- Production Coordinator – Marsha Burns
- Art Direction and Design – George Corsillo
- Photography – Matthew Rolston
- Management – Billy Bass, Marsha Burns and Shep Gordon at Alive Enterprises, Inc.
- Personal Assistants – Hutaff Lennon and Elijah Reeder
Performers and musicians
- Luther Vandross – lead and backing vocals, vocal arrangements (1, 2, 3, 5)
- Jason Miles – synthesizer sound programming
- Marcus Miller – keyboards (1-4, 6), synthesizer programming (1-4, 6, 8), rhythm arrangements (1-4, 6), bass guitar (2, 3, 4, 6, 10), backing vocals (2), additional keyboards (7, 8, 9)
- Reed Vertelney – synthesizer programming (1)
- Nat Adderley, Jr. – acoustic piano (2), keyboards (5, 10), synthesizer programming (5, 10), rhythm and string arrangements (5, 10)
- Hubert Eaves III – keyboards (7, 9), synthesizer programming (7, 9), rhythm arrangements (7, 9)
- John "Skip" Anderson – keyboards (8), synthesizer programming (8), rhythm arrangements (8)
- Paul Jackson, Jr. – guitar (2, 3, 5, 6, 9)
- Paulinho da Costa – wind chimes (2, 6), percussion (5, 8, 10)
- Kirk Whalum – saxophone solo (10)
- Joe Soldo – string contractor (5)
- Alfred Brown – string contractor (10)
- Tawatha Agee – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
- Lisa Fischer – backing vocals (1, 2)
- Cissy Houston – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
- Darlene Love – backing vocals (1, 2, 9)
- Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9)
- Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals (1, 2, 5), vocal contractor (all tracks)
- Brenda White King – backing vocals (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9)
- Genobia Jeter – backing vocals (2, 9)
- Pat Joyner – backing vocals (2)
- Kevin Owens – backing vocals (2)
- Tamira C. Sanders – backing vocals (2)
- Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals (5, 6)
- Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals (9)
- Martha Wash – lead and backing vocals (10)
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[14] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[16] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
^shipments figures based on certification alone |
References
- https://reverb.com/item/5385358-own-a-piece-of-recording-history-with-this-converted-mini-moog-to-studio-electronics-midi-moog
- AllMusic review
- Chicago Tribune review 1
- Entertainment Weekly review
- Los Angeles Times review (mislabeled as "Love Power")
- Robert Christgau Consumer Guide (mislabeled as "Love Power)
- Rolling Stone review
- Any Love (booklet). Epic Records. 1988.
- "Austriancharts.at – Luther Vandross – Your Secret Love" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
- "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
- "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
- "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
- "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Year End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
- "Canadian album certifications – Luther Vandross – Power of Love". Music Canada.
- "British album certifications – Luther Vandross – Power of Love". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Power of Love in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "American album certifications – Luther Vandross – Power of Love". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.