Lionel Richie (album)

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Lionel Richie
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 6, 1982
Recorded1981–1982
StudioA&M (Hollywood)
GenrePop soul[1]
Length38:27
LabelMotown
ProducerJames Anthony Carmichael, Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie chronology
Lionel Richie
(1982)
Can't Slow Down
(1983)
Singles from Lionel Richie
  1. "Truly"
    Released: September 1982
  2. "You Are"
    Released: January 1983
  3. "My Love"
    Released: April 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert ChristgauC+[3]
Rolling Stone[4]

Lionel Richie is the debut solo studio album by American singer Lionel Richie, released on October 6, 1982, on Motown Records. Originally intended as a side project at the suggestion of Motown, it was recorded and released while Richie was still a member of the Commodores; he left the group shortly after the album's release. The first single from the album, "Truly", topped the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up single "You Are" reached number four, and "My Love" reached number five. The album reached number one on the Cashbox albums chart on December 11, 1982.[5]

In 2003, Lionel Richie was re-released as part of a remaster series that saw two additional tracks added: a solo version of "Endless Love" and an instrumental version of "You Are". Eagles member Joe Walsh provided the guitar solo for the song "Wandering Stranger".

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Serves You Right"
5:14
2."Wandering Stranger"Richie5:38
3."Tell Me"
  • Richie
  • David Cochrane
5:32
4."My Love"Richie4:08
5."Round and Round"
  • David Cochrane
  • Richie
4:57
6."Truly"Richie3:26
7."You Are"
  • Brenda Harvey-Richie
  • Richie
5:05
8."You Mean More to Me"Richie3:08
9."Just Put Some Love in Your Heart"Richie1:27
2003 remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Endless Love" (solo demo)Richie3:58
11."You Are" (instrumental)
  • Harvey-Richie
  • Richie
5:06

Personnel[edit]

Musicians

Horns, strings and woodwinds

  • Louise Di Tullo – flute (3, 6, 9)
  • Art Maebe – French horn (3, 4, 6, 8, 9)
  • Richard Perissi – French horn (3, 6, 9)
  • Henry Sigismonti – French horn (3, 6, 9)
  • Jim Atkinson – French horn (4, 8)
  • David Duke – French horn (4, 8)
  • Brian O'Connor – French horn (4, 8)
  • William Green – saxophone (5, 7)
  • Ernie Watts – saxophone (5, 7)
  • Lew McCreary – trombone (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Bill Reichenbach, Jr. – trombone (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Gary Grant – trumpet (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Jerry Hey – trumpet (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Walter Johnson – trumpet (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Warren Luening – trumpet (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Bob Findley – trumpet (5, 7)
  • Don Ashworth – woodwinds (4, 8)
  • Gene Cipriano – woodwinds (4, 8)
  • Gary Herbig – woodwinds (4, 8), saxophone (5, 7)
  • Larry Williams – woodwinds (4, 8)
  • Jesse Ehrlich – cello (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Armand Kaproff – cello (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Paula Hochhalter – cello (2, 6, 9)
  • Dennis Karmazyn – cello (2, 6, 9)
  • Arni Egilsson – double bass (2, 6, 9)
  • Buell Neidlinger – double bass (2, 6, 9)
  • Ray Brown – double bass (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Morty Corb – double bass (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Gayle Levant – harp (2, 4-9)
  • Alan DeVeritch – viola (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Allan Harshman – viola (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Virginia Majewski – viola (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Gareth Nuttycombe – viola (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Bonnie Douglas – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Assa Drori – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Endre Granat – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Joy Lyle – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Donald Palmer – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Henry Roth – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Sheldon Sanov – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Jack Shulman – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Paul Shure – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Mari Tsumura-Botnick – violin (2, 3, 6, 9), strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Charles Veal, Jr. – violin (2, 3, 6, 9)
  • Rollice Dale – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Henry Ferber – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Ronald Folsom – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • William Henderson – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • William Kurasch – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Erno Neufeld – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Nathan Ross - strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Myron Sandler – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • David Schwartz – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Fred Seykora – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • David Speltz – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)
  • Tibor Zelig – strings (4, 5, 7, 8)

Production[edit]

  • Producers – James Anthony Carmichael and Lionel Richie
  • Production Assistant – Brenda Harvey-Richie
  • Recorded and Mixed by Calvin Harris
  • Second Recording Engineer – Jim Cassell
  • Second Mix Engineers – Michael Johnson, Fred Law and Stephan Smith.
  • Additional Mixing – Jane Clark
  • Mastered by Bernie Grundman at A&M Studios (Los Angeles, CA).
  • Creative Assistant – Rita Leigh
  • Art Direction – Johnny Lee
  • Photography – David Alexander

Charts[edit]

Certifications and sales[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[17] 4× Platinum 400,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[18] Gold 10,000*
South Africa 100,000[19]
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[21] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ AllMusic review
  2. ^ AllMusic review
  3. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: lionel richie". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ "Lionel Richie: Lionel Richie : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-11-30.
  5. ^ "楽天が運営するポータルサイト : 【インフォシーク】Infoseek". Msdb.hp.infoseek.co.jp. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 252. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lionel Richie – Lionel Richie" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  8. ^ "Charts.nz – Lionel Richie – Lionel Richie". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  9. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Lionel Richie – Lionel Richie". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  10. ^ "Lionel Richie | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  11. ^ "Lionel Richie Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  12. ^ "Black LPs". Billboard - November 27, 1982. 27 November 1982. p. 56. Retrieved August 29, 2017. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  13. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1983". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  14. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1983 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  15. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1983". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  16. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1983". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  17. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Lionel Richie – Lionel Richie". Music Canada. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
  18. ^ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1984". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  19. ^ "Richie LP Hits Big In South Africa". Billboard. September 13, 1986. Retrieved June 1, 2020 – via Google Books.
  20. ^ "British album certifications – Lionel Richie – Lionel Richie". British Phonographic Industry.
  21. ^ "American album certifications – Lionel Richie – Lionel Richie". Recording Industry Association of America.