On this day in music history: September 30, 1976 - Spirit, the eighth album by Earth, Wind & Fire is released. Produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney, it is recorded at Wally Heider Studio 3 in Los Angeles, CA, Burbank Studios in Burbank, CA, Hollywood Sound Recorders and Westlake Audio in Hollywood, CA from April - May 1976. Issued after the breakthrough successes of Thats The Way Of The World and the live Gratitude albums, it is another artistic and commercial triumph for the band. But it will also mark the loss of longtime co-producer, arranger and mentor Charles Stepney who will pass away during the recording of the album. The album and title track will be dedicated to his memory. It will spin off three singles including Getaway (#1 R&B, #12 Pop), Saturday Nite (#4 R&B, #21 Pop), and On Your Face (#26 R&B). The albums striking cover photo of the band is taken by famed photographer Ethan Russell (The Beatles Let It Be, The Who Whos Next?). Early pressings of the LP will come packaged with a bonus promotional 7 disc (mastered at 33 1/3 RPM) titled Three With Spirit. The record will feature three tracks from artists produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney and feature Earth, Wind & Fire providing instrumental backing. The tracks include Free by Deniece Williams, I Dont Wanna Lose Your Love by The Emotions, and Aufu Oodu by Ramsey Lewis. First run copies of the LP will also feature an incorrect track sequence printed on the back cover from what is on the actual record. CBS Records will opt to package album with these jackets rather than scrapping them. The corrected track sequence will appear on all subsequent repressings. The album will be remastered in 2001, and features five bonus tracks featuring alternate mixes and one outtake from the sessions. The album is released again on CD in 2014 by reissue label BBR Records, including four additional bonus tracks including the extended version of Getaway, previously issued on a promotional 12 only. Spirit will peak at number two on both the Billboard R&B album chart and the Top 200, and is certified 2x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 23:15:17 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015