Heart to Yours
Encyclopedia
Heart to Yours is the first solo album by American
singer Michelle Williams
. Released on April 16, 2002, by Sanctuary
and Columbia Records
it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child
member. Production of the album began in 2001, with Williams working with an array of producers, including her brother Erron Williams (who produced the title track), HR Crump and Warryn Campbell
. Heart to Yours is primarily an urban contemporary gospel
album, however it heavily incorporates elements of many other styles and genres such as; neo-soul, inspirational, R&B
and even rock
music. The album's lyrical content and subject matter is also diverse and ranges from songs that glorify and praise
God
to tributes dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks
in the United States
, which encourage those suffering in the aftermath of the attacks that the "sun will shine again".
Receiving generally positive reviews from critics, Heart to Yours peaked at number one on the US Billboard Gospel Albums
chart with nearly 20,000 copies sold in one week, eventually becoming 2002's biggest selling album of the that genre in the U.S, selling over 203,000 copies. The album was also a success on another Billboard component chart, the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart, where it peaked within the top 20 at number seventeen. However, the album failed to make as big of an impact on the US Billboard 200
as the debuts of Williams' bandmates, peaking at a moderate firty-seven. The album won Williams an award for "Best Gospel Act" at the 2002 MOBO Awards
and its lead single "Heard A Word" was featured on the platinum-selling WOW Gospel 2003
compilation album
.
in 1999 before joining Destiny's Child
with Farrah Franklin
(who would later leave) alongside original members Beyoncé Knowles
and Kelly Rowland
, replacing former members LeToya Luckett
and LaTavia Roberson
to much controversy in 2000.
In late 2000, while recording their third album, Survivor, Destiny's Child
revealed that they would produce solo albums to be released "simultaneously" in the "hope" that they would "boost interest in Destiny's Child". Describing the stylistic differences of the albums' directions, Knowles said "We're going to all do different types of music and support each other's album" before saying "hopefully it will broaden our audience, so it will help us all out". The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager and Knowles' father, Mathew
. After the release of Survivor, the group announced in late 2001 a temporary break-up to focus on solo projects, including working on their own albums. Before undertaking their respective solo projects, the group released a Christmas album, 8 Days of Christmas
.
Williams worked in the studio with several musical collaborators, including Scott “Shavoni” Parker, Damon Elliott, Warren Campbell and gospel
producer HR Crump. Williams' brother, Erron Williams, also produced some of the tracks on the album. Williams also co-wrote five of the songs. In speaking with Billboard
about the album and its artistic direction, Williams said, "some people will do gospel when their career fails, but I chose to do it at the height of the popularity of Destiny's Child,". Williams explained, " I didn't want to do it because it was a fad. I wanted to do it because it's in me. It's in my heart."
containing elements of R&B
, neo-soul and traditional black gospel music, with inspirational lyrics about building, maintaining and appreciating a relationship with God
which also encourage the listener that "everything is going to work out fine". The album's lead single, "Heard a Word", sums up the theme of the album, with its chorus: "I heard a word / Saying girl, you'll be fine / I heard a word that would ease my troubled mind / Took all the hurt away / Warmed me up inside like a summer day / So glad that you'd never break your promises". Other songs are tributes to the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States; "Better Place", written by Michelle Williams, Damon Elliott and Kayla Parker, is one such example which was inspired by the catastrophic event and is an emotional tribute to those who died in the attack.
The album features guest vocals by various artists, including Williams' Destiny's Child band mates - Kelly Rowland
and Beyoncé Knowles
- on "Gospel Medley" (originally produced for the group's 2001 album, Survivor) which consists of an interpolation of Kirk Franklin
's "Holy is the Lamb", the popular Anna B. Warner hymn
"Jesus Loves Me" and concludes with the famous final section of Richard Smallwood
's "Total Praise". Other guests include Carl Thomas on a remixed version of the BeBe & CeCe Winans
classic, "Heaven", (featured as a bonus track on the album); Men of Standard
's Isaac Carree and Lowell C. Pye on "You Care for Me"; Mary Mary
on "So Glad"; and Shirley Caesar
on "Steal Away to Jesus", which was herladed by most critics as "the album's high point" and was first included on Caesar's 2001 album, Hymns.
's 2002 album, Simply Deep
and Beyoncé Knowles
' 2003 Dangerously in Love
- all debut releases.
-like fashion", concluding the review by describing Heart to Yours as a "melodically pleasant, lyrically sound gospel project". Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine
also described Williams' voice was "warm", noting that it recalls "the playful wisps of her R&B contemporaries (Jill Scott
, Erykah Badu
) and the breathy timbre of Diana Ross
". Cinquemani then described the album as being "a mix of slick hip-hop-style beats, inspirational themes and catchy, pop-friendly hooks" with "admirable", "largely restrained arrangements", lending particular praise to the "surprisingly eloquent (and non-denominational) sentiment" that is featured within the lyrics of the album's title track ("Heart to Yours"). Tracy Hopkins of Rolling Stone
magazine gave the least favorable review however, stating that despite Williams' collaborations with contemporary gospel singers, they "only reinforce the thin-piped vocalist's shortcomings". Hopkins also wrote that although Williams "is in the right place", her vocals are "too quiet" and the production is too "tame to start a real Holy Ghost party". On the contrary, Mike Rimmer of Cross Rhythms
gave a very favorable review of the album (10/10), describing "the quality" as being "superb throughout" and "Michelle's soulful laid back vocals" as being "delicious throughout".
, it gained success on Billboard
s components charts. The album entered the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart at number one. Eventually spending a total of forty-six weeks on the chart, Heart to Yours became the best-selling gospel album of the year. On the main album chart in the U.S., the Billboard 200, the album reached number fifty-seven on May 4, 2002, spending fourteen weeks on the chart and also managed to peak within the top 20 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart, at number seventeen, where the album spent twenty-four weeks. According to The New York Times
, Heart to Yours sold 203,000 domestically. In addition to this, the album was listed at number six on the US Billboard Year-End
Top Gospel Albums chart in 2002, making it one of the most successful gospel releases of the year.
Managerial
Performance credits
Visuals and Imagery
Instruments
Technical and Production
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)
Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
. Released on April 16, 2002, by Sanctuary
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
member. Production of the album began in 2001, with Williams working with an array of producers, including her brother Erron Williams (who produced the title track), HR Crump and Warryn Campbell
Warryn Campbell
Warryn Campbell is an American record producer. He specializes in gospel music and R&B.-Career:His work includes production and songwriting credits for Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Xzibit, Yolanda Adams, Dayna Caddell, Mos Def, Missy Elliott, Kierra Sheard, Brandy, Dave Hollister, Men of Standard,...
. Heart to Yours is primarily an urban contemporary gospel
Urban contemporary gospel
Traditional black gospel is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
album, however it heavily incorporates elements of many other styles and genres such as; neo-soul, inspirational, R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and even rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
music. The album's lyrical content and subject matter is also diverse and ranges from songs that glorify and praise
Praise
Praise is the act of making positive statements about a person, object or idea, either in public or privately. Praise is typically, but not exclusively, earned relative to achievement and accomplishment...
God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
to tributes dedicated to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which encourage those suffering in the aftermath of the attacks that the "sun will shine again".
Receiving generally positive reviews from critics, Heart to Yours peaked at number one on the US Billboard Gospel Albums
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
chart with nearly 20,000 copies sold in one week, eventually becoming 2002's biggest selling album of the that genre in the U.S, selling over 203,000 copies. The album was also a success on another Billboard component chart, the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart, where it peaked within the top 20 at number seventeen. However, the album failed to make as big of an impact on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
as the debuts of Williams' bandmates, peaking at a moderate firty-seven. The album won Williams an award for "Best Gospel Act" at the 2002 MOBO Awards
MOBO Awards
The Music of Black Origin Awards, established in 1995 by Kanya King MBE and Andy Ruffell, are held annually in the United Kingdom to recognise artists of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music....
and its lead single "Heard A Word" was featured on the platinum-selling WOW Gospel 2003
WOW Gospel 2003
WOW Gospel 2003 is a gospel music compilation album from the WOW series. Released February 4, 2003, it includes a total of thirty-three songs on two CDs...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
.
Background and production
Williams began her singing career as a backing vocalist for R&B singer MonicaMonica (singer)
Monica Denise Brown , and professionally known as Monica, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, Monica began performing as a child and became part of a traveling gospel choir, by the time she was ten...
in 1999 before joining Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
with Farrah Franklin
Farrah Franklin
Farrah Destiny Franklin is an American singer, actress, and model. She is an ex-member of Destiny's Child who replaced LaTavia Roberson; she left the group after 5 months.-Recording & movie career:...
(who would later leave) alongside original members Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
and Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
, replacing former members LeToya Luckett
LeToya Luckett
LeToya Nicole Luckett , known professionally as LeToya, is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actress. She was a member of the R&B group Destiny's Child, with whom she won two Grammy Awards and released many successful commercial recordings.After signing a record deal with Capitol Records, she's...
and LaTavia Roberson
LaTavia Roberson
LaTavia Marie Roberson is a two-time Grammy Award–winning American contralto singer-songwriter, as well as an original member of Girl's Tyme which later became Destiny's Child. She was eventually replaced by Farrah Franklin in 2000. She was an original founder of the group with Beyoncé as they...
to much controversy in 2000.
In late 2000, while recording their third album, Survivor, Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
revealed that they would produce solo albums to be released "simultaneously" in the "hope" that they would "boost interest in Destiny's Child". Describing the stylistic differences of the albums' directions, Knowles said "We're going to all do different types of music and support each other's album" before saying "hopefully it will broaden our audience, so it will help us all out". The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager and Knowles' father, Mathew
Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles is an American music executive and manager. He is the father and former manager of R&B singer Beyoncé , Knowles also managed Kelly Rowland as well as girl group Destiny's Child . He was also the manager of Solange Knowles.-Manager and producer:Knowles is an alumnus of Fisk...
. After the release of Survivor, the group announced in late 2001 a temporary break-up to focus on solo projects, including working on their own albums. Before undertaking their respective solo projects, the group released a Christmas album, 8 Days of Christmas
8 Days of Christmas
8 Days of Christmas is a Christmas album by R&B girl group Destiny's Child, released by Columbia Records in October 2001 in the United States .-Background:...
.
Williams worked in the studio with several musical collaborators, including Scott “Shavoni” Parker, Damon Elliott, Warren Campbell and gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
producer HR Crump. Williams' brother, Erron Williams, also produced some of the tracks on the album. Williams also co-wrote five of the songs. In speaking with Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
about the album and its artistic direction, Williams said, "some people will do gospel when their career fails, but I chose to do it at the height of the popularity of Destiny's Child,". Williams explained, " I didn't want to do it because it was a fad. I wanted to do it because it's in me. It's in my heart."
Content and composition
Generally, the album consists of urban contemporary gospel musicUrban contemporary gospel
Traditional black gospel is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music...
containing elements of R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
, neo-soul and traditional black gospel music, with inspirational lyrics about building, maintaining and appreciating a relationship with God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
which also encourage the listener that "everything is going to work out fine". The album's lead single, "Heard a Word", sums up the theme of the album, with its chorus: "I heard a word / Saying girl, you'll be fine / I heard a word that would ease my troubled mind / Took all the hurt away / Warmed me up inside like a summer day / So glad that you'd never break your promises". Other songs are tributes to the victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States; "Better Place", written by Michelle Williams, Damon Elliott and Kayla Parker, is one such example which was inspired by the catastrophic event and is an emotional tribute to those who died in the attack.
The album features guest vocals by various artists, including Williams' Destiny's Child band mates - Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
and Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
- on "Gospel Medley" (originally produced for the group's 2001 album, Survivor) which consists of an interpolation of Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
's "Holy is the Lamb", the popular Anna B. Warner hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
"Jesus Loves Me" and concludes with the famous final section of Richard Smallwood
Richard Smallwood
Richard Smallwood is an American Gospel music artist who formed The Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977 in Washington, DC.-Biography:...
's "Total Praise". Other guests include Carl Thomas on a remixed version of the BeBe & CeCe Winans
BeBe & CeCe Winans
BeBe & CeCe Winans are an American Gospel music brother and sister duo. BeBe and CeCe Winans are the seventh and eighth of "Mom" and "Pop" Winans' ten children, most of whom have had successful Gospel music careers.-Musical career:...
classic, "Heaven", (featured as a bonus track on the album); Men of Standard
Men of Standard
-Musical career:The group spent the bulk of their tenure as signees to the Malaco Records subsidiary Muscle Shoals. Their album released on Columbia Records/Sony Gospel features production from Warryn Campbell as well as a guest appearance from rapper Heavy D and Kirk Franklin. They were also a...
's Isaac Carree and Lowell C. Pye on "You Care for Me"; Mary Mary
Mary Mary
Mary Mary is an American gospel music duo, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell . The duo are often credited along with Kirk Franklin for broadening the fan base of urban contemporary gospel in the 2000s by introducing elements of soul music, hip hop, funk and jazz...
on "So Glad"; and Shirley Caesar
Shirley Caesar
Shirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
on "Steal Away to Jesus", which was herladed by most critics as "the album's high point" and was first included on Caesar's 2001 album, Hymns.
Release
While her musical cohorts were finishing their projects, Williams' management strategically planned a successive release of their albums to avoid "rivalry" on the charts. Over a period of one year, Williams released Heart to Yours on April 16, 2002, in the United States, ahead of Kelly RowlandKelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
's 2002 album, Simply Deep
Simply Deep
Simply Deep is the debut solo album by American singer Kelly Rowland, first released by Columbia Records on October 28, 2002 in North America, and by February 3, 2003 throughout most international territories...
and Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
' 2003 Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love is the debut solo album of American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, released on June 22, 2003, by Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 2002 to 2003 at several studios, during the hiatus of her then-group Destiny's Child...
- all debut releases.
Critical reception
Heart to Yours received generally positive reviews from critics. William Ruhlmann of Allmusic complimented the non-hasty production of the album, noting that "there are different producers on nearly every track, and the arrangements for the most part are state-of-the-art urban contemporary efforts". Ruhlmann also described Williams' voice as "warm" and "kittenish" before writing that "by the time Williams is trading lines with Isaac Carree and Lowell Pye of Men of Standard" she "has transformed herself from kitten to tiger, belting out the words with absolute conviction". GospelCity.com also praised "Michelle's delicate vocals" - particularly on "You Care For Me" where Williams' "soulful chops" are said to "shine through brilliantly" - and noted that on "Heard A Word", Williams "demonstrates further versatility in EllaElla Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
-like fashion", concluding the review by describing Heart to Yours as a "melodically pleasant, lyrically sound gospel project". Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
also described Williams' voice was "warm", noting that it recalls "the playful wisps of her R&B contemporaries (Jill Scott
Jill Scott
Jill Scott is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, poet, and actress. In 2007, Scott made her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog and in Tyler Perry's feature film, Why Did I Get Married? That year, her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3, was released on...
, Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright , better known by her stage name Erykah Badu , is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Her work includes elements from R&B, hip hop and jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical...
) and the breathy timbre of Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
". Cinquemani then described the album as being "a mix of slick hip-hop-style beats, inspirational themes and catchy, pop-friendly hooks" with "admirable", "largely restrained arrangements", lending particular praise to the "surprisingly eloquent (and non-denominational) sentiment" that is featured within the lyrics of the album's title track ("Heart to Yours"). Tracy Hopkins of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine gave the least favorable review however, stating that despite Williams' collaborations with contemporary gospel singers, they "only reinforce the thin-piped vocalist's shortcomings". Hopkins also wrote that although Williams "is in the right place", her vocals are "too quiet" and the production is too "tame to start a real Holy Ghost party". On the contrary, Mike Rimmer of Cross Rhythms
Cross Rhythms
Cross Rhythms is a Christian media organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:The roots of what was to become Cross Rhythms go back to two separate sources which merged in 1991. In 1983, broadcaster Chris Cole started a 30-minute weekly Christian music radio show on Plymouth Sound FM, a...
gave a very favorable review of the album (10/10), describing "the quality" as being "superb throughout" and "Michelle's soulful laid back vocals" as being "delicious throughout".
Commercial reception
Although Heart to Yours failed to dominate the U.S. Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, it gained success on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s components charts. The album entered the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart at number one. Eventually spending a total of forty-six weeks on the chart, Heart to Yours became the best-selling gospel album of the year. On the main album chart in the U.S., the Billboard 200, the album reached number fifty-seven on May 4, 2002, spending fourteen weeks on the chart and also managed to peak within the top 20 of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
chart, at number seventeen, where the album spent twenty-four weeks. According to The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Heart to Yours sold 203,000 domestically. In addition to this, the album was listed at number six on the US Billboard Year-End
Billboard Year-End
Billboard Year-End charts are a cumulative measure of a single or album's performance in the United States, based upon the Billboard magazine charts during any given chart year. Billboard's "chart year" runs from the first week of December to the final week in November...
Top Gospel Albums chart in 2002, making it one of the most successful gospel releases of the year.
Track listing
Notes- "Steal Away To Jesus" is a completely re-worked cover of the Wallace WillisWallace WillisUncle Wallace Willis was a Choctaw freedman living in the Indian Territory. His dates are unclear: perhaps 1820 to 1880. He is credited with composing several Negro spirituals. Willis received his name from his owner, Britt Willis, probably in Mississippi, the ancestral home of the Choctaws...
hymnHymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
which was arranged by Shirley CaesarShirley CaesarShirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
(who also features on the track). - "Rock With Me" contains resung elements from "Cornerstone" by Leon PatilloLeon PatilloLeon Patillo is an American Contemporary Christian singer and evangelist.-Career:Patillo's first musical endeavor was with the group Creation, later called Leon's Creation. Formed in the late 1960s, Creation was a funk group similar in style and composition to Sly & the Family Stone; they were...
. - "Gospel Medley" consists of an interpolation of Kirk FranklinKirk FranklinKirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
's "Holy is the Lamb", the Anna Bartlett WarnerAnna Bartlett WarnerAnna Bartlett Warner was an American writer, the author of several books, and of poems set to music as hymns and religious songs for children...
hymnHymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
"Jesus Loves MeJesus Loves MeJesus Loves Me is a Christian hymn set to words by Anna Bartlett Warner. The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of a novel called Say and Seal, written by Susan Warner and published in 1860. The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury who found the text of "Jesus Loves Me"...
" and concludes with the final section of Richard SmallwoodRichard SmallwoodRichard Smallwood is an American Gospel music artist who formed The Richard Smallwood Singers in 1977 in Washington, DC.-Biography:...
's "Total Praise".
Credits
Credits are taken from the album's linear notes.Managerial
- Executive producers – Matthew Knowles
- A&R – Kim Burse, Alvin Williams, Teresa LaBarbera Whites
Performance credits
- Lead vocals – Michelle WilliamsMichelle Williams (singer)Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
- Guest vocals - Mary MaryMary MaryMary Mary is an American gospel music duo, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell . The duo are often credited along with Kirk Franklin for broadening the fan base of urban contemporary gospel in the 2000s by introducing elements of soul music, hip hop, funk and jazz...
(track 3 "So Glad"), Isaac Carree & Lowell Pye (of Men of Standard) (track 8 "You Care For Me"), Shirley Caesar (track 9 "Steal Away To Jesus"), Destiny's Child (track 11 "Gospel Medley"), Carl Thomas (track 12 "Heaven")
- Backing vocals – Michelle WilliamsMichelle Williams (singer)Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
, Isaac CarreeMen of Standard-Musical career:The group spent the bulk of their tenure as signees to the Malaco Records subsidiary Muscle Shoals. Their album released on Columbia Records/Sony Gospel features production from Warryn Campbell as well as a guest appearance from rapper Heavy D and Kirk Franklin. They were also a...
, Lowell PyeMen of Standard-Musical career:The group spent the bulk of their tenure as signees to the Malaco Records subsidiary Muscle Shoals. Their album released on Columbia Records/Sony Gospel features production from Warryn Campbell as well as a guest appearance from rapper Heavy D and Kirk Franklin. They were also a...
, Kayla Parker, Damon Elliott, New Direction, The Caesar Singers (Lisa Butts, Gene Conyers, Donald Gore, Michael E. Mathis, Bernard Sterling)
Visuals and Imagery
- Art direction – Ian Cuttler, Chris Feldmann
- Design – Ian Cuttler
- Graphic Artist – Frank Carbonari
- PhotographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
– Christopher Kolk
Instruments
- BassBass (instrument)Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
– Chris Kent, Shavoni - DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
– John Hammond, Shavoni - GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
– Criss Johnson, Eric Walls - KeyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
– Sean Dancy, Israel Embry, Maurice Rodgers - OrganOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
– Maurice Rodgers
- PercussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
– Eric Darken - PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
– Michael E. Mathis - SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
– Sam Levine - TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
– Barry Green - TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
– Steve Patrick
Technical and Production
- EngineersAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
– Buster & Shavoni, Cedric Courtois, Dan Workman, Larry Sturm, Peter Thyssen, Rich Balmer, Thor Laewe, Wayne Allison - MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
– Dave "Hard Drive" Pensado, Kevin Parker, Larry Sturm, Buster & Shavoni, Thor Laewe, Wayne Allison
- Music Producers – Scott Shavoni Parker, Buster, Warryn CampbellWarryn CampbellWarryn Campbell is an American record producer. He specializes in gospel music and R&B.-Career:His work includes production and songwriting credits for Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Xzibit, Yolanda Adams, Dayna Caddell, Mos Def, Missy Elliott, Kierra Sheard, Brandy, Dave Hollister, Men of Standard,...
, Shirley CaesarShirley CaesarShirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
, H.R. Crump, Damon Elliott, Luther "Mano" Hanes, Paul Hemphill, Michael E. Mathis, Kayla Parker, Bubba Smith, Erron Williams - Vocal producer – HR Crump, Kayla Parker
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
57 |
| US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
17 |
| US Billboard Gospel Albums Billboard charts The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine... |
1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Gospel Albums | 6 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | December 2, 2003 | Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation.... |
| Japan | September 13, 2002 | |
| United Kingdom | May 13, 2002 | |
| United States | April 16, 2002 | Sanctuary Records Sanctuary Records Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world... /Columbia Records Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company... |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Category | Recording | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOBO Awards MOBO Awards The Music of Black Origin Awards, established in 1995 by Kanya King MBE and Andy Ruffell, are held annually in the United Kingdom to recognise artists of any ethnicity or nationality performing black music.... |
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| 2002 | Best Gospel Act | Heart to Yours | ||
| GMA Dove Awards | ||||
| 2002 | Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Steal Away To Jesus" | ||
| GMWA Excellence Awards | ||||
| 2003 | Female Vocalist of the Year - Urban Contemporary | Heart to Yours | ||
| Stellar Awards Stellar Awards The Stellar Awards is the first Gospel Music Awards show in the country, honoring Gospel Music Artists, writers, and industry professionals for their contributions to the Gospel Music Industry. The Stellar Awards ranks high in status as the only Gospel Music television awards program syndicated in... |
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| 2003 | New Artist of the Year | Heart to Yours | ||