I Am (Earth, Wind & Fire album)
Encyclopedia
I Am is the ninth studio album by the R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire
, released in 1979 on Columbia Records
. The album features the singles "Boogie Wonderland
" with The Emotions
and "After the Love Has Gone". Also recorded in the I Am sessions were "September" and "Love Music" which were both included on The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1
in 1978. "Diana" and "Dirty" which were also recorded during the I Am sessions were not released and were put on the 2004 Reissue of the album while "Dirty" itself and another unreleased song recorded in the I Am sessions entitled "Where Do We Go From Here?" were re-recorded for their 2003 album The Promise
. I Am has been certified double platinum by the RIAA.
and "Boogie Wonderland" also won a Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. "After The Love Has Gone
" and an instrumental version of Boogie Wonderland
also garnered Grammy nominations for Record Of The Year
and Best Disco Recording respectively. Bandleader Maurice White
was also Grammy nominated for Producer of the Year.
episode "Heritage".
"In the Stone" was used in the 2002 movie Drumline
.
"In the Stone" was also the opening theme from the brazilian TV show from SBT, Porta da Esperança
, hosted by Silvio Santos.
"In the Stone" was performed by Rickey Minor
and The Tonight Show
Band on June 7, 2010, during Minor's first night as the show's bandleader.
Martinez
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
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
, released in 1979 on 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...
. The album features the singles "Boogie Wonderland
Boogie Wonderland
"Boogie Wonderland" is a 1979 hit single by Earth, Wind & Fire featuring The Emotions. Boogie Wonderland was written by Allee Willis and Jon Lind, and included on the album I Am...
" with The Emotions
The Emotions
The Emotions are an American all female soul and R&B singing group. The group was formed in its current hometown of Chicago, Illinois originally consisting of the three Hutchinson sisters, all the children of Joseph and Lillian Hutchinson....
and "After the Love Has Gone". Also recorded in the I Am sessions were "September" and "Love Music" which were both included on The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1
The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1
The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 is a 1978 compilation album collecting the charting singles of Earth, Wind & Fire. In addition to collecting previously charting songs, the album also presented two tracks which were a cover of the Beatles' song "Got to Get You Into My Life" and the original...
in 1978. "Diana" and "Dirty" which were also recorded during the I Am sessions were not released and were put on the 2004 Reissue of the album while "Dirty" itself and another unreleased song recorded in the I Am sessions entitled "Where Do We Go From Here?" were re-recorded for their 2003 album The Promise
The Promise (Earth, Wind & Fire album)
The Promise is a 2003 album by Earth, Wind & Fire. Released on Maurice White's label Kalimba Records the album was their first of new material in six years. The album reached number 5 on the Top Independent Album Chart and number 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Chart. It also featured...
. I Am has been certified double platinum by the RIAA.
Reception
"After The Love Has Gone" won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or ChorusGrammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances...
and "Boogie Wonderland" also won a Grammy for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. "After The Love Has Gone
After the Love Has Gone
"After the Love Has Gone" is a 1979 hit single for Earth, Wind & Fire, written by David Foster, Jay Graydon, and Bill Champlin for the album I Am. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.-Reception:...
" and an instrumental version of Boogie Wonderland
Boogie Wonderland
"Boogie Wonderland" is a 1979 hit single by Earth, Wind & Fire featuring The Emotions. Boogie Wonderland was written by Allee Willis and Jon Lind, and included on the album I Am...
also garnered Grammy nominations for Record Of The Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
and Best Disco Recording respectively. Bandleader Maurice White
Maurice White
Maurice White is a Grammy Award–winning American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger. He is the older brother of Verdine White and Fred White and the leader and founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire...
was also Grammy nominated for Producer of the Year.
Original release
2004 Reissue
Uses in other media
"Let Your Feelings Show" was featured in the FameFame (1982 TV series)
Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
episode "Heritage".
"In the Stone" was used in the 2002 movie Drumline
Drumline (film)
Drumline is a 2002 American film directed by Charles Stone III. The screenplay, which was inspired by The Southwest Dekalb High School Drumline , was written by Tina Gordon Chism and Shawn Schepps...
.
"In the Stone" was also the opening theme from the brazilian TV show from SBT, Porta da Esperança
Silvio Santos
-External links:*...
, hosted by Silvio Santos.
"In the Stone" was performed by Rickey Minor
Rickey Minor
Rickey Minor is a music director, composer and music producer, now best known as musical director and bandleader for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno after Kevin Eubanks left. Minor was born in Monroe, Louisiana to parents Cole and Goldie Minor and was raised in South Central Los Angeles, CA...
and The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
Band on June 7, 2010, during Minor's first night as the show's bandleader.
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Pop Albums | 3 |
| Black Albums | 1 |
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
5 |
| Year | Single | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width="45"|>US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
width="45"|>US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
width="45"|>US Dance Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
width="45"|>UK Singles UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1979 | "Boogie Wonderland Boogie Wonderland "Boogie Wonderland" is a 1979 hit single by Earth, Wind & Fire featuring The Emotions. Boogie Wonderland was written by Allee Willis and Jon Lind, and included on the album I Am... " (featuring The Emotions The Emotions The Emotions are an American all female soul and R&B singing group. The group was formed in its current hometown of Chicago, Illinois originally consisting of the three Hutchinson sisters, all the children of Joseph and Lillian Hutchinson.... ) |
6 | 2 | 14 | 4 |
| "After the Love Has Gone" | 2 | 2 | - | 4 | |
| "In the Stone" | 58 | 23 | - | 53 | |
| "Star" | 64 | 47 | - | 16 | |
| "Can't Let Go" | - | - | - | 46 |
Performers
- BassFender Jazz BassThe Jazz Bass was the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. The bass is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic...
- Verdine WhiteVerdine WhiteVerdine White is the bassist for Earth, Wind & Fire and the younger brother of fellow band member Maurice White. White is known for his high energy and dancing while playing his bass guitar during Earth, Wind & Fire concerts.-Early life:...
- CelloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Daniel Smith, Delores Bing, Jacqueline Lustgarten, Jan Kelley, John Walz, Kevan Torfeh, Larry Corbett, Miguel
Martinez
- 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 ....
- Fred White
- French Horn - Barbara Korn, Marilyn Robinson, Richard Perissi, Sidney Muldrow
- GuitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
- Al McKayAl McKayAl McKay is a guitarist, songwriter, producer and former member of the American funk band Earth, Wind & Fire. Al used to lead his own group Al McKay's L.A...
, Johnny Graham, Marlo Henderson, Sir Alexander Dutkewych, Writer, "Dirty" (& Harp, on "Dirty"), Steve LukatherSteve LukatherSteve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums...
- HarpHarpThe harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
- Dorothy Jeanne AshbyDorothy AshbyDorothy Ashby was an American jazz harpist and composer.Along with Alice Coltrane, Ashby extended the popularization of jazz harp past a novelty, showing how the instrument can be utilized seamlessly as much a bebop instrument as the saxophone...
- KeyboardsKeyboard 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...
- Billy Myers, David FosterDavid FosterDavid Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
, Eddie Del Barrio
- Percussion - Paulinho Da CostaPaulinho Da CostaPaulinho da Costa is a Brazilian percussionist born in Rio de Janeiro, considered one of the most recorded musicians of modern times. Playing over two hundred percussion instruments, he has participated in thousands of recording sessions, Grammy Award-winning albums, hit songs, soundtracks, radio...
, Ralph JohnsonRalph Johnson (musician)Ralph Johnson is an American musician. Johnson serves as the percussionist and vocalist for the R&B band, Earth, Wind & Fire....
- 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...
, Synthesizer [Oberheim, MoogMoog MusicMoog Music is an American company based in Asheville, North Carolina which manufactures electronic musical instruments. The current Moog Music is the second company to trade under that name.-R.A. Moog Co. and the original Moog Music:...
] - Larry DunnLarry DunnLarry Dunn is a keyboardist, musical director and one of the founding members of the music group Earth, Wind, & Fire. Dunn, along with other members of Earth, Wind & Fire were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.-Career:...
- 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...
- Fred Jackson Jr., Herman RileyHerman RileyHerman Riley was a tenor saxophone jazz performer. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, he was noted for his performances with, among others, Count Basie, Etta James and Jimmy Smith.-As Sideman:With Bobby Hutcherson...
, Jerome RichardsonJerome RichardsonJerome Richardson was an American jazz musician, tenor saxophonist, and flute player, who also played alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet and piccolo...
- Saxophone [Alto, Tenor, Baritone] - Don MyrickDon MyrickDon Myrick was a saxophonist.He played alto, tenor and soprano sax and was a member of Earth Wind & Fire's original horn section, The Phenix Horns Esq. from 1975 through 1982. Previously, Myrick had been a member of the musical group The Pharaohs...
- Saxophone [Tenor] - Andrew Woolfolk
- TimpaniTimpaniTimpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
- Richard Lepore
- 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...
- Benjamin Powell, William Reichenbach, Garnett BrownGarnett BrownGarnett Brown is a jazz trombonist who has worked with The Crusaders, Herbie Hancock, Lionel Hampton, and others.He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and later studied film scoring and electronic music at UCLA In 1974 he won the Down Beat Reader's poll for trombonist, and...
, George Bohanon, Louis Satterfield, Maurice Spears
- 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...
- Bobby BryantBobby Bryant (musician)Bobby Bryant was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist.Bryant also played saxophone in his youth. He moved to Chicago in 1952, where he studied at the Cosmopolitan School of Music until 1957. Remaining in the city until 1960, he played with Red Saunders, Billy Williams, and other ensembles...
, Jerry HeyJerry HeyJerry Hey is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Thriller and the distinctive flugelhorn solo on Dan Fogelberg's hit Longer....
, Michael HarrisMichael Harris (trumpeter)Trumpet player in the Phenix Horns, which played for Earth, Wind & Fire and Phil Collins.- References :...
, Oscar BrashearOscar BrashearOscar Brashear is an American jazz trumpeter and session musician.After studying at DuSable High School he worked briefly with Woody Herman before going on to join Count Basie '68-9, returning to freelance in Chicago with Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon and James Moody...
, Rahmlee Michael Davis, Steve Madaio
- ViolaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- James Ross, Laurie Woods, Linda Lipsett, Marilyn Baker, Rollice Dale, Virginia Majewski
- ViolinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- 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
- Vocals, Congas, Percussion -Philip BaileyPhilip BaileyPhilip Irvin Bailey is an American R&B, soul, gospel and funk singer, songwriter, percussionist and actor, best known as one of the longtime members of Earth, Wind & Fire. Together with Verdine White, B. David Whitworth, and Ralph Johnson he forms the heart of the current EWF line-up on...
- Vocals, Drums, Kalimba - Maurice WhiteMaurice WhiteMaurice White is a Grammy Award–winning American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, arranger. He is the older brother of Verdine White and Fred White and the leader and founder of the band Earth, Wind & Fire...
- Written-By - Allee Willis, Bill Champlin, David Foster, Eddie Del Barrio, Jay Graydon, Jon Lind, Maurice White
Production
- Artwork By [Design] - Roger Carpenter
- Artwork By [Illustration] - Shusei NagaokaShusei Nagaokais a Japanese illustrator. He is best known for his music album cover art in the 1970s and 1980s. Artists for whom he illustrated covers include Electric Light Orchestra; Earth, Wind & Fire; Caldera, and Pure Prairie League.-Selected work:...
- Mastered By - Michael Reese
- Engineer - Tom Perry
- Engineer [Assistant] - Craig Widby, Ross Pallone
- Engineer, Mixed By - George MassenburgGeorge MassenburgGeorge Y. Massenburg is a recording engineer and inventor. Working principally in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Macon, Georgia, Massenburg is widely known for his 1972 paper on the parametric equalizer.-Background:...
- Programmed By [Synthesizer] - Steven PorcaroSteve PorcaroSteven Maxwell "Steve" Porcaro is an American keyboardist and composer, who was an original member of the rock/pop band Toto....
- Concertmaster - Janice Gower
- Producer - Maurice White, Phillip Bailey
Accolades
The information regarding accolades attributed to I Am is adapted from acclaimedmusic.net| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mojo Mojo (magazine) MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music... 1000, the Ultimate CD Buyers Guide |
U.K | 100 Soul Albums Everyone Should Own | 2001 | 33 |
| Melody Maker Melody Maker Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody... |
U.K | Albums of the Year | 1979 | 8 |
| NME NME The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles... |
U.K | Albums of the Year | 1979 | 16 |