1979 Minnie Riperton – Minnie
Minnie is the fifth album by Minnie Riperton, released in 1979.
Minnie Julia Riperton-Rudolph (November 8, 1947 – July 12, 1979), known professionally as Minnie Riperton, was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single “Lovin’ You”. She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in 1979. They had two children: music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedian Maya Rudolph.
Minnie Riperton grew up on Chicago’s South Side. As a child, she studied music, drama, and dance at Chicago’s Lincoln Center. In her teen years, she sang lead vocals for the Chicago-based girl group, The Gems. Her early affiliation with the legendary Chicago-based Chess Records afforded her the opportunity to sing backup for various established artists such as Etta James, Fontella Bass, Ramsey Lewis, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters. While at Chess, Minnie Riperton also sang lead for the experimental rock/soul group Rotary Connection, from 1967 to 1971. On April 5, 1975, Minnie Riperton reached the apex of her career with her #1 single, “Lovin’ You”. The single was the last release from her 1974 gold album entitled Perfect Angel.
In April 1979, Minnie Riperton released her fifth and final album, Minnie. “Memory Lane” was a hit from the album, and was arguably Riperton’s greatest work. Riperton incorporated the sadness of the ending of a relationship while suddenly shifting to cries of “I don’t want to go,” “save me,” “now I’m slippin’ fast,” “thought it was over; here I go again,” and “travelin’ down, faster than the speed of sound.
Tracks
1 Memory Lane (Keni St Lewis) 4:25
2 Lover and Friend (Gene Dozier, Keni St Lewis) 4:18
3 Return to Forever (Randy Waldman) 4:09
4 Dancin’ and Actin’ Crazy (Randy Waldman) 6:00
5 Love Hurts (Marlo Henderson) 3:37
6 Never Existed Before (Bili Thedford) 4:19
7 I’m A Woman (Bili Thedford) 3:58
8 Light My Fire (The Doors) 5:11
Media
Musicians
1 Memory Lane
Bass | Chuck Rainey |
Drums | Harvey Mason Sr |
Guitar | Phil Upchurch |
Piano | Jeremy Lubbock |
Background Vocals | Bili Thedford |
Background Vocals | Dani McCormick |
Background Vocals | Venetta Fields |
Vibes | Victor Feldman |
2 Lover and Friend
Bass (synthesizer) | Stevie Wonder |
Drums | Stevie Wonder |
Clavinet | Stevie Wonder |
Horn | Larry Williams |
Sax | Kim Hutchcroft |
Trombone | Bill Reichenbach |
Trumpet | Jerry Hey |
3 Return to Forever
Acoustic Guitar | Oscar Castro Neves |
Piano | Victor Feldman |
Violin | Jerry Vinci |
Horn | David Duke |
Horn | Richard Perrisi |
Horn | Vince DeRosa |
Percussion | Steve Forman |
Percussion | Claudio Slon |
4 Dancin’ and Actin’ Crazy
Bass (synthesizer) | Randy Waldman |
Drums | Alex Acuna |
Drums | Leon Chancler |
Guitar | Art Phillips |
Piano | Randy Waldman |
Trombone | Bill Reichenbach |
Background Vocals | Dali Shelby |
Background Vocals | Sandra Riperton Brewer |
Background Vocals | Sidney Barnes |
5 Love Hurts
Bass | Abraham Laboriel Sr |
Drums | Harvey Mason Sr |
Guitar | Mitch Holder |
Keyboards | Randy Waldman |
Piano | Jeremy Lubbock |
Piano | Randy Waldman |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
Vibes | Victor Feldman |
Background Vocals | Bili Thedford |
Background Vocals | Dani McCormick |
Background Vocals | Venetta Fields |
6 Never Existed Before
Bass | David Hungate |
Drums | Claudio Slon |
Guitar | Mitch Holder |
Acoustic Guitar | Oscar Castro Neves |
Piano | Jeremy Lubbock |
Flute | Hubert Laws |
Flute | Sheridan Stokes |
Flute | Buddy Colette |
Flute | Jerome Richardson |
Flute | Bill Green |
Percussion | Steve Forman |
7 I’m A Woman
Bass | Abraham Laboriel Sr |
Drums | Harvey Mason Sr |
Guitar | Marlo Henderson |
Guitar | Mitch Holder |
Synthesizer | Jeremy Lubbock |
Synthesizer | Randy Waldman |
Flute | Buddy Colette |
Flute | Jerome Richardson |
Flute | Tom Scott |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
8 Light My Fire
Bass | Abraham Laboriel Sr |
Drums | Harvey Mason |
Guitar | Marlo Henderson |
Piano | Jeremy Lubbock |
Piano | Randy Waldman |
Flute | Buddy Colette |
Flute | Jerome Richardson |
Flute | Tom Scott |
Percussion | Henry Gibson |
Percussion | Paulinho Da Costa |
Vibes | Victor Feldman |
Vocals | Jose Feliciano |
Liner Notes
Producer – Henry Lewy, Minnie Riperton, Richard Rudolph
Arranged By [Rhythm] – Stevie Wonder (Track 2)
Arranged By [Rhythm] – Randy Waldman (Track 4)
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Mixed By – Dick Rudolph, Henry Lewy, Steve Katz
Recorded By – Henry Lewy, Steve Katz
Art Direction – Roy Kohara
Concept By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Design – Art Sims
Photography By – Charles William Bush
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Capitol Records, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Capitol Records, Inc.
Recorded At – A&M Studios