1987 Bruce Willis – The Return of Bruno

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The Return Of Bruno is the debut album by actor Bruce Willis. Released by Motown in 1987, this album is an eclectic gathering of R&B music sung by Willis, with backing musicians including Booker T. Jones, The Pointer Sisters, and The Temptations. It is a companion piece to an HBO special of the same name, which aired shortly after the album’s release. A re-issue was distributed by Razor & Tie in 1997.

The album peaked at #14 on the US Billboard 200 album chart. Leadoff single “Respect Yourself,” a duet with June Pointer featuring background vocals by the Pointer Sisters, was a hit. It peaked at #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 7 on the UK Singles Chart. Follow-up singles “Young Blood” and “Under the Boardwalk” did not fare nearly as well, peaking at #68 and #59, in the US respectively. Though “Under the Boardwalk” fared poorly in the US, in the UK it was a different matter, as the single reached #2 in the charts and became the UK’s 12th best-selling single of 1987.

Tracks

1  Comin’ Right Up (Brock Walsh) 03:29
2  Respect Yourself (Luther Ingram; Mack Rice) 03:53
3  Down In Hollywood (Ry Cooder; Tim Drummond) 05:19
4  Young Blood (Mike Stoller; Jerry Leiber) 04:08
5  Under The Boardwalk (Artie Resnick; Kenny Young) 03:03
6  Secret Agent Man / James Bond Is Back (John Barry; PF Sloan; Steve Barri) 04:47
7  Jackpot (Bruno’s Bop) (Bruce Willis; Robert Kraft) 04:11
8  Fun Time (Allen Toussaint) 03:36
9  Lose Myself (Larry John McNally; Jon Lind) 03:57
10  Flirting With Disaster (Brock Walsh; Jeff Lorber) 04:28

Musicians

HarmonicaBruce Willis
VocalsBruce Willis

Other Musicians

1 Comin’ Right Up

BassDavid Chamberlain
DrumsMarty Fera
GuitarDanny Grenier
GuitarDuane Sciacqua
KeyboardsAlan Pasqua
KeyboardsSteve Thoma
SaxChrist Mostert
SaxGreg Smith
TrumpetJerry Hey
TrumpetGary Grant
PercussionMike Fisher
Background VocalsSiedah Garrett


2 Respect Yourself

BassDavid Chamberlain
BassJeff Steele
DrumsMarty Fera
GuitarDanny Grenier
GuitarDuane Sciacqua
KeyboardsGreg Phillinganes
KeyboardsMichael Boddicker
KeyboardsSteve Thoma
SaxChrist Mostert
SaxGreg Smith
TrumpetJerry Hey
TrumpetGary Grant
PercussionMike Fisher
Background VocalsLynn Davis


3 Down In Hollywood

BassDavid Chamberlain
DrumsMarty Fera
GuitarDanny Grenier
GuitarDuane Sciacqua
KeyboardsAlan Pasqua
KeyboardsSteve Thoma
SaxChrist Mostert
SaxGreg Smith
PercussionMike Fisher
Background VocalsDanny Grenier
Background VocalsDarryl Phinnessee
Background VocalsDavid Chamberlain
Background VocalsLynn Davis
Background VocalsPhillip Ingram
Background VocalsRob Trow
Background VocalsSiedah Garrett


4 Young Blood

BassDavid Chamberlain
DrumsMarty Fera
GuitarDanny Grenier
GuitarDuane Sciacqua
KeyboardsSteve Thoma
SaxChrist Mostert
SaxGreg Smith
Background VocalsDanny Grenier
Background VocalsDuane Sciacqua
Background VocalsSteve Thoma


5 Under The Boardwalk

BassNeil Stubenhaus
GuitarJames Harrah
PercussionMike Fisher
Background VocalsThe Temptations


6 Secret Agent Man / James Bond Is Back

BassNeil Stubenhaus
DrumsRick Marotta
GuitarDann Huff
KeyboardsAlan Pasqua
OrganBooker T Jones
SaxJoel Peskin
PercussionMike Fisher
Background VocalsAlexis England
Background VocalsBruce Di Mattia
Background VocalsDarryl Phinnessee
Background VocalsJan Gorman
Background VocalsJohn Vigran
Background VocalsJolie Levine
Background VocalsJon Lind
Background VocalsPhillip Ingram
Background VocalsRob Trow
Background VocalsRobert Kraft
Background VocalsShari Dub


7 Jackpot (Bruno’s Bop)

BassDavid Chamberlain
DrumsMarty Fera
GuitarDanny Grenier
GuitarDuane Sciacqua
KeyboardsSteve Thoma
SaxChrist Mostert
SaxGreg Smith


8 Fun Time

BassDavid Chamberlain
DrumsMarty Fera
GuitarDanny Grenier
GuitarDuane Sciacqua
KeyboardsChris Mostert
KeyboardsGreg Smith
SaxChrist Mostert
SaxGreg Smith
VocalsBruce Willis
PercussionMike Fisher
Background VocalsDarryl Phinnessee
Background VocalsLynn Davis
Background VocalsPhillip Ingram
Background VocalsRob Trow
Background VocalsSiedah Garrett
Background VocalsTim Stone


9 Lose Myself

BassDavid Chamberlain
DrumsMarty Fera
GuitarBuzzy Feiten
GuitarDanny Grenier
GuitarDuane Sciacqua
KeyboardsAlan Pasqua
SaxChrist Mostert
SaxGreg Smith
PercussionMike Fisher
Background VocalsFred Mulvey
Background VocalsRob Trow
Background VocalsTim Stone


10 Flirting With Disaster

DrumsWendell Dhowell
Drums (programming)Brock Walsh
Drums (programming)Jeff Lorber
GuitarDann Huff
KeyboardsJeff Lorber
KeyboardsSteve Thoma
Background VocalsLynn Davis
Background VocalsPhillip Ingram
Background VocalsSiedah Garrett
Background VocalsBrock Walsh

Liner Notes

Producer – Robert Kraft
Producer (Assistant) – Jan Gorman
Arranged By – Chris Mostert, Danny Grenier, Dave Chamberlain, Duane Sciacqua, Greg Smith, Marty Fera, Steve Thoma (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 7, 8)
Arranged By – Robert Kraft (Tracks 2, 5, 6, 7)
Arranged By – Bruce Willis (Tracks 7)
Arranged By – Brock Walsh, Jeff Lorber (Track 10)
Arranged By (Brass) – Jerry Hey (Tracks 1, 2)
Arranged By (Rhythm) – Brock Walsh (Track 1)
Arranged By (Strings) – Hoogle D’Howell (Track 5)
Coordinator – Jolie Levine
Effects (SFX) – Ken Johnson
Effects (SFX) – Robert Kraft (Track 5)
Effects (SFX) – George Budd (Track 6)
Engineer – John Vigran
Engineer (Assistant) – Cliff Kane, David Eaton, Julie Last, Michael C Ross, Ron DaSilva
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Mixed By – Daniel Lazerus
Technician – David Benson

Art Direction – Johnny Lee
Design – Andy Engel
Photography By – David Alexander

Distributed By – MCA Distributing Corporation
Manufactured By – Sanyo Japan – A7116B
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Motown Record Corporation
Copyright (c) – Motown Record Corporation
Recorded At – Cherokee Studios
Recorded At – Bill Schnee Studios
Recorded At – Weddington Studios
Recorded At – Image Recording Studios
Recorded At – Ocean Way Recording
Mastered At – Bernie Grundman Mastering