1997 Barbra Streisand – Higher Ground
Higher Ground is the twenty-seventh studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, her first in four years. The album was inspired by and dedicated to Virginia Clinton Kelley. It was released in North America on November 11, 1997, and a day earlier in Europe.
The lead single, “Tell Him” – a duet with Celine Dion – was released on October 7, 1997, and become an international hit. Follow up singles “If I Could” and the title track failed to chart. “If I Could” and the title track had been previously recorded by jazz singer Nancy Wilson and Regina Belle respectively, as well as a medley of the inspirational standards “I Believe and You’ll Never Walk Alone”, later both issued as standalone recordings by the singer. The album also contained a cover of Bernard Ighner’s classic “Everything Must Change” which Streisand had previously recorded in sessions for her 1974 album ButterFly but remains unreleased.
Higher Ground was her eighth #1 album in the US and has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.
Tracks
1 I Believe / You’ll Never Walk Alone (Al Stillman; Ervin Drake; Irvin Graham; Jimmy Shirl; Oscar Hammerstein II; Richard Rodgers) 06:09
2 Higher Ground (George Green; Kent Agee; Steve Dorff) 04:20
3 At The Same Time (Ann Hampton Callaway) 04:15
4 Tell Him (David Foster; Linda Thompson; Walter Afanasieff) 04:50
5 On Holy Ground (Geron Davis) 06:12
6 If I Could (Ken Hirsch; Marti Sharron; Ron Miller) 04:22
7 Circle (Cynthia Weill; Jud Friedman) 04:13
8 The Water Is Wide / Deep River (Traditional) 05:30
9 Leading With Your Heart (Alan Bergman; Marilyn Bergman; Marvin Hamlish) 03:30
10 Lessons To Be Learned (Dorothy Sea Gazely; Marsha Malamet) 04:40
11 Everything Must Change (Bernard Ighner) 04:02
12 Avinu Malkeinu (Max Janowski) 04:07
Biography
Musicians
1 I Believe / You’ll Never Walk Alone
| Keyboards | Scott Frankfurt |
| Programming | Scott Frankfurt |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
2 Higher Ground
| Bass | Neil Stubenhaus |
| Drums | JR Robinson |
| Acoustic Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Keyboards | Greg Phillinganes |
| Piano | Greg Phillinganes |
| Percussion | Robert Zimmitti |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
3 At The Same Time
| Bass (synthesizer) | Walter Afanasieff |
| Drums (programming) | Dan Shea |
| Drums (programming) | Walter Afanasieff |
| Guitar | Dann Huff |
| Guitar | Mike Landau |
| Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
| Keyboards | Dan Shea |
| Programming | Dan Shea |
| Programming | Walter Afanasieff |
| Background Vocals | Alex Brown |
| Background Vocals | Jim Gilstrap |
| Background Vocals | Lynn Davis |
| Background Vocals | Phillip Ingram |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
4 Tell Him
| Drums (programming) | Simon Franglen |
| Drums (programming) | Walter Afanasieff |
| Guitar | Dann Huff |
| Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
| Keyboards | David Foster |
| Synthesizer | Walter Afanasieff |
| Synthesizer | David Foster |
| Programming | Walter Afanasieff |
| Vocals | Celine Dion |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
5 On Holy Ground
| Bass | Reggie Hamilton |
| Drums | JR Robinson |
| Hammond Organ | Byron Smith |
| Piano | Mervyn Warren |
| Percussion | Peter Michael Escovedo |
| Choir | Alfie Silas |
| Choir | Bobette Jamison |
| Choir | Bridgette Bryant |
| Choir | Carl Graves |
| Choir | Carmen Carter |
| Choir | Carmen Twillie |
| Choir | David Thomas |
| Choir | Fred White |
| Choir | Jeff Ramsey |
| Choir | Jessica Williams |
| Choir | Kristle Murden |
| Choir | Lynn Davis |
| Choir | Lynn Fiddmont-Linsey |
| Choir | Maxine Anderson |
| Choir | Maxine Willard Waters |
| Choir | Richard Jackson |
| Choir | Will Wheaton |
| Choir | Phyllis Yvonne Williams |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
6 If I Could
| Acoustic Guitar | Dean Parks |
| Keyboards | Scott Frankfurt |
| Programming | Scott Frankfurt |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
7 Circle
| Bass (synthesizer) | Walter Afanasieff |
| Drums (programming) | Walter Afanasieff |
| Drums (programming) | Dan Shea |
| Guitar | Dann Huff |
| Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
| Keyboards | Dan Shea |
| Programming | Walter Afanasieff |
| Programming | Dan Shea |
| Background Vocals | Alex Brown |
| Background Vocals | Jim Gilstrap |
| Background Vocals | Lynn Davis |
| Background Vocals | Phillip Ingram |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
8 The Water Is Wide / Deep River
| Keyboards | Marc Mann |
| Programming | John Mahoney |
| Uillean Pipe | Eric Rigler |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
9 Leading With Your Heart
| Bass | Scott Frankfurt |
| Drums | Scott Frankfurt |
| Keyboards | Jeremy Lubbock |
| Synthesizer | Scott Frankfurt |
| Programming | Scott Frankfurt |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
10 Lessons To Be Learned
| Bass (synthesizer) | Walter Afanasieff |
| Drums (programming) | Walter Afanasieff |
| Drums (programming) | Dan Shea |
| Guitar | Dann Huff |
| Guitar | Mike Landau |
| Keyboards | Walter Afanasieff |
| Keyboards | Dan Shea |
| Programming | Walter Afanasieff |
| Programming | Dan Shea |
11 Everything Must Change
| Piano | Randy Waldman |
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
12 Avinu Malkeinu
| Vocals | Barbra Streisand |
Other Musicians
The Carol Lombard Children’s Choir (Track 3)
Choir – Bill Smith, Bill Beck, Cheryl Roach, Dan Plaster, Doug Anderson, Ed Levy, Greg Parker, Janet Smith, Jeff Araluce, Joel Pressman, John St. Marie, Judy Siirila, Lauren Azeltine, Lisa Graham , Lisa Naulls, Mark Beasom, Meg Gister, Michael Fried, Samela Beasom, Sara Willard, Susan Holsonbake, Susan Mills, Wendy Knudsen, Yoav Paskowitz (Track 12)
Liner Notes
Producer – Barbra Streisand (Tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12)
Producer – Arif Mardin (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8)
Producer – Walter Afanasieff (Tracks 3, 4, 7, 10)
Producer – David Foster (Track 4)
Producer – Mervyn Warren (Track 5)
Producer – Jeremy Lubbock (Track 9)
Producer (Executive) – Barbra Streisand, Jay Landers
Arranged By – Walter Afanasieff (Tracks 3, 4, 7, 10)
Arranged By – David Foster (Track 4)
Arranged By – Mervyn Warren (Track 5)
Arranged By – Jeremy Lubbock (Tracks 9, 11)
Arranged By – Marvin Hamlisch, William David Brohn (Track 12)
Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock (Tracks 1, 3, 9, 10, 11)
Conductor – William Ross (Tracks 2, 4)
Conductor – Mervyn Warren (Track 5)
Conductor – Paul Bogaev (Track 8)
Conductor – Marvin Hamlisch (Track 12)
Coordinator – Barbara Stout, Gloria Gabriel, Shari Sutcliffe, Allan Stein, Nancy Roof
Engineer (Additional) – Andy Grassi, Chris Brooke, Dominic Gonzales, Eric Greedy, Ethan Schofer, Felipe Elgueta, Frank Wolf, Glen Marchese, Greg Dennen, Greg Thompson, John Aguto, Jon Mooney, Mark Eshelman, Mark Hagen, Michael O’Reilly, Michael Parnin, Norm Dlugatch, Pat Weber, Paul Falcone, Paul Wertheimer, Pete Matthews, Stuart Brawley, Sue McLean, Tony Gonzalez, Troy Gonzales, Tyson Leeper
Mastered By – Vlado Meller
Mixed By – Frank Filipetti (Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 11)
Mixed By – Mick Guzauski (Track 3)
Mixed By – Humberto Gatica (Track 4)
Mixed By – David Reitzas (Tracks 5, 7, 10, 12)
Orchestrated By – Jeremy Lubbock (Tracks 1, 3, 10)
Orchestrated By – William Ross (Tracks 2, 4)
Recorded By – David Reitzas (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
Recorded By – David Gleeson, Jeff Balding (Tracks 3, 4, 7, 10)
Recorded By – Humberto Gatica (Track 4)
Recorded By – Dana Jon Chappelle (Track 7)
Recorded By – Shawn Murphy (Tracks 11, 12)
Recorded By (Orchestra) – David Reitzas (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
Sound Designer – Dan Shea (Tracks 3, 4, 7, 10)
Art Direction – Nancy Donald
Design – Hooshik
Photography – Firooz Zahedi, Randee St. Nicholas
Engineered At Sony Pictures Studios
Engineered At Paramount Recording Studios
Engineered At Wallyworld
Engineered At Chartmaker Studios
Engineered At Record Plant, Los Angeles
Engineered At The Hit Factory
Engineered At Right Track Recording
Engineered At Masterfonics
Engineered At The Village Recorder
Engineered At Larrabee Sound Studios
Engineered At Sony Music Studios, Los Angeles
Engineered At Westlake Audio
Engineered At A&M Studios
Mastered At Sony Music Studios, Los Angeles
Phonographic Copyright Sony Music Entertainment Inc
Copyright Sony Music Entertainment Inc