I'm Ready (Tevin Campbell album) explained
I'm Ready is the second studio album by singer Tevin Campbell, released on October 26, 1993. With this album, Campbell showed his skill as a soul singer. I'm Ready was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best R&B Album category.
Critical reception
In a retrospective review for AllMusic, editor Craig Lytle noted that "Campbell emerged as a true soul singer with I'm Ready, his second album. The Texas native had the good fortune of working with some of the best producers and writers in the business to construct an excellent work [...] There is much to savor on this album."
Commercial performance
The album sold over 2 million copies, reaching double Platinum status, and yielded the biggest R&B hit of his career, the #1 R&B single "Can We Talk". The album produced 3 more charting singles with "I'm Ready", "Always In My Heart" and "Don't Say Goodbye Girl". To date this has been Tevin's biggest selling album and many considered this album to be the high mark of his career despite the fact he was only 16 when he recorded the album. The album was nominated for 3 Grammy Awards: 1994 Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance – Male ("Can We Talk"), 1995 Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance – Male ("I'm Ready"), and Best Rhythm & Blues Album. Prince was credited as Paisley Park for his contributions to the album as a songwriter, arranger, and producer.[1]
Track listing
Notes
- denotes an associate producer
- denotes an additional producer
Personnel
Credits adapted from album's liner notes.[2]
- Eric Anest – engineer
- Michael B. – drums
- Babyface – producer, instruments, and background vocals
- Tommy Barbarella – keyboards
- Louis Biancaniello – associate producer, keyboards, programming, and synthesizer arrangements
- Vernon "Ice" Black – acoustic guitar
- Atlanta Bliss – horns
- Nicole Bradin – background vocals
- Michael Brauer – mixing
- Tevin Campbell – lead vocals, background vocals
- Milton Chan – assistant engineer
- Bruck Dawit – assistant mix engineer
- David Eike – assistant engineer
- David "Frazeman" Frazer – mixing and vocal engineer
- Lori Fumar – assistant engineer
- Tom Garneau – engineer
- Nikita Germaine – background vocals
- Brad Gilderman – engineer
- Preston Glass – sitar, background vocals
- William "DJ" Graves – scratches
- Sandy Griffith – background vocals
- Ray Hahnfeldt – engineer, additional engineering
- Jerry Hey – conductor and string arrangements
- Charlie Hunter – electric guitar
- Skyler Jett – background vocals
- Kathleen Johnson – background vocals
- Kirk Johnson – additional production, percussion
- Quincy Jones – executive producer
- Ellen Keating – background vocals
- Janice Lee – production coordinator
- Eric Leeds – horns and horn arrangements
- Tony Lindsay – background vocals
- Mike Mani – associate producer, keyboards, and programming
- Frank "Killer Bee" Martin – synthesized strings
- Leslie Matthews – background vocals
- Benny Medina – executive producer
- Steve Noonan – engineer
- Barney Perkins – mixing
- Prince – producer, arranger, and executive producer
- Marc "Elvis" Reyburn – engineer
- Claytoven Richardson – background vocals
- Rail Rogut – assistant engineer, strings engineer
- Matt Rohr – assistant engineer
- Marc Russo – soprano saxophone
- Levi Seacer Jr. – guitar
- Monty Seward – associate producer, keyboards, and programming
- Cynthia Shiloh – production coordinator
- Daryl Simmons – producer
- Ivy Skoff – production coordinator
- Donnell Sullivan – engineer
- Sonny T. – bass
- Jeanie Tracy – background vocals
- Kevin Walden – production coordinator
- Narada Michael Walden – producer and arranger, rhythm and vocal arrangements, piano
- Randy Walker – MIDI technician
- Steve Warner – assistant engineer
- Dave Way – mixing
- Ulrich Wild – assistant engineer
- Jim "Z" Zumpano – engineer
Charts
Year-end charts
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Elias. Light. A Teenage Tevin Campbell Didn’t Feel Ready to Sing Prince’s Songs. Now, He’s Glad He Did . Rolling Stone. February 12, 2021 . June 25, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212152056/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/tevin-campbell-interview-im-ready-prince-1125830/. February 12, 2021.
- I'm Ready . 1993 . booklet . Qwest, Warner Bros..
- Web site: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1993. Billboard. October 16, 2020.
- Web site: Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1994. Billboard. October 16, 2020.
- Web site: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994. Billboard. October 16, 2020.
