Special Love Explained
Special Love is the second full-length gospel album by American R&B singer Deniece Williams released in 1989 on MCA/Sparrow Records.[1] Special Love peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Overview
Williams' then-husband Brad Westering produced the album. The track "Healing" from her 1986 album Hot on the Trail was re-recorded for this LP. A set of North American CD editions of Special Love contained her take on "Do You Hear What I Hear?" as a bonus track. This song first appeared on a 1988 Yuletide album entitled Christmas co-produced by Christian singer-songwriter Roby Duke and released on Sparrow Records.[2]
Critical reception
In a review for the Chicago Tribune, Mitchell May rated the album three out of four stars. May wrote that Special Love avoids "excessive fanfare or overkill" and makes good use of Williams' "rich soprano" on every track.[3] In the New York Daily News, Hugh Wyatt wrote that the album has "a refreshing absence of soap opera lyrics and other pop-music trash."[4]
Williams was Grammy nominated alongside Natalie Cole in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group for the track "We Sing Praises".[5]
Track listings
Note: "Do You Hear What I Hear?" was produced by Brad Westering and Roby Duke; all other tracks produced by Westering.
Personnel
- Deniece Williams – lead vocals, backing vocals (1, 2, 4-10), arrangements (7)
- Eric Persing – keyboards (1, 4, 6, 9, 11), programming (1, 4, 6, 9, 11), sequencing (1, 4, 6, 9), arrangements (1, 4, 6, 9)
- Aaron Zigman – additional keyboards (1, 2, 4-6, 9, 10), keyboards (8)
- Todd Yvega – Synclavier (1-3, 5, 7, 9, 10)
- Jay Gruska – keyboards (2, 5), programming (2, 5), sequencing (2, 5), arrangements (2, 5, 10), string arrangements (7, 10)
- Greg Phillinganes – synthesizers (2, 9), backing vocals (2), finger snaps (9)
- Casey Young – additional programming (2, 5)
- Randy Kerber – acoustic piano (3, 10)
- Jeremy Lubbock – keyboards (3), string arrangements (3)
- Tom Keane – acoustic piano (7)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (1, 2, 5)
- Michael Landau – guitars (3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10), guitar solo (5), acoustic guitar (8)
- James Harrah – guitars (8)
- Marty Walsh – guitars (11)
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass (3, 7)
- Freddie Washington – bass (8, 10)
- Dennis Holt – drum overbubs (3), additional drum overbubs (4-6, 9)
- John Keane – drums (7, 10)
- Luis Conte – percussion (3-8, 10)
- Alex MacDougall – additional percussion (11)
- Kirk Whalum – saxophone (2, 6), soprano saxophone (4)
- Brandon Fields – electronic wind instrument (7, 8)
- Steve Tavaglione – saxophone (11)
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (10)
- Gary Grant – trumpet (10)
- Jerry Hey – trumpet (10), horn arrangements (10)
- Roby Duke – arrangements (1, 4, 6, 9), backing vocals (7, 10), additional keyboards (11)
- Brad Westering – arrangements (1, 6, 7, 9)
- Greg Mathieson – arrangements (3)
- Dave Raynor – arrangements (8)
- Chris Eaton – backing vocals (1, 5, 6, 10)
- Lance Ellington – backing vocals (1, 5, 6, 10), step-out vocals (6)
- Josie James – backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 7, 10)
- Phil Perry – backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 10, 11)
- Julia Waters – backing vocals (2)
- Maxine Waters – backing vocals (2)
- Oren Waters – backing vocals (2)
- Mark Williamson – backing vocals (6, 9)
- Fran Logan – backing vocals (7, 10)
- Rick Logan – backing vocals (7, 10)
- Mike Motley – backing vocals (7)
- Natalie Cole – lead vocals (10)
- Lynn Davis – backing vocals (11)
Technical and Design
- Richard McKernan – recording
- Mick Guzauski – mixing at Conway Studios (Hollywood, California) and Devonshire Studios (North Hollywood, California)
- Chris Taylor – recording (11), mixing (11)
- Spencer Chrislu – additional engineer
- Ian Eales – additional engineer
- Michael Frenchik – additional engineer
- Larry Goodwin – additional engineer, mix assistant
- Carl Lange – additional engineer
- Elliott Peters – additional engineer
- Jonathan Goodwin – assistant engineer
- Scott Gordon – assistant engineer, mix assistant
- Jay Lean – assistant engineer
- Derek Marcil – assistant engineer, mix assistant
- Chrisa Sadd – assistant engineer
- Marnie Riley – mix assistant
- Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
- Barbara Hearn – art direction
- Stan Everson Design – design
- Randee St. Nicholas – photography
Charts
Radio singles
| Year | Singles | Peak positions |
|---|
| CCM AC[7] | CCM CHR[8] | US R&B[9] |
|---|
| 1989 | "Healing" | 1 | 3 | — |
| 1989 | "Every Moment" | 2 | 3 | 55 |
| 1990 | "We Sing Praises" (with Natalie Cole) | 7 | 23 | — |
| 1990 | "Somebody Loves You" | 7 | 8 | — |
| 1990 | "Fire Inside My Soul" | — | 9 | — |
|
Notes and References
- News: Sparrow Goes Beyond Gospel to Bolster Sales. Los Angeles Times. John. Medearis. December 14, 1989. D2.
- Deniece Williams - Special Love. 1989. MCA/Sparrow Records.
- Web site: May. Mitchell. December 7, 1989. Recordings: Deniece Williams Special Love (MCA). Chicago Tribune. ProQuest. November 1, 2022.
- News: And now it's gospel according to Deniece. New York Daily News. Hugh. Wyatt. November 17, 1989. 52.
- Web site: Deniece Williams . July 1, 2023. National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
- Web site: Deniece Williams: Special Love (Top Christian Albums). Billboard.
- Book: CCM Hot Hits: AC Charts 1978 – 2001 . . 2003 . 1-4107-3294-0 . Brothers . Jeffrey Lee. 230.
- Book: CCM Hot Hits: Christian Hit Radio - 20 Years of Charts, Artist Bios and More . . 1999 . 0-8230-7718-7 . Brothers . Jeffrey Lee. 180.
- Web site: Deniece Williams: "Every Moment" (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs). Billboard.
