A Time to Love is the twenty-third studio album by Stevie Wonder, his first since Conversation Peace in 1995. Originally to have been completed in 2004, it was finally released to stores on October 18, 2005, following an exclusive digital release on Apple's iTunes Music Store on September 27.
The first single, issued in April 2005, was "So What the Fuss", which featured Prince on guitar and En Vogue on backing vocals. Follow-up singles included "Positivity" with his daughter Aisha Morris, "From the Bottom of My Heart" and "Shelter in the Rain".
The song "Shelter in the Rain" was in tribute to his first wife, the singer Syreeta Wright, who died of cancer the year before the album was released. Wonder was quoted as saying he would have had Wright singing lead on it had she lived.
Though multiple follow-ups have been announced as being in various stages of development, A Time to Love stands as Wonder's most recent album to date.
Reception
The album was received with generally positive reviews, despite its having been delayed several times during the year of its release. In 2005, Wonder won the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in the Grammy Awards for "From the Bottom of My Heart", his fourth win in this category.
Commercial performance A Time to Love debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard 200, selling 121,000 copies in its first week. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 15, 2005.
As of August 2007, the album had sales 469,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Track listing
Personnel
Music
Thomassina Atkins – choir/chorus Francis Awe – talking drum Kimberly Brewer – background vocals Shirley Brewer – background vocals Kim Burrell – primary vocals Teddy Campbell – drums Mabvuto Carpenter – background vocals Jherimi Leigh Carter – choir/chorus Wendell Kelly – trombone Oscar Castro-Neves – guitar Ayrianna Cerant – choir/chorus Swapan Chaudhuri – tabla Gregory Curtis – background vocals Monique DeBarge – background vocals DeVere Duckett – background vocals Nathan East – bass guitar Kevon Edmonds – background vocals Lynne Fiddmont – background vocals Brianna Ford – choir/chorus Doug E. Fresh – beat box Patrick Gandy – conductor, orchestration Richie Gajate Garcia – congas/hand percussion Tony Gates – choir/chorus Daronn Gooden – choir/chorus Timothy Hall – choir/chorus Kenya Hathaway – background vocals India.Arie – composer, primary artist Herman Jackson – bells, keyboard Phillip "Taj" Jackson – background vocals Keith John – background vocals Accalra Johnson – choir/chorus Desarae Johnson – choir/chorus Timothy Jon Johnson – background vocals Unique Johnson – choir/chorus Chatoya Jones – choir/chorus Erica L. King – choir/chorus Abbos Kosimov – doira Debra Laws – background vocals Hubert Laws – flute Ricky Lawson – drums Paul McCartney – acoustic/electric guitar Melody McCully – background vocals Brijee McDowell – choir/chorus Sebastian Mego – choir/chorus, background vocals Kristie Mingo – background vocals Aisha Morris – primary artist Woody Murray – vibraphone Traci Nelson – background vocals Morris O'Connor – guitar Conesha Owens – background vocals Greg Phillinganes – electric piano Mike Phillips – saxophone Doc Powell – guitar Prince – guitar Bryan Sledge – choir/chorus Amir Sofi – darbouka Lamont Van Hook – background vocals Nathan Watts – bass Andy Weiner – conductor, orchestration, string arrangements Willie Wheaton, Jr. – background vocals Fred White – background vocals Johneisha White – choir/chorus Tamiko Whitsett – background vocals Barbara Wilson – background vocals Sherman B. Wilson – choir/chorus LaLynda Winfield – choir/chorus LaShanea Winfield – choir/chorus LaShanique Winfield – choir/chorus Stevie Wonder – arranger, art conception, audio production, bass, bells, bongos, chimes, clapping, clavinet, composer, drawing, drum loop, drums, editing, Fender Rhodes, finger cymbals, flexatones, flute arrangement, guitar loops, hand percussion, harmonica, keyboard guitar, keyboards, marimba, Moog bass, organ, percussion, piano, piano (electric), primary artist, producer, programming, rhythm section, sequencing arranger, string arrangements, synthesizer bass, tambourine, vocal arrangement, vocals (background), voice box
Production
Gary Adante – engineer Stephanie Andrews – art conception, project coordinator Robert A. Arbittier – digital editing, editing, overdubs, programming David Blumberg – arranger Barry G. Clark – technical support Jeffrey Coprich – leader Tom Corwin – engineer, producer Greg Edenfield – engineer Scott Elgin – assistant Aaron Fessel – engineer Ernie Fields Jr. – contractor Kirk Franklin – arranger, producer Brian Gardner – mastering Evren Göknar – assistant John Holino – technical support Femi Jiya – engineer, mixing Steve Jones – programming Jim Keller – assistant Chris Kornmann – creative director Nick Marshall – assistant Rickey Minor – orchestra supervision, string arrangements Bobby Montez – assistant Scott Moore – assistant Francesco Perlangeli – assistant Neil Pogue – mixing Joel Poinsett – assistant Josean Posey – engineer Bonnie Raitt – producer Dave Reitzas – engineer Paul Riser – arranger Anthony Ruotolo – engineer Rafa Sardina – engineer Christine Sirois – assistant Ralph Sutton – engineer Heratch Touresian – programming Gregory Upshaw – wardrobe Peter Vargo – assistant Donnie Whittmore – assistant Val Williams – make-up Eddie Wolfl – photography
Charts + Chart performance for A Time to Love Chart (2005) Peakposition Australian Albums (ARIA) 61 Japanese Albums (Oricon) 12
Certifications
References
External links Stevie Wonder interview with Newsweek, in which he discusses the album