Solid is the eleventh studio album recorded by American vocal duo Ashford & Simpson, released in 1984 on the Capitol label. The album features the song "Solid", which became the songwriting duo's biggest hit as performers.
Commercial performance The album peaked at No. 1 on the US R&B albums chart on February 9, 1985. It also reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200. The album's title track peaked at No. 1 on the Hot Black Singles chart, No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart. Also featured are two other chart singles: "Outta the World" and "Babies".
Track listing
Personnel Nickolas Ashford – vocals, backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 6, 9–12, 15) Valerie Simpson – vocals, backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 6, 9–12, 15), synthesizers (1, 3, 5, 7, 8), basic keyboards (2), bass (2), acoustic piano (4, 9–15) Ed Walsh – synthesizer programming (1, 5), synthesizers (3, 10, 13, 14) Joseph Joubert – synthesizers (2, 7, 8), LinnDrum (2), synthesizer arrangements (2), synth sound effects (5), strings (8) James Newton Howard – keyboards (6), drum programming (6) Ray Chew – Yamaha electric piano (9–12), Oberheim OB-X (10), Fender Rhodes (13–15), clavinet (14) Sid McGinnis – guitars (1, 3, 5, 9–12), side effects (9) Eric Gale – guitars (13–15) Francisco Centeno – bass (1, 3–5, 8–14) Peter Cannarozzi – synth bass line (10) Chris Parker – drums (1, 8, 13) Brian Brake – drums (3) James Doherty – LinnDrum (4), drum rolls (4) Tim Cox – LinnDrum (7), drum rolls (7) Yogi Horton – drums (9, 10, 12, 14, 15) Steve Gadd – drums (11) Jimmy Simpson – percussion (1) Sammy Figueroa – percussion (4, 8) Ralph MacDonald – percussion (6, 9, 11, 12) Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion (10, 13–15) Vinny Della Rocca – saxophone (1, 4, 5) Michael Brecker – sax solo (7) Dave Tofani – alto sax solo (15) Joe Mosello – trumpet (1, 4, 5) George Young – horns (9, 11), horn solo (11) Paul Riser – horns (12), strings (12) Leon Pendarvis – horn arrangements (14, 15), string arrangements (15) Sephra Herman – strings, copyist Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 9, 11, 12, 15) Ray Simpson – backing vocals (1) Vivian Cherry – backing vocals (6, 10)
Production Ashford & Simpson – producers; horn, rhythm and vocal arrangements James Newton Howard – producer (6) Elliot Scheiner – producer (6) Jimmy Simpson – co-producer, mixing Tim Cox – recording engineer Mick Cantarella – assistant engineer Robert Harari – assistant engineer Michael Mignone – assistant engineer Joe Arlotta – additional vocal recording Ed Rak – mixing Mike Alaire – mix assistant François Kervorkian – remixing (1, 2) Ron St. Germain – remixing (1, 2) Jack Skinner – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY) Altamese Alston – album coordinator Roy Kohara – art direction John O'Brien – design, illustration Bret Lopez – photography
Charts Chart (1985)PeakpositionUS Billboard Top Pop Albums29US Billboard Top Black Albums1UK Albums Chart42
Singles Year Single Peaks US USR&B USDan UK 1984 "Solid" 12 1 15 3 1985 "Outta the World" — 4 4 — "Babies" — 29 — 56
See also List of number-one R&B albums of 1985 (U.S.)
References
External links