Don't Stop (Jeffrey Osborne album)

Don't Stop
Studio album by Jeffrey Osborne
Released	September 21, 1984
Recorded	February 1984–July 1984
Genre	R&B, pop
Length	40:40
Label	A&M
Producer	George Duke
Jeffrey Osborne chronology
Stay with Me Tonight (1983) Don't Stop (1984) Emotional (1986)

Don't Stop is the third solo album by Jeffrey Osborne, released on September 21, 1984.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Gannett	(favourable) [2]
People	(favourable) [3]
The Village Voice	B+ [4]

The album reached #39 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and #7 on the R&B album chart. The title song as well as the two other singles, "The Borderlines" and "Let Me Know", all reached #6, #7, and #44 on the R&B Singles Chart.

Track listing

1. "Don't Stop" (David Batteau, Danny Sembello) - 4:09
2. "Let Me Know" (Geoffrey Brillhart Leib, Jeffrey Osborne) - 5:26
3. "The Borderlines" (Raymond Jones) - 5:27
4. "The Power" (Don Freeman, Warren Giancaterino, Jeffrey Osborne) - 4:51
5. "Is It Right" (Jeffrey Osborne, David Wolinski) - 4:46
6. "You Can't Be Serious" (Don Freeman, Jeffrey Osborne) - 4:37
7. "Crazy 'Bout Cha" (Don Freeman, Jeffrey Osborne) - 3:31
8. "Hot Coals" (Don Freeman, Jeffrey Osborne) - 3:27
9. "Live for Today" (David Batteau, Don Freeman, Jeffrey Osborne) - 4:26

Personnel

Information is based on the album's Liner Notes ^[5] Singers and Musicians

• Jeffrey Osborne – lead vocals (all tracks), backing vocals (1–8), choir vocals (9), E-mu Emulator (3), drum machine programming (4, 9)
• George Duke – backing vocals (3), Polymoog (1), Prophet-5 (1, 5–7), Memorymoog (2, 7), Moog bass (6), Yamaha DX7 (7), E-mu Emulator synthesizer (3), synth solo (2, 6), acoustic piano (2), Yamaha PF10 digital piano (2), Rhodes electric piano (7)
• Danny Sembello – Roland Jupiter-8, Yamaha DX7 synthesizer (1)
• Raymond Jones – Fairlight CMI, Yamaha DX7, Roland Jupiter-8 synthesizer (3)
• Gary Chang – synthesizer programming (3, 8)
• Derek Nakamoto – synthesizer programming (4, 6), special effects (4, 6), Fairlight music programming (6)
• Don Freeman – Yamaha DX7 (4, 6, 8), Roland Juno-60 (4), Fairlight CMI (6), Roland Jupiter-8, PPG Wave 2.2 synthesizer (8), drum machine programming (4, 6, 8–9), acoustic piano (8–9), Rhodes electric piano (9)
• David Wolinski – Minimoog, Yamaha DX7, Roland Jupiter-8 synthesizer, Rhodes electric piano, drum machine programming (5)
• John Barnes – Fairlight CMI synthesizer (9)
• Michael Sembello – guitar (1)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (2–4, 6–9)
• Charles Fearing – guitar (5)
• Louis Johnson – bass (1, 8–9)
• Freddie Washington – bass (2, 5–7)
• Abraham Laboriel – bass (9)
• Steve Ferrone – drums (1–3, 7–8), hi-hat (9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (2–4, 8–9), cowbell (6), tambourine (6)
• George Del Barrio – string arrangements (2, 7)
• Catherine Gotthoffer – harp (2, 7)
• Ron Cooper, Ray Kelley, Earl Madison and Fred Seykora – cello (2, 7)
• Rollice Dale, Pam Goldsmith, Allan Harshman and Dave Schwartz – viola (2, 7)
• Arnold Belnick, Assa Drori, Henry Ferber, Ron Folsom, Dave Frisina, Jimmy Getzoff, Reg Hill, Karen Jones, Joy Lyle, Irma Neumann, Stan Plummer and Sid Sharp – violin (2, 7)
• Pat Benatar - choir vocals (9)
• Lynn Davis – backing vocals (4, 6), choir vocals (9)
• Portia Griffin – backing vocals (2, 7)
• Tremaine Hawkins – backing vocals (5), choir vocals (9)
• Howard Hewett - choir vocals (9)
• James Ingram - choir vocals (9)
• Joyce Kennedy - choir vocals (9)
• Debra Laws - choir vocals (9)
• Kenny Loggins - choir vocals (9)
• Syreeta Wright – backing vocals (1)

Production and Technical

• Producer – George Duke
• Production Assistance – Constance DeGuzman
• Engineer and Remix – Tommy Vicari
• Assistant Engineers – Ray Blair, Frank Dookun, Bino Espinoza, Mark Ettel, Steve Evans, Mitch Gibson, Danny Kopelson, Dave Luke, Sharon Rice, Nick Spigel and Erik Zobler.
• Mastered by Brian Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
• Art Direction – Chuck Beeson
• Design – Chuck Beeson and John Heiden
• Photography – Matthew Rolston
• Stylist – Cecille Parker
• Management – Jack Nelson & Associates
• Recorded at Ocean Way Recording, The Complex and Foot On The Hill Studio (Los Angeles, CA); Le Gonks West and Soundcastle (Hollywood, CA); Fantasy Studios (Berkeley, CA).

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1984) Peak position UK Albums (OCC) [6] 59 US Billboard 200 [7] 39 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [8] 7

Year-end charts Chart (1985) Position US Billboard 200 [9] 78 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [10] 36

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		US	US R&B
1984	"Don't Stop"	44	6
	"The Borderlines"	38	7
1985	"Let Me Know"	—	44

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [11]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

In popular culture

Eden Capwell and Cruz Castillo danced to "The Borderlines" in a 1985 Santa Barbara episode where Osborne made a guest appearance as himself.

References

1. Hogan, Ed. "Jeffrey Osbourne: Don't Stop". Allmusic . Retrieved May 25, 2013.
2. Gerds, Warren (January 5, 1985). Jeffrey Osbourne: Don't Stop. Gannett.
3. "Picks and Pans Review: Don't Stop". people.com. People. February 11, 1985.
4. Christgau, Robert (May 28, 1985). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . New York: Village Voice Media . Retrieved January 9, 2012.
5. Osborne, Jeffrey (1984). Don't Stop (Album Liner Notes). A&M Records.
6. "Jeffrey Osborne | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
7. "Jeffrey Osborne Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
8. "Jeffrey Osborne Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
9. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
10. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
11. "American album certifications – Jeffrey Osborne – Don't Stop". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved August 11, 2025.