Soulbook

Soulbook
Studio album by Rod Stewart
Released	17 October 2009
Recorded	2009
Studio	Celtic House (Los Angeles) Bill Schnee (Los Angeles) The Village (Los Angeles) Capitol (Hollywood) Royal (Memphis, Tennessee) Germano (New York City) 4 Seasons (Palm Beach, Florida) Morrisound (Tampa, Florida)
Genre	Soul
Length	47:13
Label	J
Producer	Steve Tyrell Steven Jordan Chuck Kentis [1]
Rod Stewart chronology
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006) Soulbook (2009) Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	52/100 [2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
BBC Music	average [4]
The Boston Globe	average [5]
The Daily Telegraph	[6]
Digital Spy	[7]
Entertainment Weekly	C+ [8]
The Guardian	[9]
The New York Times	mixed [10]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[11]
The Seattle Times	average [12]

Soulbook is the 25th studio album by Rod Stewart. Like his previous five albums, Soulbook features Stewart singing old material; for this album he sings classic material from Motown and the soul genre. It was released on 17 October 2009 and was produced by Steve Tyrell, Steven Jordan and Chuck Kentis.

The album became Stewart's sixth consecutive album to debut in the top 5 on the US Billboard 200, peaking at number 4. It also found success in Canada and the UK, making it to number 3 on the Canadian Albums Chart and number 9 on the UK Albums Chart. Furthermore, the album featured at number 41 on the Canadian Albums year-end chart of 2010. ^[13]

Track listing

Standard version

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"It's the Same Old Song"	Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland	Steve Jordan	4:15
2.	"My Cherie Amour" (featuring Stevie Wonder)	Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder	Jordan	3:10
3.	"You Make Me Feel Brand New" (duet with Mary J. Blige)	Thom Bell, Linda Epstein	Steve Tyrell	4:36
4.	"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher"	Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner, Carl Smith	Jordan	3:21
5.	"Tracks of My Tears" (featuring Smokey Robinson)	Warren Moore, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Tarplin	Tyrell	3:36
6.	"Let It Be Me" (duet with Jennifer Hudson)	Gilbert Bécaud, Manny Curtis, Pierre Delanoë	Jordan, Harvey Mason Jr. [a]	3:16
7.	"Rainy Night in Georgia"	Tony Joe White	Tyrell	4:13
8.	"What Becomes of the Broken Hearted"	James Dean, Paul Riser, William Weatherspoon	Jordan	3:19
9.	"Love Train"	Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff	Chuck Kentis, Jordan, Tyrell	3:03
10.	"You've Really Got a Hold on Me"	Robinson	Jordan	3:17
11.	"Wonderful World"	Lou Adler, Herb Alpert, Sam Cooke	Jordan	3:33
12.	"If You Don't Know Me by Now"	Gamble, Huff	Tyrell	3:59
13.	"Just My Imagination"	Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield	Tyrell	3:35
Total length:				47:13

UK version (bonus tracks)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Never Give You Up"	Jerry Butler, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff	Tyrell	3:24
15.	"Only the Strong Survive"	Jerry Butler, Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff	Tyrell	3:19
Total length:				53:56

Notes

• ^a signifies Jennifer Hudson vocal producer

Personnel

Musicians ^[1]

• Rod Stewart – lead vocals, backing vocals (9)
• Michael Bearden – keyboards (1), Fender Rhodes (2), acoustic piano (4, 11)
• Greg Phillinganes – acoustic piano (2, 14), keyboards (5, 12, 13), backing vocals (5), arrangements (5, 12, 13, 14), synthesizers (14)
• Bob Mann – keyboards (3, 15), guitars (3, 7, 15), arrangements (3, 7, 15), mandolin (5)
• David Paich – keyboards (6, 8, 10)
• Henry Hey – acoustic piano (7, 15)
• Chuck Kentis – keyboards (9)
• Charles Hodges – organ (11)
• Ray Parker Jr. – guitars (1, 2, 4, 6, 8–11)
• Dean Parks – guitars (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (3, 5, 12–15)
• Michael Landau – guitars (5, 13, 15)
• Don Kirkpatrick – guitars (9)
• Paul Warren – guitars (9)
• Bob Babbitt – bass (1, 2, 4, 8, 10)
• Reggie McBride – bass (3, 5, 13, 14)
• Darryl Jones – bass (6, 11)
• Leland Sklar – bass (7)
• Conrad Korsch – bass (9)
• Nathan East – bass (12, 15)
• Steve Jordan – drums (1, 2, 4, 6, 8–11), percussion (1, 2, 4, 6, 8–11), backing vocals (9)
• Ricky Lawson – drums (3, 5, 12–15)
• Russ Kunkel – drums (7)
• David Palmer – drums (9)
• Milt Chocolate – vibraphone (2)
• Clayton Cameron – vibraphone (4)
• Lenny Castro – congas (5)
• Tom Scott – baritone saxophone (1), saxophone (8, 9, 10), alto sax solo (9)
• Lou Marini – saxophone (9)
• James Spake – tenor saxophone (11)
• George Bohanon – trombone (8, 10)
• Larry Farrell – trombone (9)
• Jack Hale – trombone (11)
• Nick Lane – trombone (15)
• Chuck Findley – trumpet (8, 10)
• Wayne Jackson – trumpet (11)
• Matt Fronke – trumpet (15)
• Gayle Levant – harp (6)
• Jeff Driskill – flute (13)
• John Yoakum – oboe (13)
• Brian O'Connor – French horn (14)
• The Los Angeles Strings – strings (1, 2, 6, 8)
• Strings (3, 5, 7, 12): Cello – Matt Cooker, Tim Loo, Miguel Martinez and Giovanna Moraga-Clayton; Violin – Brian Benning, Charlie Bisharat, Mark Cargill, Susan Chatman, Nicole Garcia, Neel Hammond, Gina Kronstadt, Joel Pargman, Kathleen Robertson, John Wittenburg and Shari Zippert
• The New Memphis Strings – strings (4)
• Howard Drossin – string arrangements (1, 2, 6, 8)
• Willie Mitchell – string arrangements (4), horn arrangements (11)
• Lester Snell – orchestration (4), music copyist (4)
• David Low – string contractor (1, 2, 6, 8)
• JoAnn Tominaga – string contractor (3, 5, 7, 12)
• Bruce Dukov – concertmaster (1, 2, 6, 8)
• Charlie Bisharat – concertmaster (3, 5, 7, 12)
• Steve Juliani – music copyist (1, 2, 6, 8)
• Jonathan Kirkscey – string session leader (4)
• Bridget Anne Cady – backing vocals (1–4, 7–11, 14, 15)
• Di Reed – backing vocals (1–4, 7–11, 14, 15)
• Dorian Holley – harmony vocals (2), backing vocals (5)
• Stevie Wonder – lead vocals (2)
• Judith Hill – backing vocals (3, 12)
• Natasha Pearce – backing vocals (3, 7–10, 14, 15)
• Darryl Tookes – backing vocals (3, 5, 7, 12–15)
• Will Wheaton – backing vocals (3, 5, 12, 13)
• Mary J. Blige – lead vocals (3)
• Smokey Robinson – lead vocals (5)
• Lynn Fiddmont – backing vocals (5)
• Pam Trotter – backing vocals (5)
• Lisa Vaughn – backing vocals (5, 13)
• Jennifer Hudson – lead vocals (6)
• Steve Tyrell – backing vocals (9)

Production

• Producers – Steve Jordan (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6 & 8–11); Steve Tyrell (tracks 3, 5, 7, 9 & 12–15); Chuck Kentis (track 9)
• Vocals produced by Steve Tyrell; Jennifer Hudson vocals on track 6 produced by Harvey Mason Jr.
• Production coordinator – JoAnn Tominaga
• Track recording – Niko Bolas (tracks 1, 2, 4, 9 & 11); Jon Allen (tracks 3, 5, 7, 12 & 13); Al Schmitt (tracks 6, 8 & 10); Chuck Kentis (track 9); Bill Schnee (tracks 14 & 15)
• BGV Recording – Steve Genewick (tracks 1 & 11); Paul Smith (tracks 8 & 10); Jon Allen (tracks 14 & 15)
• Jennifer Hudson vocal recording on track 6 – Andrew Hey
• Horns recording – Niko Bolas (tracks 1, 8, 9 & 10); Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell (tracks 4 & 11); Jon Allen (track 15)
• Strings recording – Al Schmitt (tracks 1, 2, 6 & 8); Bill Schnee (tracks 3, 5, 7 & 12); Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell (track 4)
• Additional engineers – Darwin Best, Kenny Moran and Ryan Petrie
• Assistant string recording on tracks 3, 5, 7 & 12 – Charlie Bybee
• Mixing – Niko Bolas (tracks 1, 4, 8, 9 & 10); Bill Schnee (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7 & 12–15); Al Schmitt (tracks 6 & 11)
• Additional Pro Tools editing – Martin Pradler
• Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound (New York City)
• Drum technicians for Steve Jordan – Ross Garfield, Chris Gott and Paul Jamieson
• Project manager – Loftus Donovan
• Art direction and design – Josh Cheuse
• Photography – Mark Seliger
• Sleeve notes – Rod Stewart

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2009) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA) [14] 11 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [15] 37 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [16] 11 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [17] 17 Canadian Albums (Billboard) [18] 3 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [19] 95 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [20] 33 Irish Albums (IRMA) [21] 17 Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico) [22] 22 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [23] 4 Polish Albums (ZPAV) [24] 17 Scottish Albums (OCC) [25] 7 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [26] 10 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [27] 4 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [28] 46 UK Albums (OCC) [29] 9 US Billboard 200 [30] 4 Chart (2010) Peak position Hungarian Albums Chart [31] 12

Year-end charts Chart (2009) Position Australian Albums (ARIA) [32] 55 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [33] 99 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [34] 18 UK Albums (OCC) [35] 31 Chart (2010) Position Australian Albums (ARIA) [36] 82 Canadian Albums (Billboard) [37] 41 US Billboard 200 [38] 162

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [39]	Platinum	70,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [40]	Platinum	80,000^
Hungary (MAHASZ) [41]	Platinum	6,000^
Ireland (IRMA) [42]	Gold	7,500^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [43]	Platinum	15,000^
Poland (ZPAV) [44]	Gold	10,000*
Sweden (GLF) [45]	Gold	20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [46]	2× Platinum	600,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Soulbook (Media notes). Rod Stewart. J Records. 2009. 88697 30256 2.
2. Critic reviews at Metacritic
3. AllMusic review
4. BBC Music review
5. The Boston Globe review
6. "Rod Stewart: Soulbook, CD review". The Daily Telegraph . 4 November 2009. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018.
7. Digital Spy review
8. Entertainment Weekly review
9. "CD review | Rod Stewart: Soulbook". The Guardian . 6 November 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021.
10. "Critics' Choice: New CDs (Published 2009)". The New York Times. 26 October 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018.
11. "Rolling Stone Album Guide". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
12. The Seattle Times review
13. "Canadian Year-End Albums 2010". Billboard .
14. "Australiancharts.com – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
15. "Austriancharts.at – Rod Stewart – Soulbook" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
16. "Ultratop.be – Rod Stewart – Soulbook" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
17. "Ultratop.be – Rod Stewart – Soulbook" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
18. "Rod Stewart Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
19. "Dutchcharts.nl – Rod Stewart – Soulbook" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
20. "Officialcharts.de – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
21. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 46, 2009". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
22. "Mexicancharts.com – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
23. "Charts.nz – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
24. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
25. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
26. "Spanishcharts.com – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
27. "Swedishcharts.com – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
28. "Swisscharts.com – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
29. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
30. "Rod Stewart Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
31. "MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége". mahasz.hu. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
32. "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2009". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
33. "Jaaroverzichten 2009". Ultratop. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
34. "Årslista Album – År 2009" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
35. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2009". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
36. "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2010". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
37. "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
38. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
39. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
40. "Canadian album certifications – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". Music Canada . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
41. "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2010" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
42. "The Irish Charts - 2009 Certification Awards - Gold". Irish Recorded Music Association . Retrieved 4 January 2013.
43. "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
44. "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2010 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 7 December 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
45. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2009" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
46. "British album certifications – Rod Stewart – Soulbook". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 1 January 2016.

External links

• Soulbook at Metacritic