Sun Goddess (album)

Last updated
Sun Goddess
Sun Goddess.jpg
Studio album by
Ramsey Lewis
Released1974
Recorded1973–1974
Genre
Length36:05 (Original LP)
Label Columbia
Producer Teo Macero, Ramsey Lewis, Maurice White
Ramsey Lewis chronology
Solar Wind
(1974)		Sun Goddess
(1974)		 Don't It Feel Good
(1975)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]

Sun Goddess is a jazz album by Ramsey Lewis, released on Columbia Records in 1974. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 12 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. [5] [6] Sun Goddess was also certified Gold in the US by the RIAA. [7]

Contents

About the album

After his classic acoustic albums in the 1960s, Ramsey Lewis wanted to head in a new musical direction in the 1970s. As the mid-70s approached, he reunited with Maurice White, who at that time was with his own band, Earth, Wind & Fire. Members of EW&F including White played on the album sessions, while Philip Bailey added vocals. [8]

The album became a crossover hit, charting at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B and jazz album charts, while peaking at No. 12 on the pop album chart. The tracks, "Hot Dawgit" and "Sun Goddess", charted on the R&B, pop and disco singles charts. [9] Sun Goddess was certified gold by the RIAA. [7]

For years, the identity of the woman on the album cover, photographed by Herb Breuer, had been a mystery among fans, as there was no credit on the album cover. Lewis revealed on his Facebook page in June 2011 that the model was Susan Leigh Scott, now Susan Maxon. [10] Maxon had moved to Seattle, where Lewis was performing during his 2011 Sun Goddess Tour, and decided to attend one of his performances. A photo was taken of the backstage meeting between Lewis and Maxon, which Lewis posted on his page.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sun Goddess" Jon Lind, Maurice White 8:28
2."Living for the City" Stevie Wonder 5:22
3."Love Song" Ramsey Lewis 5:55
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
4."Jungle Strut"Ramsey Lewis4:43
5."Hot Dawgit" Charles Stepney, Maurice White3:03
6."Tambura"Ramsey Lewis2:55
7."Gemini Rising"Ramsey Lewis5:54

Personnel

Technical

Charts

Singles

YearSingleChartPosition
1975Sun GoddessBillboard Soul Singles20
1975Sun GoddessBillboard Pop Singles44
1975Hot DawgitBillboard Pop Singles50
1975Hot DawgitBillboard Soul Singles61

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earth, Wind & Fire</span> American musical group

Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.

<i>Talking Book</i> 1972 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Talking Book is the fifteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on October 27, 1972, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. This album and Music of My Mind, released earlier the same year, are generally considered to mark the start of Wonder's "classic period". The sound of the album is sharply defined by Wonder's use of keyboards and synthesizers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice White</span> American musician (1941–2016)

Maurice White was an American musician, best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter and chief producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, also serving as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verdine White</span> American musician (born 1951)

Verdine Adams White is an American musician, best known as a founding member and bassist for the band Earth, Wind & Fire. White was placed at No. 19 on Rolling Stone's list of The 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time.

<i>Gratitude</i> (Earth, Wind & Fire album) 1975 live album by Earth, Wind & Fire

Gratitude is a double live album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, issued in November 1975 by Columbia Records. The album spent six weeks atop the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and three weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart. Gratitude has also been certified Triple Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

<i>Open Our Eyes</i> 1974 studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire

Open Our Eyes is the fifth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in March 1974 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 15 on the Top Pop Albums chart. Open Our Eyes has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

<i>New Edition</i> (album) 1984 studio album by New Edition

New Edition is the second studio album by American quintet New Edition, released on September 28, 1984, in North America. It was their first album on MCA Records. It was also their first album without manager/producer Maurice Starr who would depart from the group during the making of the album after the group accused him of stealing their monetary earnings from their platinum debut. The album was produced by Vincent Brantley & Rick Timas, Grammy-nominated producer Michael Sembello & Richard Rudolph, Ray Parker Jr. and Peter Bunetta and Rick Chudacoff. The album reached #6 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Irish Albums Chart, and the R&B/Hip Hop Albums Chart.

<i>Catching the Sun</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Spyro Gyra

Catching the Sun is the third album by the American jazz group Spyro Gyra, released in 1980 on MCA Records. The album was given gold status by the RIAA on June 5, 1985.

<i>Head to the Sky</i> 1973 studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire

Head to the Sky is the fourth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in May 1973 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 2 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. Head to the Sky has also been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

<i>Breakin Away</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Al Jarreau

Breakin' Away is an album by Al Jarreau, released on June 30, 1981, through the Warner Bros. Records label. To quote AllMusic, "Breakin' Away became the standard bearer of the L.A. pop and R&B sound."

<i>Bringing Back the Funk</i> 2008 studio album by Brian Culbertson

Bringing Back the Funk is a studio album by Brian Culbertson released in 2008 on GRP Records. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

<i>Urban Knights II</i> 1997 studio album by Urban Knights

Urban Knights II is an album by the Urban Knights which was issued in 1997 on GRP Records. The album reached No. 5 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums Chart.

<i>Another Voyage</i> 1969 studio album by Ramsey Lewis

Another Voyage is a studio album by the Ramsey Lewis Trio issued in 1969 on Cadet Records. The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 34 upon the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart.

<i>Headed for the Future</i> 1986 studio album by Neil Diamond

Headed for the Future is the seventeenth studio album released by Neil Diamond in March 1986 on Columbia Records. The album went to number 20 on the US Billboard 200. Headed for the Future has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

<i>Salongo</i> 1976 studio album by Ramsey Lewis

Salongo is an album by the jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, released in 1976 by Columbia. The album rose to No. 7 on the Billboard magazine Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 17 on the Top Soul Albums chart.

<i>Dont It Feel Good</i> 1975 studio album by Ramsey Lewis

Don't It Feel Good is a 1975 funk/jazz-funk album by Ramsey Lewis released on Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sun Goddess (song)</span> 1975 single by Ramsey Lewis featuring Earth, Wind & Fire

"Sun Goddess" is a smooth soul song by jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis featuring the band Earth, Wind & Fire issued as a single in 1975 on Columbia Records. The song peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.

<i>Keys to the City</i> (Ramsey Lewis album) 1987 studio album by Ramsey Lewis

Keys to the City is a studio album by American jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, released in May 1987 on Columbia Records. The album peaked at #22 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and #11 on the Cashbox Jazz Albums chart.

<i>Tequila Mockingbird</i> 1977 studio album by Ramsey Lewis

Tequila Mockingbird is an album by the American jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, released in 1977 on Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.

<i>Routes</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Ramsey Lewis

Routes is a studio album by American jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, released in 1980 on Columbia Records. The album reached No. 7 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.

References

  1. ↑ Gorton, TJ (July 30, 2018). "BeatCaffeine's 100 Best Jazz-Funk Songs". BeatCaffeine. Archived from the original on August 25, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  2. ↑ Holtje, Stephen (January 1, 1998). "Earth, Wind & Fire/Maurice White". In Graff, Gary; du Lac, Josh; McFarlin, Jim (eds.). MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 189–190.
  3. 1 2 Rovi Staff. Ramsey Lewis - Sun Goddess (1974) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  4. ↑ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 126. ISBN   0-394-72643-X.
  5. ↑ "Ramsey Lewis: Sun Goddess (Top Soul Albums)". Billboard.com. Billboard.
  6. ↑ "Ramsey Lewis: Sun Goddess (Billboard 200)". Billboard.com. Billboard.
  7. 1 2 "Ramsey Lewis: Sun Goddess". riaa.com.
  8. ↑ Gopal, Siriam (2011-12-07). "Ramsey Lewis's "Sun Goddess," Revisited". Washingtonian . Retrieved 2023-12-12.
  9. ↑ Sun Goddess on Allmusic.com
  10. ↑ Ramsey Lewis reunites with SUN GODDESS cover model
  11. ↑ "Ramsey Lewis Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Ramsey Lewis Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3936a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1975". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1975". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.