| This Is It | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 13, 1976 | |||
| Recorded | 1976 | |||
| Studio | Mediasound, New York City | |||
| Label | Buddah | |||
| Producer | Van McCoy | |||
| Melba Moore chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
This Is It is the fifth album by singer Melba Moore, released in 1976.
Melba Moore would give credit to her husband/manager Charles Huggins, whom she married in September 1974, with getting her signed to Buddah Records in 1975 - ending a four-year recording studio absence - , and with arranging for veteran soul music songwriter/producer Van McCoy to helm Moore's second Buddah album release, which she began recording in January 1976. [2] [3] The album included Moore's rendition of McCoy's deep soul ballad "Lean on Me", first recorded in 1970 by Vivian Reed but most well known as the B-side to Aretha Franklin's 1972 hit "Spanish Harlem". Moore had herself recorded "Lean on Me" in 1972, her rendition being featured on her concert album Melba Moore Live! . However the recruitment of McCoy to helm Moore's album was essentially due to McCoy's success as a producer of disco records, it being hoped that a disco hit would consolidate the somewhat nebulous success Moore had to that point experienced as a recording artist: (Melba Moore quote:)"I just couldn't ignore the [impact] that disco was having on music". [4]
The album's disco-oriented title track was released in March 1976 and became a discothèque favorite: while the "This Is It" single did afford Moore her first major R&B hit, reaching #18 on the Billboard ranking of R&B singles the track failed to provide her with the desired Pop music breakout, rising no higher than #91 on the Billboard Hot 100 ("This Is It" did become a Top Ten hit on the singles chart for the United Kingdom). "Lean on Me" was issued as followup single to afford Moore a second Top 20 R&B hit peaking at #17. The This Is It album would have a Billboard 200 peak of #145. [5]
The limited success of the This Is It album was evidently encouraging enough for Moore to reteam with McCoy for a second 1976 album release Melba which despite failing to generate a significant hit single fared roughly as well as its predecessor.
Gloria Richetta Jones is an American singer and songwriter who first found success in the United Kingdom, being recognized there as "The Queen of Northern Soul". She recorded the 1965 hit song "Tainted Love" and has worked in multiple genres as a Motown songwriter and recording artist, backing vocalist, and as a performer in musicals such as Hair. In the 1970s, she was a keyboardist and vocalist in Marc Bolan's glam rock band T. Rex. She and Bolan were also in a committed romantic relationship and had a son together.
Thelma Houston is an American singer. Beginning her recording career in the late 1960s, Houston scored a number-one hit record in 1977 with her recording of "Don't Leave Me This Way", which won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
All Platinum Records was a record company started in 1967 by singer/writer/producer Sylvia Robinson and her husband, businessman Joe Robinson, who had previously worked in the recording industry.
Van Allen Clinton McCoy was an American record producer, arranger, songwriter and singer. He is known for his 1975 internationally successful hit "The Hustle". He has approximately 700 song copyrights to his credit, and produced songs by such recording artists as Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Stylistics, Aretha Franklin, Brenda & the Tabulations, David Ruffin, Peaches & Herb, Lesley Gore, and Stacy Lattisaw.
Beatrice Melba Hill or Beatrice Melba Smith(sources differ)known by her stage name Melba Moore, is an American singer and actress.
"This Is It" is a 1976 disco song written by Van McCoy, and performed by American singer and actress Melba Moore for her fifth album of the same name (1976).
"Baby I'm Yours" is a song written by Van McCoy which was a hit in 1965 for Barbara Lewis, the original recording artist. The song was featured in the 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County and was included on the soundtrack album. It was also featured in the TV movies The Midnight Hour (1985) and An American Crime (2007), as well as being briefly featured in Baby Driver.
Eric Gale was an American jazz and R&B guitarist.
"The Hustle" is a disco song by songwriter/arranger Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony. It went to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles charts during the summer of 1975. It also peaked at No. 1 on the Canadian RPM charts, No. 9 on the Australian Singles Chart and No. 3 in the UK. It would eventually sell over one million copies. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance early in 1976 for songs recorded in 1975.
La Diva is the twenty-fifth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on September 6, 1979, by Atlantic Records. The album marked the end of her 12-year tenure with Atlantic and a run of 19 original albums. The album was a commercial flop as the singer attempted to make a comeback by recording a disco-oriented project with producer Van McCoy. It was McCoy's final work as he died in June of that year; the record was released as disco was running its course.
Who I Am is a 1975 album from the former Temptations singer, David Ruffin. Recorded by Van McCoy who produced and arranged the album at Mediasound Studios in New York City. The album provided Ruffin with the biggest hit of his solo career, "Walk Away From Love".
"Walk Away from Love" is a song recorded by American singer David Ruffin in 1975. The million-selling single, produced by Van McCoy and written by Charles Kipps, was number one on the US R&B Singles Chart for one week in early 1976, and crossed over to #9 on the Pop Charts. In Canada, the song peaked at #30.
"Doctor's Orders" is a song written by Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway and Geoff Stephens which, in 1974, was a hit in the UK for Sunny of Sue and Sunny; in the US the song was a hit for Carol Douglas.
Melba Moore Live is the third album by singer Melba Moore, released in 1972. This album was recorded live at the New York Philharmonic Hall on November 7, 1971.
Peach Melba is the fourth album by singer Melba Moore, released in 1975: her Buddah Records debut, Peach Melba was Moore's first studio album since 1971. Moore would credit her husband/manager Charles Huggins, whom she married in September 1974, with getting her signed to Buddah.
Melba is the sixth album by singer Melba Moore, released in late 1976.
A Portrait of Melba is the seventh album by singer Melba Moore, released in 1977.
Melba is the eighth album by singer Melba Moore, released in 1978.
Never Say Never is the thirteenth album by American singer Melba Moore. It was released by Capitol Records on November 14, 1983. This album featured the hits "Keeping My Lover Satisfied", "Livin' for Your Love" and "Love Me Right" peaking at number 9 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and number 147 on the Billboard 200. This album was notable for a remake of her 1976 hit "Lean on Me".
"You Stepped into My Life" is a song released by the Bee Gees in September 1976 on the album Children of the World. It was also released as the B-side of "Love So Right". Written by Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb.
