1976 studio album by Deniece Williams
This Is Niecy |
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Studio album by Deniece Williams |
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Released | August 13, 1976 |
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Recorded | June – August 1976 |
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Studio | - Wally Heider Studios
- Westlake Audio
- (Los Angeles, CA)
- Davlen Sound Studios
- (North Hollywood, CA)
- Kendun Recorders
- (Burbank, CA)
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Genre | R&B, soul, quiet storm |
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Length | 34:27 |
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Label | Columbia |
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Producer | Maurice White, Charles Stepney |
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Deniece Williams chronology |
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| This Is Niecy (1976) | Song Bird (1977) | |
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Singles from This Is Niecy |
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- "Free"
Released: October 26, 1976 - "It's Important to Me"
Released: June 1977 |
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This Is Niecy is the debut album of American R&B singer Deniece Williams released on August 13, 1976 by Columbia Records.[1] The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 33 on the Billboard 200.[2][3] The album has been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA and Silver in the UK by the BPI.[4][5]
Overview
The album was remastered and reissued with bonus tracks in 2013 by Big Break Records.
Critical reception
With a 4.5 out of 5 star rating, Andy Kellman of Allmusic declared "This Is Niecy is a great complement to Earth, Wind & Fire's Spirit, released the same year -- not only for its overlapping personnel, but also for its greatness."[6] David O' Donnell of the BBC noted "what really shines from the album is Williams' distinctive soprano voice, range and acrobatic vocal ability which confirms her as one of the greatest R&B and soul singers of her time."[7] Sheila Prophet of Record Mirror gave the album a four out of five star rating. calling This Is Niecy "a great first album", Prophet added "Niecy's voice combines the silkiness of Diana Ross with the exuberance of Linda Lewis".[8]
Singles
Singles from the album were "Free" which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.[10][11][12]
Track listing
Side oneNo. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "It's Important to Me" | Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Fritz Baskett | 4:21 |
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2. | "That's What Friends Are For" | Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Fritz Baskett, Lani Groves | 4:27 |
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3. | "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away" | Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Lani Groves | 3:49 |
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4. | "Cause You Love Me, Baby" | Deniece Williams | 4:08 |
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Side twoNo. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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5. | "Free" | Deniece Williams, Hank Redd, Nathan Watts, Susaye Greene | 5:57 |
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6. | "Watching Over" | Deniece Williams, Maurice White, Freddie White, Verdine White, Jerry Peters, Al McKay | 3:53 |
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7. | "If You Don't Believe" | Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Fritz Baskett | 7:54 |
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2012 remastered reissue bonus tracksNo. | Title | Length |
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8. | "Free" (Short Single Version) | 2:52 |
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9. | "That's What Friends Are For" (Single Version) | 3:47 |
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10. | "Free" (Long Single Version) | 3:27 |
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Personnel
Production
- Producers – Charles Stepney and Maurice White
- Engineer – George Massenburg
- Assistant Engineers – Steve Hodge and Dean Rod
- Mastered by Mike Reese at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA).
- Design – Ron Coro and Norm Ung
- Photography – Ethan Russell and Jimmy Shea
- Management – Cavallo-Ruffalo Management
Charts
Weekly charts | Year-end charts Chart (1977) | Position | US Billboard 200[16] | 55 | US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[17] | 19 | |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart positions |
US Pop | US R&B | US Dance | UK Pop Singles[12] |
1976 | "It's Important to Me" | — | — | 13 | — |
1977 | "Free" | 25 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
"Cause You Love Me, Baby" | — | 74 | — | — |
"That's What Friends Are For" | — | 65 | — | 8 |
References
- ^ Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy. Columbia Records. August 1976.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy (Top Soul Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy (Billboard 200)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy". RIAA.com.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy". bpi.co.uk.
- ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
- ^ a b O'Donnell, David (2008). "Deniece Williams This Is Niecy Review". bbc.co.uk. BBC.
- ^ a b Prophet, Sheila (May 21, 1977). "Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Record Mirror. p. 16.
- ^ "Music-Records: Havens, Parliament, Bridgewater, Connors, Mann, Deodato, Horn, Winchester, Williams Top LPs". Variety. Vol. 284, no. 9. 6 October 1976. pp. 62, 68. ProQuest 1401295366.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Free (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ "Deniece Williams: Free (Hot 100)". billboard.com. Billboard.
- ^ a b "Deniece Williams". officialcharts.com. Official Charts.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Deniece Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Deniece Williams Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1977". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1977". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
External links
- This Is Niecy at Discogs (list of releases)
Studio albums | - This Is Niecy (1976)
- Song Bird (1977)
- When Love Comes Calling (1979)
- My Melody (1981)
- Niecy (1982)
- I'm So Proud (1983)
- Let's Hear It for the Boy (1984)
- So Glad I Know (1986)
- Water Under the Bridge (1987)
- Special Love (1989)
- This Is My Song (1998)
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Duet albums | |
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Compilation albums | - From the Beginning (1990)
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Singles | |
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Duet singles | |
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Related topics | |
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Authority control databases | - MusicBrainz release group
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