''Contact'' is the eleventh studio album by the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

vocal group

The Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters are an American pop and R&B singing group from Oakland, California, that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, jazz, electronic music, bebop, b ...

, released in 1985 by

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

History

Upon its release, ''Contact'' quickly became the Pointer Sisters' second-most successful album to date; it was certified platinum, denoting U.S. sales of over one million, and helped the trio win an American Music Award for "Favorite Video Group" in 1986. ''Contact'' yielded U.S. chart hits with the singles " Dare Me" (Hot 100 #11, UK #17), "Freedom" and "Twist My Arm." Another song, "Back in My Arms", was released as a single and video in the UK. A track from the ''Contact'' sessions, entitled "Just a Little Closer", was released on the ''

We Are the World "We Are the World" is a charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album ''We Are the World''. Wit ...

'' charity compilation album in 1985. ''Contact'' was remastered and issued on CD with bonus tracks in 2011 by Big Break Records.

Track listing

Personnel

The Pointer Sisters *

Anita Pointer Anita Marie Pointer (January 23, 1948December 31, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter, best known as a founding member of the vocal group the Pointer Sisters. She co-wrote and was the lead singer on their hit song "Fairytale", which garnere ...

– lead vocals (1, 5, 9), backing vocals *

June Pointer June Antoinette Pointer (November 30, 1953 – April 11, 2006) was an American singer, best known as the youngest of the founding members of the vocal group The Pointer Sisters. Early life and career Born the youngest of six children to minister ...

– lead vocals (3, 6, 8), backing vocals *

Ruth Pointer Ruth Esther Pointer (born March 19, 1946) is an American singer–songwriter who is best known as the eldest member of the American family vocal group the Pointer Sisters. Career Joining her sisters in 1972, the Pointer Sisters released their f ...

– lead vocals (2, 4, 7), backing vocals Musicians * Andy Goldmark – synthesizers (1, 3), drum machine programming (1, 3), arrangements (1, 3), acoustic piano (3) * Bruce Roberts – synthesizers (1), drum machine programming (1, 3), arrangements (1, 3) * Paul Fox – additional synthesizers (1, 2, 4, 9),

E-mu Emulator II The Emulator is a series of digital sampling synthesizers using floppy disk storage, manufactured by E-mu Systems from 1981 until 2002. Though not the first commercial sampler, the Emulator was among the first to find wide use among ordinary m ...

(5, 8) * Howie Rice – arrangements (1), additional synthesizers (1, 2, 4, 7, 9), guitar (1, 3, 8), synthesizers (3, 6, 8), handclaps (3), drum machine programming (8, 9),

Minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first popul ...

(9) * Steve George – keyboards (2, 4, 5), synthesizers (2, 4), arrangements (2, 4, 5), synth bass (5) * Steve Mitchell – additional synthesizers (2, 7),

Hammond B3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...

(3, 5), handclaps (3),

Oberheim DMX The DMX is a programmable digital drum machine manufactured by Oberheim. It was introduced in 1980 at a list price of and remained in the company's product line until the mid-1980s. The Oberheim DMX was the second digital drum machine ever to b ...

programming (6), synthesizers (8), drum machine programming (8) *

Jeff Lorber Jeffrey H. Lorber (born November 4, 1952) is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for '' Prototype' ...

– synth bass (3), synthesizers (9), guitar (9), drum machine programming (9) *

Mark Goldenberg Mark Goldenberg (born April 10, 1952) is an American guitarist and songwriter, noted for his session work and composition of successful songs for Linda Ronstadt, the Pointer Sisters, and others. Biography Early career Raised in Chicago, Illin ...

– acoustic piano (6), synthesizers (6), guitar (6), drum machine programming (6), arrangements (6) *

Tommy Faragher Thomas Edward Faragher is an American producer, composer, songwriter, singer, and arranger. He is originally from Redlands, California. Performer Faragher started his career as a singer and keyboardist with his family, who formed a group called ...

– keyboards (7), synthesizers (7) * Steve Farris – guitar (2) *

Michael Landau Michael Christopher Landau (born June 1, 1958) is an American musician, audio engineer, and record producer. He is a session musician and guitarist who has played on many albums since the early 1980s with Boz Scaggs, Minoru Niihara, Joni Mitch ...

– guitar (4) *

Robbie Nevil Robert S. Nevil (born October 2, 1958) is an American pop singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist who had five ''Billboard'' top 40 hits including his songs "C'est la Vie" (#2, 1986), "Dominoes" (#14, 1987), and " Wot's It to Ya" (#10, 1987 ...

– guitar (7), drum machine programming (7), arrangements (7) * Peter Rafelson – guitar (8) *

Nathan East Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955) is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass player and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degr ...

– bass (1, 2) *

Neil Stubenhaus Neil Stubenhaus is an American bass guitarist. Career He started his musical training playing drums and switched to bass guitar at the age of 12. He studied at the Berklee College of Music where he graduated in 1975. After graduation, he was rec ...

– bass (4) *

Jennifer Condos Jennifer Condos is an American bass guitarist known primarily for her studio musician, session and concert, live performance work. She has contributed to the recordings and live performances of many well-known artists. Biography Condos was a fo ...

– bass (6) *

Welton Gite Welton may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Nether Welton, a place in Cumbria * Welton, Cumbria, a place in Cumbria * Welton, East Ayrshire, Scotland; a UK location *Welton, East Riding of Yorkshire *Welton, Lincolnshire ** Welton Hill, a haml ...

– bass (8) *

Pat Mastelotto Lee Patrick Mastelotto (born September 10, 1955) is an American rock drummer and record producer. He has been a member of King Crimson, Stick Men, Mr. Mister and O.R.k., as well as working as a session drummer with XTC, The Pointer Sisters an ...

– drum machine programming (2, 4, 5), drums (4, 5) *

Harry Stinson Harry Stinson (born June 3, 1953 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian real estate developer from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He is president of Stinson Properties, Inc. He has been called Toronto's "condo king". Biography Stinson's most significant ...

– drum machine programming (6) * Brock Walsh – drum machine programming (7), arrangements (7) * Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 4-9) * Terral "Terry" Santiel – percussion (1, 3, 5, 6) * Debra Dobkin – percussion (6) *

Larry Williams Larry Williams (born Lawrence Eugene Williams, a.k.a. Lawrence Edward Williams; May 10, 1935 – January 7, 1980) was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Williams ...

– saxophone (5) *

Phil Kenzie Phil Kenzie is a British multi-saxophone player and rock and roll musician. He has been voted by fans as "one of the greatest rock 'n' roll sax players of all time."

– saxophone (6) *

Bill Reichenbach Jr. William Frank Reichenbach Jr. (born November 30, 1949) is an American jazz trombonist and composer. He is the son of Bill Reichenbach, who was the drummer for Charlie Byrd from 1962 to 1973. He is best known as a session musician for television, ...

– trombone (5) * Gary Grant – trumpet (5) *

Jerry Hey Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's '' Thriller'', ''Rock with You'', ...

– trumpet (5), horn arrangements (5) *

Paul Buckmaster Paul John Buckmaster (13 June 1946 – 7 November 2017) was a Grammy Award-winning British cellist, arranger, conductor and composer, with a career spanning five decades. He is best known for his orchestral collaborations with David Bowie, Sha ...

– string arrangements and conductor (2, 4) *

Richard Page Richard Lewis Page (born 22 February 1941) is a former Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and from December 1979 to 2005. Early life Born the son of Victor Charles Page, he went to the independent Hu ...

– arrangements (2, 4, 5) Production * Producer – Richard Perry * Associate producers – Andy Goldmark (tracks 1 & 3); Howie Rice (track 1); Bruce Roberts (tracks 1 & 3); Steve George (tracks 2 & 4); Richard Page (tracks 2, 4 & 5); Mark Goldenberg (track 6); Robbie Nevil (track 7); Brock Walsh (track 7). * Production manager – James C. Tract * Production coordinator – Bradford Rosenberg * Recording engineer – Michael Brooks * Additional engineers – Clif Jones, Glen Holguin, Alex Schmoll, Gary Skardina and Don Smith. * Assistant engineers – David Dubow, Glen Holguin, Julie Last, Ray Leonard, Bob Loftus, Kraig Miller, Alex Schmoll and Delilah Seroussi. * Basic track engineering – Paul Rey (track 2); Ian Eales (tracks 4 & 5); Ernie Sheesley (track 7). * Remix engineer – Don Smith * Mastered by

Stephen Marcussen Stephen Marcussen is the founder and chief mastering engineer at Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California, United States. He has been mastering music since 1979. Biography Marcussen's introduction to music recording happened in 1976 when, at ...

at Precision Mastering (Hollywood, CA). * Art direction and design by

John Kosh John Kosh, known simply as Kosh, is an English art director, album cover designer, graphic artist, and documentary producer/director. He was born in London, England and rose to prominence in the mid-1960s while designing for the Royal Ballet a ...

and

Ron Larson Roland "Ron" Edwin Larson (born October 31, 1941) is a professor of mathematics at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, Pennsylvania. He is best known for being the author of a series of widely used mathematics textbooks ranging from middle sch ...

* Photography by Randee St. Nicholas

Charts

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Contact (Pointer Sisters Album) 1985 albums The Pointer Sisters albums Albums produced by Richard Perry RCA Records albums