''Heartbeat'' is the debut studio album by American actor and singer
Don Johnson, released on September 30, 1986, by
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
. In the United States, the album peaked at number 17 on the
''Billboard'' 200 in October 1986 and was certified Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) the following month.
The
title track peaked at number five on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100.
In 1998, the album was reissued by
Razor & Tie with six additional tracks from Johnson's follow-up album, ''
Let It Roll'' (1989).
Background
In a 1987 interview with the ''
Los Angeles Times'', Johnson stated, "I wanted the record to be modern, tough rock and I think I achieved that on some level. I didn't want it to sound like something that other people designed and I just stopped by for a few minutes to do the vocals. And I made it clear to Walter
president and CEO of CBS Records">Walter Yetnikoff">president and CEO of CBS Recordsthat I would walk away from it if I didn't think it was credible. I was prepared every step of the way to throw it away and walk away."
Track listing
All tracks produced by Chas Sandford, except tracks 11–16, produced by
Keith Diamond.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Heartbeat''.
Musicians
* Don Johnson – lead vocals
* Chas Sandford – guitar ; guitar solo ; background vocals ; piano, tambourine
* Mark Leonard – bass
* Curly Smith – drums
* Charles Judge – keyboards
*
Bill Champlin – background vocals ; keyboards ; organ
*
Tamara Champlin – background vocals
*
Dweezil Zappa – guitar solo
*
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...
– harmony vocals
*
Earl Gardner – horns
*
Lenny Pickett – horns ; sax solo ; horn arrangements
*
Michael Des Barres – background vocals
*
Ron Wood – acoustic guitar ; guitars, harmony vocals
*
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Although his mainstream career spanned only seven years, ...
– guitar solo
*
Dickey Betts – guitars
* Jamie Skylar – background vocals
*
Willie Nelson – solo, harmony vocals
*
Mickey Raphael – harmonica
Technical
* Chas Sandford – production, mixing
* Gary McGachan – engineering, mixing
* Dave Axelbaum – second engineer
*
Stephen Marcussen – mastering
* Stuart Furusho – mastering
Artwork
* Frank Olinsky (
Manhattan Design) – art direction
* Roberta Ludlow – cover illustration
*
Mary Ellen Mark – back cover photo, inside photo (left)
* Stephen Frailey – inside photo (right)
* Jerry Tobias – collage photos, inner sleeve photo
* Glenn Watson – collage photos
* Diane Sillan – collage photos
* Mark Penberthy – inner sleeve illustration
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heartbeat (Album)
1986 debut albums
Don Johnson albums
Epic Records albums