The I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour was a concert tour by American
pop/
R&B singer
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
, in support of her multi-platinum album ''
I'm Your Baby Tonight
''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' is the third studio album by American singer Whitney Houston released on November 6, 1990, by Arista Records. The album has been certified quadruple platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Background
By 1989, Whitney Hou ...
''. Prior to Houston performing two dates in Japan early-March, the official tour started on April 18, in North America. Houston's performed nearly 100 concert dates throughout 1991 in North America and Europe.
Background
After a successful series of concerts in Japan during March 1991, Houston returned to the United States to prepare for the world tour to support the four-times platinum selling
album of the same name. Houston was initially planned to start the tour in the U.K. However, due to the Gulf War, the European leg was rescheduled until the fall. Houston instead started the tour in the US. Houston kicked things off with her "
Welcome Home Heroes Concert" on March 31 in Norfolk Virginia. The special, which aired on HBO, was dedicated to the troops who were fighting in the Gulf War. All proceeds went to the Red Cross. The summer of 1991 was considered one of the worst touring seasons ever. Many big names were cancelling dates and playing to low capacities. Houston was no exception. The singer played to low attendances and even cancelled some dates due to poor ticket sales. Experts cited the ongoing recession and financial crisis as the main reason. During the summer, Houston also developed a throat ailment. As a result, the singer was forced to cancel the end of her Canadian tour to rest her voice.
The tour resumed in late August when Houston reached the U.K. She played 10 consecutive dates at Wembley Arena in London, surpassing her own record of 9 straight dates at the same arena during the
Moment of Truth World Tour
The Moment of Truth World Tour was the second worldwide tour by American recording artist Whitney Houston and supported her ''multi-platinum'' hit album '' Whitney''. The trek started on July 4, 1987 in North America and continued overseas during ...
, in 1988.
A month and a half after the tour concluded in Paris, October 1991, Houston would begin production on her first feature film,
The Bodyguard in December.
The show
Unlike her previous tours, the shows had more focus on visuals. The stage was lit by 300 lights spinning and flashing in synch with the music. The state of the art system was designed by Mark Fisher and Jonathan Park. The system had only been used previously by
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
in his "The Wall" show in Berlin and the
Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
' "Urban Jungle Tour". Houston also incorporated costume changes during her sets for the first time. She often wore skin tight jump suits. Houston also took part in choreographed dancing with backup dancers. Unlike her previous tours, the stage was not in the round. She was backed by a seven piece band. After her previous musical director John Simmons died, bass player Rickey Minor became the tour's musical director. R&B group After 7 opened during the North American leg. Dance act
Snap!
Snap! is a German Eurodance group formed in 1989 by Record producer, producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti. The act has been through a number of line-up changes over the years, including American singers, songwriters and rappers Thea A ...
supported her on the European leg.
Houston reworked most of the songs during the show with improvisations and spontaneity, adding funk to the uptempos while slowing down the ballads.
[Considine, JD. "Houston gives her hits a new spin, and her fans applaud at every turn". ''The Baltimore Sun.'' July 17, 1991. Page 1E.] According to the ''Minneapolis Star Tribune'', "Saving All My Love for You" was "sultry, taking excursions through the church and jazz world that aren't heard on the recorded version." She incorporated her popular love songs into a "Love Medley", giving her time to try out the newer uptempo/new jack swing numbers on her current album.
[ Midway through the shows, Houston introduced her band while singing the gospel "Revelation". This started the gospel set which included a cappella and solos from her backup singers. Her brother Gary Houston also performed a Marvin Gaye medley. With hip hop music becoming popular during the time, Houston incorporated rappers into the show. Rappers were given verses during "How Will I Know" while shouting "yo Whitney yo" throughout other songs.][ During some of the shows, Houston incorporated her hit "All The Man That I Need" into a medley with the ]Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop si ...
classics "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)" and "My Man", which she dedicated to her own man at the time. At the time, Houston was rumored to be dating singer Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started h ...
. The rumor of course turned out to be true. The Holliday cover earned praise from many critics. ''The Vancouver Sun'' said "her delivery was achingly soulful" and that the singer should continue towards that direction musically. For some of the US dates, she performed her top ten pop hit "Miracle". Houston ended her show with "I'm Your Baby Tonight" before the encore, "Greatest Love of All", in Europe for some of the London, UK dates included the encore "I Belong to You".
Some criticized Houston for focusing on the MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
trend of relying on dancing and big production lighting. ''The Sun Sentinel'' noted that the singer should opt for smaller venues and theaters that are "far more suitable to her sophistication and talent." ''USA Today'' praised the singer because she "shakes the confinements of her recordings' calculated productions and gets downright gutsy and soulful"
Opening acts
* After 7
After 7 is an American R&B group founded in 1987 by brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, and their friend Keith Mitchell. The Edmonds brothers are the older siblings of pop/R&B singer-songwriter and record producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, w ...
(USA—Leg)
* Snap!
Snap! is a German Eurodance group formed in 1989 by Record producer, producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti. The act has been through a number of line-up changes over the years, including American singers, songwriters and rappers Thea A ...
(European—Leg)
* D'Influence
D'Influence (also D-Influence and D*Influence) is a British production team and acid jazz band. Formerly of The Echo Label, they founded their own label, Freakstreet Records. Original members include Kwame Kwaten, Sarah-Ann Webb, Ed Baden-Powell ...
(Glasgow Scotland)
* Gerald Alston
Gerald Alston (born November 8, 1951) is an American soul/R&B singer, and the lead singer of the Grammy Award winning group The Manhattans between late 1970 and 1988, recording 25 top 40 R&B and 12 Hot 100 Pop Singles. Alston was lead singer on ...
(European—Leg, select dates)
Setlist
#"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her second studio album, ''Whitney'' (1987). It was released as the lead single from the album on May 2, 1987, by Arista Records. It was produ ...
"
#"So Emotional
"So Emotional" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston. It was released as the third single from her second studio album ''Whitney'' (1987) on October 12, 1987 by Arista Records. The song was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. It wa ...
"
#"Saving All My Love for You
"Saving All My Love for You" is a song written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin, originally recorded by Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. for their album ''Marilyn & Billy'' (1978). American singer Whitney Houston recorded a cover of the song f ...
"
#"How Will I Know
"How Will I Know" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her Whitney Houston (album), self-titled debut studio album. The song was released on November 22, 1985, by Arista Records as the album's third Single (music), single. ...
"
#" All at Once" / " A House Is Not a Home" / "Didn't We Almost Have It All
"Didn't We Almost Have It All" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her second studio album, ''Whitney'' (1987). The song was written by Michael Masser and Will Jennings and produced by Masser. Initially, Houston's cover vers ...
" / "Where Do Broken Hearts Go
"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" is a song recorded by American singer Whitney Houston for her second studio album, ''Whitney (album), Whitney'' (1987). It was released as the fourth Single (music), single from the album on February 25, 1988. The so ...
"
#"Billie Holiday Medley: Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)
"Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)" (often called simply "Lover Man") is a 1941 popular song written by Jimmy Davis, Roger ("Ram") Ramirez, and James Sherman. It is particularly associated with Billie Holiday, for whom it was written, and her ...
" / "My Man"
#"All the Man That I Need
"All the Man That I Need" is a song written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore. The song was first recorded as "All the Man I Need" by Linda Clifford for her album ''I'll Keep on Loving You'' (1982). In 1990, American singer Whitney Houston had a ...
"
#"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" is the second single from Marvin Gaye's 1971 album, '' What's Going On''. Following the breakthrough of the title track's success, the song, written solely by Gaye, became regarded as one of popular music's most poi ...
" / " What's Going On" (performed by Gary Houston)
#"My Name Is Not Susan
"My Name Is Not Susan" is a song by American singer and actress Whitney Houston, released as the fourth single from her third album, ''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' (1990). The song was released on June 24, 1991, by Arista Records. It was produced by L. ...
"
#"Anymore"
#"Miracle
A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divin ...
"
#"Revelation" (contain excerpts of "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
"He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" is a traditional African-American spiritual, first published in 1927. It became an international pop hit in 1957–58 in a recording by English singer Laurie London, and has been recorded by many other si ...
" and "He's All Right")
#" Sack Full of Dreams" (performed by Gary Houston)
#" In Return"
#"This Day"
#"Who Do You Love"
#"I'm Your Baby Tonight
''I'm Your Baby Tonight'' is the third studio album by American singer Whitney Houston released on November 6, 1990, by Arista Records. The album has been certified quadruple platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Background
By 1989, Whitney Hou ...
"
#" I Belong to You"
#"Greatest Love of All
"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser, who composed the music, and Linda Creed, who wrote the lyrics. It was originally recorded in 1977 by George Benson, who made the song a substantial hit, peaking at number two on the ...
"
Notes
Additional notes
*March 14 and 15: in Yokohama, Japan, Houston performed a stirring rendition of CeCe Winans "In Return".
*May 11: her performances of "My Name Is Not Susan", "Miracle" and "Greatest Love of All" at her Oakland, California concert were shown during a televised telethon that aired on MTV, May 12, for '' The Simple Truth: A concert for Kurdish Refugees''.
*September 29: the concert in A Coruña, Spain
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...
was recorded and aired on TV in several markets of Spain, and select countries in Europe.
Shows
;Festivals and other miscellaneous performances
Summerfest
Summerfest is an annual music festival held in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First held in 1968, Summerfest is located at Henry Maier Festival Park, adjacent to Lake Michigan and Milwaukee's central business district. Summerfest attracts app ...
;Cancellations and rescheduled shows
Personnel
;Band
*Musical Director – Ricky Minor
*Bass guitar, bass synthesizer – Ricky Minor
*Guitar – Ray Fuller
*Keyboard: Michael Bearden
*Drums – Ricky Lawson
*Keyboard – Bette Sussman
Bette Sussman is an American television composer, singer, songwriter, pianist, and musical director.
Biography
Early life
Sussman was musically inspired by her mother and older sister, Sue. After her mother signed her up for piano lessons at ...
*Saxophone – Kirk Whalum
Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.
Basic meaning and etymology
As a common noun, ''kirk'' ...
*Keyboard – Kevin Lee
*Percussion – Bashiri Johnson
Bashiri Johnson (born May 12, 1955) is a New York City-based percussionist, whose work has appeared on many records, as well as in commercials, films, television, videogames, and concert performances. He is known to be one of the most recorded ...
*Background vocalists – Gary Houston
Gary Joseph Houston (né Garland; born October 12, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season with the Nuggets ( 1979–80). Gary is the half ...
, Vonchita Rawls, Carmen Rawls, Tiawana Rawls
;Choreography
Choreographer – Khandi Alexander
Harriet Rene "Khandi" Alexander (born September 4, 1957) is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress. She began her career as a dancer in the 1980s and was a choreographer for Whitney Houston's world tours from 1988 to 1992.
During the 199 ...
;Dancers
*Diesko Boyland, Bryant Cash-Welch, Jonathan Webbe, Luca Tommassini
;Tour Management
*Manager – Tony Bulluck
External links
i'm your baby tonight tour - whitneyhouston
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour
1991 concert tours
Whitney Houston concert tours