''Syreeta'' is the fourth solo

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

by Motown recording artist and American singer-songwriter

Syreeta Wright Syreeta Wright (February 28, 1946 – July 6, 2004), who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was an American singer-songwriter, best known for her music during the early 1970s through the early 1980s. Wright's career heights we ...

(also known as "Syreeta"), released by the

Tamla Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

label on April 26, 1980. It's also the second album to be titled ''Syreeta'' after her 1972 debut album.

Reception

The album was released shortly after Wright's duet with Billy Preston, "

With You I'm Born Again "With You I'm Born Again" is a 1979 duet written by Carol Connors and David Shire that originated on the soundtrack of the 1979 motion picture ''Fast Break''. It was performed by Motown recording artists Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright (credit ...

", gave her the biggest charted success of her career. The album included Wright's take of her famous compositions, "I Blame It On the Sun", which she wrote for ex-husband Stevie Wonder's ''

Talking Book ''Talking Book'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on October 27, 1972, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. This album and '' Music of My Mind'', released earlier the same y ...

'' and a funky take on Wonder's "

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" is a Soul music, soul song, by American musician Stevie Wonder, released in June 1970 as a single on Motown's Tamla label. It spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Black Singles, U.S. R&B chart an ...

", which she also co-wrote. Wright provided lyrics and composition on one other song – "Dance For Me Children", with Curtis Robertson. Wright also collaborated with Preston on the album with the duets, "Please Stay" and "One More Time for Love", the latter duet charted modestly successful on the pop and R&B charts upon its release. The album features a smiling Wright in her trademark multi-colored braids.

Track listing

#"Blame It On The Sun" ( Stevie Wonder, Wright) (4:20) #"Let Me Be The One" (

Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He had several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including " Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), " Grandma's Hands" (1971), " Use Me" (197 ...

Skip Scarborough Clarence Alexander "Skip" Scarborough (November 26, 1944 – July 3, 2003) was an American songwriter, best known for romantic ballads. Biography Scarborough was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He lived in Los Angeles most of his life. He died o ...

) (4:01) #"You Bring Out The Love In Me" (Kenneth Peterson) (3:30) #"Please Stay" (with Billy Preston) (Billy Preston, David Shire) (4:18) #"He's Gone" (George Goldner, Arlene Smith, Richard Barrett) (3:27) #"Love Fire" (Michelle Aller, Bob Esty) (4:51) #"Here's My Love" (Keith Echols, Anthony Miller) (3:27) #"

" (Stevie Wonder,

Lula Mae Hardaway Lula Mae Hardaway (January 11, 1930 – May 31, 2006) was an American songwriter and the mother of soul musician Stevie Wonder. She spent her early adult life in Saginaw, Michigan, but from 1975 until her death in 2006, lived in Los Angeles, Cal ...

Lee Garrett Lee Garrett (born June 30, 1943, in Mississippi) is an American rhythm and blues singer-songwriter, most famous for co-writing the classic song "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". He recorded a handful of solo singles during the 1960s, one of ...

, Wright) (3:27) #"Dance For Me Children" (Wright, Curtis Robertson, Jr., Sheree Brown) (2:52) #"One More Time for Love" (with Billy Preston) (

Jerry Peters Jerry Peters is an American songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, conductor and arranger. He is best known for writing the hit songs "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely" and "Going In Circles" by The Friends of Distinction. Career Peters w ...

) (3:51) #"One More Time for Love (reprise)" (0:58)

Personnel

*Syretta *Musicians: David T. Walker, Dorothy Ashby, Eddie N. Watkins, Jr., Freddie Washington, Greg Poree, Harvey Mason,

, Joe Blocker,

Leon "Ndugu" Chancler Leon "Ndugu" Chancler ( ; July 1, 1952 – February 3, 2018) was an American pop, funk, and jazz drummer. He was also a composer, producer, and university professor. Biography Early life Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on July 1, 1952, Leon ...

, Paul Jackson Jr., Scott Edwards, Tim May, Bob Esty, Dan Wyman, David Campbell, Greg Mathieson,

Jay Graydon Jay Joseph Graydon (born October 8, 1949, Burbank, California) is an American songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, keyboardist, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards (in the R&B category) wi ...

, Ken Peterson, Lee Ritenour, Lenny Castro,

Mike Baird Michael Bruce Baird (born 1 April 1968) is an Australian investment banker and former politician who was the 44th Premier of New South Wales, the Minister for Infrastructure, the Minister for Western Sydney, and the Leader of the New South W ...

, Ollie E. Brown, Paulinho da Costa,

Ray Parker Jr. Ray Erskine Parker Jr. (born May 1, 1954) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. As a solo performer, he wrote and performed the theme song to the 1984 film '' Ghostbusters''. Previously, Parker achieved a US top-10 h ...

Richard Tee Richard Edward Tee (born Richard Edward Ten Ryk; November 24, 1943 – July 21, 1993) was an American pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger, who had several hundred studio credits and played on such notable hits as "In Your Eyes", " Sl ...

, Steve Lukather, Trevor Veitch,

Dennis Budimir Dennis Matthew Budimir (June 20, 1938 – January 2023) was an American jazz and rock guitarist. He was considered to be a member of The Wrecking Crew. Biography Budimir learned to play piano and guitar in his youth and first played professio ...

, Gary Coleman, Reggie McBride, Arthur G. Wright, David Shields,

James Gadson James Gadson ( James Edward Gadson; born June 17, 1939) is an American drummer and session musician. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Gadson has since become one of the most-recorded drummers in the history of R&B. He is also a singer and ...

, Melvin Webb,

Sonny Burke Joseph Francis "Sonny" Burke (March 22, 1914 – May 31, 1980) was an American musical arranger, composer, Big Band leader and producer. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University, where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke ...

*Backing vocals: Jerry Peters, Sheree Brown, Becky Lopez, Sherlie Matthews,

Venetta Fields Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-born singer, musical theater actress and vocal coach. She was a backing vocalist for American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble Pi ...

, Alfie Silas, Francine Howard, Voncielle Faggett, Gwen Matthews, Monalisa Young, Oma Drake, Terry Young

Charts

Singles

External links

Syreeta-Syreeta (1980) at Discogs

References

{{Authority control 1980 albums Syreeta albums Albums produced by Hal Davis Albums produced by Richard Perry Albums produced by Jerry Peters Tamla Records albums