STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - EARTH, WIND, & FIRE - SPIRIT

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Good morning Sunday people and welcome back to Stuck In The Vinyl Again. Today we celebrate the 70th Birthday of  Denver, Colorado born saxophonist, Andrew Woolfolk, best known for his work with R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, pop, rock, dance, Latin, and Afro pop band, Earth, Wind, & Fire. Happy Birthday Andrew ! With him in mind, we spotlight their seventh studio album, Spirit. Spirit was released September 28, 1976 on the Columbia label and produced by vocalist Maurice White and  Charles Stepney. It peaked at #59 in Japan, #33 in New Zealand, #2 on the UK on the  Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums, as well as #2 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart. Three singles were spawned ; "Getaway" (#9 Billboard Dance Club Songs, #12 Hot 100, #1 Hot Soul Songs), "On Your Face" (#26 Hot Soul Songs), and "Saturday Nite" (#34 New Zealand, #17 UK, #21 Hot 100, #4 Hot Soul Songs). The LP has been certified 2X Platinum. 

1. "Getaway" Peter Cor, Bernard “Beloyd” Taylor 3:47

2. "On Your Face" Charles Stepney, Maurice White, Philip Bailey 4:34

3. "Imagination" Charles Stepney, Maurice White, Philip Bailey 5:15

4. "Spirit" Larry Dunn, Maurice White 3:12

Side two

5. "Saturday Nite" Al McKay, Maurice White, Philip Bailey 4:03

6. "Earth, Wind & Fire" Skip Scarborough, Maurice White 4:40

7. "Departure" Larry Dunn, Maurice White 0:27

8. "Biyo" Maurice White, Al McKay 3:37

9. "Burnin' Bush" Jerry Peters 6:46

Vocals - Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White

Piano, Keyboards - Larry Dunn, Jerry Peters
Organ, Moog synthesizer - Larry Dunn

Guitar - Al McKay, Johnny Graham
Bass - Verdine White
Congas - Philip Bailey

Kalimba - Maurice White
Timbales - Maurice White
Drums - Fred White, Ralph Johnson, Maurice White
Percussion - Fred White, Ralph Johnson, Al McKay, Andrew Woolfolk, Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Harvey Mason

Saxophone - Don Myrick, Andrew Woolfolk
Trombone - George Bohanon, Louis Satterfield, Charles Loper
Bass Trombone - Lew McCreary
Trumpet - Oscar Brashear, Charles Findley, Michael Harris, Steve Madaio
French horn - David Duke, Arthur Maebe, Sidney Muldrow, Marilyn Robinson

Tuba - Tommy Johnson

Concertmaster - Charles Veal
Harp - Dorothy Ashby

Cello - Ronald Cooper, Marie Fera, Dennis Karmazyn, Harry Shlutz
Viola - Marilyn Baker, David Campbell, Denyse Buffum, Rollice Dale, James Dunham, Paul Polivnick, Lynn Subotnick, Barbara Thomason
Violin - Asa Drori, Winterton Garvey, Harris Goldman, Carl LaMagna, Joy Lyle, Sandy Seemore, Haim Shtrum, Ken Yerke

Production

Producers - Maurice White , Charles Stepney )
Arrangers - Jerry Peters (8-9), Charles Stepney (1-3, 5-7), Tom Tom 84 (4)
Engineer -  George Massenburg