STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - NEIL DIAMOND - TAP ROOT MANUSCRIPT

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Good morning faithful readers and welcome back to the Friday edition of Stuck In The Vinyl Again . Today we remember Bell, California native,  keyboardist and bassist, Larry Knechtel, best known as one of the session musicians that make up the Wrecking Crew, as well as a member of the soft rock group bread, on what would have been his 83rd Birthday. He was born in 1940 and passed away August 20, 2009, age 69, from of an apparent heart attack. Today we have him on the 6th studio album from Neil Diamond. Tap Root Manuscript was released  October 15, 1970 on the Uni label and produced by Neil Diamond and Tom Catalano. It peaked at #31 in Australia, #18 in the UK and #13 in both Canada and the US, where it has been certified Platinum. "Soolaimon" (#30 Hot 100, #23 Australia, #22 Germany, #14 Netherlands, #7 Canada, #5 Adult Contemporary) , "Cracklin' Rosie" (#7 Germany, #6 Netherlands, #3 UK, #2 in Ireland, Austrlia, and on the Adult Contemporary charts, #1 New Zealand, Canada, Hot 100) , and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (#94 Australia, #52 UK, #20 Hot 100, #18 New Zealand, #9 Canadian Adult Contemporary, #4 Canada, US Adult Contemporary)  were released as singles. My beatiful Wife Lynn saw Neil Diamond live in 1996 at the Orlando Arena. I'll include tix pics as well.  

1. "Cracklin' Rosie" 3:00
2. "Free Life" 3:11
3. "Coldwater Morning" 3:20
4. "Done Too Soon" 2:45
5. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" 3:59

Side two – The African Trilogy (A Folk Ballet)

1. "Childsong" 2:10
2. "I Am the Lion" 2:07
3. "Madrigál" 1:53
4. "Soolaimón" 4:32
5. "Missa" 2:05
6. "African Suite" 4:28
7. "Childsong (Reprise)" 2:00

Arranged By – Don Randi, Lee Holdridge, Marty Paitch

Arranged By [Vocal Arrangement] – Nancy Adams (tracks: B5)

Art Direction, Design Concept [Concept By] – John C. LePrevost

Calligraphy – Jon Zarr Haber

Design – Virginia Clark

Engineer – Armin Steiner

Instruments [Musicians] – Alvin Casey, Andrea Kostelas, Armand Kaproff, Arthur Butler, Assa Drori, Benjiman Barrett, A.D. Brisbois, David Burk, David Cohen, Dick Hyde, Donald Menza, Don Peake, Don Randi, Earl C. Palmer Sr., Emil Radocchia, Erno Neufeld, Gareth Nuttycombe, Gary Coleman, Gene Estes, George C. Poole, George Roberts, Hal Blaine, Harry Betts, Harry Bluestone, Harvey J. Newmark, Henry Roth, Henry Sigismonti, Israel Baker, Jack Shulman, Jim Arkatov, James Getzoff, Jan R. Kelley, Jay Migliori, Jesse Ehrlich, Joe Osborn, Joseph Estren, Joseph Saxon, Larry Bunker, Lawrence W. Knechtel, Larry Muhoberac, Leo Holdridge, Lee Shamburger, Lou Klaes, Louie Shelton, Martin Paitch, Myron Sandler, Nathan Ross, Nathaniel Rosen, Neil Levang, Oliver Mitchell, Paul Bergstrom, Paul Hubinon, Paul Shure, Randy Cierley, Raymond J. Kelley, M.R. Pohlman, Orville Rhodes, Roger Bobo, Ronald Langinger, Roy V. Caton, Sandra Crouch, Shirley Marcus, Sidney Sharp, Thomas Scott, Anthony Terran

Lyrics By, Music By – Neil DIamond (tracks: A1 to A4, B1 to B7)

Photography By [Album Cover] – Larry Barione

Photography By [Book] – Jim Metropole

Producer – Neil Diamond, Tom Catalano

Vocals [Singers] – Alexander Hale, Aubrey Porter, Bill Lee , Billie Barnum, Christopher Hale, Clydie King, Dean Porter, Donald Wyatt, Douglas Schwartz, Dwayne Moody, Ed Wallace, Ekundayo Paris, Evelyn Meyer, Fred Burton, George Bledsoe, Graynston Hale, Gwen Johnson, H.B. Barnum Jr., Jean Sewell, Jessie Kirkland, Joe Greene, John Woodson, Kevin Parker, Lewis Johnson, Mabel Bishop, Marjorie Cranford, Matthews Muhoberac, Mary Clayton, Molly Halloran, Nancy Adams, Oma Drake, Phillip Whigham, Ricky Porter, Sean Engerman, Shirlee Matthews, Sherill Atwood, Stacey Johnson

Written-By – Bobby Russell (tracks: A5), Bobby Scott (tracks: A5)