Be Yourself (Patti LaBelle album)
Be Yourself is the ninth solo album by American singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on June 26, 1989 in the United States. Her second album with the company following her 1986 platinum album Winner in You, it features the single, "If You Asked Me To" which was also featured on the soundtrack to the James Bond movie, Licence to Kill (1989), and the R&B top ten Prince-written hit "Yo Mister." The album marked LaBelle's foray into new jack swing music with the tracks "I Got It Like That", produced by Full Force, and "Love 89", another Prince contribution.
Be Yourself
June 26, 1989
1986–1989
Westlake Audio and Elumba Studios (Los Angeles, California); Conway Studios, Sunset Sound, Ocean Way Recording and Trax Recording Studio (Hollywood, California); Alchemy Recording Studios (Woodland Hills, California); Tarpan Studios (San Rafael, California); Chartmaker Studios (Malibu, California); Can-Am Recorders (Tarzana, California); Kajeem/Victory Studios, RPM Studios and Sigma Sound Studios (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); Soundworks (New York City, New York); Paisley Park (Minneapolis, Minnesota).
53:38
- Burt Bacharach
- James R. "Budd" Ellison
- Full Force
- Raymond Jones
- Stewart Levine
- Sami McKinney
- Prince
- Allan Dennis Rich
- Carole Bayer Sager
- Alan Roy Scott
- Narada Michael Walden
Patti LaBelle – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 3, 11)
– synthesizer programming (1), synth bass (1), arrangements (1)
Aaron Zigman
Raymond Jones – keyboards (2), arrangements (2)
James "Budd" Ellison – keyboards (3, 9, 11), percussion (3)
Nathaniel Wilke – keyboards (3, 9), synth bass (3, 9), synth drums (3), synthesizer arrangements (3, 11)
– all instruments (4, 6)
Prince
– all instruments (5), backing vocals (5), arrangements (5)
Full Force
– keyboards (7)
Walter Afanasieff
– keyboards (7)
David Sancious
Fred McFarlane – programming (7)
Brad Cole – keyboards (8)
Jim Salamone – synthesizer programming (9, 11), drum programming (9, 11), overdubs (9)
LinnDrum
– synthesizers (10)
Michael Boddicker
– acoustic piano (11)
George Duke
– guitars (1)
Michael Landau
– guitars (7)
Corrado Rustici
Mark Liggett – guitars (8)
Herb Smith – guitars (9, 11)
– guitars (10)
Dann Huff
Dominic Genova – bass (8)
– bass (10)
Neil Stubenhaus
– drums (1)
John Robinson
Larry Robinson – drum programming (2)
– drums (7), programming (7)
Narada Michael Walden
Tom Walsh – drums (8)
– drums (10)
Jeff Porcaro
– percussion (1, 10)
Lenny Castro
Eric Wood – percussion (9)
– saxophone (2)
Gerald Albright
– saxophone solo (7)
Kenny G
Michael Patterson Jr. – soprano sax solo (9)
Jack Faith – horns (11), strings (11)
Sami McKinney – arrangements (2)
– string arrangements (7)
Jerry Hey
– arrangements (10)
Burt Bacharach
Frank DeCaro – session coordinator and contractor (10)
Paulette Brown – backing vocals (1)
– backing vocals (1)
Bunny Hull
Valerie Pinkston-Mayo – backing vocals (1)
– backing vocals (3)
Desiree Coleman
Annette Hardeman – backing vocals (3, 9, 11)
Paula Holloway – backing vocals (3, 9, 11)
– backing vocals (3)
Thelma Houston
– backing vocals (5)
Lisa Lisa
– backing vocals (5)
Cheryl "Pepsii" Riley
Kitty Beethoven – backing vocals (7)
– backing vocals (7)
Jim Gilstrap
Melisa Kary – backing vocals (7)
– backing vocals (7)
Claytoven Richardson
Mona Campbell – backing vocals (8)
Ronee Martin – backing vocals (8)
Lyndie White – backing vocals (8)
Deborah Dukes – backing vocals (9, 11)
Charlene Holloway – backing vocals (9)
– backing vocals (10)
Phil Perry
– backing vocals (10)
Joe Pizzulo
Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals (10)
Julia Waters – backing vocals (10)
Maxine Waters – backing vocals (10)
– backing vocals (10)
Oren Waters
– backing vocals (11)
Gabriel Hardeman
O.J. Smallewood – backing vocals (11)
– backing vocals (11)
Freddie Washington
The Music Ministry Workshop Choir – backing vocals (11)