Billy Preston & Syreeta

Billy Preston & Syreeta is a 1981 album of duets by Billy Preston and Syreeta released by Motown Records.^[1] Six songs were produced by Ollie Brown, and four songs were produced and co-written by Michael Masser. An expanded version of the album with 10 songs and 7 bonus cuts was released on CD in late 2013 on SoulMusic Records.^[2]

Billy Preston & Syreeta
Studio album by Billy Preston, Syreeta Wright
Released	1981
Studio	Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios (Los Angeles, California) Amerycan Studios (North Hollywood, California), Kendun Recorders (Burbank, California)
Genre	R&B, Soul
Label	Motown
Producer	Ollie E. Brown (tracks 1–3, 7 & 8) Carol Connors and David Shire (tracks 4 & 7) Michael Masser (tracks 5, 6, 9 & 10)

Track listing

Side A

1. "Someone Special" (Greg Beck, Ollie E. Brown, Renee Moore) – 4:15
2. "Searchin'" (Brown) – 4:35
3. "Just for You" (Brown, Billy Preston, Michael McGloiry, Syreeta Wright) – 5:15
4. "It's So Easy" (Carol Connors, David Shire) – 3:41
5. "A Long and Lasting Love" (Gerry Goffin, Michael Masser) – 3:38

Side B

1. "Love" (Michael Masser, Randy Goodrum) – 4:06
2. "One More Try" (Allee Willis, Lauren Wood) – 4:07
3. "Hey You" (Billy Preston, Keith Boyd Jr.) – 4:04
4. "A New Way to Say I Love You" (Goffin, Masser) – 3:00
5. "What We Did for Love" (Masser, Goodrum) – 2:58
6. "With You I'm Born Again" (only orig. LP)

CD bonus cuts

1. "With You I'm Born Again" (US Motown 7" Single) – 3:39
2. "With You I'm Born Again" (instrumental) – 5:06
3. "Go For It" – 3:53
4. "Go For It" (12" mix) – 8:53
5. "It Will Come in Time" – 3:09
6. "One More Time for Love" (Jerry Peters) – 3:51
7. "Please Stay" (Connors, Shire) – 3:58

Personnel

• Billy Preston – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic piano (3), melodica (8)
• Syreeta – lead vocals, backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8)
• John Barnes – keyboards (1–3, 7, 8), synthesizers (1–3, 7, 8)
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizers (1–3, 7, 8)
• David Shire – pianos (4, 10)
• Randy Goodrum – pianos (5, 6, 6, 9, 10)
• Michael Masser – pianos (5, 6, 6, 9, 10), rhythm arrangements (5, 6, 9, 10)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (1–3, 7, 8)
• Michael McGloiry – guitars (1–3, 7, 8)
• Ray Parker Jr. – guitars (1–3, 7, 8)
• Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin – guitars (1–3, 7, 8)
• Mitch Holder – guitars (4, 10)
• Tim May – guitars (5, 6, 9, 10)
• Nathan Watts – bass (1–3, 7, 8)
• Eddie N. Watkins Jr. – bass (4, 10)
• Leland Sklar – bass (5, 6, 9, 10)
• Ollie E. Brown – drums (1–4, 7, 8, 10), percussion (1–4, 7, 8, 10), rhythm arrangements (1–3, 7, 8), BGV arrangements (1–3, 7, 8)
• Rick Shlosser – drums (5, 6, 9, 10)
• Eddie "Bongo" Brown – congas (1–3, 7, 8)
• Gary Coleman – vibraphone (1–3, 7, 8)
• Steve Forman – percussion (4, 10)
• James Brown – flute (3), saxophone (7)
• Jerry Hey – horn arrangements (1–3, 7, 8)
• Sylvester Rivers – rhythm arrangements (1–3, 7, 8)
• Gene Page – string arrangements (1–3, 5–10)
• David Shire – rhythm and string arrangements (4, 10–14, 17)
• Barry Fasman – rhythm arrangements (5, 6, 9, 10)
• Harry Bluestone – conductor (1–3, 7, 8)
• Arnel Carmichael – backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8), BGV arrangements (1–3, 7, 8)
• James Anthony Carmichael – backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8)
• Sylvia Cox – backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8)
• Lynn Davis – backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8)
• Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8), BGV arrangements (1–3, 7, 8)
• Josie James – backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8)
• J.D. Nicholas – backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8)
• Deborah Thomas – backing vocals (1–3, 7, 8)
• Julia Tillman Waters – backing vocals (4, 10)
• Luther Waters – backing vocals (4, 10)
• Maxine Willard Waters – backing vocals (4, 10)
• Oren Waters – backing vocals (backing vocals (4, 10)
• Ginger Blake-Schackne – backing vocals (5, 6, 9, 10)
• Linda Dillard – backing vocals (5, 6, 9, 10)
• Becky Lopez – backing vocals (5, 6, 9, 10)

Production

• Suzanne DePasse – executive producer
• Tony Jones – executive producer
• F. Byron Clark – engineer, mixing
• Michael Schuman – engineer, mixing
• Russ Terrana – engineer, mixing
• Ollie E. Brown – mixing
• Bobby Brooks – additional engineer
• Barney Perkins – additional engineer
• Tony Autore – assistant engineer
• Steve Catania – assistant engineer
• Tom Cummings – assistant engineer
• Fred Law – assistant engineer
• Ginny Pallante – assistant engineer
• Johnny Lee – art direction
• Terry Taylor – design
• Harry Langdon – photography

Expanded Reissue

• David Nathan – reissue producer
• David Shire – producer (11–14, 17)
• James Di Pasquale – producer (11–14)
• Billy Preston – producer (15, 17)
• Jerry Peters – producer (16)
• Alan Wilson – remastering
• Roger Williams – artwork, design
• Sharon Davis – liner notes

References

1. discogs: Billy Preston & Syreeta – Billy Preston & Syreeta, LP 1981
2. discogs: Billy Preston & Syreeta – Billy Preston & Syreeta (Expanded CD Edition)