Maps of Music

The Right Stuff (1988)

Where the lyrics of The Right Stuff take you, and where it was really made.

Its third single, 'Dreamin'', began as a pop hit that reached No. 8 on the Hot 100, then became Williams's first number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Key places

Jam Power, Los Angeles (1988)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — Jam Power is listed as a recording location for The Right Stuff. The point is placed at the city centre of Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

O'Henry Sound, Burbank (1988)

Recording site The Enterprise (Burbank) — O'Henry Sound is listed as a recording location for The Right Stuff. The point is placed at the city centre of Burbank. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Westlake Recording Studios, West Hollywood (1988)

Recording site Westlake Recording Studios — Westlake Recording Studios is listed as a recording location for The Right Stuff. The point uses the studio's building coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Music Grinder, Hollywood (1988)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — Music Grinder is listed as a recording location for The Right Stuff. The point is placed at the city centre of Hollywood. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia (1988)

Recording site Sigma Sound Studios — Sigma Sound Studios is listed as a recording location for The Right Stuff. The point uses the studio's building coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Music Palace, West Hempstead (1988)

Recording site The Music Palace — The Music Palace is listed as a recording location for The Right Stuff. The point is placed at the city centre of West Hempstead. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Countdown, Miami (1988)

Recording site The Hit Factory Criteria — Countdown is listed as a recording location for The Right Stuff. The point is placed at the city centre of Miami. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Smoke Tree, Chatsworth (1988)

Recording site Cornerstone Studios — Smoke Tree is listed as a recording location for The Right Stuff. The point is placed at the city centre of Chatsworth, California. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• The Right Stuff: debut studio album by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams
• Released June 6, 1988 by Wing Records
• Includes the singles 'The Right Stuff', '(He's Got) The Look', 'Dreamin'' and 'Darlin' I'
• The album and its singles were well received by both the urban and pop markets
• Certified Gold by the RIAA for sales in excess of 500,000

Background

• Williams is introduced in the source as an American singer and actress; this is her first studio album
• The first and second singles, 'The Right Stuff' and '(He's Got) The Look', both reached the top 10 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart
• The third single, 'Dreamin'', was a pop hit and Williams's first top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100
• 'Darlin' I' was the fourth and final single

Recording

• Produced by Amir-Salaam Bayyan, David Paul Bryant, Lewis A. Martineé, Donald Robinson, Larry Robinson, Darryl Ross and Rex Salas
• Engineers include Mike Bona, David Bianco, Gerry Brown and Craig Burbridge, among others
• Mixing credited to Rick Alonso, David Bianco, Lewis A. Martineé, Donald Robinson, Mike Tarsia, Erik Zobler and Jared Held
• Recording locations listed in the source include Los Angeles, Burbank, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Philadelphia, West Hempstead, Miami and Chatsworth

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Vanessa Lynn Williams, born March 18, 1963, in Tarrytown, New York, a suburb of New York City.
• Raised in Millwood and Westchester County, New York, in a household of music teachers.
• Studied at Syracuse University's Department of Drama as a musical theater major from 1981.
• Became the first African-American Miss America when crowned Miss America 1984 on September 17, 1983.
• Resigned the title in July 1984 after nude photographs published by Penthouse magazine caused a media controversy.
• Released debut album The Right Stuff in 1988 under her own name.

Career

• Debut single "Dreamin'" peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989.
• Second album The Comfort Zone (1991) became her biggest commercial success.
• "Save the Best for Last" reached number 1 in the United States and was performed at the 1993 Grammy Awards.
• Sweetest Days (1994) was certified platinum in the U.S.
• Made Broadway debut in 1994 replacing Chita Rivera in Kiss of the Spider Woman.
• Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for The Witch in the 2002 revival of Into the Woods.
• Played Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty (2006–2010), earning Primetime Emmy nominations.
• Released Survivor in August 2024, her ninth studio album.
• In 2024 to 2026 starred as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre, London.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Per the source, the album and its singles were well received by both the urban and pop markets
• The first and second singles both reached the top 10 of Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart, so the album reached audiences on R&B radio and pop radio alike
• 'Dreamin'' was a pop hit, and the source describes it as Williams's first top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100

Records

• Certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales in excess of 500,000
• Earned three Grammy Award nominations
• Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for 'The Right Stuff' at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards
• Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for 'Dreamin'' at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards
• 'The Right Stuff' peaked within the top five at number four on Hot R&B Songs and reached number one on the US Dance Songs chart
• 'Dreamin'' peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became her first number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart
• 'Darlin' I' earned a third top 10 R&B hit and a top ten on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• 'The Right Stuff' peaked within the top five at number four on Hot R&B Songs and reached number one on the US Dance Songs chart
• 'Dreamin'' was a pop hit before it became Williams's first number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart
• 'The Right Stuff' is credited to Kipper Jones and Rex Salas on the Italian Wikipedia track listing
• 'Darlin' I' was the fourth and final single from the album
• Certified Gold by the RIAA for sales in excess of 500,000

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

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