Jump to content

I'm Ready (Tevin Campbell album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the title track from the album, see I'm Ready (Tevin Campbell song).

I'm Ready
Studio album by
Tevin Campbell
ReleasedOctober 26, 1993
Studio
Genre
Length49:22
Label
Producer
Tevin Campbell chronology
T.E.V.I.N.
(1991) 		I'm Ready
(1993) 		Back to the World
(1996)
Singles from I'm Ready
  1. "Can We Talk"
    Released: 1993
  2. "Shhh"
    Released: 1993
  3. "I'm Ready"
    Released: February 1994
  4. "Always in My Heart"
    Released: 1994
  5. "Don't Say Goodbye Girl"
    Released: November 1994
  6. "Brown Eyed Girl"
    Released: July 1995

I'm Ready is the second studio album by American singer Tevin Campbell. It was released by Qwest Records on October 26, 1993 in the United States. I'm Ready was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best R&B Album category.

Background

[edit]

Prince was credited as Paisley Park for his contributions to the album as a songwriter, arranger, and producer.[1]

Promotion

[edit]

The album yielded the biggest R&B hit of his career, the #1 R&B single "Can We Talk". It produced three more charting singles with "I'm Ready", "Always In My Heart" and "Don't Say Goodbye Girl".

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyA-[3]
Los Angeles Times[4]

Connie Johnson, writing for The Los Angeles Times, found that I'm Ready was "totally free of filler" and added: "This 10-song package contains first-rate songs by Prince, Babyface and Narada Michael Walden." She called "Uncle Sam" and the "three other songs Prince contributed are the strongest and steamiest on the album. Although his background is heavily church-oriented, Campbell manages to sound comfortable in this racier setting. Elsewhere on the record [he] never takes a false step."[4] Washington Post critic Geoffrey Himes called I'm Ready a "superb second album." He also cited Prince's "songs as the album’s four best tracks" and complimented Campbell for his "astonishingly mature vocal," which de described as "smart and angry but free of whining or ranting." While he found Walden's four songs "not as impressive but are perfectly respectable," he declared Daryl Simmons and Babyface's songs equally good.[5]

Entertainment Weekly gave the album a A- rating and wrote: "Campbell's voice, even at 16, is still cotton-candy sweet."[3] In a retrospective review for AllMusic, editor Craig Lytle noted that "Campbell emerged as a true soul singer with I'm Ready, his second album. The Texas native had the good fortune of working with some of the best producers and writers in the business to construct an excellent work [...] There is much to savor on this album." Lytle rated the album four ouf of five stars.[2]

Accolades

[edit]

The album earned three Grammy Award nominations, including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("Can We Talk") at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("I'm Ready"), and Best R&B Album at the 37th awards ceremony.[1]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In the United States, I'm Ready debuted and peaked at number 18 on the Billboard 200 in the week of November 13, 1993.[6] It marked Campbell's first top 20 entry on the chart.[6] The album also opened at number four on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, peaking at number three in its fourth week on the chart.[7] I'm Ready was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on January 12, 1994, and reached Platinum status on February 10 and double Platinum staus on September 8 of the same year.[8] By June 1996, it had sold over 1.7 million copies domestically.[9] Billboard ranked it fifth on its 1994 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums year-end chart.[10] Elsewhere, the album reached number 14 on the Australian Albums Chart.[11] It was cerified Gold by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment figures in excess of 35,000 units.[12]

Track listing

[edit]
I'm Ready track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Can We Talk"
  • Babyface
  • Simmons
4:44
2."Don't Say Goodbye Girl"
4:30
3."Interlude"  0:13
4."The Halls of Desire"PrincePrince4:34
5."I'm Ready"Babyface
  • Babyface
  • Simmons
4:45
6."What Do I Say"
  • Walden
  • Mike Mani[a]
  • Monty Seward[a]
4:55
7."Uncle Sam"
  • Prince
  • Paula Sherield
  • Prince
  • Kirk Johnson[b]
3:57
8."Interlude"  0:29
9."Paris1798430"PrincePrince3:37
10."Always in My Heart"
  • Babyface
  • Simmons
  • Babyface
  • Simmons
5:40
11."Interlude"  0:09
12."Shhh"PrincePrince4:55
13."Brown Eyed Girl"
  • Campbell
  • Dakota
  • Walden
  • Walden
  • Biancaniello[a]
4:01
14."Infant Child"WaldenWalden2:49
Total length:49:22

Notes

  • ^[a] denotes an associate producer
  • ^[a] denotes an additional producer

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.[13]

  • Eric Anest – engineer (tracks 4, 7, 9)
  • Michael B. – drums (tracks 4, 12)
  • Babyface – producer, instruments, and background vocals (tracks 1, 5, 10)
  • Tommy Barbarella – keyboards (tracks 4, 12)
  • Louis Biancaniello – associate producer, keyboards, programming, and synthesizer arrangements (tracks 2, 13)
  • Vernon "Ice" Black – acoustic guitar (track 6)
  • Atlanta Bliss – horns (tracks 4, 9, 12)
  • Nicole Bradin – background vocals (track 14)
  • Michael Brauer – mixing (tracks 4, 7, 9, 12)
  • Tevin Campbell – lead vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4–7, 9, 10, 12–14), background vocals (tracks 1, 5, 10)
  • Milton Chan – assistant engineer (track 10)
  • Bruck Dawit – assistant mix engineer (tracks 4, 7, 9, 12)
  • David Eike – assistant engineer (track 6)
  • David "Frazeman" Frazer – mixing and vocal engineer (tracks 2, 6, 13, 14)
  • Lori Fumar – assistant engineer (track 10)
  • Tom Garneau – engineer (tracks 4, 9)
  • Nikita Germaine – background vocals (track 14)
  • Brad Gilderman – engineer (track 10)
  • Preston Glass – sitar (track 6), background vocals (track 14)
  • William "DJ" Graves – scratches (track 4)
  • Sandy Griffith – background vocals (track 14)
  • Ray Hahnfeldt – engineer (tracks 4, 7), additional engineering (track 12)
  • Jerry Hey – conductor and string arrangements (track 6)
  • Charlie Hunter – electric guitar (track 6)
  • Skyler Jett – background vocals (track 14)
  • Kathleen Johnson – background vocals (tracks 7, 12)
  • Kirk Johnson – additional production (track 7), percussion (track 4)
  • Quincy Jones – executive producer
  • Ellen Keating – background vocals (track 14)
  • Janice Lee – production coordinator (tracks 2, 6, 13, 14)
  • Eric Leeds – horns and horn arrangements (tracks 4, 9, 12)
  • Tony Lindsay – background vocals (track 14)
  • Mike Mani – associate producer, keyboards, and programming (track 6)
  • Frank "Killer Bee" Martin – synthesized strings (track 14)
  • Leslie Matthews – background vocals (track 14)
  • Benny Medina – executive producer
  • Steve Noonan – engineer (tracks 4, 9, 12)
  • Barney Perkins – mixing (track 10)
  • Prince – producer, arranger, and executive producer (tracks 4, 7, 9, 12)
  • Marc "Elvis" Reyburn – engineer (tracks 2, 6, 13, 14)
  • Claytoven Richardson – background vocals (track 14)
  • Rail Rogut – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 5, 10), strings engineer (track 6)
  • Matt Rohr – assistant engineer (tracks 2, 6, 13, 14)
  • Marc Russo – soprano saxophone (track 13)
  • Levi Seacer Jr. – guitar (track 4)
  • Monty Seward – associate producer, keyboards, and programming (track 6)
  • Cynthia Shiloh – production coordinator (tracks 2, 6, 13, 14)
  • Daryl Simmons – producer (tracks 1, 5, 10)
  • Ivy Skoff – production coordinator (tracks 1, 5, 10)
  • Donnell Sullivan – engineer (tracks 1, 5)
  • Sonny T. – bass (tracks 4, 12)
  • Jeanie Tracy – background vocals (track 14)
  • Kevin Walden – production coordinator (tracks 2, 6, 13, 14)
  • Narada Michael Walden – producer and arranger (tracks 2, 6, 13, 14), rhythm and vocal arrangements (tracks 2, 6), piano (track 14)
  • Randy Walker – MIDI technician (tracks 1, 5, 10)
  • Steve Warner – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 5)
  • Dave Way – mixing (tracks 1, 5)
  • Ulrich Wild – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 5)
  • Jim "Z" Zumpano – engineer (tracks 1, 5)

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for I'm Ready
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[12] Gold 35,000^
United States (RIAA)[8] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Light, Elias (February 12, 2021). "A Teenage Tevin Campbell Didn't Feel Ready to Sing Prince's Songs. Now, He's Glad He Did". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Lytle, Craig. Tevin Campbell: I'm Ready > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "I'm Ready > Product Description". HMV (Japan). Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Johnson, Connie (December 19, 1993). "*** 1/2; TEVIN CAMPBELL; I'm Ready". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  5. ^ Himes, Geoffrey (November 17, 1993). "Recordings: Kudos for Campbell TEVIN CAMPBELL". Washington Post. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Tevin Campbell Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Tevin Campbell Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "American album certifications – Tevin Campbell – I'm Ready". Recording Industry Association of America.
  9. ^ Reynolds, J.R. (June 1, 1996). "Qwest's Tevin Campbell Comes Back 'Back to the World'". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Australiancharts.com – Tevin Campbell – I'm Ready". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1995 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  13. ^ I'm Ready (booklet). Qwest, Warner Bros. 1993.
  14. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1993". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  15. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I%27m_Ready_(Tevin_Campbell_album)&oldid=1303358221"