Free (For Real album)
Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=It's a Natural Thang1994studioFreeFor Real - Free.jpgFor RealTemplate:Start dateDecember 1995–July 1996Template:HlistR&BTemplate:DurationRowdyTemplate:Hlistx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Template:Music ratings Free is the second studio album by American R&B group For Real. It was released on September 17, 1996 via Rowdy Records. Recording sessions took place at D.A.R.P. Studios and Silent Studios in Atlanta, at Riversound Studios in Lithonia, at the Record Plant, SoulPower Studio and Saturn Sound in Los Angeles. Production was handled by Dallas Austin, Soulshock, Babyface, Craig B, Daryl Simmons, Mario Winans, Stephen Bray and Tony Shepperd. In the United States, the album debuted at number 100 on the Top R&B Albums chart. Its lead single, "Like I Do", peaked at number 72 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 45 on the UK singles chart and number 49 in New Zealand. The follow-up single, "The Saddest Song I Ever Heard", only made it to number 65 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The song "Love Will Be Waiting at Home" previously appeared in Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album.
Track listing
- Sample credits
- Track 3 contains portions of "Soulful Strut" performed by Young-Holt Unlimited.
Personnel
- Necia Bray – vocals
- Josina Elder – vocals
- Latanyia Baldwin – vocals
- Wendi Williams – vocals
- Craig B – bass (tracks: 6, 9), guitar (track 9), producer (track 13)
- Daryl Simmons – keyboards & producer (track 8)
- Vance Taylor – piano (track 8)
- Ronnie Garrett – bass (track 8)
- Tomi Martin – guitar (track 10)
- Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – keyboards & producer (track 11)
- Alex Alessandroni – acoustic piano (track 11)
- Michael Thompson – bass (track 11)
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion (track 11)
- Trevor Veitch – guitar (track 12)
- Reggie Hamilton – bass (track 12)
- James Raymond – keyboards (track 12)
- Stephen Bray – percussion & producer (track 12)
- Curt Bisquera – percussion & drum programming (track 12)
- Abe Laboriel Jr. – percussion (track 12)
- Bill Meyers – strings conductor (track 12)
- Suzie Katayama – cello (track 12)
- Henry Ferber – violin (track 12)
- Ruth Johnson – violin (track 12)
- Karie Prescott – viola (track 12)
- Rick Sheppard – programming (tracks: 2-5, 10)
- Dallas Austin – producer (tracks: 1-5, 10), executive producer
- Carsten "Soulshock" Schack – producer & mixing (tracks: 6, 9, 13)
- Mario Winans – producer (track 7)
- Tony Shepperd – producer & engineering (track 12)
- Kenneth Karlin – additional vocal producer (track 13), mixing (tracks: 6, 9)
- Leslie Brathwaite – recording (tracks: 1-5, 10), mixing (tracks: 1-5)
- Manolo "Manny Marroquin" Marroquín – recording & mixing (tracks: 6, 9, 13)
- Brian Smith – recording & mixing (track 7)
- Thom Kidd – recording (track 8)
- Brad Gilderman – recording (track 11)
- Jon Gass – mixing (tracks: 8, 11)
- Neal H Pogue – mixing (track 10)
- Carlton Lynn – engineering assistant (tracks: 1-5, 10)
- Paul Thompson – engineering assistant (track 4)
- Kenny Hickson – engineering assistant (track 7)
- Alex Lowe – engineering assistant (track 8)
- Kevin Lively – engineering assistant (track 8)
- Mike Alvord – engineering assistant (track 8)
- Ricciano "Ricco" Lumpkins – engineering assistant (track 10)
- Herb Powers Jr. – mastering
- Sandy Lawrence – design
- RJ Muna – cover photo
- Arnold Turner – photography
- David Gates – A&R
- Kim Lumpkin – coordinator
Charts
| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> | 100 |