Biography

Born to Love
Born to Love
Studio album by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack
Released	July 22, 1983
Length	36:13
Label	Capitol
Producer	Michael Masser (1, 7); Burt Bacharach Carole Bayer Sager (2); Bob Crewe Bob Gaudio (3, 6, 8); Peabo Bryson (4, 5); Roberta Flack (9);
Roberta Flack chronology
Peabo Bryson chronology
Singles from Born to Love
	"Tonight I Celebrate My Love / Born to Love"; Released: June 24, 1983; "You're Looking Like Love to Me / Let Me Be the One You Need"; Released: September 12, 1983;

Born to Love is a 1983 studio album of duets by American singers Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack. It was released by Bryson's label Capitol Records on July 22, 1983, in the United States. The album yielded the hit single "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love", written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser. The track "Maybe" was written and recorded for the film Romantic Comedy (1983).

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Smash Hits	4/10^[2]

AllMusic editor Rob Theakston called Born to Love "not an essential album by any means, but nonetheless an enjoyable listen."^[1]

Track listing

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Tonight, I Celebrate My Love"	Gerry Goffin Michael Masser	Masser	3:29
2.	"Blame It on Me"	Michael Masser Cynthia Weil Tom Snow	Burt Bacharach Carole Bayer Sager	4:12
3.	"Heaven Above Me"	Bob Gaudio Bob Crewe	Gaudio Crewe	4:34
4.	"Born to Love"	Bryson	Bryson	4:25

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
5.	"Maybe"	Bacharach Bayer Sager Marvin Hamlisch	Bryson	3:19
6.	"I Just Came Here to Dance"	Kenneth Bell Terry Skinner J.L. Wallace	Gaudio Crewe	3:59
7.	"Comin' Alive"	Goffin Masser	Masser	3:34
8.	"You're Lookin' Like Love to Me"	Crewe Gaudio Jerry Corbetta	Gaudio Crewe	3:59
9.	"Can We Find Love Again"	Roberta Flack Al Johnson	Flack Johnson (ass.)	4:29

Personnel

Musicians

Roberta Flack – lead vocals, backing vocals (9)
Peabo Bryson – lead vocals, backing vocals (4)
Randy Kerber – Fender Rhodes (1), acoustic piano (1)
Michael Boddicker – synthesizers (2, 5)
Greg Phillinganes – acoustic piano (2, 5)
Paul Delph – Prophet-10 programming (3), Prophet-10 (6)
Bob Gaudio – acoustic piano (3), Rhodes piano (3), Prophet-10 (3), programming (3), LinnDrum (3), arrangements (3, 6, 8), vocal arrangements (3, 6, 8), synthesizers (6, 8)
Mark Parrish – Oberheim OB-X (4), Prophet-5 (4)
Vance Taylor – Fender Rhodes (4), Oberheim OB-X (4), Synclavier (4)
Jai Winding – Rhodes piano (6), arrangements (6, 8)
Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (7), synthesizers (7), strings (7), arrangements (7)
Jerry Corbetta – Fender Rhodes (8), Prophet-10 (8), synthesizer solo (8), arrangements (8)
Richard Tee – keyboards (9)
Marcus Miller – synthesizers (9), bass (9)
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars (1, 2, 5)
Dann Huff – guitars (2, 5)
John Hauser – guitars (4)
Richard Horton – guitars (4), guitar synthesizer (4)
Tim May – guitars (6), acoustic guitar (8), electric guitar (8)
Georg Wadenius – guitars (9)
Nathan East – bass (1, 7)
Abraham Laboriel – bass (2, 5)
Leland Sklar – bass (6, 8)
Carlos Vega – drums (1, 6, 7, 8)
Jim Keltner – drums (2, 5)
John Gilston – Simmons drums (3)
Andre Robinson – drums (4)
Paulinho da Costa – percussion (2, 5)
Charles Bryson – percussion (4)
Bobbye Hall – bongos (8), congas (8)
Anthony MacDonald – percussion (9)
Pete Christlieb – saxophone solo (3, 6)
Ron Dover – tenor saxophone (4), backing vocals (4)
Daniel Dillard – trumpet (4)
Thaddeus Johnson – trumpet (4), flugelhorn (4)
Felipe Mantine – flute (9)
Michael Masser – rhythm arrangements (1)
Gene Page – rhythm arrangements (1), orchestration (1), strings (7)
Frank DeCaro – music contractor (2, 5)
Mary Bridges – backing vocals (3)
Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (3)
Patricia Hall – backing vocals (3)
Luther Waters – backing vocals (3)
Oren Waters – backing vocals (3)
Mona Lisa Young – backing vocals (3, 6, 8)
Terry Young – backing vocals (3, 6, 8)
Myra Walker – backing vocals (4)
Dwight W. Watkins – backing vocals (4)
Shirley Brewer – backing vocals (6, 8)
Al Johnson – backing vocals (9), arrangements (9)

Production

Don Grierson – executive producer
Varnell Johnson – executive producer
Michael Masser – producer (1, 7)
Burt Bacharach – producer (2, 5)
Carole Bayer Sager – producer (2, 5)
Bob Crewe – producer (3, 6, 8)
Bob Gaudio – producer (3, 6, 8)
Peabo Bryson – producer (4)
Ed Seay – assistant producer (4), engineer (4)
Roberta Flack – producer (9)
Al Johnson – associate producer (9)
Jeremy Smith – engineer (1, 7)
Howard Wolin – engineer (1, 7)
Bruce Swedien – engineer (2, 5)
Tony D'Amico – engineer (3, 6, 8), recording (3, 6, 8), mixing (8)
Jay Messina – vocal recording (3, 6, 8)
Tom Swift – vocal recording assistant (3, 6, 8)
Eric Calvi – first engineer (9)
Kendall Brown – second engineer (9)
Steve Marcantonio – recording (9)
Dick Bogart – mixing (1, 7)
Russ Terrano – mixing (1, 7)
Lee DeCarlo – mixing (3, 6)
Jim Bell – mix assistant (3, 6, 8), assistant engineer (8), recording assistant (8)
Roy Kohara – art direction
John O'Brien – design
Beverly Parker – photography
Lamarries Moses – stylist
Roger St. Pierre – liner notes

Studios

Recorded at Record Plant (New York, NY); Westlake Studios and New Sound Labs (Los Angeles, CA); Studio Sound Recorders (North Hollywood, CA); A&M Studios and Music Grinder Studios (Hollywood, CA).
Mixed at Record Plant; New Sound Labs; Motown / Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios (Hollywood, CA).

Charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[3]	21
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[4]	43
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[5]	50
UK Albums (OCC)^[6]	15
US Billboard 200^[7]	25
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[8]	8

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[9]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ ^a ^b Theakston, Rob. Born to Love at AllMusic
^ Dellar, Fred (29 September – 12 October 1983). "Albums: Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack — Born to Love (Capitol)" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 5, no. 20. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 21. ISSN 0260-3004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023 – via World Radio History.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack – Born To Love" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
^ "Charts.nz – Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack – Born To Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack – Born To Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
^ "PEABO BRYSON & ROBERTA FLACK | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
^ "American album certifications – PEABO BRYSON & ROBERTA FLACK – Born to Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

[AllMusic-1] Theakston, Rob. Born to Love at AllMusic

[2] Dellar, Fred (29 September – 12 October 1983). "Albums: Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack — Born to Love (Capitol)" (PDF). Smash Hits. Vol. 5, no. 20. Peterborough: EMAP National Publications, Ltd. p. 21. ISSN 0260-3004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 May 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023 – via World Radio History.

[ac_Netherlands_Peabo_Bryson_&_Roberta_Flack-3] "Dutchcharts.nl – Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack – Born To Love" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

[RIANZ-4] "Charts.nz – Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack – Born To Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

[ac_Sweden_Peabo_Bryson_&_Roberta_Flack-5] "Swedishcharts.com – Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack – Born To Love". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

[ac_UK_PEABO_BRYSON_&_ROBERTA_FLACK-6] "PEABO BRYSON & ROBERTA FLACK | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

[Billboard200-7] "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

[BillboardRandBHipHop-8] "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

[United_StatesPEABO_BRYSON_&_ROBERTA_FLACKBorn_to_LovealbumCertRef-9] "American album certifications – PEABO BRYSON & ROBERTA FLACK – Born to Love". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 30, 2021.

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Roberta Flack
Studio albums	First Take (1969) Chapter Two (1970) Quiet Fire (1971) Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (1972) Killing Me Softly (1973) Feel Like Makin' Love (1975) Blue Lights in the Basement (1977) Roberta Flack (1978) Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway (1980) I'm the One (1982) Born to Love (1983) Oasis (1988) Set the Night to Music (1991) Roberta (1994) The Christmas Album (1997)
Live albums	Live & More (1980) At Her Best – Live (2008)
Soundtrack albums	Soul To Soul (1971) Bustin' Loose (1981)
Compilation albums	The Best of Roberta Flack (1981) Greatest Hits (1984) Softly with These Songs: The Best of Roberta Flack (1993) The Very Best of Roberta Flack (2006)
Singles	"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" "You've Got a Friend" "Where Is the Love" "Killing Me Softly with His Song" "Jesse" (1973) "Feel Like Makin' Love" "The Closer I Get to You" "If Ever I See You Again" "Making Love" "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" "Oasis" "Uh-Uh Ooh-Ooh Look Out (Here It Comes)"
Filmography	Soul To Soul (1971)
Related articles	Discography Donny Hathaway

Peabo Bryson
Discography
Studio albums	Peabo (1976) Reaching for the Sky (1977) Crosswinds (1978) We're the Best of Friends (1979) Paradise (1980) I Am Love (1981) Born to Love (1983) Straight from the Heart (1984) Take No Prisoners (1985) Quiet Storm (1986) Positive (1988) All My Love (1989) Can You Stop the Rain (1991) Through the Fire (1994) Peace on Earth (1997) Unconditional Love (1999) Missing You (2007) Stand for Love (2018)
Live albums	Live & More (1980)
Singles	"What You Won't Do for Love" (1979) "Let the Feeling Flow" (1981) "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" (1983) "I Just Came Here to Dance" (1984) "If Ever You're in My Arms Again" (1984) "Without You" (1987) "Show & Tell" (1989) "Can You Stop the Rain" (1991) "A Whole New World" (1992) "By the Time This Night Is Over" (1993)