Johnny Bristol: Free To Be Me [Full Album, Expanded Version] (1981)

Johnny Bristol was born in North Carolina, 1939, and moved to Detroit in the late 50s where he became established at the local music scene and eventually became a songwriter and producer for Motown, working with the likes of The Velvelettes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Gladys Knights & The Pips, Tammi Terrell, and Diana Ross & The Supremes whose final #1 single in 1970 was a cover of Bristol's own Someday We'll Be Together.

He left Motown in 1973 and signed a deal with MGM Records, landing a big hit with his debut single, the Barry White-influenced Hang On In There Baby (UK #3, US #8) at the same time when The Osmonds's version of his song Love Me For A Reason hit #1 in the UK. Another album followed for MGM before he switched to Atlantic where two more albums followed.

By 1980 he signed with Ariola/Hansa and first recorded two duets with Amii Stewart, the A-side of which - a medley of The Temptations' My Girl and Mary Wells' My Guy - which reached #39 in the UK charts. His debut solo single on the label was the gorgeous Love No Longer Has A Hold On Me which became a favourite on the soul circuit. It took another year before the album Free To Be Me was finally released, October 1981, launched with the single Take Me Down. Unfortunately the album was fairly overlooked, and Bristol did not record again before teaming up for Ian Levine's Motorcity label in the late 80s. His final album Life & Love was only released in Japan in 1993. Bristol died in Michigan in 2004, 65 years old, and has left us with a wonderful musical legacy, some of which can be sampled on this album where I have included the long 12" versions.

00:01 Love No Longer Has A Hold On Me (Long Version)
06:16 Take Me Down (Long Version)
12:14 Hold On To Love
16:00 Till I See You Again
19:40 Rosebud
24:20 Sweet And Deep (Duet With Linda Evans)
(Promo-Only Long Version)
31:14 Loving And Free
34:58 Love Is On Tonight
39:57 Share With Me Your Dreams (Duet With Linda Evans)
43:48 If I Can't Stop You

BONUS TRACKS:
47:20 Love No Longer Has A Hold On Me (Single Version)
51:12 Hang On In There Baby (Duet With Alton McClain & Destiny)
55:14 My Guy/My Girl (Duet With Amii Stewart)
59:11 Now (Duet With Amii Stewart)

Видео Johnny Bristol: Free To Be Me [Full Album, Expanded Version] (1981) канала Søren Jensen