Jennifer Holliday’s Track “Heartstrings” (1983)

Here’s the track “Heartstrings,” recorded during the sessions for Jennifer Holliday’s 1983 album, Feel My Soul. The song was the B-side for the singles “I Am Love,” and “Shine A Light” but was not included on the album.

“Heartstrings”
Written by Maurice, David Foster, Allee Willis
Produced by Maurice for Kalimba Productions

Maurice:
…in Studio B (at the Complex), I was producing Jennifer Holliday’s (1983) debut album, Feel My Soul, for David Geffen’s label. Jennifer was the newest and brightest thing on Broadway. She had just been in Your Arms Too Short to Box with God and Dreamgirls, which made her a star. David Foster, Allee Willis, and I wrote a beautiful, theatrical ballad for her called “I Am Love.” She sang the hell out of it. It was a hit on the black chart, but it did not achieve the same level of success on the pop charts.

– Maurice White. My Life With Earth, Wind & Fire, by Maurice White with Herb Powell, 2016.

Musicians on the album;
Lead & Background Vocals: Jennifer Holliday
Additional Vocals: Maurice, Wanda Vaughn, Jeanette Hawes, Crystal Wilson
Vocoder: Larry Dunn
Keyboards: Wayne Vaughn, David Foster, Bill Meyers, Edwin Hawkins
Synthesizer: Robbie Buchanan, Greg Phillinganes
Synthesizer Effects: Mike Cotten
Bass: Nathan East
Guitars: Roland Bautista, Carlos Rios, Caleb Quaye
Drums: Ricky Lawson, Fred White
Percussion: Paulinho da Costa

Background Vocal Arrangements by Maurice & Wanda Vaughn
Horn and String Arrangements by Bill Meyers
Horn Arrangements by Jerry Hey
String Arrangements by Jeremy Lubbock