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• Deluxe collection of expanded editions of the four best-selling albums by the ever-soulful Howard Hewett whose rise to international prominence began with the global hit making trio Shalamar.
• Featuring 56 tracks, this first-of-its-kind 4CD box set is titled after ‘I’m For Real’, Howard’s Top 5 RnB hit single from his debut Elektra LP, ‘I Commit To Love’.
• With photographs from Howard’s personal collection featured in the stellar artwork by Roger Williams, plus excellent mastering by Nick Robbins, ‘I’m For Real’ is co- produced by acclaimed music historian and writer Tim Dillinger and SoulMusic.com
founder David Nathan, whose liner notes for the box set include extensive 2022 quotes and comments from Howard himself.
Standout tracks include ‘Show Me’, another Top 5 R&B charted single, ‘Say Amen’, a fixture in Howard’s live performances since 1986; the duet, ‘When Will It Be’ with then-Elektra labelmate Anita Baker; and Howard’s vocal pairing with Stacy Lattisaw on the Motown classic, ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’.
The box set also features nine bonus tracks, including some rarities such as Howard’s little-known 1985 duet with Roberta Flack, ‘Let Me Be A Light Shine’; the George Duke- produced ‘Obsession’ from the soundtrack of The Heavenly Kid; a cover of the 1958 doowop classic ‘The Ten Commandments Of Love’ from the 1989 compilation, ‘Rock, Rhythm And Blues’.
Tracklist
DISC ONE:
I COMMIT TO LOVE (Expanded Edition)
1 Stay
2 I’m For Real
3 Last Forever
4 I Commit To Love
5 In A Crazy Way
6 Love Don’t Wanna Wait
7 I Got 2 Go
8 Eye On You
9 Let’s Try It All Over Again
10 Say Amen
Bonus Tracks
11 Roberta Flack/Howard Hewett: Let Me Be A Light To Shine
12 I’m For Real (Single Edit)
13 Stay (Before Midnight Mix)
14 Obsession (From The Heavenly Kid Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
DISC TWO:
FOREVER AND EVER (Expanded Edition)
1 Strange Relationship
2 Natural Love
3 Once, Twice, Three Times
4 You’ll Find Another Man
5 Forever And Ever
6 Shakin’ My Emotion
7 Share A Love
8 This Time
9 Challenge
10 Goodbye Good Friday
11 Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (with Stacey Lattisaw)
12 Say Amen (New Vocal Version)
Bonus Tracks
13 The Ten Commandments of Love
14 Strange Relationship (Extended Version)
DISC THREE:
HOWARD HEWETT (Expanded Edition)
1 Howard Hewett/Anita Baker – When Will It Be
2 Show Me
3 If I Could Only Have That Day Back
4 Let Me Show You How To Fall In Love
5 I Do
6 The More I Get (The More I Want)
7 Let’s Get Deeper
8 Shadow
9 I Know You’ll Be Back
10 Don’t Give In
11 Jesus
Bonus Track
12 If I Could Only Have That Day Back (12″ Extended Vocal)
13 Can’t Tell You Why
DISC FOUR:
ALLEGIANCE (Expanded Edition)
1 To Thee I Pray: Intro
2 Save Your Sex For Me
3 Allegiance
4 Can We Try Again
5 How Fast Forever Goes
6 Can’t Get Over Your Love
7 To Thee I Pray: Interlude
8 Say You Will
9 Take It To the Highest
10 From This Day On
11 Ronnie-O
12 Masquerade
13 Just Like A Woman
14 To Thee I Pray
Bonus Tracks
15 David Sanborn ft. Howard Hewett: Got To Give It Up