Who were your favorite producers and what do you think were their crowning achievements?

some of my favorites:

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (SOS's Weekend Girl, Human League's Human, Force MDs' Love Is A House, Janet Jackson's Control and Rhythm Nation, Morris Day's Fishnet)

Leon Sylvers(Real To Reel's Love Me Like This, Shalamar's Take That To The Bank, Dynasty's Adeventures In The Land Of Music)

Leroy Burgess(High Frequency's Summertime, Rick James' Big Time, The Todd Terry Project's Weekend, Aleem's Get Loose, Convertion's Let's Do It)

Prince.

Leon Sylvers III and Jimmy & Terry off tops.

- Al & Irene Perkins : Alicia Myers / Burgess Gardner / Oliver Cheatham / One Way / Vee Allen

- Eumir Deodato : Con Funk Shun / Juicy / Kleeer / One Way

- Jaques Fred Petrus : BB&Q Band / Change / High Fashion / Zinc

- Jimmy Douglas : Slave / Skwares / Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame

- Larry Blackmon : Barabara Mitchell / Cameo / Ca$hflow / L.A. Connection / Mantra / Reddings

- Lenny White (a.k.a. Flare Funston) : Juicy / Twennynine / Wax

- Lionel Job : Marz / Southroad Connection / Starpoint

- Lonnie Simmons : Billy & Baby Gap / Gap Band / Robert "Goodie" Whitfield / Yarbrough & Peoples / Pennye Ford

Luther Vandross & Marcus Miller :
- Aretha Franklin - Jump To It (1982)
- Aretha Franklin - Get It Right (1983)
- Cheryl Lynn - Instant Love (1982)

- Michael Stokes : Active Force / Enchantment / Magic Lady

- Randy Muller : Brass Construction / First Circle / Funk Deluxe / Skyy

- Russell Timmons : Lew Kirton / Reddings / Tyrone "Tystick" Brunson

James "Mtume" Heath : Gary Bartz / Mtume / Roy Ayers / Stephanie Mills / Tyrone "Tystick" Brunson

Stanley Clarke : Kent Jordan / Natalie Cole / Ramsey Lewis / Rodney Franklin / Roy Ayers

Shango said:

Forgot about Mtume.

Timmy84 said:

He also produced in 1981 some tracks for his pops & uncle, The Heath Brothers, lol.

Shango said:

I think I kept hearing their one or two songs they always played on the radio, lol.

Timmy84 said:

For real ? They played those Heath Brothers-tracks on radio ? Cool, never heard them being broadcasted.

Forgot these :

Leon "Ndugu" Chancler & Reggie Andrews : Dazz Band / General Caine / Kiddo / Klique

Shango said:

Nah, I'm just saying that to be messin' around. OF COURSE THEY WON'T PLAY NOTHING THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE.

Tripple true

I would say Jam and Lewis were my top favs of the 80s. They wrote and produced so many timeless songs that will live on forever. Most of them sound just as fresh today as they did almost 30 years ago.

Also on that list:
Mtume
Babyface and LA Reid
Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards
Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller
Prince
Teddy Riley
Michael J. Powell
James Carmichael
[Edited 6/18/09 13:02pm]

daPrettyman said:

Quick.....compare the SKILLS of those producers..... 2 todays producers.

Graycap23 said:

Graycap23 said:

These guys could play instruments and knew music. Today's cats are all about a beat and lack musicianship and musicality.

Jam & Lewis

Can't leave out Trevor Horn (ABC, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Art of Noise)

kevinpnb said:

Forgot about him. I would also add Arif Mardin (I think that's how you spell his last name). If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have gotten Chaka's "I Feel For You".

You could also add Russ Titleman and David Foster.

Graycap23 said:

Other than Sheila, Apollonia, Vanity & Times.

The dwarf couldn't produce worth a damn I'm still sore at the 1/2 assed songs he threw on Chaka & Patti Labelle.
[Edited 6/18/09 14:18pm]

Harlepolis said:

His own work doesn't count?

Graycap23 said:

I think we're talking about producers of other artists here

I think

Harlepolis said:

I don't think so. The topic is about producers, not singers, performers, etc.

Jam and Lewis
Full Force
Teddy Riley
Marley Marl

Shango said:

Damn

I'd add Kashif and Terry & Jimmy though.

Good lookin' out on Michael Stokes & Lenny White btw, they don't get alot of props for their craft. Esp Mr.Stokes.

Q

Stock Aitken Waterman:
Kylie Mingoue
Dead or Alive
Donna Summer
Bannarama
Rick Astley
LaToya Jackson
Samantha Fox
and many others

Arif Mardin (though most of his work on "i feel for you" album is contender for most overproduced album ever, but I loved some of his work on other albums)

David Foster

Robert "mutt" lange

Desmond Child

Michael Omartian

Keith Forsey

Harold Faltermeyer

Georgio Moroder

Andre Cymone

Prince

Peter Wolf

Robbie Buchanan

Maurice White

Jay Graydon

Paul Devilliers (just a few tracks but I love them still)

Steve Barri/Tony Peluso

Hammer and slater (just a few tracks but I love them)

Glen Ballard and Clif Magness

Humberto Gattica (more an egineer/mixer but did do a few great production jobs)

Michael Sembello

Pat Leonard

Mic Murphy and David Frank

Robert Brookins

Jam/Lewis

Dennis Lambert

Jay Gruska

Phil Collins

Martin Page

Keith Olsen

Michael Lloyd

Denny Diante

Phil Thornalley

etc...

thesexofit said:

As far as the 80s were concerned, 1980-83 were his bright years, he lost me after that. 80s weren't his best years.

But he came back like a storm in the 90s untill he passed away.

Jam and Lewis(everydam body)
Jesse Johnson (TaMara & the seen, Janet Jackson, SueAnn Carwell,DaKrash(later known as Kool Skool), Cheryl Lynn, Vanity, After 7's Nights like this
Allen A. Jones(Barkays,Ebonee Webb,Kwick,Albert King,Chocolate Milk)
Maurice White(EWF, Emotions, the Pockets)
Nick Martinelli,Ron Kersey(Stephanie Mills)
Lonnie Simmons(Gap band, Yarborough&Peoples, Robert"goodie"Whitfield
Larry Blackmon(Cameo,Ca$hflow,Mantra)