Two of the 80-90s triumvirate

[GoogaMooga]

Okay, so I have turned on to the music of the big 80s-90s balladeers Luther Vandross and Alexander O'Neal (his Xmas album is unbelievably good), am I ready for the third party of the triumvirate? Am I ready for... Freddie Jackson? I've got them right, haven't I? They ARE the triumvirate of that period.

[inthenextlife]

Okay, so I have turned on to the music of the big 80s-90s balladeers Luther Vandross and Alexander O'Neal (his Xmas album is unbelievably good), am I ready for the third party of the triumvirate? Am I ready for... Freddie Jackson? I've got them right, haven't I? They ARE the triumvirate of that period.

George Benson

[GoogaMooga]

Okay, so I have turned on to the music of the big 80s-90s balladeers Luther Vandross and Alexander O'Neal (his Xmas album is unbelievably good), am I ready for the third party of the triumvirate? Am I ready for... Freddie Jackson? I've got them right, haven't I? They ARE the triumvirate of that period.

George Benson

Speaking of whom, "Give me the Night" was the album that FINALLY turned me on to soul, back in 81.

[inthenextlife]

Okay, so I have turned on to the music of the big 80s-90s balladeers Luther Vandross and Alexander O'Neal (his Xmas album is unbelievably good), am I ready for the third party of the triumvirate? Am I ready for... Freddie Jackson? I've got them right, haven't I? They ARE the triumvirate of that period.

George Benson

Speaking of whom, "Give me the Night" was the album that FINALLY turned me on to soul, back in 81.

Great song. Superb voice and a brilliant guitarist.

[GoogaMooga]

Will Downing deserves a mention, too, although he was not as prolific. Have you heard his vocal on A Love Supreme? Mesmerizing.

[inthenextlife]

Will Downing deserves a mention, too, although he was not as prolific. Have you heard his vocal on A Love Supreme? Mesmerizing.

Good shout, but more of a one-hit-wonder. In the U.K. anyway.

[zphage]

What about Jeffrey Osborne?

[never/ever]

James Ingram?

[GoogaMooga]

The last two mentioned here I know by name only.

[never/ever]

Ingram's probably more known for a couple of duets he recorded





And this is the type of ballad he so easily does.

[GoogaMooga]

I know the two duets, but always associated them with Patti and Michael. Will have to look into his solo catalog.

[inthenextlife]

What about Jeffrey Osborne?

Good call.

[sloopjohnc]

What about Jeffrey Osborne?

If Googs goes with Osborne, I suggest starting out with LTD. Like Lionel Richie, he's way more fun in his group, the Commodores, than he was on his own.

[GoogaMooga]

What about Jeffrey Osborne?

If Googs goes with Osborne, I suggest starting out with LTD. Like Lionel Richie, he's way more fun in his group, the Commodores, than he was on his own.

Lionel Richie solo is not on the map for me. Commodores however, are. So it might just be LTD. Perhaps there wasn't a third big balladeer in that period after all? One that can measure up to Vandross and O'Neal?

[sloopjohnc]

Perhaps there wasn't a third big balladeer in that period after all? One that can measure up to Vandross and O'Neal?

I worked in lots of record stores during this time and I'm trying to wrack my brain of who a third one might be.

Hopefully, it comes to me.

[slightbreeze]

Teddy Prendergrass

[zphage]

by sales it would be:
kelly
vandross
richie
wonder
sweat
white

[zphage]

the irony might be
Phil Collins might be
the third option
as he did quite well within the African American community
at this time

[GoogaMooga]

Phil Collins?? That's a cruel irony.

Pendergrass was a giant in his field, but I think he died in the early '80s and consequently didn't define that period as much.

[sloopjohnc]

the irony might be
Phil Collins might be
the third option
as he did quite well within the African American community
at this time

Really? What African-American community might that be.