Ready for the World

Ready for the World
Origin Flint, Michigan, USA
Genres R&B, funk, soul, pop, electro, new jack swing
Years active 1982–1991
2004–present
Labels MCA Records
Thump Records
Members Melvin Riley
Gordon Strozier
Gregory Potts
Willie Triplett
John Eaton
Gerald Valentine
Notable instruments
bass, guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, drums

Ready for the World is an American R&B band from Flint, Michigan, that scored several pop, soul, and dance hits in the mid to late 1980s. They were founded by Melvin Riley and Gordon Strozier.

History

The group originally consisted of frontman Melvin Riley, Gordon Strozier (lead guitar), Gregory Potts (keyboards), Willie Triplett (percussion/keyboards), John Eaton (bass guitar), and Gerald Valentine (drums). They had performed throughout Flint at high school talent shows and were discovered by WJLB Detroit Radio personality The Electrifying Mojo in 1982. They gained regional fame with their first release, "Tonight," in 1983. "Tonight" was an underground hit in Flint and Detroit which helped garner them national prominence shortly after their signing under the MCA label. They recorded their debut album, Ready for the World, during 1984 with producer Bernard Terry and engineer Charles Brown, Jr.

Success

In 1985, the band signed to the Steven Machat-Rick Smith management company, AMI. The agreement with MCA was redrawn, and promotion and marketing dollars were committed to promote the group. This proved successful as the group was steered to #1 on the US pop charts as well as top five in all the Western European countries and Australia, with their best-known hit "Oh Sheila." In the US, this song went to #1 on the R&B, Pop Charts, and the Hot Dance Club Play charts that year, becoming the first ever single to hold the #1 spot on all three of these charts simultaneously. The song "Digital Display" followed and hit #21.

In 1986, the band released their second album, Long Time Coming, produced by: Gary Spaniola which returned them to the Top 10 on the pop charts with the slow jam, "Love You Down," which peaked at #9.

Ready for the World went on to release several more albums that failed to capture the success of the group's first two releases, and as a result, they disbanded in 1991.

Post-breakup

After the breakup, lead singer Riley went on to record solo albums. He released Ghetto Love on MCA in 1994 and Bedroom Stories on the independent label Bogard Entertainment Group in 2000. A Ready for the World reunion album She Said She Wants Some followed in 2004 featuring mostly urban ballads.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Album Chart Positions[1] US
Certifications[2]
Record Label
US US
R&B
1985 Ready for the World 17 3 Platinum MCA
1986 Long Time Coming 32 5 Gold
1988 Ruff N' Ready 65 17
1991 Straight Down to Business 43
2004 She Said She Wants Some Thump
2011 Love, Money & Music
"" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified

Compilation albums

Year Album Chart Positions Record Label
US US
R&B
1993 Oh Sheila! Ready for the World's Greatest Hits MCA
2002 The Millennium Collection: The Best of Ready for the World
"" denotes the album failed to chart

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions[1][3][4][5] Album
US US
R&B
US
A/C
US
Dance
UK
1984 "Tonight" 103 6 Ready For The World
"Deep Inside Your Love" 6
1985 "Oh Sheila" 1 1 1 50
"Digital Display" 21 4 3
1986 "Slide Over" 57
"Ceramic Girl" 82
"Love You Down" 9 1 24 60 Long Time Coming
1987 "Mary Goes 'Round" 23
"Long Time Coming" 54
"Here I Am"
1988 "My Girly" 6 49 Ruff N' Ready
"Gently" 30
1989 "Shame"
"Cowboy"
1991 "Straight Down to Business" 15 Straight Down to Business
"Can He Do It (Like This, Can He Do It Like That)" 9
"" denotes the single failed to chart

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Ready for the World Chart History". billboard.com. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  2. "Ready for the World U.S. Certification History". riaa.com. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  3. "Ready for the World Chart History". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  4. "Ready for the World UK Chart History". chartstats.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 451. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links

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