This Is Niecy - Misplaced Pages

This Is Niecy is the debut album of American R&B singer Deniece Williams released on August 13, 1976 by Columbia Records. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 33 on the Billboard 200. The album has been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA and Silver in the UK by the BPI.

Overview

The album was remastered and reissued with bonus tracks in 2013 by Big Break Records.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
BBC	(favourable)
Record Mirror
Variety	(favourable)

With a 4.5 out of 5 star rating, Andy Kellman of Allmusic declared "This Is Niecy is a great complement to Earth, Wind & Fire's Spirit, released the same year -- not only for its overlapping personnel, but also for its greatness." David O' Donnell of the BBC noted "what really shines from the album is Williams' distinctive soprano voice, range and acrobatic vocal ability which confirms her as one of the greatest R&B and soul singers of her time." Sheila Prophet of Record Mirror gave the album a four out of five star rating. calling This Is Niecy "a great first album", Prophet added "Niecy's voice combines the silkiness of Diana Ross with the exuberance of Linda Lewis".

Singles

Singles from the album were "Free" which reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"It's Important to Me"	Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Fritz Baskett	4:21
2.	"That's What Friends Are For"	Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Fritz Baskett, Lani Groves	4:27
3.	"How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away"	Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Lani Groves	3:49
4.	"Cause You Love Me, Baby"	Deniece Williams	4:08

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
5.	"Free"	Deniece Williams, Hank Redd, Nathan Watts, Susaye Greene	5:57
6.	"Watching Over"	Deniece Williams, Maurice White, Freddie White, Verdine White, Jerry Peters, Al McKay	3:53
7.	"If You Don't Believe"	Deniece Williams, Clarence McDonald, Fritz Baskett	7:54

2012 remastered reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
8.	"Free" (Short Single Version)	2:52
9.	"That's What Friends Are For" (Single Version)	3:47
10.	"Free" (Long Single Version)	3:27

Personnel

Deniece Williams – lead and backing vocals
Maurice White – drums, backing vocals
Freddie White – drums, percussion
Verdine White – bass
Al McKay – guitar
Jerry Peters – acoustic piano, electric piano
George Bohanon, Randy Aldcroft – trombone
Gale Robinson, Sidney Muldrow – French Horn
Oscar Brashear, Steve Madaio – trumpet
Ernie Watts, Plas Johnson, Ray Pizzi, Terry Harrington – woodwinds
Sidney Barnes – backing vocals

Production

Producers – Charles Stepney and Maurice White
Engineer – George Massenburg
Assistant Engineers – Steve Hodge and Dean Rod
Mastered by Mike Reese at The Mastering Lab (Los Angeles, CA).
Design – Ron Coro and Norm Ung
Photography – Ethan Russell and Jimmy Shea
Management – Cavallo-Ruffalo Management

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1977)	Peak position
UK Albums (OCC)	26
US Billboard 200	33
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)	3

Year-end charts

Chart (1977)	Position
US Billboard 200	55
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)	19

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
Year	Single	US Pop	US R&B	US Dance	UK Pop Singles
1976	"It's Important to Me"	—	—	13	—
1977	"Free"	25	2	1	1
	"Cause You Love Me, Baby"	—	74	—	—
	"That's What Friends Are For"	—	65	—	8

References

Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy. Columbia Records. August 1976.
"Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy (Top Soul Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard.
"Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy (Billboard 200)". billboard.com. Billboard.
"Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy". RIAA.com.
"Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy". bpi.co.uk.
^ Kellman, Andy. "Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
^ O'Donnell, David (2008). "Deniece Williams This Is Niecy Review". bbc.co.uk. BBC.
^ Prophet, Sheila (May 21, 1977). "Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Record Mirror. p. 16.
"Music-Records: Havens, Parliament, Bridgewater, Connors, Mann, Deodato, Horn, Winchester, Williams Top LPs". Variety. Vol. 284, no. 9. 6 October 1976. pp. 62, 68. ProQuest 1401295366.
"Deniece Williams: Free (Hot Soul Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
"Deniece Williams: Free (Hot 100)". billboard.com. Billboard.
^ "Deniece Williams". officialcharts.com. Official Charts.
"Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
"Deniece Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
"Deniece Williams Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
"Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1977". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
"Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1977". Billboard. Retrieved September 24, 2021.

External links

This Is Niecy at Discogs (list of releases)

v t e Deniece Williams
Studio albums	This Is Niecy (1976) Song Bird (1977) When Love Comes Calling (1979) My Melody (1981) Niecy (1982) I'm So Proud (1983) Let's Hear It for the Boy (1984) So Glad I Know (1986) Water Under the Bridge (1987) Special Love (1989) This Is My Song (1998)
Duet albums	That's What Friends Are For (1978) (with Johnny Mathis)
Compilation albums	From the Beginning (1990)
Singles	"Free" (1976) "That's What Friends Are For" (1977) "Baby, Baby My Love's All for You" (1977) "I've Got the Next Dance" (1979) "What Two Can Do" (1981) "Silly" (1981) "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" (1982) "Waiting by the Hotline" (1982) "Do What You Feel" (1983) "I'm So Proud" (1983) "Let's Hear It for the Boy" (1984) "Next Love" (1984) "Black Butterfly" (1984) "Wiser and Weaker" (1986) "Never Say Never" (1987) "I Confess" (1987) "I Can't Wait" (1988) "This Is as Good as It Gets" (1988)
Duet singles	"Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" (1978) (with Johnny Mathis) "You're All I Need to Get By" (1978) (with Johnny Mathis) "Love Won't Let Me Wait" (1984) (with Johnny Mathis)
Related topics	Discography Family Ties

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