# Soul Provider > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Soul_Provider > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Soul_Provider.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Provider > Source revision: 1345671751 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) ***Soul Provider*** is the sixth [studio album](/source/Studio_album) by [American](/source/United_States) recording artist [Michael Bolton](/source/Michael_Bolton). The album was released on June 26, 1989, by [Columbia Records](/source/Columbia_Records)/CBS.[1] The album has sold 12.5 million copies worldwide.[2] Containing five US top 40 hits (including three that reached the top 10), *Soul Provider* achieved longevity on the charts. The album spent almost four years on the [*Billboard* 200](/source/Billboard_200) and peaked at number 3.[3] It was certified 6× Platinum by the [Recording Industry Association of America](/source/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America) (RIAA).[4] For the single version of "Georgia on My Mind", CBS edited out [Michael Brecker](/source/Michael_Brecker)'s saxophone solo and replaced it with one by [Kenny G](/source/Kenny_G).[5] ## Reception *Soul Provider* has received generally mixed reviews from critics. [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic) retrospectively described it as "more of the same", but noted that due to this album, Bolton "was now stoking the romantic fires in bedrooms across America".[6] [Robert Christgau](/source/Robert_Christgau) gave the album a negative review, declaring Bolton to be "indistinguishable from pop metal except in the wattage of his guitar parts and the shamelessness of his song doctors."[7] *[The Rolling Stone Album Guide](/source/The_Rolling_Stone_Album_Guide)* described the album as the beginning of Bolton's descent into overdone and disrespectful covers, though they added that some of the self-penned performances on the album showed potential.[8] ## Personnel ### Musicians - Michael Bolton – vocals, backing vocals (5, 6, 10, 11) - Robbie Buchanan – keyboards (1, 8, 9) - Brad Cole – keyboards (1, 9) - [Richard Tee](/source/Richard_Tee) – keyboards (2) - Eric Rehl – additional synthesizers (2), synthesizers (5) - [Michael Omartian](/source/Michael_Omartian) – keyboards (3, 4, 11), drums (3), synthesizers (10), backing vocals (10), drum programming (11) - Gregg Mangiafico – keyboards (5) - [Walter Afanasieff](/source/Walter_Afanasieff) – additional keyboards (5, 7), percussion (5), bass (7), drums (7) - Phillip Ashley – keyboards (6), additional keyboards (8) - Guy Roche – additional keyboards (6), arrangements (7) - [Diane Warren](/source/Diane_Warren) – keyboards (7) - [Barry Mann](/source/Barry_Mann) – keyboards (10) - [Dann Huff](/source/Dann_Huff) – guitars (1, 9) - [Steve Lukather](/source/Steve_Lukather) – guitars (3, 11), guitar solo (11) - [Michael Landau](/source/Michael_Landau) – guitars (4, 8, 10), additional guitars (7, 11), lead guitar (6) - [John McCurry](/source/John_McCurry) – electric guitar (5), acoustic guitar (5), rhythm guitar (6) - Chris Camozzi – guitars (7) - Schuyler Deale – bass (2) - [Neil Stubenhaus](/source/Neil_Stubenhaus) – bass (4, 6, 8–10), additional bass (7) - Hugh McDonald – bass (5) - [Peter Bunetta](/source/Peter_Bunetta) – drum programming (1) - [Chris Parker](/source/Chris_Parker_(musician)) – drums (2) - [John Keane](/source/The_Keane_Brothers) – drums (4, 6, 8, 10) - Bobby Chouinard – drums (5) - [John Robinson](/source/John_Robinson_(drummer)) – drums (9) - [Paulinho da Costa](/source/Paulinho_da_Costa) – percussion (9) - [Kenny G](/source/Kenny_G) – saxophone solo (1) - [Michael Brecker](/source/Michael_Brecker) – tenor saxophone (2) - Jerry Peterson – saxophone solo (9) - [Jeff Pescetto](/source/Jeff_Pescetto) – backing vocals (1) - [Sharon Robinson](/source/Sharon_Robinson_(musician)) – backing vocals (1) - Leslie Smith – backing vocals (1) - Terry Brock – backing vocals (2) - [Jocelyn Brown](/source/Jocelyn_Brown) – backing vocals (2) - [Robin Clark](/source/Robin_Clark) – backing vocals (2) - Milt Grayson – backing vocals (2) - [Vicki Sue Robinson](/source/Vicki_Sue_Robinson) – backing vocals (2) - [Fonzi Thornton](/source/Fonzi_Thornton) – backing vocals (2) - [Richard Marx](/source/Richard_Marx) – backing vocals (3) - Joe Turano – backing vocals (3, 6) - Kyf Brewer – backing vocals (5) - [Joe Cerisano](/source/Joe_Cerisano) – backing vocals (5) - [Desmond Child](/source/Desmond_Child) – backing vocals (5) - Patricia Darcy – backing vocals (5) - John Fiore – backing vocals (5, 6) - Kate McGunnigle – backing vocals (5) - Lou Merlino – backing vocals (5) - Bernie Shanahan – backing vocals (5) - Myriam Naomi Valle – backing vocals (5, 6) - Suzie Benson – vocals (8) - Jeanette Hawes - backing vocals (9) - Wanda Vaughn – backing vocals (9) - [Syreeta Wright](/source/Syreeta_Wright) – backing vocals (9) ### Production - Janet Hinde – production coordination (3, 4) - Steve Savitt – production manager (5) - Doreen Dorian – production coordination (7) - Christopher Austopchuk – art direction - Glen Erler – photography - Louis Levin – direction, management **Technical** - [Vlado Meller](/source/Vlado_Meller) – mastering at CBS Records Studio (New York City, New York) - Daren Klein – recording (1, 9) - [Mick Guzauski](/source/Mick_Guzauski) – mixing (1, 7, 8), remix engineer (4) - Rick Kerr – engineer (2), mixing (2) - David Albert – engineer (3, 4, 10, 11) - Terry Christian – engineer (3, 4, 6–8, 10, 11), mixing (3, 4, 10, 11) - Sir Arthur Payson – recording (5), mixing (5) - David Frazer – remixing (5) - Jay Healy – engineer (6, 8) - David Thoener – mixing (6) - Richard Piatt – engineer (7) - Guy Roche – engineer (7) - Arne Frager – remixing (7) - Jeff Balding – additional recording (1, 9) - Gerry E. Brown – additional recording (1, 9), mixing (9) - Mark Ettel – additional recording (1, 9) - Gary Wagner – additional recording (1, 9) - Bryant Arnett – assistant engineer (1, 9) - Laura Livingston – assistant engineer (1, 9) - Richard McKernon – assistant engineer (1, 9) - Marnie Riley – assistant engineer (1, 8, 9) - Steve Satkowski – assistant engineer (1, 9) - Tim Leitner – assistant engineer (2) - Paul Logus – assistant engineer (2) - Tony Van Horn – assistant engineer (2) - Michael White – assistant engineer (2) - Kevin Becka – second engineer (3, 4, 10, 11), assistant engineer (6, 7), additional engineer (8) - Doug Carlton – second engineer (3, 4, 10, 11) - Keith Goldstein – assistant engineer (5) - Roy Hendrickson – assistant engineer (5) - Mike Krowiak – assistant engineer (5) - Danny Mormando – assistant engineer (5) - Joe Pirrera – assistant engineer (5) - John Herman – assistant mix engineer (5) - Dary Sulich – assistant engineer (6, 8) - Rich Travali – assistant engineer (6, 8) - Tony Friedman – assistant engineer (7) ## Charts ### Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Soul Provider Chart (1989–1990) Peak position Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] 32 Spanish Albums (AFYVE)[10] 15 ### Year-end charts 1990 year-end chart performance for Soul Provider Chart (1990) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[11] 10 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[12] 18 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[13] 56 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[14] 14 US Billboard 200[15] 3 1991 year-end chart performance for Soul Provider Chart (1991) Position US Billboard 200[16] 53 1992 year-end chart performance for Soul Provider Chart (1992) Position US Billboard 200[17] 89 ### Singles Chart performance for singles from Soul Provider Release date Title US Hot 100 US AC June 1989 "Soul Provider" 17 3 October 1989 "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" 1 1 March 1990 "How Can We Be Lovers" 3 3 May 1990 "When I'm Back on My Feet Again" 7 1 August 1990 "Georgia on My Mind" 36 6 ## References 1. ["FMQB"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/FMQB-Album/1989/FMQB-1989-06-09.pdf). *Worldradiohistory.com*. p. 60. 1. Bolton, Michael (2013-01-29). [*The Soul of It All: My Music, My Life*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YV47AQAAQBAJ&dq=Soul+provider+Michael+Bolton+12+million&pg=PT224). Center Street. ISBN 978-1-4555-2366-5. 1. ["Michael Bolton on the Billboard 200"](http://www.billboard.com/artist/310718/michael-bolton/chart?page=1&f=305). *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. Retrieved 7 October 2014. 1. ["RIAA – Searchable Database: Michael Bolton"](https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=bolton). *[Recording Industry Association of America](/source/Recording_Industry_Association_of_America)*. Retrieved October 7, 2014. 1. ["The Case of the Disappearing Solo"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-05-ca-1535-story.html). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. 5 October 1990. Retrieved August 9, 2013. 1. [ AllMusic review], *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)* 1. ["Robert Christgau: CG: michael bolton"](http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=michael+bolton). *Robertchristgau.com*. Retrieved November 25, 2025. 1. Brackett, Nathan & Christian Hoard (2004). [*The Rolling Stone Album Guide*](https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac). New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. [90](https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/n103). ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone michael bolton album guide. 1. Pennanen, Timo (2006). *Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972*. 1st ed. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 105. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5. 1. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). *Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002*. 1st ed. Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. 1. ["ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1990"](https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1990/albums-chart). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 23, 2021. 1. ["RPM Top 100 Albums of 1990"](http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9145&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9145.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9145). *[RPM](/source/RPM_(magazine))*. December 12, 1994. Retrieved December 19, 2018. 1. ["Jaaroverzichten – Album 1990"](https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1990&cat=a). *dutchcharts.nl*. Retrieved October 23, 2021. 1. ["Top Selling Albums of 1990"](https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1990-12-31). Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved February 15, 2022. 1. ["Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1990"](https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/top-billboard-200-albums). *Billboard*. Retrieved October 23, 2021. 1. ["Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991"](https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1991/top-billboard-200-albums). *Billboard*. Retrieved October 23, 2021. 1. ["Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1992"](https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1992/top-billboard-200-albums). *Billboard*. Retrieved October 23, 2021. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Soul Provider](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Provider) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Provider?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.