Skipworth & Turner

Eighties singing duo Skipworth & Turner burst on the scene with the catchy dance hit "Thinking About Your Love." Produced by <a href="spotify:artist:6kDB1SwHh0sj9jwTwnYohY">Patrick Adams</a> (Musique, <a href="spotify:artist:39fymbns0snQudVbD1hZjX">Inner Life</a>, the 1980 hit disco remake "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" on Salsoul Records), "Thinking About Your Love" hit number ten R&B on Billboard's charts in spring 1985.

Syracuse, NY-born keyboardist Rodney Skipworth and singer Phil Turner, a Memphis native, were a startling combination that came together at a unique period that allowed for the fusing of the duo's gospel/R&B/soul influences with the emerging MIDI/keyboard synthesizer technology, the same synergy that lead to the creation of some exciting, trailblazing music epitomized by such groups as <a href="spotify:artist:67NN7SgdxKesGnxZOB8YeX">the System</a>. Though Skipworth & Turner's only other charting single was "Can't Give Her Up" (on which Turner displays his impressive falsetto range) at number 63 R&B, they recorded some outstanding tracks that range from smokin' dance tracks to heart-melting ballads. The debut LP Skipworth and Turner, which the duo shared production credits with <a href="spotify:artist:6kDB1SwHh0sj9jwTwnYohY">Adams</a> and Philly soul keyboardist/producer Ron Kersey (<a href="spotify:artist:1zgNpeHQe8GulzfVkYP2VK">the Trammps</a>' "Disco Inferno"), was released by Warner Bros. in the summer of 1986. Besides the two charting singles, the album's highlights are Kersey's Latin-tinged "Wont Get No Better," "Let Me Down Easy," and the instrumental "Nepenthe." The mid-tempo groover "Make It Last," co-written by Raymond Earl and Kim Miller of <a href="spotify:artist:2vxhgszTmEHgbNJM7Xd3aW">Instant Funk</a>, was included on the duo's Harlem Nights LP, released by 4th and Broadway. The propulsive "Someday You'll Come Back to Me" has influences gleamed from their '80s contemporaries <a href="spotify:artist:67NN7SgdxKesGnxZOB8YeX">the System</a>. The tender ballad "How Much Is Too Much" was written and produced by frequent <a href="spotify:artist:6kDB1SwHh0sj9jwTwnYohY">Adams</a> collaborator <a href="spotify:artist:6bgccXVuEX61NPVEXj3Xp8">Leroy Burgess</a> (<a href="spotify:artist:2umcR1sSgUbGSWhXL1K4UK">Black Ivory</a>, Phreek, <a href="spotify:artist:6ycoXr0Ayd89vFUT6BOiWo">Herbie Mann</a>) and originally on Harlem Nights. ~ Ed Hogan, Rovi