Customer Reviews

Ultimate Collection

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She was a very rare and precious talent that won me over as a fan within a month of being able to acquire her self-titled (debut L.P. ?) from 1982 this year (2001). After purchasing this out-of-print treasure on vinyl for a few dollars at a used c.d./l.p. shop I had to get Ultimate Collection right away. The only way to describe it is that it blew me away !I had only previously seen and heard Ms. Guthrie's background vocal credits on some of today's biggest pop and R&B artists' projects;only to wonder what Gwen's vocals would sound like center stage (upfront and solo). Her smooth vocal approach to some of the material along with the moments where she belts out with such strong and powerful and soulful finesse and conviction is a testament as to why she was a highly sought after background session vocalist working with the likes of Madonna, Patti Austin, Quincy Jones, etc.In fact, Guthrie's sweet, yet sassy, voice was very close to style much like Patti Austin's. She never sang over the top (like most R&B wannabe divas in a melo-dramatic sense) nor did she stay hidden behind a background vocal session (she was recognizable)! Much to the world's sadness she is gone but has left behind a treasure for those who still want to get to know her.She is gone, but not forgotten...

I am BIG fan of Ms. Guthrie and was so sorry to hear of her passing early this year. This CD helps her spirit -thru her music- remain with us forever. I have no doubt that -thru sampling (already Foxy Brown has sampled "Rent") and just retrospection- new generations are going to discover and then rediscover this sadly under-rated "DIVA". Gwen could write, play, produce... and SANG her face off! If anyone out there has "Good To Go Lover" (out of print) on CD, please email me to arrange to get a copy. My favorite Gwen Guthrie tune, "You're Very Special" is on it, and I've been longing to hear that song for, literally, YEARS now. It touched my spirit in such a way that I memorized it in exactly one sitting. To this day, the lyrics are still on the tip of my mind. PLEASE include that one on the Ultimate Collection of Gwen Guthrie, Vol. II. And Gwen, wherever you are, you truly are "very special to me..." Signed, Faithful Fan and Admirer

The late Gwen Guthrie was definatley one of the most under-rated singers of our time. Despite being a featured vocalist on Quincy Jones' 1978 disc "Sounds And Stuff Like That", having a #1 R&B hit with "Ain't Nuthin Goin On But The Rent" in 1986 and a memorable dance hit with "Padlock'd" in 1983, Guthrie's career never really took off. This anthology does a decent job at covering Gwen's career from 1982 thru 1985. Although 3 albums 1982's "Gwen Guthrie", 1983's "Portrait", and her 1986 disc, the excellent "Good To Go Lover" are covered here, fans will be disheartened to only find one track, "Oh Donny No" from her 1985 overlooked disc "Just For You" represented here. Whomever put this disc together would have done well to have instead included the title track from that particular disc on this anthology.

Gwen left Polydor after her success in 1986 and moved to Warner Brothers in 1988. There she would record only 2 discs, the uneven "Lifeline" in 1988 and the superb "Hot Times" in 1990, where she had her last hit single "Sweet Bitter Love", which was a very moderate hit on the R&B charts. "Hot Times" included some of her best work ever, however, neither that disc or "Lifeline" generated much attention and are not represented on this anthology. Sadly, "Hot Times" was Guthrie's swan song at Warner Brothers, as well as her last full-length album before her untimely death in 1999 to cancer.

Although not a complete overview of her career, "The Ultimate Collection" will satisfy most of her fans.

For those of you feeling that the versions on this album are not
the ones you remember, you would be in search of Larry Levan's remixes of Gwen Guthrie. There's a cd of all his Gwen Guthrie mixes on one album if you care to look for it.

I am a personal friend of Gwen's and just before she had gotten ill we were collaborating on putting out a remix version of her 1994 U.K hit "Eyes".I can recall us discussing me giving her version a more youthful feel.Not to discredit her previous production team,like the late great Larry Levan,and Steven Stanley but we both felt it was time for me to put my "twenty Something" talents to use.This compilation would be complete with the remix versions of "Peanutbutter and Seventh Heaven.What's up with the album versions?

I first discovered Gwen Guthrie with her #1 New York Club hit"PADLOCK". After that, everything she did I listened to.The club mixes that Larry LeVan produced with her will forever be CLUB CLASSICS. Her voice was unmistakable and will be greatly missed. If you are out there listening record people, a volume 2 will be a definite hit. I had the pleasure of knowing Ms.Guthrie and releasing a second volume would be an honor in her name.

Wow...after searching for "Padlock" by Gwen Guthrie for years I can finally have it on this compilation! Gwen had the gift of combining infectious dance rhythms with quality song writing which generally meant her dance floor fillers were a cut above. And that voice! How sad that we will have no more gems from her to enjoy in the future. Although this compilation covers some of her best material, there are a few glaring exceptions: namely "Can't Love You Tonight" and "Miss My Love" which had the bonus of Queen Latifah's excellent rap. Oh well. Maybe on Vol.2! If you are an R&B or club music fan, you won't be disappointed.

I was so happy to see this album come out in 1999. I had read a review about it, which was positive, and went looking for it. Most people know Gwen Guthrie for her no-nonsense Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But The Rent. But she had more hits long before that. She was superb on It Should Have Been You and Padlock and Nobody Can Tell You--very funky and well written dance numbers. She was a very good songwriter for many artists and she was dedicated to her craft. I was sorry to hear of her passing when I read an obituary report in Billboard magazine on her and a summary of her life. And as a man, I will stay on that job to be with that girl, as Gwen sings, "You gotta have a J-O-B if you wanna be with me!" (on Ain't Nothin') I think she struck a chord with many male listeners and they later went and got their jobs after hearing that song!!!! She will be missed, but we can celebrate her life by buying and listening to this CD. Excellent album and choices of songs!

Gwen Guthrie is an exceptional vocalist. I remember first hearing her first on Aretha Franklin's, "I'm In Love". Cissy Houston had found Gwen in New York. I have also heard her great background vocals on Ben E. King's (Supernatural Thing), Quincy Jones, Roberta Flack (who also had Luther Vandross & Brenda White too). While this collection has a lot of great songs, it's still missing quite a few. I would've liked to see songs-Just For You, Love In Moderation, You Touched My Life, & Say It Isn't So featured as well.

I always noticed on many of my albums (way back when...) a lot of the backing vocals were by Patti Austin, Gwen Guthrie and Vivian Cherry. My first Patti Austin album was "Havana Candy" (one her best). I first heard Gwen in the forefront on Quincy Jones' "Stuff Like That" album singing "Takin' it to the streets." I loved the easy, smoldering way she sang the line "won't you take this message to my sisters and brothers... poverty and despair" I think it's one her and Luther Vandross better recordings. I bought her first album unheard because
her backing vocals and that song. This is a good compilation, it does not include her some of her best vocal work. The CD was more valuable for me for the liner notes. I didn't know 'til this year (2004) she died, rest in peace. BTW, all the longer versions of Gwen songs were available on vinyl. I know I have 'em. I don't know that's there's Gwen album/cd I don't own. Smoldering, easy vocals!