(Los Angeles Times Syndicate) -- With No. 1 songs recorded by acts ranging
from Aerosmith to Trisha Yearwood to her credit, songwriter Diane Warren
has become the reigning queen of radio singles.
Now she's upping the ante -- and scale -- to album level, with a full "concept"
set for R&B veteran Patti LaBelle.
The project, titled "When a Woman Loves," is a song cycle chronicling a female
perspective on the roller coaster of romance.
"I'd had this idea of a concept," says Warren, whose vast catalog of hits
includes Celine Dion's "If You Asked Me To" and "Because You Loved Me,"
and Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart."
"I had this (title) song for four or five years, kept it in a drawer and w
anted something special for it. At one point I thought of maybe building a
TV show around it, but then the VH1 'Divas' thing happened, which was kind
of the same format. And then it turned out that Patti was thinking about
doing an album of my songs, which is a total honor, and I thought,
'Why not put the two ideas together?'"
LaBelle: 'Her songs have real lyrics'
For LaBelle, it was a chance to collaborate with one of her favorite
songwriters, one who has previously provided her with a steady stream
of tunes, including the first version of "If You Asked Me To."
"Anybody's songs I found myself loving on the radio, I'd find out later that
she'd written it," says LaBelle. "I don't really see this as a concept album.
I just see it as wonderful songs, age-appropriate songs for a 55-year-old
woman at a time when most pop songs are for teens, very repetitious and
sing-along-able. Her songs have real lyrics, and I'm very honored."
It's not the first time a singer has done an entire album of Warren songs --
Johnny Mathis did one a few years ago using selections from her catalog.
But it'sthe first time Warren has written all-new material for such a project. A
s such, she says, it's as close as we're likely to get to a Diane Warren
album.
"Yeah, but much better sung," she quips.
The album is currently being recorded in Los Angeles, with the team of Jimmy
Jam and Terry Lewis producing seven songs and Warren overseeing
several others along with MCA senior vice president of artists and
repertoire Randy Jackson and co-producer Chris Kellow. It will probably
be released by MCA in May.
Copyright c 2000, Steve Hochman
Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate
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