Aretha Franklin - So Damn Happy (2003)
Tracklist front / back album covers
1. "The Only Thing Missin'" 3:07
2. "Wonderful" 4:04
3. "Holdin' On" 4:37
4. "No Matter What" (featuring Mary J. Blige) 4:33
5. "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" 4:35
6. "So Damn Happy" 4:29
7. "You Are My Joy" 2:34
8. "Falling Out of Love" 4:31
9. "Ain't No Way" 4:37
10. "Good News" 4:55
11. "You Are My Joy (Reprise)" 2:33
Aretha Franklin Band Members / Musicians
Adi Yeshaya – strings, arranger, conductor, horn, keyboards, horn arrangements
Alexander Vselensky – violin
Alfred Brown – viola
Allen Sides – engineer, mixing
Andy Stein – violin
Anthony Kadleck – trumpet
Anthony Posk – violin
Aretha Franklin – piano, vocals, backing vocals, producer, engineer, mixing
B.J. – handclapping
Barbara Wesotski – A&R
Barry Eastmond – arranger, keyboards, producer, engineer
Belinda Whitney – violin
Birch Johnson – trombone
Bobby Ross Avila – guitar, keyboards
Brenda Corbett – backing vocals
Burt Bacharach – rhythm, producer, string arrangements
Byung Kook Kwak – violin
Carl Robinson – engineer, assistant
Cenovia Cummins – violin
Charles "Prince Cha... – mixing
Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals
Dan Oniszczak – assistant engineer
Darryl Houston – organ
David Chase – digital editing
David Foster – synthesizer strings
Delant "Butta" Murphy – handclapping
EMI Ferguson – digital editing
Eugene J. Moye – cello
George Flynn – trombone
Gerald Tarack – violin
Gloria Agostini – harp
Gordon Chambers – backing vocals, producer, vocal arrangement
Greg Phillinganes – digital editing
Israel Chorberg – violin
Iz – drum programming
James "Big Jim" Wright – keyboards, producer
Jean-Marie Horvat – mixing
Jeff Burns – assistant
Jesse Levy – cello, orchestra contractor
Jimmy Jam – producer
JoAnn Tominaga – production coordination
Joe-Mama Nitzberg – creative director
Joey Arbagey – A&R
Joyce Hammann – violin
Karen Karlsrud – violin
Keith O'Quinn – trombone
Keith Slattery – assistant
Kenneth Burward-Hoy – viola
Kenya Lucas – handclapping
Kermit Moore – cello
Kwaku Alston – photography
L.A. Reid – executive producer
Leo Grinhauz – cello
Lew Soloff – trumpet
Louis Alfred III – engineer
Margeret Th. Hjalte... – viola
Mary J. Blige – backing vocals, vocal arrangement, melodie, handclapping
Michael Baker – strings, horn
Michael Hart Thompson – guitar
Michael J. Powell – engineer, mixing
Mildred Scott – backing vocals
Myiia "Sunny" Davis – backing vocals
Nate Neblett – drums
Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar
Norman West – synthesizer, bass guitar, piano, keyboards, producer, engineer, mixing
Olivia Koppell – violin, viola
Pablo Arraya – assistant
Paulinho Da Costa – percussion
Perry Hughes – guitar
Ralphe Armstrong – bass guitar
Randy Brecker – trumpet
Regine Lambert – handclapping
Regis Iandiorio – violin
Richard Thomas Jenn... – art direction, design
Rick Williams – guitar
Ricky Lawson – drums
Rob Shrock – synthesizer arrangements
Robert Chausow – violin
Roger Wendt – French horn
Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence – keyboards, multi instruments, producer, engineer, drum programming
Rowie Nomeri – engineer
Sandra Dance – backing vocals
Sara Divine – backing vocals
Sharon Moe – French horn
Sheila Reinhold – violin
Shelly Ponder – backing vocals
Steve Pageot – engineer
Susan Heerema – violin
Terry Lewis – producer
Tom Coyne – mastering
Tom Sweeney – assistant
Tommy Morgan – harmonica, soloist
Tommy Wilber – assistant
Troy Taylor – bass guitar, drums, keyboards, programming, backing vocals, multi instruments, producer, vocal editing
Vernon D. Fails – Fender Rhodes
William Bush – arranger, keyboards, drum programming
Winterton Garvey – violin
So Damn Happy is the 35th studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin. Her first studio album in five years, it included the Grammy Award-winning track "Wonderful", the single co-written and produced by G SYIER Hawkins Brown, and Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, his very first project with the Queen of Soul was a grand slam. The album peaked at number 33 on the US Billboard 200 and number 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, while reaching the top thirty of the Italian Albums Chart. Shortly after its release, Franklin left Arista after a stay of 23 years. She later announced plans to start her own Detroit-based record label, Aretha Records.
