Personnel: Rod Stewart (vocals, background vocals); Bob Mann (guitar, mandolin, keyboards); Dean Parks, Michael Landou, Donald Kirkpatrick, Paul Jackson, Jr. , Paul Warren , Ray Parker, Jr. (guitar); Gayle Levant (harp); Joel Pargman, John Wittenberg, Brian Benning, Anatoly Rosinsky, Searmi Park, Shari Zippert, Phillip Levy , Marisa Polesky, Kathleen Robertson , Jesica Munson, Gina Kronstadt, Mark Robertson , Bruce Dukov, Julie Gigante, Roger Wilkie, Roy Brewer, Neel Hammond, Nicole Garcia, Susan Chatman, Mark Cargill, Charlie Bisharat (violin); Beth Luscombe, Marlow Fisher, Jennifer Puckett, Karen Elaine, Robert Brophy , Dave Walther (viola); The New Memphis Strings (strings); Jeff Driskill (flute); John Yoakum (oboe); Tom Scott (saxophone, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Lou Marini (saxophone); Jim Spake (tenor saxophone); Wayne Jackson , Chuck Finley (trumpet); George Bohanon, Jack Hale, Larry Farrell (trombone); Greg Phillinganes (piano, keyboards, background vocals); Henry Hey (piano); Michael Bearden (Fender Rhodes piano, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards); Charles E. Jr. Hodges (organ); Chuck Kentis, David Paich (keyboards); Milt Chocolate, Clayton Cameron (vibraphone); Steven "Steven J." Jordan (drums, percussion, background vocals); Dee Palmer, Ricky Lawson, Russ Kunkel (drums); Lenny Castro (congas); Lynn Fiddmont, Judith Hill, Darryl Tookes, Dorian Holley, Pam Trotter, Bridget Anne Cady, Natasha Pearce, Di Reed, Lisa Vaughn, Steve Tyrell , Will Wheaton (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Al Schmitt; Niko Bolas; Bill Schnee.
Liner Note Authors: Arnold Stiefel; Rod Stewart.
Recording information: Capitol Studios Records, Hollywood, CA; Germano Studios, New York, NY; Morrissound Recording Studios, Tampa, FL; Royal Studios, Memphis, TN; Schnee Studio, North Hollywood, CA; The 4 Seasons, Palm Beach, FL; The Celtic House, Los Angeles, CA; The Village Studios, Santa Monica, CA.
Photographer: Mark Seliger.
Arrangers: Greg Phillinganes; Howard Drossin; Willie Mitchell; Bob Mann.
Continuing his stroll through pop's backpages, Rod Stewart moves on from "The Great Rock Classics of Our Time" and dives into the SOULBOOK, shorthand for all the great Motown and soul songs that still are in heavy rotation on oldies radio well into the new millennium. Rod doesn't spend much time with the soul and blues singers so influential on him, choosing instead to run through a bunch of Motown hits - a full six of the 13 songs here are from the Motor City - adding a couple of smooth soul hits from the early '70s, plus Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown's "Let It Be Me" which gives him an opportunity to duet with Jennifer Hudson. All this is firmly within Stewart's wheelhouse.
