Soulful (Ruben Studdard album)

Soulful
Studio album by Ruben Studdard
Released	December 9, 2003
Recorded	2003
Genre	R&B Soul
Length	55:28
Label	J 19
Producer	Melvin "St. Nick" Coleman Dre & Vidal Babyface Irv Gotti & Jimi Kendrix Fred Hammond Kevin Hicks Jazze Pha Harold Lilly James McMillan Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers Lil' Ronnie Swizz Beatz Gerard Thomas The Underdogs
Ruben Studdard chronology
Soulful (2003) I Need an Angel (2004)

Soulful is the debut studio album from second-season American Idol winner Ruben Studdard. It was released on December 3, 2003, by J Records.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Sorry 2004"	Harvey Mason, Jr. Damon Thomas Ronnie Jackson Tony Dixon Eric Dawkins	4:22
2.	"No Ruben"	Harold Lilly Melvin Coleman Will Jennings Joe Sample	4:02
3.	"How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"	Barry Gibb Robin Gibb	4:23
4.	"Take the Shot"	K. Dean Harold Lilly	4:23
5.	"What is Sexy" (featuring Fat Joe)	Irving Lorenzo Jeffrey Atkins Nathaniel Robinson Kirk Robinson Mark Morales Mark Rooney	3:40
6.	"What If"	Mason Jr. Thomas Dixon Lofton Dawkins, Jason Edmonds	3:50
7.	"Superstar"	Bonnie Bramlett Leon Russell	4:13
8.	"Can I Get Your Attention" (featuring Pretty Tony)	Lilly Gerald Thomas	3:37
9.	"For All We Know"	Sam Lewis J. Fred Coots	3:41
10.	"Play Our Song"	P. Alexander Johntá Austin Kevin Hicks Keri Hilson	4:07
11.	"Don't Quit on Me"	Dean Lilly	3:18
12.	"After the Candles Burn"	Andre Harris Vidal Davis Jason Boyd Ryan Toby	3:31
13.	"Flying Without Wings" (bonus track)	Steve Mac Wayne Hector	3:44
14.	"We Have Not Forgotten" (featuring Fred Hammond (bonus track))	Hammond Noel Hall	4:39

Credits and personnel

^[1]

Vocals

• Background vocals – Maxi Anderson, Eric Bell, Cecilia Bereal Powell, Joseph Bereal Jr., Latanya Bereal, Melissa Bereal, Joe Bowers, Ashley Davis, Eric Dawkins, Crystal Drummer, Angela Fisher, Fred Hammond, Andrew Kennedy, Eric King, Edward Lawson, Harold Lilly, Kevin Milburn, Cindy Mizelle, Ruben Studdard, Anthony Wilkins
• Choir/chorus – Felecia Bowles, Jacqueline Bridges, Jamie Brown, Tanisha J. Cidel, David Earl Miller, Tribe Called Judah, A.J. Wright, Helen Zeigler
• Featured vocals – Fat Joe, Fred Hammond, Pretty Tony
• Group member – Felecia Bowles, Jacqueline Bridges, Jamie Brown, Tanisha J. Cidel, Harvey Mason Jr., David Earl Miller, Tribe Called Judah, The Underdogs, Helen Zeigler
• Primary artist – Ruben Studdard

Instruments

• Cello – Larry Corbett, Suzie Katayama, Richard Locker, Jennie Lorenzo, Dan Smith
• Bass – Nathan East
• Drum – Steve Ferrera, Ricky Lawson
• Flute – Lawrence Feldman
• French horn – Peter Gordon
• Keyboards – Noel Hall, Rob Mounsey, Peter Murray, Greg Phillinganes, Carl Sturken
• Guitar – Kevin Hanson, Mark James, Carl Sturken, Michael Thompson, Joey Woolfalk
• Piano – Rob Mounsey, Peter Murray, James Poyser, Carl Sturken
• Strings – Rob Mounsey
• Viola – Davis A. Barnett, Bob Becker, Vince Lionti, Peter Nocella, Karie Prescott, Evan Wilson
• Violin – Elena Barere, Charlie Bishardt, Cenovia Cummins, Jonathan Dinklage, Barry Finclair, Ghislaine Fleischmann, Armen Garabedian, Berj Garabedian, Olga Konopelsky, Emma Kummrow, Charlene Kwas, Sid Page, Alyssa Park, Bob Peterson, Michele Richards, Mark Robertson, Richard Sortomme, Igor Szwec, Josefina Vergara, John Wittenberg,

Production

• A&R – Larry Jackson
• Arranger – David Campbell, Steve Fisher, James McMillian, Rob Mounsey
  • String arrangements – David Campbell, Larry Gold
• Assistant – Mike Davis, John McGlinchey, Tim Roberts
• Concert master – Elena Barere, Joel Derouin
• Drum programming – Fred Hammond, Tommie Walker
• Editing – Dabling Harwood
• Engineer – Kamel Adbo, Jim Bottari, Paul Boutin, Steve Churchyard, Steve Conover, Bruce Fraser, Dabling Harward, Al Hemberger, Malcom Pollack, Alex Reverberi, Brian Springer, Doc Wiley, Kevin Wilson
  • Assistant engineer – Terrance Cash, Vincent Dilorenzo, Gordon Goss, Hart Gunther, Kev Mahoney, Kevin Wilson
  • Mixing engineer – Ray Hammond
  • String engineer – Jim Bottari
  • Vocal engineer – David Ashton
• Instrumentation – Vidal Davis, Andre Harris, Little Ronnie, The Underdogs
• Manager – Simon Fuller
• Mastering – Chris Gehringer
• Mixing – Leslie Brathwaite, Rob Chiarelli, Kevin KD Davis, Vidal Davis, John Frye, Serban Ghenea, Andre Harris, Al Hemberger, Rih Keller, Jon Smeltz
• Orchestra leader – Gavyn Wright
• Producer – Melvin Coleman, Clive Davis, Vidal Davis, Irv Gotti, Andre Harris, Kevin Hicks, Jazza Pha, Little Ronnie, Harold Lilly, Harvey Mason Jr., James McMillan, Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Swizz Beatz, Damon Thomas, Gerard Thomas, The Underdogs
• Programmig – Postmaster
  • Vocal producer – Harold Lilly
• Production coordination – Andrea Derby
• Production manager – PamKenyon Donald
• Pro Tools – David Ashton, Chandler Bridges, Dino Hermann, Jonn Savannah
• Vocal contractor – Latayna Bereal
• Vocal director – Eric Dawkins

Visual and imagery

• Artwork – Chris LeBeau, Alexis Yraola
• Design – Alexis Yraola
• Photographer – Kwaku Alston
• Stylist – June Ambrose

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
The A.V. Club	(unfavorable)[3]
Entertainment Weekly	C[4]
Mojo	[5]
People	[6]
Rolling Stone	[7]
Slant Magazine	[8]
USA Today	[9]
Variety	(negative)[10]

Sales performance

The album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 U.S. album chart selling over 417,000 copies in its first week,^[11] and has since been certified a platinum record. In the U.S. the album has sold an estimated 1,779,000.^[12]

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
2003	The Billboard 200	1

References

1. http://www.allmusic.com/album/soulful-mw0000599945/credits
2. Allmusic review
3. The A.V. Club review
4. Entertainment Weekly review
5. Album reviews at CD Universe
6. People review
7. Rolling Stone review
8. Slant Magazine review
9. USA Today review
10. Variety review
11. Chris Nelson (December 18, 2003). "Who Becomes An Idol Most?". The New York Times.
12. "'American Idol': No Love For 'Idol' Losers" Total U.S. sales stats from MTV.com