Winelight

Winelight
Winelight
Studio album by Grover Washington Jr.
Released	October 24, 1980
Recorded	June & July 1980
Studio	Rosebud Recording Studio, New York City
Genre	Smooth jazz
Length	39:01
Label	Elektra
Producer	Grover Washington Jr., Ralph MacDonald
Grover Washington Jr. chronology

Winelight is a 1980 studio album by jazz musician Grover Washington Jr. The record received the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance in 1982. The album was released by Elektra Records. It includes the Grammy Award-winning^[1] hit "Just the Two of Us" sung by Bill Withers. The track "In the Name of Love" from the album was also released in rearranged form, without Washington's saxophone track, under the name of Ralph MacDonald and Bill Withers (on vocals).

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	^[4]
The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide	^[3]

The album, propelled by "Just the Two of Us", is often credited for leading to the 1980s smooth jazz explosion.^[5]

Scott Yanow of AllMusic describe the album as "a memorable set of high-quality and danceable soul-jazz".^[2]

Track listing

Side One

"Winelight" (William Eaton) – 7:32
"Let It Flow (For "Dr. J")" (Grover Washington Jr.) – 5:52
"In the Name of Love" (William Salter, Ralph MacDonald) – 5:26

Side Two

"Take Me There" (Washington) – 6:16
"Just the Two of Us" (Bill Withers, William Salter, Ralph MacDonald) – 7:23
"Make Me a Memory (Sad Samba)" (Washington) – 6:32

Personnel

Grover Washington Jr. – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Richard Tee – Fender Rhodes electric piano (1, 3, 5, 6)
Ray Chew – clavinet (1)
Paul Griffin – clavinet (1), Fender Rhodes (2, 4)
Ed Walsh – Oberheim Eight Voice (1–4, 6)
Bill Eaton – Oberheim Eight Voice (5), arrangements and conductor
Eric Gale – guitars
Marcus Miller – bass
Steve Gadd – drums
Ralph MacDonald – congas, percussion, Syndrums
Robert Greenidge – steel drums
Hilda Harris, Yvonne Lewis, Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals
Bill Withers – lead vocals (5)

Production

Grover Washington Jr. – producer
Ralph MacDonald – producer
Richard Alderson – engineer
Ed Heath – assistant engineer
Vlado Meller – mastering at CBS Studios (New York City).
Paul Silverthorn – production coordinator
Ron Coro – art direction, design
Jim Shea – cover photography
Don Hunstein – inner sleeve photography

Charts

Album

Weekly charts

Chart (1980–81)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[6]	35
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[7]	20
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[8]	35
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[9]	24
US Billboard Pop Albums^[10]	5
US Billboard Top Jazz Albums^[10]	1
US Billboard Top Soul Albums^[10]	2
UK Official Charts^[11]	34

Chart (2025)	Peak position
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ)^[12]	12

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)	Position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[13]	90
US Billboard 200^[14]	13

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions^[15]
Year	Single	US Pop	US R&B	US AC	UK
1981	"Just the Two of Us"	2	3	2	34

Certifications

Certifications for *Winelight*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)^[16]	Gold	25,000^*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)^[17]	Platinum	100,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[18]	Silver	60,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[19]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^{^}
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Elsworth, Catherine (August 10, 2006). "Still a lovely day". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
^ ^a ^b Yanow, Scott. Grover Washington Jr.: Winelight > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
^ Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 203. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1468. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
^ Micucci, Matt (June 17, 2020). "Song of the Day: Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers, "Just the Two of Us"". JAZZIZ Magazine. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 333. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0347". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
^ "Charts.nz – Grover Washington, Jr. – Winelight". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Grover Washington, Jr. – Winelight". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Grover Washington Jr. US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
^ "GROVER WASHINGTON JR | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2025. 28. hét". MAHASZ. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4687". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
^ "Top US Billboard 200 Albums - Year-end 1981". BestSellingAlbums.org. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
^ "Grover Washington Jr. US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
^ "Austrian album certifications – Groover Washington – Winelight" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
^ Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos. Año a año. 1959–2002 (in Spanish). Madrid, Spain: Iberautor Promociones Culturales. p. 962. ISBN 9788480486392.
^ "British album certifications – Grover Washington Jr. – Winelight". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
^ "American album certifications – Grover Washington Jr. – Winelight". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 31, 2022.

External links

Grover Washington Jr. – Winelight at Discogs

[1] Elsworth, Catherine (August 10, 2006). "Still a lovely day". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved January 1, 2009.

[AM-2] Yanow, Scott. Grover Washington Jr.: Winelight > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved August 26, 2011.

[RSJRG-3] Swenson, J., ed. (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 203. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.

[Penguin-4] Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 1468. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.

[5] Micucci, Matt (June 17, 2020). "Song of the Day: Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers, "Just the Two of Us"". JAZZIZ Magazine. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.

[aus-6] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 333. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[group=-7] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0347". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 September 2025.

[ac_New_Zealand_Grover_Washington,_Jr.-8] "Charts.nz – Grover Washington, Jr. – Winelight". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 September 2025.

[ac_Norway_Grover_Washington,_Jr.-9] "Norwegiancharts.com – Grover Washington, Jr. – Winelight". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 September 2025.

[allmusic_albums-10] "Grover Washington Jr. US albums chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 26, 2011.

[11] "GROVER WASHINGTON JR | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved July 21, 2019.

[12] "Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2025. 28. hét". MAHASZ. Retrieved July 16, 2025.

[CA_YE-13] "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4687". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 September 2025.

[14] "Top US Billboard 200 Albums - Year-end 1981". BestSellingAlbums.org. Retrieved September 24, 2025.

[allmusic_singles-15] "Grover Washington Jr. US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 26, 2011.

[AustriaGroover_WashingtonWinelightalbumCertRef-16] "Austrian album certifications – Groover Washington – Winelight" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved August 31, 2022.

[spaincert-17] Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos. Año a año. 1959–2002 (in Spanish). Madrid, Spain: Iberautor Promociones Culturales. p. 962. ISBN 9788480486392.

[United_KingdomGrover_Washington_Jr.WinelightalbumCertRef-18] "British album certifications – Grover Washington Jr. – Winelight". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 31, 2022.

[United_StatesGrover_Washington_Jr.WinelightalbumCertRef-19] "American album certifications – Grover Washington Jr. – Winelight". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 31, 2022.

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v t e Grover Washington Jr.
Studio albums	Inner City Blues (1972) All the King's Horses (1972) Soul Box (1973) Mister Magic (1975) Feels So Good (1975) A Secret Place (1976) Reed Seed (1978) Paradise (1979) Skylarkin' (1980) Winelight (1980) Come Morning (1981) The Best Is Yet to Come (1982) Inside Moves (1984) A House Full of Love: Music from The Cosby Show (1986) Strawberry Moon (1987) Then and Now (1988) Time Out of Mind (1989) Next Exit (1992) All My Tomorrows (1994) Soulful Strut (1996) Aria (2000)
Live albums	Live at The Bijou (1977)
Compilations	Baddest (1981) Anthology (1981) Breath of Heaven: A Holiday Collection (1997)
Singles	"Just the Two of Us" (1981) "The Best Is Yet to Come" (1983)

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