Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, just as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.
This week we’re ready to ode ‘I’m Ready’ – the second single from unsung R&B maestro Tevin Campbell‘s sophomore album, ‘I’m Ready.’ Released in winter 1994, ‘Ready’ (the song) – penned and produced by Darryl Simmons and Babyface (who also performed background vocals) – had big shoes to fill as the follow-up to the Hot 100 top 10 success of ‘Can We Talk?’ It did not disappoint.
Eventually peaking at #9 on the Hot 100 (the same as its predecessor), ‘Ready’ went on to be his last appearance in the chart’s topmost dectet of positions. Going on to nab a nomination for “Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance – Male” at the next year’s ceremony, ‘Ready’ the song (and its parent album) would go down as his last two nods at the awards show.
The industry may have not been as kind to the singer over the years that followed, but we at TGJ keep Mr. Campbell on repeat. Look inside to help us remember ‘I’m Ready’ and see who joined him in the top 25 this week 24 years ago on this week’s ‘Chart Rewind’:
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