An Album/Song A Day: "Love Ballad" - L.T.D.

 The first time I heard the phrase "Old School" to describe class R&B was in the 90's.  And it mostly described Soul music of the 60's/70's.  But use that phrase today and the timeline has shifted to the 80's/90's. When I hear someone describe "Old School" today, the decade it's mostly talking about is the 70's, plus 60's Motown.  That's because most modern R&B records that emulate the Soul sounds of yesteryear take their cues from the Motown sound, the Philly Sound or the other perfectly produced records from those years.

When I think of classic "Old School", it mostly begins in the mid-70's.  That's when I first started paying attention to what records were on the R&B charts.  It's also when I first got a Billboard subscription.  I have a vivid memory of seeing L.T.D. doing "Love Ballad" on Soul Train in 1976.  "Love Ballad" was the band's first hit single, from their 3rd album. It was written by Skip Scarborough, the R&B writer who penned "Can't Hide Love", "Giving You The Best That I Got", "Lovely Day".  "Love Ballad" features the vocals of the underrated Jeffrey Osborne.  To hear the song today is to hear the sound of R&B ballad in 1976.  It's smooth, silky, dreamlike and Osborne's vocals are on point.  

"Love Ballad" would reach #1 R&B and #20 Pop.  A year later L.T.D. had their biggest hit with the #1 R&B, #4 Pop smash, "(Everytime I Turn Around) Back In Love Again". The would go on to have other R&B hits, but only one other minor Pop hit in 1980.  Osborne soon left and would go on to have a steady solo career, with more Pop hits than he had in L.T.D.