Alton McClain & Destiny - Alton McClain & Destiny (1978)

Alton McClain and Destiny was an American disco girl group from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1978, the trio was composed of McClain, Delores Marie "D'Marie" Warren, and Robyrda Stiger.

Heavily influenced by the Emotions, Alton McClain & Destiny was a female R&B vocal trio that was active in the late '70s and early '80s. The Los Angeles-based group was formed in 1978 when lead singer McClain (whose voice had a Deniece Williams-like quality) joined forces with backup singers D'Marie Warren and Robyrda Stiger. That year, they signed with Polydor, which hired Frank E. Wilson to produce their debut album. First released in early 1979, the trio's debut album was originally titled Alton McClain & Destiny but was re-released as It Must Be Love a few months later. "It Must Be Love" was also the title of the threesome's debut single, which reached the Top Ten on Billboard's R&B singles chart. Regrettably, the group turned out to be a one-hit wonder, and their 1980 sophomore effort, More of You, (which Wilson produced with John Footman) received very little attention. Alton McClain & Destiny's second album was also its last; the trio was dropped by Polydor/PolyGram in 1980 and called it quits in 1981. After the breakup, McClain went on to marry producer Skip Scarborough. Alton McClain & Destiny should not be confused with the late '80s heavy metal band Destiny, the lesbian/women's music trio Destiny or the '90s rapper Destiny.
The self-titled debut of Alton McClain & Destiny was produced by Motown alumnus Frank Wilson (Eddie Kendricks, the Supremes, whom this female trio sounds like at times) and included the 1979 Top Ten R&B/Top Forty pop hit "It Must Be Love." It sounded very similar to the Emotions' "The Best of My Love." The LP also has the distinction of listing the original version of the Angela Winbush/Rene Moore ballad "I've Learned to Respect the Power of Love." The tune was later a 1986 number one hit for Stephanie Mills. Other highlights are the follow-up single "Crazy Love," the floating "Taking My Love for Granted," "My Empty Room," "Push and Pull," and "God Said, Love Ye One Another." "It Must Be Love" can be found on Disco Nights, Vol.7 :DJ Pix.Alton McClain & Destiny's version of "I've Learned to Respect the Power of Love" is on Polygram's Power of Love: Best of Soul Essentials Ballads.

Track listing

A1. "Crazy Love" - 6:57
        Arranged By [Strings] – Webster Lewis
          Written-By – J. Footman, T. McFaddin 
A2. "Sweet Temptation" - 5:57
       Arranged By [Horns, Strings] – Webster Lewis
         Written-By – J. Footman, J. Wieder, T. McFaddin
A3. "Taking My Love For Granted" - 3:19
       Arranged By [Strings] – Webster Lewis
         Written-By – E. R. Brown, J. Labes 
A4. "My Empty Room" - 3:54
       Arranged By [Horns] – Bruce Miller 
         Written-By – J. Footman, J. Wieder 

B1. "The Power Of Love" - 4:343
       Arranged By [Strings] – Webster Lewis
         Written-By – A. Winbush 
B2. "Push And Pull" - 5:24
       Arranged By [Horns] – Bruce Miller 
         Written-By – J. Footman, J. Wiede
B3. "It Must Be Love" - 4:42
       Written-By – J. Footman, J. Wieder 
B4. "God Said, "Love Ye One Another" - 4:34
       Written-By – T. McFaddin, T. Bradford

Credits 
Performer [Alton McClain & Destiny Are] – Alton McClain, D'Marie Warren, Robyrda Stiger
Bass – William Nelson, Jr., Eddie Watkins, Nathan Watts
Drums – Alvin Taylor, Edward Greene, James Gadson, Ollie Brown, Quentin Dennard, Raymond Pounds
Guitar – Clarence Drayton, Lee Ritenour, Wah Wah Watson, Melvin Ragin, Michael McGlory, Mitchell Holder, Paul Jackson Jr.
Keyboards – Clydene Jackson, Gregory Phillinganes, John Barnes, John Footman, René Moore, Ronald Coleman, Terry Bradford
Percussion – Eddie Brown, Jack Ashford
Synthesizer – Michael Boddicker
Art Direction – AGI, M. Doud
Coordinator [Project] – Tina Meeks
Design – Philip Chiang
Engineer [Assistant] – Leonard Jackson
Engineer [Mastering] – John Golden
Engineer [Mixing] – Frank Wilson, Todd Fisher
Engineer [Recording] – Todd Fisher
Management – Vonny Sweeney
Photography By – Oliver Ferrand
Co-producer – John Footman
Producer – Frank Wilson

Notes
Genre: Soul, Funk, Disco
Length: 38:51
© 1978

Label - Polydor Records