The Comfort Zone is the second studio album by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams. It was released on August 20, 1991, by Mercury's Wing Records Label.

Singles The first single from the album, called "Running Back to You", was released on July 16, 1991. For an uptempo song, the track peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The second single from the album, called "The Comfort Zone", was released on October 29. Upon its release, the song peaked at number 62 on the Hot 100, and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

The third single from the album, "Save the Best for Last", was released on January 14, 1992. Upon its release, the song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks.

"Just for Tonight" was released as the fourth single from the album on April 21. Upon its release, that song reached at number 26 on the Hot 100, followed by the fifth and final single from the album, "Work to Do", in which was released on July 21 and achieved a moderate success.

Critical reception Arion Berger from Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A, writing, "With 14 longish songs, beautifully sequenced and warmly sung, The Comfort Zone is less a pop record than the soundtrack to a giddy, heartfelt R&B stage musical about love — minus the man."

He highlighted "The Comfort Zone", "Running Back to You", "Save the Best for Last", "What Will I Tell My Heart", "Freedom Dance" and "Goodbye", and concluded, "Through it all, the keyboard romps, the drums get busy, and a flute adds occasional breathy punctuation. Give the lady a great big hand."

Commercial performance The album peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard 200 and reached number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number 24 upon its release in April 1992 before quickly falling out of the top 50.

The album has since been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA).

Awards The Comfort Zone received five Grammy Award nominations: Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "Runnin' Back to You" in 1992; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, Record of the Year and "Song of the Year" for "Save the Best for Last" and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "The Comfort Zone" in 1993. The album received three nominations at the 1993 American Music Awards, including Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock, Favorite Female Artist – Soul/R&B, and Favorite Adult Contemporary Album. Additionally, Williams received two nominations at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Female Video for "Save the Best for Last" and Best Cinematography for "Runnin' Back to You."

Year Award Category Track/album Result1992Grammy AwardsBest Female R&B Vocal Performance "Runnin' Back to You" 1993 Record of the Year "Save the Best for Last" Song of the Year Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Best Female R&B Vocal Performance "The Comfort Zone" American Music Awards Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock "The Comfort Zone" Favorite Female Artist – Soul/R&B "The Comfort Zone" Favorite Adult Contemporary Album "The Comfort Zone" MTV Video Music Awards Best Female Video "Save the Best for Last" Best Cinematography "Running Back to You"

Track listing

The tracks "Work to Do" and "What Will I Tell My Heart?" both appeared in the film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man; the latter also appeared on the film's soundtrack album.

Personnel Musicians Vanessa Williams - vocals DJ L.A. Jay, Dr. Jam, Mark Hammond, Harvey Mason - drums Dave Darlington, DJ L.A. Jay, Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston, Mark Hammond, Reggie Stewart, Keith Thomas - drum programming D.J. LA Jay, Bob Rosa, Rob Von Arx - "beats" Phase 5, Bob Rosa, Rob Von Arx - samples Greg Arnold, Derek Bramble, Merv DePyere, DJ L.A. Jay, Dr. Jam, David Frank, Alan Friedman, Trevor Gale, Kenni Hairston, Fred McFarlane, Monty Seward, Keith Thomas - keyboards Jorgen Kaufman, Brian McKnight, Randy Waldman - piano Stanley Clarke, Fred McFarlane, Cornelius Mims, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Keith Thomas - bass David Frank - synthesized bass Dann Huff, Paul Jackson, Jr., Jerry McPherson, Wah Wah Watson, Peter "Depete" Meldgaard - guitar Jerry McPherson - mandolin Gerald Albright, Pete Christlieb, Mark Douthit, Thomas Haas, Scott Mayo - saxophone Fernando Pullum - trumpet Duane Benjamin - trombone Hubert Laws - flute The Nashville String Machine - strings Horns arranged by Scott Mayo Strings arranged by Keith Thomas Debbie Cole, Lori Fulton, Vicki Hampton, Kipper Jones, Donna McElroy, Rick Nelson, Valerie Pinkston-Mayo, Angel Rogers, Rocq-E Harrell, Andres "Dres" Vargas-Titus, Tata Vega - backing vocals Vocals arranged by Gerry Brown, Kipper Jones, Brian McKnight, Mark Stevens, Keith Thomas and Vanessa Williams

Technical Produced by Vanessa Williams (also executive), Ed Eckstine (executive), Keith Thomas, Brian McKnight, Kenni Hairston, Derek Bramble, Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, DJ L.A. Jay, Kipper Jones, Phase 5, Mark Stevens and Reggie Stewart Engineers – Derek Bramble, Claude Demers, Joe Schiff, Will Schillinger, Allen Sides, Kieran Walsh, Matt Wells, Gerry Brown Assistant engineers – Steve Charles, Foley, Roy Gamble, Marty Lester, Todd Moore, Gary Paczosa, Mike Piersante, Brian Soucey Mixing – Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, Humberto Gatica, Bill Whittington, Vanessa L. Williams Mix assistants – Jeff Gledt, John Kunz, John David Parker, Brian Soucey Mastering – Herb Powers

Charts

Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for The Comfort Zone Chart (1992) PeakpositionJapanese Albums (Oricon)11

Year-end charts + 1991 year-end chart performance for The Comfort Zone Chart (1991) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 85

+ 1992 year-end chart performance for The Comfort Zone Chart (1992) Position US Billboard 200 45 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 6

Certifications

See also List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 1992

References