Personnel: John E. Carter (vocals); Verne Allison, Marvin Junior (tenor); Michael McGill (baritone); Danny Leake, Cornelius Hall, Fleton L. Crews, Keith Henderson, Steele, Bobby Robinson (guitar); Sue DeVale-Carter (harp); Elliott Golub, Everett Mirsky, Philip Hilson, David K. Edge, Deborah Miller, Peter LaBella, Ellen Panitch, Karen Nelson, Samuel Magad, Edward Green, Jerry Sabransky, Adrian Gola, George Palermo, Mariou Johnson, Helen Blazie, Phyllis McKenny, Roland P. Urbanick, Sol Bobrov, Edmund Bauer, Johnny Frigo, Alexander Balanescu, Arnie Roth, Theodore Silavin (violin); Mariel B. Lewy, Janette L. Simmons, Naomi Hildner, Arthur Ahlman, Richard Ferrin, Rami Solomonow, Roger Moulton (viola); Gilda Baraston, Elaine Mack, Barbara Haffner (cello); Don Myrick, George Patterson (alto saxophone); Clifford Davis, Steele Seals, Henri Ford (tenor saxophone); Murray Watson, Elmer Brown, Arthur Hoyle (trumpet, flugelhorn); Paul Howard , Bobby Lewis , Kevin Jordan, Ron Friedman, Marvin Davis, Michael Harris, Paul Serrano, Rahmlee Michael Davis (trumpet); Cy Touff (bass trumpet, trombone); Dale Clevenger (French horn); Ralph Craig, Orville McFarland, John Avant, Rodney Clark, Steven Galloway, Morris Ellis, Mike Meyers, Louis Satterfield (trombone); Ron Scott (piano, keyboards); Thomas C. Washington (keyboards, synthesizer, percussion); Eugene Record (synthesizer, percussion); Theodis Rodgers, Terry Fryer (synthesizer); Brian Grice, Morris Jennings (drums); Otis Gould (congas, percussion); Sonny Sanders (percussion).
I Touched a Dream/Whatever Turns You On reissues two Dells LPs from 1980 and 1981, respectively, together on one CD. I Touched a Dream was the last great Dells album, and one of 1980's big surprises. The Dells were on another new label, working with Carl Davis and Eugene Record (also of the Chi-Lites). The pair simply restored the Dells' strengths; each production made sure Marvin Jr.'s roaring leads and Johnny Carter's wavery falsetto were at the forefront. They also got a superb ballad in the title track, a good message song in "It's All About the Paper," and other fine cuts. Whatever Turns You On featured less consistent material, but was still a workmanlike effort. ~ Steve Huey
