Headed for the Future

Headed for the Future
Studio album by Neil Diamond
Released	March 11, 1986
Recorded	1985
Genre	Pop rock
Length	39:28
Label	Columbia
Producer	Neil Diamond, David Foster, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Maurice White, Greg Phillinganes, Stevie Wonder
Neil Diamond chronology
Primitive (1984) Headed for the Future (1986) Hot August Night II (1987)

Headed for the Future is the seventeenth studio album by Neil Diamond, released in March 1986 on Columbia Records.^[1] The album went to number 20 on the US Billboard 200.^[2] Headed for the Future has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.^[3]

The album's title track reached the top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.^[4] Another single, "The Story of My Life", reached No. 11 on the same chart.^[5]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Detroit Free Press	(favourable)[7]
The Mercury News	8/10[8]

Rick Shefchik of The Mercury News found that "Diamond records albums like a man easing himself into a cold lake for a swim. He seems reluctant to get started and unsure of how to go about it, but once he takes the plunge, his natural instincts take over."^[8]

• Neil Diamond – main performer on all tracks

• Alan Lindgren – synthesizers, pianos, arrangements
• Tom Hensley – pianos, synthesizers, arrangements
• Richard Bennett – guitar
• Doug Rhone – guitar
• Hadley Hockensmith – guitar
• Reinie Press – bass
• Ron Tutt – drums
• King Errisson – percussion, congas
• Vince Charles – percussion, steel drums
• Linda Press – backing vocals

(These musicians were at the time all members of Neil Diamond's official backing band, known as "Diamondville"^[9][10])

• David Foster – keyboards, arrangements
• David Boruff – keyboard programming, saxophone
• Michael Landau – guitars
• Tris Imboden – drums
• Bill Champlin – backing vocals

• Randy Kerber – keyboards
• Burt Bacharach – synthesizers, arrangements
• Robbie Buchanan – synthesizers
• Todd Cochran – E-mu Emulator programming
• Dann Huff – guitars
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass
• Carlos Vega – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• David Boruff – saxophone
• Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters and Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals

• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, backing vocals, arrangements
• Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizers
• Steve Lukather – guitars
• Nathan East – bass
• John Robinson – drums
• Maurice White – backing vocals, arrangements
• Marva Barnes – backing vocals

• David Foster – keyboards, arrangements
• David Boruff – keyboard programming
• Michael Landau – guitar
• Dann Huff – guitar
• Jason Scheff – bass, backing vocals
• Tris Imboden – drum overdubs
• Bill Champlin – backing vocals

• Stevie Wonder – acoustic piano, synthesizers, drums, backing vocals
• Herbie Hancock – synthesizer solo
• Bob Bralove and Robert A. Arbittier – synthesizer programming
• Dwayne Roberson, Vincent Unto and Phillip Williams – backing vocals

• Lists the same musicians here as were listed for the "Headed for the Future" track; obviously, not all of those musicians performed on this track as well. It is possible that Diamond himself might have performed some of the instrumentation (such as piano and/or acoustic guitar) uncredited.

• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
• Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizers
• Nyle Steiner – additional synthesizer
• Bobby Caldwell – guitar, backing vocals
• Dann Huff – additional guitar
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass
• John Robinson – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Maurice White – backing vocals, arrangements

• Randy Kerber – keyboards
• Burt Bacharach– synthesizers, arrangements
• David Foster – synthesizers
• Dann Huff – guitars
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass
• Carlos Vega – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Stephanie Spruill and David Lasley – backing vocals

• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
• Bo Tomlyn – keyboards, synthesizers
• Bobby Caldwell – guitar
• Dann Huff – additional guitar
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass
• John Robinson – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Clare Fischer – string arrangements
• Maurice White – arrangements
• Assa Drori – concertmaster

^[1]

• Producers – Neil Diamond (Tracks 1 & 7); Tom Henley and Alan Lindgren (Track 1); David Foster (Tracks 2 & 5); Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager (Tracks 3 & 9); Maurice White and Greg Phillinganes (Tracks 4, 8); Stevie Wonder (Track 6).
• Recording Engineers – John Arrias, Humberto Gatica, Mick Guzauski, John Patterson, Tom Perry, David Schober and Allen Sides.
• Assistant Engineers – Bino Espinoza, Dan Garcia, Bob Harlan, Darren Klein, Bob Loftus, Steve MacMillan, Richard McKernon, Claudio Ordenes, Mike Ross, Karen Siegel and Jeffrey Woodruff.
• Mixing – Bill Bottrell, Humberto Gatica, Mick Guzauski, Gary Olazabal and Allen Sides.
• Recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Bill Schnee Studios, Motown Recording Studios, Lion Share Recording Studio and Wonderland Studios (Los Angeles, CA); Conway Studios and Soundcastle (Hollywood, CA); Chartmaker Studios (Malibu, CA); Grover Helseley Recording Inc.
• Mastered by Bernie Grundman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
• Music Contractor – Frank DeCaro
• Production Assistants – Ned Brown, Barry Cardinale, Larry E. Williams and Alison Zanetos.
• Production Coordination – Sam Cole, Frank DeCaro, Chris Earthy and Geri White.
• Art Direction – David Kirschner
• Design – David Kirschner and Jan Weinberg
• Photography – Herb Ritts

^[1]