# Duets (Elton John album)

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Calgary Herald | C+ |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| Music Week | |
| Philadelphia Inquirer | |
Duets is a collaborative studio album by English musician Elton John, released in 1993. The album debuted at No. 7 in the UK. In the US, it peaked at number 25 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum in January 1994 by the RIAA.
Duets was released on a single CD, a single cassette and also as a double vinyl LP in the UK, with a slightly different running order. It was initially a Christmas project of John's, but that soon grew into an album of its own (Elton John's Christmas Party). The live version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" with George Michael, track number 15 on the album, had already become a No. 1 hit on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK singles chart in 1991. This is one of only 3 albums released between 1983 and 2016 without John's regular guitar player, Davey Johnstone.
Three singles were released from the album in Britain: "True Love" (with Kiki Dee, reached No. 2), "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with RuPaul, reached No. 7), and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (with Marcella Detroit, reached No. 24).

## Personnel

Information is based on the album’s liner notes:
* Elton John – piano (3, 7, 13), keyboards (1), Roland RD-1000 digital piano (16), lead vocals (all tracks)
* Robert Ahwai – guitar (6)
* Guy Babylon – additional keyboards (3)
* Eddie Bayers – drums (7)
* Louis Biancaniello – musical arrangements, keyboards, synthesizer, music programming (5)
* Curt Bisquera – drums (1, 3)
* Martin Bliss – guitar (15)
* Kimberly Brewer – backing vocals (9)
* Johnny Britt – backing vocals (12)
* Ray Brown – bass guitar (14)
* Kelli Bruce – backing vocals (7)
* Robbie Buchanan – keyboards, synth strings, music programming (13)
* Kathy Burdick – backing vocals (7)
* Chris Cameron – keyboards (15)
* David Campbell – horn arrangements (13), string arrangements (12, 13), string conductor (12)
* Bill Churchfield – horns (12)
* David Clayton – keyboards (15)
* Leonard Cohen – vocals (14)
* Luis Conte – congas (12)
* Jim Cox – Hammond organ (12, 14), piano (14)
* Andraé Crouch – vocal arrangements, backing vocals (3)
* Andraé Crouch Choir – backing vocals (3)
* Sandra Crouch – backing vocals (3)
* Danny Cummings – percussion (15)
* P.M. Dawn – lead vocals (2)
* Kiki Dee – lead vocals (5)
* Marcella Detroit – vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica (11)
* Martin Ditcham – drums (6), percussion (6, 16)
* Nathan East – bass guitar (1, 3)
* Alan Estes – bells, tambourine, vibraphone (12)
* Deon Estus – bass guitar (15)
* Ricky Fataar – drums (13)
* Lynne Fiddmont-Linsay – backing vocals (9)
* Brandon Fields – tenor saxophone (13)
* Connye Florence – backing vocals (7)
* Malcolm Foster – bass guitar (16)
* Paul Franklin – steel guitar (7)
* Michael Gibbs – string arrangements, string conductor (5)
* Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals (12)
* Mark Goldenberg – additional guitar (13)
* Gary Grant – trumpet (3)
* Ed Greene – drums (12)
* Sandy Griffith – backing vocals (5)
* Steve Grove – saxophone, horns (12)
* John Guerin – drums (14)
* Andy Hamilton – saxophone (15)
* Don Henley – vocals (4)
* Jay Henry – backing vocals (15)
* Jerry Hey – horn arrangements, trumpet (3)
* Dan Higgins – baritone saxophone (3)
* Yvonne Hodges – backing vocals (7)
* Dann Huff – electric guitar (7)
* James "Hutch" Hutchinson – bass guitar (13)
* Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (12)
* Danny Jacob – guitar (15)
* Michelle Johnson – backing vocals (2)
* Plas Johnson – saxophone solo (14)
* Nik Kershaw – vocals, musical arrangements, instruments (8)
* Herold Klosser – keyboards, programming (10)
* Mike Knapp – Roland TB-303 bassline (10)
* Gladys Knight – lead vocals (9)
* Stephen Kupka – baritone saxophone (13)
* k.d. lang – vocals (1)
* Shirley Lewis – backing vocals (15)
* Mort Lindsey – musical arrangements, string arrangements, string conductor (14)
* Steve Lindsey – musical arrangements (14)
* Etyenne Lytel – keyboards (2)
* Lynn Mabry – backing vocals (15)
* Sylvan Marc – bass guitar (6)
* Arif Mardin – string arrangements, string conductor (1)
* Linda McCrary-Campbell – backing vocals (10)
* Candi McKenzie – backing vocals (16)
* George Michael – lead vocals, musical arrangements (15)
* Max Middleton – piano, keyboards (6)
* Jonathan Moffett – drums (15)
* Giorgio Moroder – programming (10)
* Phil Naish – synthesizer (7)
* Portia Neeley-Rolle – backing vocals (2)
* Dean Parks – guitar (1, 3, 16, additional on 14), lap steel guitar (14)
* Derrick Perkins – music programming (9)
* Jamie Perkins – additional keyboards (16)
* Phil Perry – backing vocals (12)
* Joel Peskin – tenor saxophone solo (3)
* Greg Phillinganes – piano (12)
* Scott Plunkett – keyboards (4)
* Don Potter – acoustic guitar (7)
* Billy Preston – Hammond organ B3 (13)
* Lon Price – saxophone, horns (12)
* Bonnie Raitt – vocals, slide guitar (13)
* Chris Rea – vocals, keyboards, steel guitar (6), guitar (16, additional on 6)
* Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (3)
* Michael Rhodes – bass guitar (7)
* Little Richard – lead vocals, piano (3)
* Claytoven Richardson – backing vocals (5)
* John Robinson – drums (4)
* RuPaul – lead vocals (10)
* Corrado Rustici – mandolin (5)
* Chuck Sabo – drums (11, 16)
* Thomas Schobel – sequencer (10)
* Beverley Skeete – backing vocals (16)
* Greg Smith – saxophone, horns (12)
* Phil Spalding – bass guitar (11)
* Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (4)
* Mark Taylor – additional keyboards (16)
* Michael Thompson – guitar (4)
* Lee Thornburg – horn arrangements (12), trombone, trumpet (12, 13)
* Matthew Vaughan – programming (11)
* Narada Michael Walden – rhythm arrangements, vocal arrangements (5)
* Freddie Washington – bass guitar (12)
* Marietta Waters – backing vocals (10)
* Greg Wells – Hammond organ (3)
* Precious Wilson – backing vocals (16)
* Stevie Wonder – musical arrangements, backing vocals, instruments, music programming (9)
* Tammy Wynette – lead vocals (7)
* Paul Young – lead vocals (12)
Technical personnel
* Producers – Barry Beckett, P.M. Dawn, Stuart Epps, Don Henley, Elton John, Nik Kershaw, Steve Lindsey, George Michael, Giorgio Moroder, Greg Penny, Chris Rea, Chris Thomas, Don Was, Narada Michael Walden and Stevie Wonder.
* Associate Producer on "True Love" – Louis Biancaniello
* Executive Producers – Steve Brown, Ray Cooper and Elton John.
* Production Supervision – Greg Penny
* Production Coordination – Stephanie Andrews (9), Debra Johnson (1, 3, 4, 10), Julie Larson (12, 14), Janice Lee (5), Carrie McConkey (13), Cynthia Shiloh (5), Toby Taibi (4), Kevin Walden (5), Lisa Louie and Connie Pappas-Hillman and Sam Stell.
* Engineers – Jim Champagne, Ed Cherney, Mark Evans, Mike Fossenkemper, David Frazer, Ron Jacobs, Jon Ingoldsby, Paul McKenna, David Nicholas, Csaba Petucz, Brian Reeves, Marc Reyburn, Matt Still, Gabe Veltri, Frank Wolf and Enrico De Paoli.
* Assistant Engineers – Van Arden, Dominick Barbera, Dan Bosworth, Jim Champagne, Todd Childress, Shaun de Ego, Jim DeMain, Billy Gabor, John Hendricksen, Amy Hughes, Steve Holroyd, Pete Lewis, Charles Paakkari, Thomas Rickert, Rail Jon Rogut, Brian Scheuble, Matt Still and Ben Wallach.
* Mixed by Van Arden, Ed Cherney, Mike Fossenkemper, David Frazer, Jon Ingoldsby and Bill Schnee.
* Mix Assistants – Dominick Barbera, Todd Childress, Steve Holroyd and Matt Still.
* Mix Consultant – Chris Lang
* Recorded at Ocean Way Recording, Conway Recording Studios and Capitol Studios (Hollywood, CA); A&M and Wonderland Studios (Los Angeles, CA); Tarpan Studios (San Rafael, CA); Soundtrack Studios (New York City, NY); Bosstown Recording Studio (Atlanta, GA); Woodland Studio (Nashville, TN); Sol Studios (Cookham, Berkshire, UK), The Town House (London, UK), Olympic Studios (Barnes, West London) and Wembley Arena (Wembley Park, London).
* Mixed at Ocean Way Recording, Soundtrack Studios, A&M Studios, Tarpan Studios, Wonderland Studios, The Townhouse; Schnee Studio (North Hollywood, CA); Skip Saylor Recording (Los Angeles, CA); Record One (Sherman Oaks, CA); Metropolis Studios (Chiswick, West London).
* Digital Editing – Pete Fausone and R.R. Harlan
* Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
* Photography – Brian Aris, Brad Branson, Mark Contratto, Paul Cox, Robert Goldstein, Stephen Harvey, Dominique Issermann, Harry Langdon, Sophie Muller, Hideo Odia, Albert Sanchez, Randee St. Nicholas, Allan Titmuss, Albert Watson and Firooz Zahedi.

## Certifications

Certifications for Duets :
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Australia (ARIA) | Gold | 35,000$^^$ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria) | Platinum | 50,000$^*$ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Platinum | 100,000$^^$ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | Platinum | 80,000$^^$ |
| France (SNEP) | 2× Gold | 200,000$^*$ |
| Japan | — | 30,000 |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Platinum | 15,000$^^$ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway) | Platinum | 50,000$^*$ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) | Platinum | 100,000$^^$ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) | Platinum | 50,000$^^$ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Platinum | 300,000$^^$ |
| United States (RIAA) | Platinum | 1,000,000$^^$ |
| $^*$ Sales figures based on certification alone. $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||