Lifeline (Roy Ayers album)

Lifeline is a studio album by Roy Ayers Ubiquity. It was released in 1977 through Polydor Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Sigma Sound Studios and Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and at Record Plant in Los Angeles. Production was handled by Ayers himself with co-production by Edwin Birdsong and William Allen. The album features contributions from singers Dee Dee Bridgewater and Sylvia Cox, keyboardist Philip Woo, guitarists Calvin Banks, Chuck Anthony, Glenn Jeffrey and James Mason, drummer Steve Cobb, percussionist Chano O'Ferral, saxophonist Justo Almario, and trumpeter John Mosley.

The album peaked at number 72 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and at number 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States. Its lead single, "Running Away", reached peak position No. 19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Critical reception
The Bay State Banner wrote: "Nearly every song parodies a popular soul act. Some even verge on insult—all in fun, of course—and thus Natalie Cole's Aretha-isms, Earth Wind and Fire's sometimes humorless pep-talks, and the Isley Brothers' conservative rock 'n rhythm (in 'Cincinnati Growl') all get their turn for musical pie-in-the-face."

Personnel

 * Roy Ayers Ubiquity
 * Roy Ayers – vocals, vibraphone, electric piano, Deagan vibraharp, arrangement (tracks: 2–7, 9–10), producer
 * Edwin L. Birdsong – vocals, piano, arrangement (track 8), co-producer
 * William Henry Allen – bass, arrangement (track 1), co-producer
 * Dee Dee Bridgewater – vocals
 * Sylvia Cox – vocals
 * Philip Woo – Moog synthesizer, ARP String Synthesizer, electric piano, piano
 * Chuck Anthony – guitar
 * Calvin Banks – guitar
 * Glenn S. Jeffrey – guitar
 * James Philip Mason – guitar
 * Kwame Steve Cobb – drums
 * Chano O'Ferral – congas, percussion
 * Justo Almario – tenor saxophone
 * John Clifford Mosley, Jr. – trumpet
 * Technical
 * Michael Hutchinson – engineering
 * David Wittman – engineering
 * Bruce Hensal – engineering
 * Jerry Solomon – engineering
 * James Patrick Green – engineering
 * Basil Pao Ho-Yun – art direction
 * Kathie McKinty – photography