High Inergy
High Inergy was an American R&B and soul girl group that rose to fame on Motown Records in the late 1970s. Formed in Pasadena, California, the original lineup featured sisters Vernessa Mitchell (lead vocals) and Barbara Mitchell, alongside Linda Howard and Michelle Rumph (also known as Michelle Martin).
The group formed in 1976 and caught the attention of Gwen Gordy Fuqua, sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy, during a Bicentennial performance in Pasadena. Signed to Motown's Gordy imprint in 1977, they drew inspiration from acts like Martha and the Vandellas and the Supremes, blending strong vocals with dynamic dance routines.
Their debut album Turnin' On (1977) became a hit, driven by the single "You Can't Turn Me Off (In the Middle of Turning Me On)," which peaked at No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up releases like "Love Is All You Need" and "Shoulda Gone Dancin'" also charted, yielding nine R&B hits total.
Vernessa Mitchell departed after the second album to pursue gospel music, leaving a trio for Shoulda Gone Dancin' (1979). Motown released eight albums through 1983 despite diminishing commercial returns, influenced by Gwen Gordy's involvement; the group appeared on the Motown 25 special that year. They disbanded in 1984 amid solo pursuits, with Linda Howard passing away in 2012.
Steppin’ Out
Arranged By – Sylvester Rivers
Written-By – Marilyn McLeod, Pam Sawyer 3:21
A2 Hi !
Arranged By – Wade Marcus
Written-By – Barbara Mitchell, Vernessa Mitchell 2:41
A3 You Captured My Heart
Arranged By – Al Willis , Sylvester Rivers, William Bickelhaupt
Written-By – Al Willis , Troy Laws 3:24
A4 Didn't Wanna Tell You
Arranged By – William Bickelhaupt
Written-By – William Bickelhaupt 3:44
A5 Everytime I See You I Go Wild
Arranged By – Al Willis , William Bickelhaupt
Written-By – Henry Cosby, Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy 3:36
B1 Fly Little Blackbird
Arranged By – Al Willis , Sylvester Rivers
Written-By – Al Willis 5:01
B2 Beware
Arranged By – Sylvester Rivers
Written-By – Al Willis , Gwen Fuqua 3:26
B3 We Are The Future
Arranged By – Mel Bolton, Rene Hall
Written-By – Friendly Womack, Jimmy Holiday, Mel Bolton, Troy Laws 3:37
B4 Peaceland
Arranged By – Wade Marcus
Written-By – Barbara Mitchell, Michelle Martin, Vernessa Mitchell 3:24
Label: Gordy – G7-982R1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Disco
High Inergy's second album, Steppin' Out, received a mixed critical reception at the time of its release, as it did not live up to the commercial success or critical praise of their hit debut album, Turnin' On. However, some modern personal reviews consider it a strong, cohesive album that can be played without skips.
The album did not perform as well commercially as their debut. Many contemporary music critics at the time "crucified" the album and subsequent releases, feeling the group's output was uneven due to working with a variety of producers. The consensus was generally that the quality suffered after the initial hit.
Some dedicated fans and modern reviewers praise Steppin' Out as a "phenomenal" or "great" album, often citing it as their second-best effort after their debut. These reviews highlight the group's strong and "heavenly" vocals and harmonies, finding the album flows easily from start to finish. The average user rating on Discogs is around 3.7 to 4 out of 5 stars across various releases.
The album was produced by the same team responsible for their hit debut and features several standout songs.
"Lovin' Fever": The album kicks off with this "sassy and percolating" track, written by the same Motown staff writers (Pam Sawyer and Marilyn McLeod) who penned their #1 single "You Can't Turn Me Off (In the Middle of Turning Me On)".
"Hi": A "sweet number" written by group members and sisters Barbara and Vernessa Mitchell.
The album is considered a good representation of the disco and R&B genres popular at the time of its release.
Steppin Out Steppin Out
Turnin’ On
Arranged By – Sylvester Rivers
Producer – Kent Washburn
Written-By – Clay Drayton
4:08
A2 You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)
Arranged By – Sylvester Rivers
Producer – Kent Washburn
Written-By – Marilyn McLeod, Pam Sawyer
5:09
A3 Some Kinda Magic
Arranged By – Greg Poree
Producer – Al Willis, Dee Ervin
Written-By – Al Willis
4:36
A4 Searchin' (I've Got To Find My Love)
Arranged By – William Bickelhaupt
Producer – Kent Washburn
Written-By – Barbara Mitchell, Gary Washburn, Kent Washburn, Troy Laws
4:16
B1 Ain't No Love Left (In My Heart For You)
Arranged By – Sylvester Rivers
Producer – Kent Washburn
Written-By – Clay Drayton, Tamy Smith
2:59
B2 Let Me Get Close To You
Arranged By – Gary Washburn
Producer – Kent Washburn
Written-By – Faye Usher
3:41
B3 Save It For A Rainy Day
Arranged By – Greg Poree
Producer – Al Willis, Dee Ervin
Written-By – James Ingram, Merria Ross
3:17
B4 Could This Be Love
Arranged By – Greg Poree
Producer – Al Willis, Dee Ervin
Written-By – James Ingram, Merria Ross
4:04
B5 High School
Arranged By – Jimmy Holiday, William Bickelhaupt
Producer – Jimmy Holiday
Written-By – Friendly Womack, Jimmy Holiday, Mel Bolton, Troy Laws
3:45
Label: Gordy – G6-978S1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1977
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Funk, Disco
Turnin' On (1977) is the debut album by Motown quartet High Inergy, peaking at #6 R&B and #28 Pop, driven by the smash hit "You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)". The album offers a lush, mid-tempo blend of late-era Supremes-style soul and disco, featuring strong harmonies and standout ballads like "Let Me Get Close to You".
Beyond the popular title track, highlights include "Love Is All You Need" and the ballad "Save It for a Rainy Day". The album is characterized by smooth, orchestrated soul, capturing the late-seventies disco-soul crossover sound.
Expanded CD editions, such as the one from Soul and Jazz and Funk, include bonus tracks like the single version of "You Can't Turn Me Off" and expanded liner notes.
The group consisted of vocalists Vernessa and Barbara Mitchell with dancers Linda Howard and Michelle Martin, often compared to the Supremes.
The album is considered essential for fans of 1970s soul and disco, marking a high point in the group's career.
On platforms like Discogs, the album maintains a solid average rating of 3.94/5, with many fans considering it a "timeless" example of smooth soul. However, some critics suggest the group's momentum was hampered by their lack of live touring.
Turnin On Turnin On