Alpha Studios (Burbank, California); Lion Share, Bunny Hop, Ground Control Studios, Lighthouse Studios and Studio Masters (Los Angeles, California); Criterion Studios and Conway Recording Studios (Hollywood, California); The Hit Factory, Right Track Recording, The Power Station, RPM Studios, Automated Sound Studios and Paradise Studios (New York City, New York); Homeland Studio (London, UK)
Containing five US top 40 hits (including three that reached the top 10), Soul Provider achieved longevity on the charts. The album spent almost four years on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number 3.[3] It was certified 6× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4]
For the single version of "Georgia on My Mind", CBS edited out Michael Brecker's saxophone solo and replaced it with one by Kenny G.[5]
Soul Provider has received generally mixed reviews from critics. AllMusic retrospectively described it as "more of the same", but noted that due to this album, Bolton "was now stoking the romantic fires in bedrooms across America".[6]Robert Christgau gave the album a negative review, declaring Bolton to be "indistinguishable from pop metal except in the wattage of his guitar parts and the shamelessness of his song doctors."[7]The Rolling Stone Album Guide described the album as the beginning of Bolton's descent into overdone and disrespectful covers, though they added that some of the self-penned performances on the album showed potential.[8]
Producers – Peter Bunetta and Rick Chudacoff (Tracks 1 & 9); Michael Bolton (Tracks 2, 6-8 & 10); Susan Hamilton (Track 2); Michael Omartian (Tracks 3, 4 & 10); Desmond Child (Track 5); Guy Roche (Track 7); Barry Mann (Track 10)
Assistant producer on Track 7 – Walter Afanasieff
Production coordination on Tracks 3 & 4 – Janet Hinde
Production manager on Track 5 – Steve Savitt
Production coordination on Track 7 – Doreen Dorian
Engineers – Daren Klien (Tracks 1 & 9); Rick Kerr (Track 2); David Albert (Tracks 3, 4 & 10); Terry Christian (Track 3, 4, 6-8 & 10); Doug Carlton (Tracks 3, 4 & 10); Kevin Becka (Tracks 3, 4 & 10); Sir Arthur Payson (Track 5); Jay Healy (Tracks 6 & 8); Guy Roche (Track 7); Richard Piatt (Track 7)
Additional recording – Jeff Balding, Gerry E. Brown, Mark Ettel and Gary Wagner (Tracks 1 & 9); Kevin Becka (Track 8)
Assistant engineers – Bryant Arnett (Tracks 1 & 9), Laura Livingston (Tracks 1 & 9), Richard McKernon (Tracks 1 & 9), Marnie Riley (Tracks 1, 8 & 9), Steve Satkowski (Tracks 1 & 9); Tim Leitner, Paul Logus, Tony Van Horn and Michaek White (Track 2); Keith Goldstein, Roy Hendrickson, John Herman, Mike Krowiak, Danny Mormando and Joe Pirrera (Track 5); Kevin Becka (Tracks 6 & 7), Dary Sulich (Tracks 6 & 8), Rich Travali (Tracks 6 & 8), Tony Friedman (Track 7)
Mixing – Mick Guzauski (Tracks 1, 7 & 8); Rick Kerr (Track 2); Terry Christian (Tracks 3, 4 & 10); Sir Arthur Payson (Track 5); David Thoener (Track 6); Gerry E. Brown (Track 9)
Remix – Mick Guzauski (Track 4); David Frazer (Track 5); Arne Frager (Track 7)
^ abBrackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 90. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone michael bolton album guide.
^Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 105. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.