RIAA Gold LP award for Roberta Flack album Blue Lights In The Basement. Released on Dec. 13, 1977, it was certified Gold by the RIAA on Feb. 27, 1978 for 500,000 copies sold.* Remember Roberta Flack (1937-2025) with this award.
Flack's sixth studio album made a impact with the single "The Closer I Get to You", a duet with her friend Donny Hathaway, becoming one of Hathaway's last recordings. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus at the Grammy awards in 1978. The track "25th of Last December"/"Why Don't You Move in with Me" was also released as a single. The album itself reached #8 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.
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Item Highlights:
- RIAA Gold Album award
- In VG condition
- Award from 1978
- Presented to recording studio
- Original internals, reframed (see details below)
- Known as a "floater" award because the components appear to "float" above the matte, they were made from 1975-1981. RIAA "floater" awards numbered only 25-50 plaques worldwide for any given single/album
- Award measures 17" x 21"
- Great collectors item for any Roberta Flack fan
- FREE insured shipping to continental U.S.
- International shipping available
Detailed Item Description: This is a RIAA Gold Album award that would have been manufactured in 1978 making it around 47 years old. It is presented to The Hit Factory®, the recording studio in New York City, along with studio owner the late Ed Germano, who owned the facility since 1975.
The record disc, presentation plate, and album miniature in this award are original but it was reframed and rematted by the Hit Factory at some point. The frame and matte mostly match the originals, but the frame is not an original New York Frame & Picture Co. frame. Regardless, the provenance on this award is airtight since it was bought directly in a sale of all of The Hit Factory's awards after the studio closed. The backing board is also incorrect (it is from a newer award). The numbered sticker on the back is an inventory number from the recording studio.
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Notes on the condition of all vintage RIAA awards like this one: Please do not buy this item if you want a brand new piece of memorabilia. These are historical artifacts from the year they were produced. As a result they may show signs of wear. Frankly, if you see a 20 to 50-year-old award purported to be in 100% perfect condition, it might be too good to be true. After all, an antique should have "good' wear. If not, you might want to question the piece.
As to where they came from, they could have been displayed in record label offices, recording studios, artist manager's offices, radio stations, record retailers, private collector's homes and yes, of course, possibly the artist's or songwriter's home. Typically, we don't know all the places they may have been over the years other than what we've stated in the description.
Finally, a word on photos: Our photos are zoomable so you can get a very good look. Do let us know if you want photos of any other details on our pieces and we'll be happy to provide.
*RIAA sales data source: RIAA.com
The Hit Factory® is a registered trademark of The Hit Factory Licensing LLC