Library Of Congress Inducts Thelma Houston's 'I've Got The Music In Me'

(DM) Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden named GRAMMY-winning Motown artist Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker's 1975 recording "I've Got The Music In Me" along with 24 other audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the country's recorded sound heritage.

In addition to Houston's classic "I've Got The Music In Me" live direct to disc album, the 2025 inductees to the Library's National Recording Registry include Tracy Chapman's self-titled debut album, Celine Dion's 1997 single "My Heart Will Go On" from the blockbuster film "Titanic," Roy Rogers and Dale Evans' classic "Happy Trails," Miles Davis' jazz fusion album "Bitches Brew," Charley Pride's groundbreaking "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin,'" Vicente Fernandez's enduring ranchera song "El Rey," Freddy Fender's breakthrough song "Before the Next Teardrop Falls," and the Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like an Eagle."

The album was released by Sheffield Lab and featured the vocals of Houston along with iconic session players including Larry Carlton, Jim Gordon, Jim Keltner, Larry Knechtel, Lincoln Mayorga, Michael Omartian, Dean Parks, Tom Scott, and others. The album was produced and engineered by legendary, multiple GRAMMY- and Emmy-winning recording engineer Bill Schnee, whose recent book Chairman at the Board: Recording the Soundtrack of a Generation, details his life as a music industry professional who has recorded some of the greatest musical artists from the 1970s to today.

"Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to be a part of many phenomenal projects, and this was certainly one of them largely thanks to Bill Schnee," said Houston. "For me, the experience captured the true joy of performing live, with the ability to have it preserved for fans on an album. From the players to the process to the engineers and producers, it was an experience I'll never forget. Now, 50 years later, I hope it's one that will inspire future generations of music creators."

"I set out to do what had never been done before--a live direct to disc album with a singer. Realize that with direct to disc, you have to record one whole side of the album at once--no stopping, no fixing," said Schnee. "What you get, however, are real honest performances, not manufactured with studio techniques. I had just worked with Thelma and knew without question she was up for the task, and surrounded her with the best 22 musicians and singers you could get in Los Angeles in 1975. It was the most exciting three days I ever experienced in a studio!"

The recordings selected for the National Recording Registry this year bring the number of titles on the registry to 675, representing a small portion of the national library's vast recorded sound collection of nearly 4 million items.

The 2025 selections span the sounds of folk, jazz, country, pop, comedy, sports, Latin, dance, R&B, tech, choral and musical theater. Listen to many of the recordings on your favorite streaming service. The Digital Media Association, a member of the National Recording Preservation Board, has compiled a list of some streaming services with National Recording Registry playlists.

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