Herb Alpert signed Gino Vannelli to A&M Records after hearing a demo tape in 1973. Alpert produced Vannelli's first A&M album. Alpert told Billboard, "I feel that Gino's music is original, distinctive and very, very musical and that's just what I look for in an artist."

In 1974, the single "People Gotta Move" started as an album cut picked up on CKGM in Montreal, Canada. Listener interest was so strong that A&M released it as a single. Within ten days, it was on radio in a dozen of Canada's major cities and was one of the fastest-breaking singles in the country. At the time, Vannelli was touring in both the U.S. and Canada. A&M Records Canada threw a champagne reception for 300 press, radio, rack jobbers and retailers during Vannelli's appearance in Toronto. For the rest of Vannelli's stay at the Kego Club, he enjoyed capacity crowds.

20th Century Masters liner notes

20th Century Masters press release