Chicago Soul Icon Carl Davis Passes On

Ouch. Another genuine genius whose influence on the soul world was massive.

RIP. Another of the greats gone.

This really is sad!

All those incredible productions on Okeh, Brunswick, Dakar, Bashie ...

thanks for passing on the sad news ,i still regret not getting to meeting him when we were in chicago in 09 ,i was pooped and needed sleep after heavy partying the previous nights ,a sad loss to the music biz

anyone can open their record box and guarantee one thing.......... Carl Davis' name will be on more than one of the singles!. very sad news.

sad news RIP

terrible loss. rip

I spoke to Carl in the early 90's when I wanted to licence "I Choose You" by Paris for a Mastercuts comp. I was stunned that such an incredible producer/arranger/writer was working in real estate at the time. I found it hard to believe. Such is the nature of the cut-throat music biz.

A true gentlemen and I'm blessed to have known him. RIP Carl.

Ian D

R.I.P. Carl Davis, and what a legacy he left us!

I have been friends with him and am also friends with Willie Henderson on Facebook, who just posted the news. He recently posted about buying his book and receiving a bonus CD of material he produced. Thank you for all of the great music you were involved with!

Very sad news.

At least Carl is at peace now because life has been hard for him recently.

Rest in peace, Carl.

Paul

GVCD 3027 (issued 2004)

Had a great 2 hours with Carl in our hotel @SoultripUSA 2009.

Priceless chit chat. Introducing Barbara Acklin to his taxi driver Eugene Record was one such moment.

R.I.P Mr. Chicago

Another in a growing line of sad losses.

I hope that people close to him can can take some comfort from just how much his contribution to music was appreciated by so many of us.

A gentleman and a truly truly talented individual.

God's speed Carl.

Sad news.

His influence was massive and will be very long lasting. RIP Carl!

R.I.P. MR DAVIS,A LEGEND.

Another Legend Passes

R.I.P. Carl Davis

Just made friends with him on Facebook, gutted

RIP a true legend

a true genious rip soul man.

Legend is used all too often for people who have done little to deserve that status but in the case of carl Davis he is a legend and a genius. He made an immense contribution to black music.

R.I.P.

Two topics merged and title amended slightly to avoid further confusion and duplication of topics.

Whenever vintage soul music is discussed there are a few hallowed names that are synonymous with producing huge amounts of quality material. They transcend the music and actually become bigger than their creations. The likes of Berry Gordy, Kenny Gamble, Curtis etc are more than musicians, more than even the sum of their soulful contributions. They are spoken about with extra reverence and rightly so. Carl Davis was one of these people.

His contribution to black music was incalculable. From his humble beginnings as a chart compiler, through the careers of promo man and songwriter and on to the status of Soul Music Royalty Mr Davis maintained a standard to all his endeavours that's hard to match. Along with Curtis, Gerald Sims, Sonny Sanders, Riley Hampton he became a vital component of the team that took America's 'race' music and massaged it into the country's psyche with their strong beating rhythms, their floating strings and their ability to bring impassioned vocals from all who worked with them. Right at the helm, steering this mighty musical ship was their captain - Carl Davis.

I only got to know the man in recent years and was always enthralled by his tales of 'record guys'. His stories of a time and place that sometimes forces me to wish my life away, and would love to have lived in, will stay with me forever. Lots of people in the music industry love to name drop. He didn't need to. He actually made the names! It was others who would name drop HIM! He never quite got used to that idol like loyalty that his fans displayed.

When we went to Chicago in 2009 we tried desperately to get him there but as the week got going it looked like he wasn't going to make it. A few of us were devastated, a week playing soul in Chicago listening to the likes of Jimmy Burns, Marvin Smith, JoAnne Garrett, Ruby Andrews, Syl Johnson, Holly Maxwell, all backed up by Willie Henderson's band but no Carl Davis was unthinkable. Looking round at Marshall Thompson, Mill Evans, Barbara Green, Jackie Ross, Cicero Blake and a whole host of other Chicago musical icons was a fantastic experience but there was still a small part of me gutted that the (for me at least), main man wasn't there. To cut a long story short my wife got hold of Remell his PA and convinced her to get Carl to understand how important he was to us and the reception he would receive. The girl done good because, lo and behold, at 9pm on a windy night at the Ambassador East Hotel as DJs were playing his home town's music, in walked the man himself! An introduction from Kev left people in absolutely no doubt as to the importance of the man, dressed in a suit as sharp as a razor edge, standing before them and the place erupted in an out-poring of love, affection and respect for a man who had actually created 'The Chicago Sound".

I was fortunate enough to spend an hour or so with Carl that evening with my good Mate Dave Ferguson in a private room where we drank coffee, ate donuts and we shared yet another experience together that confirmed to me that... sure, records are important - but people matter more. Last year he sent me a CD of an artist he was working on for an opinion? Eh? Carl Davis asking a wretch from Burnley his opinion on an artist? Christ on a bike - could life get any more surreal?

I've been extremely lucky in my life in that I've met and enjoyed many a great experience when it comes to soul music. That evening in Chicago, surrounded by mates, all knowing exactly what it all meant was fantastic and ranks up there with the best. So to Kev and Sam Roberts, to Styrene-45, to all the friends who were there that night but especially to Mr Carl Davis - a TRUE legend. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Magic doesn't even come close.

I'm out tonight at a previous engagement but tomorrow night as is usual at our gaff on these occasions, I'll open up 'Frankies', crack open a bottle of bubbly, dig out a box of Chicago 45s and celebrate the life of a man who's work has provided the backdrop to my life. Mr Carl Davis - Mentor to Curtis Mayfield, Songwriter to Jackie Wilson and Otis Leavill, Producer to the The Artistics, and general all round Top Bloke...step forward Sir and take a final bow....for a job EXTREMELY well done.

I've attached a few photos of Carl, one of two excited, child like, 50 year olds spending time with one of our heroes. I hope Dave F doesn't mind. And Carl with members of the Accents who he reunited with that night after first producing their single 50 years ago! Fantastic!

Regards,

Dave

R.I.P.Sir.

as a great lover of jackie wilson what about those great brunswick recordings "i`ve lost you" and "nothing but blue skies" brilliant anybody who wants a quick masterclass in carl davis`class check out the kent lp "on the upbeat"and as instrumentals go "california montage" is right up there

dave you need to write a book

i'll second that...dave, i think we're all magnanimous in our view that yours is a lovingly devoted overview of a fabled & feted son of this wonderfully exuberant music that embues our minds & souls. god bless you carl, a revered guiding light, an arch exponent of afro-american free expressionism, but above all else, a pied piper to the dancefloor....and to you dave, your thesis on the man is compellingly exemplified...i salute you sir.

As others have said, a Real legend.

I dont know about others on here but as a young lad growing up in the uk getting into soul first I got into Motown and detroit, mirwood, the genius of Gamble and Huff in Philly.....you love them all ....but then you discover CHICAGO !!! and you start noting that some names just keep turning up again and again and again on the label credits of all the greatest records ! But above them all one name stands out more and more. Carl Davis. RIP

Here's something I wrote about Carl in 2005...

CARL DAVIS is a legend of the music business and was perhaps the most important man during the Chicago soul boom. He was the driving force behind the Okeh label in the 1960s, Brunswick and Dakar Records from the late '60s until the early '70s, and Chi-Sound in the late '70s and early '80s.

Born on September 19th, 1934, Carl Davis developed his talent for picking the hits while typing playlists for WGES radio DJ Al Benson in 1955. He then got a marketing job with a local distributorship and by 1961 had teamed up with Bill 'Bunky' Sheppard, scoring a minor hit with 'Nite Owl' by The Dukays - featuring Gene Chandler - for Nat Records in January 1962.

While working for promotions executive Granville White in the Chicago distribution branch of Columbia Records, Davis produced Gene Chandler's 'Duke Of Earl' hit for Vee-Jay Records in 1962. The success resulted in him being hired as a staff producer by Columbia A&R chief Dave Kapralik. The following year Davis was promoted to A&R director in charge of Columbia's Okeh subsidiary and he quickly turned the label into a huge R&B success. During this time Davis also continued to manage and produce acts (including Gene Chandler and Mary Wells) for other companies.

With assistance from Curtis Mayfield, Davis produced hits by Major Lance, The Artistics, Billy Butler, Ted Taylor, Walter Jackson, The Opals, Gerald Sims and others. He was promoted once again in 1965 but resigned soon after following a dispute with Columbia executive Len Levy.

In 1966 Davis was asked by Nat Tarnopol, vice president of Brunswick Records, to help revive the flagging career of his star act Jackie Wilson who was badly in need of a hit at that time.

Following the success of 'Whispers (Getting' Louder)', Davis became the A&R director of Brunswick which was then jointly owned by Nat Tarnopol and the Decca subsidiary of MCA.

To establish a Chicago base for Brunswick, Davis and his team moved into offices at 1449 South Michigan Avenue, formerly the home of Vee-Jay Records.

Jackie Wilson's hits continued - particularly 'Higher And Higher' which sold two million copies in 1967 - and Davis expanded the roster by signing The Chi-Lites, Gene Chandler, The Artistics, Billy Butler, Barbara Acklin, The Young-Holt Trio and others. Brunswick quickly replaced Okeh as the home of Chicago soul music.

While at Brunswick, Davis continued to operate his own production, publishing and management companies, and in '67 he launched two new independent labels, Bashie and Dakar. Bashie was quickly forgotten but Dakar scored in 1968 when 'Can I Change My Mind' became a monster hit for Tyrone Davis, resulting in a national distribution deal with Atlantic Records.

Tarnopol acquired the remaining half of Brunswick from MCA in 1970 and Davis was promoted to vice president. It seems that MCA were happy to end their relationship with Tarnopol, even though they were to lose out on crossover hits by Tyrone Davis and The Chi-Lites, fronted by hit songwriter and producer Eugene Record.

Dakar was then merged with Brunswick (Davis was given a ten percent holding in the combined operation) and the distribution of Dakar Records was switched from Atlantic to Brunswick in late 1971. Dakar continued to have major success with Tyrone Davis while The Chi-Lites delivered an amazing string of international soul and pop hits on the Brunswick label.

By the mid 1970s the Dakar label was also successful with Hamilton Bohannon but the focus was no longer entirely on Chicago soul. In fact, following the merger, more of the business was increasingly handled from Brunswick's New York offices and A&R executive Alonzo Tucker signed several New York-based artists to Dakar - including Ben Monroe, Donald Height, Eddie McLoyd and B.W. & The Next Edition, a group led by Billy Nichols and featuring Willie Collins on lead vocals.

As Brunswick's New York head office took more control, Davis was less involved. In fact, two years before he left Brunswick he had formed another label, Innovation II Records, with veteran Chicago radio DJ E. Rodney Jones.

Innovation II was initially distributed by Warner Bros. and had success with The Lost Generation in 1974. They also issued product by Simtec Simmons, Ebony Rhythm Funk Campaign, Sir Wales Wallace and Barbara Hall.

As The Chi-Lites faced charges of tax evasion in 1976, Brunswick already had difficulties of their own. "They had a big payola problem," recalled Davis. "They were selling records and not putting them through the books."

In 1975 Nat Tarnopol and several other executives were charged with fraud and conspiracy and were named in a payola scandal. Tarnopol was convicted in 1976 but his conviction was overturned on appeal the following year. He was later sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion and other offenses but that conviction was thrown out on a technicality and he passed away in 1987.

Carl Davis and promotions man Melvin Moore were also tried but were acquitted. It seems they weren't aware of what had been going on in the New York office.

All of a sudden it was all over. Jackie Wilson was in a coma, having suffered a major heart attack on stage in September 1975, and the remaining acts started to desert the company in 1976.

Tyrone Davis was snapped up by Columbia and Eugene Record left The Chi-Lites for a solo career with Warner Bros. The rest of the group pacted with Mercury Records, as did Hamilton Bohannon the following year.

Brunswick would struggle on until the early 1980s but the company was just a shadow of its former self and had few hits of any significance.

Jackie Wilson remained in a coma until he died in January 1984. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Detroit.

Vital to his success were the teams Carl Davis assembled at Okeh, Brunswick, Dakar and Chi-Sound. And if there is such a thing as the 'Carl Davis sound', it was created with help from musical directors and arrangers such as Sonny Sanders, Johnny Pate, Gerald Sims, Willie Henderson, Tom Washington and Riley Hampton.

William 'Sonny' Sanders left Motown after having an affair with Berry Gordy's ex-wife Raynoma. He teamed up with Carl Davis and introduced elements of Motown into the Chicago sound - quite literally. He arranged for Motown musicians to work 'moonlight' sessions in Chicago. "On a weekend they would rent a van and the whole rhythm section would come over!" remembered Carl.

Although arrangers made a significant contribution, most important of all were the songs of Curtis Mayfield and Eugene Record who both played crucial roles in Davis' career as a producer and A&R executive.

Curtis Mayfield was assistant producer on many of Carl's early Okeh sessions and Eugene Record was the 'secret weapon' at Brunswick and Dakar. Mayfield and Record were the key architects of the Chicago soul sound and both are sorely missed.

Behind the scenes, Davis was supported by Otis Leavill who balanced the roles of A&R assistant and occasional artist. "Otis was my right arm," said Davis. "He would bring me the artists because he had a really good ear for talent. I was not in the street like he was."

Leavill was responsible for discovering many of the Dakar and Brunswick artists, including Barbara Acklin who also served as a secretary to Carl Davis and became a successful singer and a hit songwriter, remembered most for her wonderful collaborations with Eugene Record.

Paul Mooney

2005

Introduction to liner notes from 'Carl Davis presents Chicago Soul Survey' (GVCD 3027)

As with the earlier comment from Polyvelts, I came to Chicago Soul via Detroit and Philly, not even really perceiving that there were distinct differences between the sounds of certain cities and certain studios.

Now, after near enough 40 years of being into the music, I find it astonishing how much one person can contribute to the sounds we love.

Sorry to hear things were tougher for him in later years, but what a legacy.

RIP Carl Davis

I've just got back from Chicago and was there when the news broke. My deepest simpathy goes out to his family and friends.

I have met Carl on a number of occasions over the years in Chicago and was invited to his home in Homewood whilst compiling the Grapevine's CD "Chicago Soul Survey". On another occasion in 2003 I interviewed him for four hours with the intention of finding more about his relationship with Otis Leavill, his partner for many years, but as always with Carl you always got more than you expected. The result was almost Carl's life history (before he published his biography "The Man Behind The Music"). So many fascinating stories.

The interview was published in the Soul Up North fanzine, some of you will have read it.

Another music legend leaves us, but his music will remain.

Below is a link to a video of the announcement made on abc's TV morning news program.

https://abclocal.go.c...ideo?id=8768451

Dave & Val

R.I P. Sir......

RIP CARL DAVIS great loss.

Sometimes out of sentinentality people over egg a musicians signifigance, in this case Carl's contribution can never be overstated, a true giant of the 6ts soul scene.

Just received a message from his PA: Today at 4am US time Mr Carl Davis, Chicago musical Icon passed away.

Dave

Very sad, someone once wrote what records he should buy that Carl Davis had worked on, the reply was "all of them".

Here's my one-hour tribute to Carl:

https://taylorws.podomatic.com/entry/2012-08-20T03_02_03-07_00

Also had the pleasure of meeting him in Chicago Goldsoul soultrip 2009. A giant of the Chicago soul scene whose influence on records has touched us all. Thanks for the music.

Mick Perrins

Our thoughts & prayers are with Carls family & close friends a true giant of Soul Music

Brought so much happiness into people's life's with his music

Gone but Never Forgotten

Ian Cunliffe & Jane Hamilton