Source Magazine - Soul Music News & Articles

VARIOUS ARTISTS - A CELLARFUL OF MOTOWN VOL 5
Caroline International
What is it now? 10 years since volume 4? Well think it's fair to say that 'overdue' and 'long awaited' are deserved descriptions with this release, #5 in the series. Seeing that this double cd is already close to featuring in Amazons top 50 cd best sellers chart (currently #59) then it is living up to the blurb.
No mp3s or streaming release seen yet or indeed audio previews, some of the tracks have been made available before both digitally and on other releases, an informative look at this release, listing such details can be found on The Second Disk website by Joe Marchese here
https://theseconddisc.com/2020/09/15/a-miracle-happened-a-cellarful-of-motown-returns-with-gems-from-the-temptations-martha-and-the-vandellas-marvin-gaye-kim-weston-blinky-and-more/
Track listing follows below, a double cd set with a 24 leaflet with content by Paul Nixon and Keith Hughes, whats not to like...
Disc 1
1. Frank Wilson – A Toast To The Lady
2. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream
3. The Temptations – I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back)
4. The Funk Brothers – True Fine Boy
5. Gladys Knight & The Pips – Nothing But A Fool
6. Eddie Holland – There’s No Love Left
7. The Lewis Sisters – Whisper You Love Me Boy
8. Chris Clark – I Don’t Want You Anymore
9. Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston – That’ll Be The Day
10. Brenda Holloway – Without Love You Lose A Good Feeling’
11. Ivy Jo Hunter – Determination
12. Barbara McNair – A World Without You
13. R Dean Taylor – What In The World’s Going On
14. Ann Bogan – Hold Me Oh My Darling
15. Jimmy Ruffin – It Feels Like I’m Falling In Love Again
16. Band Track for The Isley Brothers – It’s All Over
17. Edwin Starr – I Don’t Know What You Got
18. The Marvelettes – Sweet Talkin’ Guy
19. The Underdogs – I Want A Love I Can See
20. Anita Knorl – Don’t Be Too Long
21. Sammy Turner – All I Have Left Are Memories
Disc 2
1. Brian Holland – Only You
2. Ann Bogan – There Are Things
3. The Temptations – Then
4. The Funk Brothers – The Truth Does Hurt
5. Barbara McNair – All I Want Is A Little Bit Of Love
6. Johnny Bristol – A Miracle Happened
7. Patrice Holloway – In Your Heart
8. Tommy Good – I Found My Love In You
9. Oma Page – When Someone’s Good To You
10. Terry Johnson – Tomorrow’s Child
11. Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston – Just Too Much To Hope For
12. The Dalton Boys – I Had A Woman
13. Little Lisa – It
14. Hearts Of Stone – (Come Round Here) I’m The One You Need
15. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – I Love The Way He Loves Me
16. Billy Eckstine – Walk Down That Road
17. Brenda Holloway – You Got A Little Of Everything
18. Sammy Turner – Until You Love Someone
19. Blinky – You’ll Never Cherish A Love So True (Til You Lose It)
20. The Spinners – While The City Sleeps
21. Connie Haines – I Wish I Liked You (As Much As I Love You)
22. Chuck Jackson – Windmills Of Your Mind
Available now at varying prices from many outlets

By Mike in News Archives · September 19, 20204 yr

Words and stuff on three most recent soul 45s from Kents Kent select imprint
Details, release notes and audio previews all follow below

Ready Or Not Here Comes Love / What Made You Think
Carolyn Crawford/ Hodges, James,Smith,& Crawford
CITY 069
Preview

Kent anniversary 45s, which are given out to 6Ts 100 Club All-nighter attendees, have always created interest and often end up selling for high prices. The reception Carolyn Crawford’s ‘Ready Or Not Here Comes Love’ got was unprecedented in the soul world. Within days copies were changing hands for up to £100 and presently there is only one copy on the internet at a hopeful £400 – it really is that good a soul dance record. The track is the first release from our deal with Mickey Stevenson International and was produced by him in Los Angeles around 1971 when Carolyn was singing as part of Hodges, James, Smith & Crawford for his M’Pingo label. We have switched the flip from the anniversary 45 and included that group’s unreleased dancer ‘What Made You Think’ – more Stevenson post-Motown magic.

We Always Come Back Strong / Tin Man
John Edwards
CITY 070
Preview

John Edwards’ version of America’s ‘Tin Man’ came out originally as a 45 on Kent in 2002 but sold out and demand has been growing ever since. Copies now sell for £50-£100, so we have re-released it with the superb ‘We Always Come Back Strong’, penned by the great Sam Dees and previously available only on LP. This release will save many a modern soul DJ from lugging an album box around to gigs.

I Wonder What My Baby's Doing Tonight / Two Stupid Feet
Maxine Brown / Chuck Jackson
CITY 71
Preview
Saving a DJ’s back is also the motivation for putting out two album tracks from Wand Records’ greatest singers (and Kent favourites) Maxine Brown and Chuck Jackson. Maxine and Chuck cut two LPs together but here they are in the spotlight as solo artists on hugely popular songs from Van McCoy and Luther Dixon respectively.

Available now via all the usual suspects and of course the fab Ace Records website https://acerecords.co.uk/

releases

By Mike in News Archives · September 18, 20204 yr

Cassius X: A Legend in the Making Kindle Edition
A quick word just to let you all know that both versions of Stuart Cosgrove's latest book are now available (that's the hardback and kindle versions) which also means that we can now offer the opportunity to jump in and have yourself a preview read via the kindle version below.
Release notes follow below and given the two main subjects I do have to say that I am most looking forward to reading this...
Blurb
Miami, 1963. A young boy from Louisville, Kentucky, is on the path to becoming the greatest sportsman of all time. Cassius Clay is training in the 5th Street Gym for his heavyweight title clash against the formidable Sonny Liston. He is beginning to embrace the ideas and attitudes of Black Power, and firebrand preacher Malcolm X will soon become his spiritual adviser. Thus Cassius Clay will become ‘Cassius X’ as he awaits his induction into the Nation of Islam.
Cassius also befriends the legendary soul singer Sam Cooke, falls in love with soul singer Dee Dee Sharp and becomes a remarkable witness to the first days of soul music. As with his award-winning soul trilogy, Stuart Cosgrove’s intensive research and sweeping storytelling shines a new light on how black music lit up the sixties against a backdrop of social and political turmoil – and how Cassius Clay made his remarkable transformation into Muhammad Ali.
Reviews
Cassius X is a delightful ride in a cherry-red Cadillac, with soul music on the radio and a steady hand at the wheel. A thoroughly enjoyable journey'
Jonathan Eig, author of Ali: A Life
Crisply written, fast-paced, and original, this book surges with the kind of effervescence we have long associated with a young Cassius Clay ... Filled with colourful details, with a learned eye toward the music of the era, Cassius X hits all the right notes'
Michael Ezra, author of Muhammad Ali: The Making of an Icon
Published via https://birlinn.co.uk/product/cassius-x/

kindle
Books

By Mike in News Archives · September 17, 20204 yr

Long time Soul Source members may remember how about 20 years or so ago we used to have a 6 Pac audio feature here on Soul Source,
Basically as part of our audio output we used to offer audio rare soul 6 Pacs, which were a session made up of usually 6 tracks off one members current plays, which were mixed into one session, and posted up on site with a bit of info and such added as well.
The onsite 6 Pacs went quite well for a few years but as with all things their use faded away as other audio and site features took over.
However, after stumbling across them the other day during a recent dig in the Soul Source archive the other day, and then having a most enjoyable time revisiting some of them, my thinking is that it may be worth a sort out, as others may enjoy the revisiting as well.
So, after a bit of a digging around and as we now have the option of now using mixcloud, we are now able to re-offer these 6 Pacs from long ago.
For now, to get things going, here's 20 x 6 Pacs from the long-gone year 2000, more to follow if this goes well...

Soul Source Members Rare Soul 6 Pacs 2000 (site note: all the track titles are from that year)

Andy Rix Session 1 - 6 Pac Summer 2000
@Andy Rix
Andy was a main reason for the development of the 6 pacs feature, as he once shared with us all on here about 70 odd clips of his latest plays/discoveries/rarities. We then had to deliver to all you members the clips in a user-friendly way, which led us to set up and use the actual 6 Pac format.
This was the first one, as said words and titles of all these 6 Pacs are from the time.
She's Not The Marrying Kind - Kenny Lewis - Acetate
Don't Stop - Royal Five - Impact Sound Acetate
You Made A Man Of Me - Scott English - Associated Acetate
In One Ear And Out The Other - Cindy Scott - Virtue Acetate
She's Wanted - Larrys Boys - Virtue Acetate
Still Remember The Feeling - Rose Marie Mcoy - Acetate

Andy Rix Session 2 - 6 Pac Summer 2000
@Andy Rix
You Left Me - Admirations - Peaches
Don't Let The Door Hit Your Back - Cashmeres - Edgewood Acetate
Love Is All Right - Harthorn Band - Virtue Acetate
I'm Bringing It Home - Tony Mason - April And Blackwood Acetate
Small Things (Make A Big Difference) - Keli Osborne - New Bag
Like A Love I Never Had - Enchanters - Frankford Wayne Acetate

David Flynn 6 Pac - Sep 2000 - various - 6 pacs
@Anoraks Corner
You Can Say - Gary Dean - Young
Your Future - Robert "Redtop" Young - Soulsations
My Proposal - Soul inc - Coconut Groove
This Ones For You My Love - Benny Spellman - Alon
Just Can't Let It Ride - Dexter Manley - cover up
The Greatest Story Ever Told - Billy Arnell - cover up

Dave Rimmer - 6 Pac August 2000
@Dave Rimmer
Oh What A Feeling - Jimmy Ricks - Festival
The Yesterday Of Our Love - Jimmy Seals - Challenge
I Have A Girl - Magnetics - Resal
Vondells - Hey Girl - Airtown Custom
Harlem Rumble - Frank Foster - Triode
Look Ahead - Gordon Keith - Calumet

Ian Cuncliffe Session 1 - 6 Pac August 2000
@IANCSLOFT
Lookin' For A Woman - Brooks Brothers - Tay
Lazy - Tommy Turner
Save Your Love For Me - Freddie Butler - Wheelsville
Mean Mis- Treator - Joyce Taylor - Wally
I Got To Tell It - Joni Jones
Take A Little Give A Lot- Eli 'The Prophet' - Ala

Mark Hanson - 6 Pac August 2000
There's A New Thing - Dean And Damons Cover
Get Off My Back - Marvin L Sims - Revue
Black Is Beautifull - Trinikas
I Need A Man - Precious Three
Little John - Just Wait And See - Gogate
Use It Before You Lose It - Bobby Valentin - Fania

Alan Handscombe Sesson 1 - 6 Pac Late 2000
Alex Hassilev - Young Man - Rca
Barbara Redd - I'll Be All Alone - Spqr
Eddie Roberts - Immaculate Love - Time Records
Eskew Reeder - Undivided Love - Instant.
Curtis Knight - Voodoo Women - Gulf
Phonetics - Pretty Girl - Trudel

Alan Handscombe Sesson 2 - 6 Pac Late 2000
The Allen Sisters -I'm In With The Downtown Crowd - Quality
Delores Clark - I'm Living To Please - Antares
Don And Ron - I'm So So Sorry - White Cliff
Peppermint Harris - Wait Until It Happens To You - Jewel
El-Corols - Chick Chick - Rouser
Betty Lavette - You'll Never Change - Atlantic

Ian Cuncliffe Session 2 - 6 Pac Aug 2000
@IANCSLOFT
I Was Born To Love You - Mr Lucky - Stardom
Lonely No More - J J Barnes - Mickays 4471
What Can I Do - Joyce Taylor - Wally
Say Girl - Lonnie Russ - Kerwood
It's Better To Cry - Appreciations - Sport
Will You Ever Learn - Soul Set - Bi Me

Terry Davis Session 1 - 6 Pac late 2000
The Blues- Johnny Wyatt Cover Up
Secret Of Mine - Lost Souls - Raven
Constellations - I Don't Know About You - Gemini Star
Jimmy Ruffin - Stop Leading Me On - Motown Studio Acetate
Harvey And Jokers - Soul Sound - Schofield
Easy Street - O C Smith - Columbia Demo

Terry Davis Session 2 - 6 Pac late 2000
Thanks For A Little Lovin' - The Trends - Abc Demo
Don't Let The Door Hit Your Back - Cashmeres - Hem
Hard Row To Hoe - Oc Lee - Quaint
Point Of View - Blue Jays - Jay
What More Do You Want - Gene Toones - Simco Demo
Lead Me On - Gwen Mcrae - Columbia Demo

Andy Rix Session 3 - 6 Pac Summer 2000
@Andy Rix
The Thrill Of Loving You - Jimmy Radcliffe - Jaysina Acetate
One More Day - Kenny Smith - Flo Roe
Nothings Too Good For My Baby - Springers - Unreleased Alt Take
Drowning In Your Love - Lyn Roman - A&R Acetate
I Should Cry - Ronnie Walker - Virtue Acetate
Faye And Hillettes - Just The Way I Feel - Audiodisc Acetate

Andy Rix Session 4 - 6 Pac Summer 2000
I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back) - Tammi Terrell - Jobete Acetate
With My Love - Jean Wells Band - Select Sound Acetate
Sock It To Me - Commotions - Rca Custom Acetate
That's The Same Thing - Masquaders - Soultown
Switch Around - Wallie Hawkins And Rose Marie Mccoy - Beltone Acetate
Right Direction - Herman Lewis And Gerri Jackson A&R Acetate

Ritchie Conn Session 1 - 6 Pac Sep 2000
@Gasher
Billy Lennox - Baby I'm Lost Without You - Cover Up
The Topics - Hey You Little Girl
The Dramatics - Toy Soldier
The Intentions - My Love She's Gone
Lillie Fields - I've Got To Tell You
Vips - Strange Little Girl - Congress

Ritchie Conn Session 2 - 6 Pac Sep 2000
@Gasher
The Enchanters - There's A Look About You
The Rotations - I Can't Find Her
Cheryl Swope - Cant Get Him Off My Mind
The Ten Spots - Where Did I Go Wrong - Cover-Up
The Soulfray - Little Women - Cover Up
The Diplomats - Cards On The Table - arock

Andy Rix Session 5 - 6 Pac Summer 2000
@Andy Rix
Dreamlovers - Getting together - Virtue
Daisy Burris - Four strong winds - Deesu
Passions - If you see my baby - Elvitrue & Satelite
Royal Five - Nobody else - Impact Sound
Appointments - I saw you there- De-Lite
Dorothy Moore & Dolletts - Believe it or not - ABC

Andy Rix Session 6 - 6 Pac Summer 2000
My Love - Tommy Knight - Abtone
Love Is Allright - Jesse James - Virtue Acetate
I've Gotta Get Away - Tommy Good - Jobette Acetate
I Can't Turn My Back On You - Vince Appolo - Imperial Sound Acetate
Gonna Get Even - Ray Williams - Space
Mister Misery - Robbie Lawson - Acetate

Andy Rix Session 7 - 6 Pac Summer 2000
World Of Happiness - Cindy Scott - Virtue Acetate
Keep On Searching - Brenda Jackson - Sunshine Sound
Who's That Kissing You Tonight - Herman Lewis - Bell Sound Acetate
Speak On Up - Joe King - Prix
Baby - Young Brothers - Soul Power
Tell Me You Love Me - Accoustics - Acetate

Andy Rix Session 8 - 6 Pac Summer 2000
Faye & Hillettes - Where did they go - Audiodisc
Anthony & Delsonics - Every time - Emerge
Luther Randolph - I just gotta have you - Virtue
Linda & Pretenders - Believe me - Assault
Charles Mintz - Running back - Up Look
Admirations - I want to be free - Peaches

Pete Coulson - 6 Pac Dec 2020
@Pete Coulson
Joe Tex - I Wanna Be Free - Dial Go
Stevie Wonder - Contract On Love - Tamla
Lois Blain - Here I Am - Open-G-Records
Richard Berry - Have Love Will Travel - Flip
Carol Fran - Knock Knock - Excello
Barbara Lynn - Second Fiddle Girl - Jamie
Site note - Pete sadly passed on last year (2019)
I have added below Petes own words on his selections and intro as posted on Soul Source at the time Dec 2000
1) Joe Tex - I Wanna Be Free - dial got this courtesy of Steve Thomson, blew me away first time of hearing, i played it for Shifty at Lowton and he tells me he has now got one, typical Joe Tex with plenty of breaks and changes, i am always getting asked for this, a great dancer.
2) Contract on Love - Stevie Wonder - Tamla i have been after a copy of this for about two years but nobody would sell me one, i eventually settled for the album which i bought of Bob Hinsley, about a month later i was found a copy by Simon, so if anyone wants Stevie Wonders Greatest Hits i have one for sale.
3) Lois Blain - Here I Am - Open-G-Records this great dancer chugs along with the breaks coming via the catch in Lois voice, out of New York just wonderful soul music.
4) Richard Berry - Have Love Will Travel - Flip- I am getting lots of requests for this top dancer, out of California i suppose it could be classed as doo wop if you wanted to pigeon hole it, got this of Carl Willingham when he acquired the demo, he won't have an issue in the house if he can get the demo, and the bugger has most things on demo, mostly white of course.
5) Carol Fran - Knock Knock - Excello - I first heard this about six months ago on a tape and had to have one, trouble was nobody had heard of it. i mentioned it to Ian Cunliffe and lo and behold he turned on up within a couple of months, we are not worthy Ian, brilliant R&B with a distinctive start.
6) Barbara Lynn - Second Fiddle Girl - Jamie - This was an unknown Barbara Lynn track to me, my good mate hoss played this to me at my house after a niter and it blew me away. always one of my favourite artists due to the diversity of her music. i had the privilege of meeting her and interviewing her for my magazine northern essence (plug) at last year's cala gran and the lady is just that, one of the nicest most unassuming people i have ever met.
Intro
About me I started on the northern soul scene about 1968 when I first went to the twisted wheel in Manchester, I was a regular there until it finished and then went to the Blackpool mecca until i was married and then all things have to change. I was off the scene then until about seven years ago, now with my second wife Viv we found that the scene was thriving more than when I left it. After our first soul night we were hooked and have not looked back since, I think we have made up for those lost years a hundred times over since we started back, in fact it has virtually taken over our lives. I have been involved in most aspects of the scene, as a promoter, dj and editor of my own fanzine Northern Essence, the mag has been great for me, I have met so many of the artists i have admired over the years, , to name a few, Barbara Lynn, Eddie Holman, Jerry Williams, Terry Callier and Dean Courtney and they have all been such nice people, just like most people on the scene.
The great thing about the scene IS the people, we have made so many real friends from all over the country and making new ones every week, yes the music is important but if you are progressive thinking and you go out every weekend then you are going to have a lot of disappointing nights if you do not put the company you are with first, then if you get a good night s music as well it's a bonus.
If you like the tunes mike has put on his site you can hear them and more like them every month at Lowton Civic hall where i am resident in the R&B room along with regulars Carl Willingham, Roger Banks and Malc Worsley plus guests. the next one is fFriday8th December, by the way i will also be djing in the main room that night, my next few dates this month are at the Savoy Hotel in Blackpool on Saturday December 22nd, Bolton Anglers Club on Boxing Night, the White Hart in Farnworth December 27th and again at Lowton on New Years Eve.
Pete Coulson Dec 2000
RIP Pete
----------------------------------------------------
Ok so that's all of the 20 members rare soul 6 Pacs from the year 2000, hopefully this set up will provide a more solid home for the next 20 years!
Watch out for more from the following years soon...

soul source

By Mike in Articles · September 16, 20204 yr

New Breed R&B - Saturday Night Special - Kent Records CDKEND 492

New Breed R&B Saturday Night Special is the latest addition to Kents ongoing New breed R&B series. Billed as featuring 'more great New Breed R&B dance exclusives' this release certainly looks and sounds like a worthy addition.
Release Notes Preview
'New Breed is back with a historical bang. The opening track and title inspiration is Aaron Collins & the Teen Queens’ ‘Every Saturday Night’. Its R&B pedigree is inestimable; Collins was a member of Los Angeles vocal group the Flairs/Flares and wrote songs for Z.Z. Hill, Jackie Day, Cookie Jackson and others. Ray Charles recorded his ‘Every Saturday Night’ for ABC in 1972. The Modern tape vaults have given up this original 1966 R&B take of the song with Collins and his sisters, the Teen Queens, performing at their best – all the more remarkable as Rosie and Betty had not recorded since 1962 and it was to be their last session,,,'
For the full release notes from @Ady Croasdell, related images and purchase details, you need to get to https://acerecords.co.uk/new-breed-rb-saturday-night-special
Previews

Track Listing
1.   Aaron Collins & The Teen Queens - "Saturday Night"
2.   The Corvairs - "I'll Never Do It Again"
3.   Prince Conley - "Ain't That Good"
4.   Rob Robinson - "Compact Baby"
5.   Esko Wallace - "Triple Zero"
6.   Freddie Williams - "Purdy Little Mama"
7.   Margaret Lewis - "Something's Wrong Baby"
8.   Flora D - "Way Out Baby"
9.   Slim & The Twilights - "Family Man"
10.   Big Charley & The Domans - "You're Gonna Need Me"
11.   Johnny Watson - "Wait A Minute Baby"
12.   King Solomon - "Almost Midnight"
13.   The Lon Genes - "Show Me How To Shake Like That"
14.   Gay Meadows - "Head Doctor"
15.   Pee Wee Foster - "You Can Be My Honey"
16.   Pat Garvis - "Turn Your Lamp Down Low"
17.   The Tren Teens - "Your Yah Yah Is Gone"
18.   Jarvis Jackson - "The Long John"
19.   Sterling Magee - "Tighten Up & Pull Yourself Together"
20.   Johnny Talbot - "Satisfied"
21.   Tony Clarke - "Love Must Be Taboo"
22.   JD Wright & The Metallics - "I'll Conquer The World"
23.   Little Macey & The Valiants - "Walking The Track"
24.   Curley Mays - "I'm Walkin' On"
Exclusive Leaflet Preview Scans
'The booklet features stunning photos of Margaret Lewis, Flora D, the Metallics, Rob Robinson and Johnny “Guitar” Watson, along with some fax ’n’ info for the serious Breeder'

cd releases

By Mike in News Archives · September 14, 20204 yr

Soul On The Real Side #11
New album out from Outta Sight/Real Side Records
Details of a just released compilation album in Outta Sights Real Side records Soul On The Real Side series.
Number 11 and here's the blurb and the previews...

Real Side Records Presents Soul On The Real Side #11
OSCD061 £12.99
The architects of soul are back with a stunning new 20-track collection for 2020. Once again we uncover the building blocks of modern soul with a playlist of classics and rarities, and, incredibly, yet again, over a third are NEW-TO-CD!
Simone Hutsch supplies our cover photo taken at Canary Wharf, London, quite appropriate since our first two tracks are all about fishing! Fortunately not in the literal sense, the waters on the Wharf probably wouldn’t yield the greatest catch! Our show opens with the Turner Brothers, an Indianapolis band ranging in age from 12 to 27, with their 1974 crossover masterpiece “Let’s Go Fishing” taken from the super rare ‘Act 1’ LP. Just as obscure, and also “angling” for top spot (pardon the pun) are the New Creation with “The Fish Song”. It was produced by the legendary H B Barnum, and finally makes its CD debut.
We say this everytime, but this may well be our best ever! Why not decide for yourself, in store NOW at Outta Sight.
PEACE, LOVE, SOUL
Tracks
Turner Bros. - Let’s Go Fishing
The New Creation - The Fish Song
The Independents - Lucky Fellow
Mike James Kirkland - Give It To Me
Ernest Ernie and The Sincerities - My Eyes (Don’t Believe What I’m Seeing)
Buddy Greco - Never Gonna Give You Up
Derek Martin - Falling In Love
Terry Huff - Just Not Enough Love
Linda Perry - It’s All In The Back Of Me Now
Phillip and Lloyd (The Blues Busters) - Baby I’m Sorry
Cookie Woodson - I’ll Be True
S.O.U.L. - The Joneses (Part 1)
The O’Jays - I Got You
Innervision - Honey Baby (Be Mine)
The Fabulous Determinations - Has Love Been Here Before
Freddie Waters & The Free Spirits - This Is The Life
Sonny Munro - I’m Never Gonna Hurt You Again
The Escorts - By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Peggy Gaines - Just To Satisfy My Baby
Gloria Walker - My Precious Love
Previews

Video Ads

More info via https://www.outtasight.co.uk/

cd releases

By Mike in News Archives · September 13, 20204 yr

Being reported that Edna Wright the lead singer of 'The Honey Cones' and who also recorded earlier as Sandy Wynns (Touch of Venus and more) has passed on
Sister of Darlene Love and wife of Greg Perry, further details of this sad news can be found via the link below
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/9448113/edna-wright-dead
RIP

By Mike in News Archives · September 13, 20204 yr

Welcome to release #12 from Soul4Real
Limited Edition of 400 copies.
PRE ORDER NOW FOR 5th OCTOBER 2020

JERRY WILLIAMS / SWAMP DOGG
Oh Lord, What Are You Doing To Me / If You´re Leaving (Take Me With You) (S4R12)
Collectors of black American music have long revered maverick genius Jerry Williams Jr. a.k.a. Swamp Dogg. His brilliant songwriting and unique voice have left indelible imprints on soul for decades, and Soul 4 Real Records are proud to add a Swamp 45 to their ever-growing catalogue.
LISTEN HERE:
https://bit.ly/2R758TR

https://bit.ly/2ZCBQS3

Both these tracks make their vinyl debut here. If you saw Swamp perform “Oh Lord” at 2019’s Soul 4 Real weekender, it’s a memory you’ll treasure forever. Swamp’s exquisite studio version of the soul standard was recorded in 1967 as a follow-up to “Baby You’re My Everything”, but inexplicably stayed unissued for 40 years.
Almost 40 years have also passed since Swamp recorded his demo of “If You’re Leaving”, a song from his “lost” country album on Mercury. Never issued anywhere before, it’s a rare chance to hear work-in-progress from one of soul’s most beloved artists.
As he enters his seventh decade of recording, Swamp continues to be active and musically provocative. A man of many names and many talents, here’s Swamp Dogg at his vintage best!
TONY ROUNCE

Presented in a beautiful picture cover laminated 7" designed by Jordi Duró. Liner notes by Tony Rounce.
PRE ORDER NOW FOR 5th OCTOBER 2020
13 euros + postage as it follows:
1 to 5 copies: 6,70 euros UK & Europe
1 to 5 copies: 2,40 euros Spain
1 to 5 copies: 10,35 euros USA & rest of the world
Payment by PAYPAL as friends & family:
soul4realrecordlabel@gmail.com
Please check all our releases: www.soul4real.es

releases

By Alexsubinas in News Archives · September 11, 20204 yr

Ready Or Not - Thom Bell's Philly Soul Arrangements & Productions 1965-1978 CDTOP 488
A recent album release from Kent Records that since it's July release has been picking up great reviews.
Release notes
Along with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Thom Bell was one of the three people responsible for The Sound Of Philadelphia, a lush, orchestrated take on soul music that dominated the charts in the early to mid-70s. Using the most unusual instrumentation – harpsichords, French horns, sitars – Bell’s arrangements built the careers of the Delfonics and the Stylistics, and reinvented acts as varied as the Spinners, Dionne Warwick and Johnny Mathis.
The distinctive sound of a Thom Bell arrangement is largely down to an upbringing devoid of R&B. Growing up in a middle-class Philadelphia household, he was playing piano, drums and flugelhorn by the time he was nine. “We didn’t have any radio or anything, we were trained classical musicians,” says Bell. “From when I was five ’til I was 17, I studied two or three hours a day...
The full release notes from Bob Stanley along with images and purchase options can be had via https://acerecords.co.uk/ready-or-not-thom-bells-philly-soul-arrangements-productions-1965-1978via
Previews

Leaflet Preview Scans.

Track Listing
1 Here I Go Again - Archie Bell & The Drells
2 I Can't Take It - The Orlons
3 You've Been Untrue - The Delfonics
4 Look The Other Way - Lesley Gore
5 Tick-Tock - Connie Stevens
6 What I See - Three Degrees
7 Moody Woman - Jerry Butler
8 What Kind Of Lady - Dee Dee Sharp
9 Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love) - The Delfonics
10 I Wanna Be A Free Girl - Dusty Springfield
11 It's The Same Old Love - The Courtship
12 People Make The World Go Round (Single edit) - The Stylistics
13 Back Stabbers - The O'Jays
14 One Man Band (Plays All Alone) - Ronnie Dyson
15 Do You Remember Yesterday - The Intruders
16 I'm Doin' Fine Now - New York City
17 Life Is A Song Worth Singing (Album version) - Johnny Mathis
18 Something For Nothing - MFSB featuring Thom Bell
19 Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - The Spinners
20 You Make Me Feel Brand New (Album version) - The Stylistics
21 Close The Door (Single edit) - Teddy Pendergrass
22 It's Gonna Take A Miracle - Laura Nyro & Labelle
23 Track Of The Cat (Album version) - Dionne Warwick
Features
Thom Bell is on the phone from Washington state, talking about Philly soul.
https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/music/thom-bell-sound-of-philadelphia-gamble-and-huff-ready-or-not-soul-music-20200711.html

cd releases

By Mike in News Archives · September 10, 20204 yr

Hi. Today on my radio show I did an interesting interview with legendary Chicago soul singer Jan Bradley. Bradley grew up in the Robins, IL, a South Suburb of Chicago. In high school she began singing lead with a local group called the Passions (a male group who later recorded as the Swinging Hearts). While performing at a talent show, Chicago promoter and owner of the Formal record label Don Talty discovered the group. Don decided to keep Bradley as a solo singer so Bradley left the group to pursue her solo career.
Talty took Bradley to a show at the Regal in order to meet Curtis Mayfield to try to get material to record. Bradley sang for Curtis and they agreed to meet later to go over potential songs; Bradley decided to record "We girls" upon hearing it. Talty recorded "We girls" and tried to shop it around to major labels, even taking Bradley to United Artists in New York. After he was unsuccessful placing the record on a larger label, Talty released the track on his own Formal label in 1962. The track became a local hit in the Midwest, getting both R&B and pop radio play.
Talty released a few more tracks on Bradley on his Formal label without scoring a hit. Bradley again sought out Curtis Mayfield for another track; Mayfield gave her "Mama didn't lie". Talty took Bradley to Missouri where she recorded the record, doing her own backup vocals on overdub (a technique which, although not common in the early 60s, became common on Bradley's 45s). He initially released it on his Formal label where it became a local hit in the Midwest. Chess records picked up the single where it became a national hit. The record had a classic pop-soul feel that typified the Chicago female sound of the early-60s.

Due to a dispute over publishing, Chess refused to release any more Jan Bradley records written by Curtis Mayfield, despite Curtis' writing being the key to Bradley's previous hits. Chess released several follow-up records on Bradley, written by Chess staff writers, but failed to score a hit. During this time, Bradley did release the Mayfield-written "Behind curtains", on the Night Owl record label; the track was backed by the Impressions (and later covered by the Five Stairsteps), but didn't have the promotion to get real radio play.
After being unsuccessful with the Chess writers, Bradley decided to write her own material. Her first self-written single, "I'm over you", became her next hit record on Chess. Inspired by Curtis, Bradley's goal was to become both a recording artist as well as a writer and producer of other artists. Unfortunately, Talty was mostly unsuccessful placing Bradley's material; her songs were recorded by a few Chicago and Ohio artists. She also wrote the excellent "I'm no Romeo", which was recorded by Billy Stewart on a Chess LP but never released on a single. After recording a few more unsuccessful singles for Chess records, she left the label and Talty to go back to school to pursue a career in counseling in the late 60s. She did cut one more single for the Memphis-based Doylen label in the early-70s, but it was not promoted, and Bradley did not continue with music. Bradley currently works as a counselor, but still enjoys singing in church and songwriting.
You can check out my interview on my interviews page at:
http://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews.html
as a special bonus for my show, Bradley gave me a photo of herself "sitting in the park", taken by Phil Upchurch in 1965:
http://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews/janbradley-12-28-2008.mp3
thanks for your interest,
Bob

Site note - The above article was originally posted on soul source by the late Bob Abrahamian @boba back in 2008 as a forum topic. Promoted to an article as felt deserves raised awareness

By boba in Articles · September 7, 20204 yr

New Diggin' Deep 45 - Bobby Burn I’m A Lonely Man / I'm a dreamer
NEW RELEASE FROM DIGGIN’ DEEP!
THE NEWEST ‘DIGGIN’ DEEP’ LIMITED EDITION 45
RELEASE DATE FRIDAY 18th SEPTEMBER 2020
AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER 4th SEPTEMBER 2020
DD 012A Bobby Burn ‘I’m A Lonely Man’
DD 012B Bobby Burn ‘I’m A Dreamer’
The latest 45 is another superb double-sider that Diggin’ Deep are extremely proud to be able to bring to you. This is its first time on vinyl in almost 50 years. The Bobby Burn release comprises two tremendous, self-penned, sides, each with a slightly different flavour. Both are classic ‘Southern Soul’ tracks, emanating from the legendary Chant Records, Atlanta, Georgia, USA and seen by collectors worldwide as a double-sided masterpiece!
The tracks were produced and issued on artist Bobby Wilburn, by label owner and producer Bill Haney at Chant Records (under the moniker Bobby Burn - Chant 522) and later reissued by Gamble Records (Gamble 4015) located in New York and Philadelphia, under the name Bobby Wilburn (the artist’s real name). On this occasion we’ve opted to go with the name on the original Chant issue. There is no doubt, both releases are extremely in demand, making upwards of £1,000 on the very rare occasions they appear on the leading auction sites. It may be because it is really too good for mass consumption that this is the first ‘accessible’ vinyl issue, since the surge in demand beyond Atlanta, and it’s first release on this side of the Atlantic.
Yet again we have a situation where Diggin’ Deep are bringing to the fore a 45 by an artist who is little known beyond collectors’ circles. The whereabouts of Bobby Wilburn are a mystery. After he had recorded these two sides, at the end of the sixties, he would drop out of sight never to collect royalties or gain fame or recognition for his magnificent recordings.
In a ‘Voices From The Shadows’ magazine interview with Rod Dearlove, Bill Haney said ‘Bobby was just a typical guy that came off the street. He was easy to work with, well-educated and worked for Morgan at the Railroads in Atlanta. He loved to sing and wrote these two songs, he came to me and asked what I thought of them so I cut the tracks. Then Gamble became interested in the 45 as it was getting some plays. After that I hadn’t heard from him for a very long time’.
It seems that Bobby was a private man and did not care for the fame & fortune that came with being a Musician. He was ambitious in business and more interested in a career that was stable rather than as a singer. This is why the one 45 was his only release. Gamble had planned on finding and signing Bobby to the label but could not locate him. In the end they had to settle on a deal with Haney on ‘I'm A Lonely Man’ / ‘I’m A Dreamer’. When you consider the quality on both sides, one can only dream about what might have been.
The topside ‘I'm A Lonely Man’ is highly regarded in Southern Soul and Lowrider Soul circles, with the flipside ‘I’m A Dreamer’ having been a dancefloor smash on the ‘Crossover’ scene for over 30 years.
We hope you will agree, this great double-header is a 45 that every Soul fan will want to have in their collection.
DD012 collector’s release is a limited pressing @ just £12 each plus postage and packing.
Avoid Disappointment. Pre-order ON WEBSITE ONLY now, while stocks last: www.Diggin-Deep.com First come, first served.
Diggin’ Deep Records – Sheffield, England. Making available a series of excellent Soul recordings from the 60’s and 70’s, most of which will be released as a limited edition 45 for the very first time, and the occasional, carefully selected, re-issue. Dozens more titles are already lined up for limited future release. Keep informed by collecting the vinyl, joining the mailing list, visiting the website and social media pages regularly and ensure you’re among the first to know!
Avoid Disappointment. Pre-order now, while stocks last.
https://www.diggin-deep.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSb6-jqDQkw

releases

By Sean Hampsey in News Archives · September 4, 20204 yr

Jimmy's 45 'bump's' all the way to the top this month.
After upgrades and such just got some time for our regular Soul Source eBay catch up.
The top eBay soul related auctions from the last month August 2020 went something like this...

Soul Record Auctions - Recent Completed Soul Auctions [sorted by value]
Jimmy Phillips On Bump S She Belongs To Me Mod .. $5403.00 ended 22 Aug Mark Brown Agrava-shun Unknown Modern Soul Boogie Maz.. $3149.00 ended 24 Aug Unknown Northern Deep Soul Leon Gibson Girl You Ve Got.. $2927.89 ended 24 Aug John Harris And The Soul Sayers Mega Hangin In $2125.00 ended 15 Aug Unknown Artist-i Love You Unreleased Test Press - Vg Mp3 $1891.00 ended 30 Jul Chapter Five You Can T Mean It Demo Mod Soul Dance.. $1622.98 ended 03 Aug Scattered Pieces D-a-n-g-e-r-o-u-s Modern Soul Boogie.. $1575.00 ended 24 Aug Z16 Soultown 105 Soul The Sweets Satisfy Me Baby Someth.. $1551.00 ended 24 Aug Holly St James $1525.00 ended 31 Aug Bobby Newton We Got Our Thing Together Soul Funk Brandi.. $1448.00 ended 17 Aug Constellations - I Don T Know About You - Gemini Star -.. $1336.00 ended 31 Aug Modern Crossover Soul Cloudburst-i M Lovin You Stormy M.. $1246.00 ended 30 Jul Single The Gambrells You Better Move 1966 Carla 2527 No.. $1212.00 ended 03 Aug Studi-yo I M Your Treasure Modern Soul Boogie Dash Yo.. $1176.27 ended 24 Aug Sun Ra Astro-infinity Arkestra - Holiday For Soul Dan.. $1142.00 ended 03 Aug Experience Unlimited - You Got To Tell Me Alright - G.. $1138.00 ended 03 Aug 85 Ultra Modern Soul Boogie Texas Uranus Most Valuabl.. $1136.00 ended 25 Aug Funk Roosevelt Matthews Tighten Up 1968 King Records Promo $1124.88 ended 22 Aug Underground Express I Never Found A Girl Funk Uge Mp3 $1057.00 ended 24 Aug Tan Geers Promo Let My Heart Soul Be Free Nm Cove.. $997.73 ended 09 Aug Lust I Like Spending My Time With You Modern Soul Boo.. $1005.00 ended 24 Aug John Drevar S Expression The Closer She Gets Demo Mo.. $978.10 ended 01 Aug People S Choice Savin My Lovin For You $959.15 ended 10 Aug Funk Roosevelt Matthews Tighten Up 1968 King Records Pr.. $936.58 ended 03 Aug Eddie Foster I Never Knew I Will Wait In Records Soul $910.00 ended 09 Aug Major Lance You Don T Want Me Anymore $881.99 ended 08 Aug Pure Release I Ll Know It S Love For Sure Modern Soul.. $888.88 ended 24 Aug Imani - Out Of The Blue Ep - Private Jazz Funk Og Press $869.00 ended 02 Aug Northern Deep Soul Eddie Jasper Daye S Four Bars Lean O.. $860.00 ended 24 Aug Vintage Waymond Hall Record Jamal Label Bay Area Modern $860.00 ended 28 Aug The Ascots Another Day Love Mir-a-don Listen $810.00 ended 09 Aug Stud Feel The Love Felicia Obscure Modern Soul .. $810.00 ended 14 Aug High Rise Unknown Private Bay Area Modern Soul Jazz Fun.. $810.00 ended 23 Aug Funk John Bradley Everybody S Getting Soul Em-jay Vg Hear $804.00 ended 24 Aug Crossover Soul Carl Hall What About You Columbia Hear $794.50 ended 24 Aug Gospel Northern X-over Soul Sister Lydia-come Holy Spir.. $787.00 ended 30 Jul Modern Soul - Percy Strother - Ooh Baby I Like Your Lo.. $787.00 ended 31 Aug 297 X Soul Motown Northern Funk Disco - Atlantic Stax I.. $768.04 ended 16 Aug Crossover Soul Funk - Exit - I Wanna Be Close To You - .. $760.00 ended 30 Aug Lorraine Silver Lost Summer Love Mod Soul Dancer H.. $751.62 ended 04 Aug Mark Loyd When Evening Falls Mod Soul Dancer Sampl.. $751.62 ended 09 Aug Mike Stevens The Shevelles Go-go Train Demo Mod S.. $746.23 ended 01 Aug P P Arnold Everything S Gonna Be Alright Mod Soul D.. $738.32 ended 31 Aug The Neltones C Est La Vie Come On Over Ru-jac Group H.. $727.00 ended 09 Aug Modern Soul Boogie - Wreckin Crew Band - Cruisin With.. $711.99 ended 31 Aug Thomas Bailey - Wish I Was Back Percy S Place Soul .. $695.00 ended 15 Aug margaret Lewis Somethin S Wrong Baby John Delee Uk Star.. $681.11 ended 23 Aug Lucas Dance Children Dance Mod Soul Dancer Listen .. $678.45 ended 03 Aug Carol And Gerri How Can I Ever Find The Way Ex 1966 Mgm $676.00 ended 24 Aug The Cashmeres Show Stopper Hem Listen $673.00 ended 09 Aug Betty Turner The Winds Kept Laughing $665.15 ended 10 Aug Lloyd Mcneill Quartet - Washington Suite Lp - Asha - Sp.. $669.98 ended 03 Aug Modern Soul - Chosen Few Band - What It Takes To Live -.. $668.00 ended 31 Aug The 5 Royals Catch That Teardrop $619.43 ended 09 Aug The Re-vells I Want A New Love Nm 1969 Trent Town $625.00 ended 24 Aug Ultra Funk Soul - Ramsey Company - Love Call - Leg Gr.. $620.12 ended 20 Aug The Sapphires Gotta Have Your Love Northern Soul He.. $613.27 ended 21 Aug Billy Hambric - Flaming Mamie You Re A Sweetheart So.. $616.00 ended 15 Aug Dynamite Singletary - The Same Way You Love Your Man - Mp3 $611.00 ended 31 Aug Dean Courtney You Just Can T Walk Away $598.64 ended 08 Aug The Rebel Rousers Should I Mod Soul Dancer List.. $594.05 ended 14 Aug Promo Mexico Los Martinicos Latin Soul El Amor Es.. $599.00 ended 10 Aug Jimmy Bennett Family Hold That Groove Grail Modern .. $597.00 ended 02 Aug Carl Spencer - Cover Girl - Rust - Mp3 $595.00 ended 31 Aug Willie Tee First Taste Of Hurt Funk Gatur Mp3 $587.99 ended 24 Aug The Beatles Rubber Soul Original Factory Sealed First P.. $586.00 ended 25 Aug Don Shinn The Soul Agents A-minor Explosion Demo M.. $574.30 ended 06 Aug Martells Clifford Russell Where Can My Baby Be Tears On.. $565.89 ended 15 Aug Crossover Soul - Main Attraction - I Got Love For My Ba.. $565.00 ended 30 Aug Original - The Rock - Bit 2765 - Aspirin Would Go Crazy $532.12 ended 09 Aug Willie Johnson - I Can T See Myself Left-over Left Ov.. $527.00 ended 15 Aug Star Lighters Disco Funk Islands Disco Funk Star Prod.. $510.00 ended 24 Aug Lee Hawkins Group Uk 1967 Unreleased Demos Acetate Mo.. $502.85 ended 09 Aug Lang Cook On Evolution Private Miami Synth Funk Boogie .. $500.00 ended 27 Aug Jakpak Soul In A Box 1980 Punk Kbd Near Mint Powerpop $492.21 ended 06 Aug Singing Angels - Long Time Comin Lp - Paradise Funk Swe.. $496.99 ended 17 Aug Singing Tornados - Great Getting Up Lp - Expression - M.. $496.99 ended 17 Aug The Summitts Can T Get Over Losing You Dontee Summits.. $484.89 ended 09 Aug Unknown Afrobeat Test Press Nigeria Feed Your Soul.. $478.91 ended 30 Aug Black Mail Be For Real 70s Soul Funk Moneytown Mp3 $482.89 ended 24 Aug Bud Harper Wherever You Were $465.61 ended 09 Aug 75 X Soul Disco Motown Reggae Funk Albums - Boo.. $457.16 ended 16 Aug The Spinners I Ll Always Love You Demo Soul Dancer .. $456.29 ended 16 Aug Gamith Don T Change Me Darkness Super Funk Soul Jsj S.. $460.00 ended 02 Aug Modern Soul Boogie Brian Zan Schemin On You Honey Hu.. $460.00 ended 24 Aug Boogie Funk 12 Mobley Gang-groove For You Chancy - Ult.. $455.00 ended 30 Jul Steel City Connection-dansation Steel City Disco-boogie.. $455.00 ended 26 Aug Kim Weston I M Still Loving You Soul Dancer Hear It $449.63 ended 26 Aug Ruby Johnson - Don T Start Nothing Let Me Apologize .. $449.00 ended 15 Aug Blank Call To Me - Rita Marley Blood Pressure - Sou.. $449.00 ended 26 Aug 75 X Soul Disco Motown Reggae Funk Albums - Pic.. $441.66 ended 16 Aug James Barnett - Take A Good Look Keep On Talking Sou.. $446.00 ended 15 Aug Sir Henry Ivy - Two Time Loser He Left You Standing T.. $445.00 ended 15 Aug The High Keys $441.00 ended 20 Aug Holy Grail Stevie Sending Out For Love Modern Soul Funk.. $441.00 ended 26 Aug Modern Soul Jazz - Nathen Page - Free Not Really - Hu.. $440.00 ended 31 Aug Andrew Wartts Gospel Storytellers - There Is A God Lp.. $438.00 ended 16 Aug R B Newports Dixie Women Kent Vg Vg Hear $433.00 ended 24 Aug R B Al Novell Love Me Tonight Bootstrap Mod Jazz .. $431.00 ended 09 Aug Deletts - Look At Me What S The Use - Blue Rock - Mp3 $430.00 ended 31 Aug Don't forget about our Soul Source eBay tools (via the link below )
Ways to stay ahead of the game, all tomorrows bargains listed today...

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/newsletters/

So what's the story on August ebay then?
If you can get them up via the comments below, people's take's on the results are always most welcome and sure be of interest to all!

By Mike in News Archives · September 3, 20204 yr

and yet even more sad artist news
RIP Sammy Campbell
From USA Today
Sammy Campbell, a New Jersey music great whose songs with the Del Larks and as the solo artist known as Tyrone Ashley attracted new generations of fans decades after the original records were released, passed away on Aug. 26, the Judkins Colonial Home has announced.
The Plainfield native was 79.
https://eu.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2020/09/08/plainfield-music-legend-sammy-campbell-whose-hits-found-new-generations-of-fans-has-died/5747718002/

Extensive Online feature...
The Story of Sammy & the Del Larks
by Charlie Horner
With contributions from Pamela Horner
The original Del Larks started around 1953. The first group consisted of Sam Campbell (lead); his brother, David “Sonny” Campbell (first tenor); Allen Walker (baritone); Louie Dickerson (second tenor);
and Harold Erby (bass). All were from Plainfield with the exception of Howard Erby who was from Scotch
Plains. NJ. Sam recalled his first group....
http://classicurbanharmony.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Sammy-Campbell-The-Del-Larks.pdf

sad news

By Mike in News Archives · August 31, 20204 yr

BBC Four has a new three-part series starting next Friday that may be of interest. Titled 'Soul America' it sets out to chronicle the journey of Soul Music.
Friday 4 September 9.30pm-10.30pm BBC FOUR
Soul America is a three-part series chronicling the journey of soul music, from its birth out of gospel and R&B in the 1960s, when it delivered an assertive, integrated vision of black America, and produced its first generation of stars including Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin.

Episode one: Amazing Grace Friday 4 September 9.30pm-10.30pm
How Motown Records showed the world a successful, sophisticated image of black people at a time when black Americans were still subject to discrimination.
This first episode travels through the South, from Muscle Shoals in Alabama to Stax in Memphis, taking a detour north to Detroit, to explore how Motown's most soulful achievement showed the whole world a successful, sophisticated image of black people, at a time when Motown musicians themselves were subject to the same treatment as any black American.
Aretha the gospel teenager Before there was soul, there was gospel. In the 1950s successful acts would tour the south on a figurative gospel highway. When Candi Staton was a teenager, touring with the Jewell trio in the early 50s, she came across a then little-known Aretha Franklin.

Featuring contributions from Mavis Staples, Candi Staton, Duke Fakir, Martha Reeves, Mary Wilson, Otis Williams, The Holland Brothers, Clarence Carter, Al Bell, Steve Cropper and Spooner Oldham, as well as expert analysis from Mark Anthony Neal, Nelson George and Emily J Lordi.
It is narrated by Carleen Anderson, who fronted the Young Disciples and the Brand New Heavies and has worked with artists including Bryan Ferry, Paul Weller and Dr John. Soul America is produced and directed by Ben Whalley for BBC Studios. The Executive Producer is Mark Cooper for BBC Studios. It is commissioned by Jan Younghusband, Head of BBC Music TV Commissioning.
Pictured: William Bell in his recording studio, Atlanta, Georgia
More BBC Soul America info via https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000m7h3

bbc

By Mike in News Archives · August 29, 20204 yr

Word in of this new release, digital with a limited vinyl availbilty
Release Blurb
Emma Noble, releases new song ’Woman Of The World’ (Marvin Gaye cover)
This summer saw Emma Noble debut as a solo artist with her self-penned anthemic,soulful track “No Turning Back” to great acclaim from some of the UK’s most respected DJ’s and tastemakers. Now she is back with her much anticipated follow-
up single, set for release on August 28.
Noble serves up her own version of ‘Woman Of The World’; a track from the lost 1972, Marvin Gaye album “You’re The Man” which was only released for the first time in 2019. The version features a stellar cast of acclaimed musicians delivering a
sunny, warm and uplifting slice of timeless soul music about female empowerment.

“When I first heard this song it blew my mind, I absolutely fell in love with it. The musical arrangements and melodies are just effortlessly beautiful, but also lyrically there’s a lot of important things to think about, I’m thrilled and honoured to be
celebrating all the women of the world with my version of this track.”

Vinyl details
'Unfortunately we have just received news from the manufacturers that due to the current 'covid' climate it has meant they are slightly behind with delivery dates, which means they didn’t arrive in time for our original agreed date of tomorrow (28th August.)'
https://acidjazz.bigcartel.com/product/pre-order-emma-noble-no-turning-back-limited-edition-7
Digital Releases
http://orcd.co/wotw

releases

By Mike in News Archives · August 28, 20204 yr

BBC Radio 2 will mark the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s iconic 'I Have A Dream' speech by playing 24 hours of music made by black artists starting tonight at 10pm.
Martin Luther King’s iconic speech was made on the 28 August 1963 in Washington DC
BBC introduction
The station will mark the occasion by celebrating the incredible contribution that black artists have made to the world of music and culture by playing 24 hours of some of the greatest music ever made by black artists from the 1950s to the present day, with further specials across the following weekend.
Kicking off with a special edition of Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation (Thursday 27 August, 10pm-midnight), OJ Borg (Friday 28 August, midnight-3am) picks up the story which continues all day through to Sounds Of The 90s (Friday 28 August, 10pm-midnight). Listeners will hear hits from a huge range of artists including Aretha Franklin, Prince, John Legend, Sade, Bob Marley, Joan Armatrading, Whitney Houston, Soul II Soul, Alicia Keys, Lizzo, Stevie Wonder and many more.
From Friday night and across the weekend, some of the world’s best loved musicians from across the decades will be guest presenting Radio 2’s Sounds Of… shows, telling the story of black music from those eras - Martha Reeves (Sounds Of The 60s), Nile Rodgers (Sounds Of The 70s), Neneh Cherry (Sounds Of The 80s), Toni Braxton (Sounds Of The 90s).
Trevor Nelson says: “Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream speech has resonated with me since I was a child and is still relevant today. I think it’s fantastic that Radio 2 are celebrating its anniversary by playing some of the greatest music by black artists.”
Jeff Smith, Head of Music Radio 2, says: “Black artists are, and always have been, pivotal to the development of popular music and the music we play on Radio 2. We play the best of the best pop music new and old, so our I Have A Dream Day, whilst marking the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s historic speech in 1963, gives us a wonderful opportunity to focus on playing our favourite music across the genres and across the eras all together in one epic day-long playlist.”
More info via
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08pqvbl

bbc

By Mike in News Archives · August 27, 20204 yr

Soulsations ... and then some
Soul Exotics, Emporers, Twila and the Twighlights, The Soulsations, and (no The) Soulsations.
Preview/Intro
Ronald J. Miller (Woody Miller) was a Soul Exotics male vocalist. His writing credit together with Bobby Fulton's appears on "Baby It's True" on the Terri Records label 5001. Both sides were produced by Phil Gaber. Amongst other things Phil Gaber was the producer on "Karate" Mala 543 for the Emporer's, then a vocal quartet backed by four instrumentalists. One of the members of the Emporers being Robert Jefferson Fulton (topper Soulville Records).

The flip to "Baby It's True" is "Darlin"' which has the writer credit of Wm. A. Coney, Jr. - who is Bill Coney (band member, guitar) in Twila Howard and The Twilights (It is Twila Howard's vocal that leads on "Here Comes The Pain"). The male vocalists with Twila were Ronald Miller and Larry McKenion (Emporers writer credit of Soul '69 "Bring Out Yourself" on Futura label 1505. Soul '69 was the pseudonym for Larry McKenion, Money Smith & Terry Lawson). The other three band members with Twila were Larry Myers (bass guitar), who also shows up on the 2007 release Funkadelphia Records 1505, Emporers Soul 69 -Bring It Out Yourself, Wendell Wise (drummer) and Robert (Bob)...
Northern Soul Connection #23 (click twice for best view)

Site info - You can check out Kens other quality 22 Northern Connections all available via his 'activity' profile page, the link follows below...
More articles from KenB

connections

By Kenb in Articles · August 26, 20204 yr

Next up for Philadelphia record label /store Brewerytown Beats -
The previously unheard sessions from Graterford Prison funk & soul band Power Of Attorney. Recorded in two separate sessions, one in January of 1973 and one in April of the same year.
Two of the tracks from the January session were released on an extremely hard to find 7" (https://www.discogs.com/Power-Of-Attorney-Changing-Man/release/9801918) the other 4 tracks were previously unreleased - The band had minor success when Stanley Vincent (Ooh Ooh Child fame) produced a 1974 LP for Polydor Records.
The material on these earlier tapes proves to be raw, gut wrenching deep soul cuts - many songs emulating the sounds of the day. Completely remixed & remastered from the original session tapes.

Listen
Power Of Attorney - I'm Just Your Clown
Bittersweet love ballad - previously unreleased lowrider soul from Philadelphia.

Power Of Attorney - Changing Man
The reflective “Changing Man,” an original composition by McDowell. “It tells the story of a man who made a mistake, and after a while in jail, he gets his head together, and realizes it’s time to straighten it out,” the 21-year-old serving life for murder, told The Philadelphia Daily News nearing the single release.

Power Of Attorney
Re-Mixed and ReMastered from the original 2" reels, this MONSTER soul/funk jam from Power Of Attorney band, a 6 piece band from Graterford Prison, originally recorded in 1972 at famed Philly studio, Sigma Sound.
More Info along with purchase options via
https://www.brewerytownbeats.com/product-page/power-of-attorney

releases

By Brewerytownbeats in News Archives · August 26, 20204 yr

DAVE GODIN a NORTHERN SOUL a biography by Stephen Stevlor
The fascinating and colourful life story of one of the most respected and important figures in black American music and the British Soul scene.
From his teenage discovery of Rhythm & Blues in 1950s Bexleyheath, walking into his favourite Friday night haunt, The Silver Lounge ice-cream parlour, and being instantly and utterly devastated by Ruth Brown's '(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean', blasting out from an American jukebox freshly installed in the corner of the room.
..."This wasn't the crapola slush of popular music expounded by white folks, this was real men and real women, as opposed to boys and girls, talking about real passions and hard emotions."...
From this day forward Dave Godin began his crusade to promote and champion black American music, encouraging anyone who would listen to explore the magic of R&B, though in future years would regret passing on his enthusiasm to a young Mick Jagger, later berating the rock star and his band The Rolling Stones (Who, with friend Bobby Beckwith, Godin had been instrumental in the formation of) for stealing black music for personal gain.
..."The Stones started life as a harmless pastime," recalled Godin. "Keith Richards played guitar, Bobby played something, Mick couldn't play any instruments. It was really just a jam session 'round Bobby's house." Godin himself could accompany any Howlin' Wolf track note perfect. Suddenly it evolved into a more serious concern with founding member Bobby Beckwith being ousted and Mick Jagger making his play for front man. "One night Mick said he wouldn't mind a go at singing. Bobby had an amp and a microphone and Mick did his bit!" Dave found this particular act both hilariously comical and acutely embarrassing, being totally unimpressed by Jagger's vocal abilities he seriously expected the young lad to be immediately laughed off stage should he ever actually be allowed upon one! Godin was also far from impressed by the persona of Brian Jones whom in later years would describe as, "One of Thatcher's children before Thatcher. Vain and horrible, but thankfully more of a friend of a friend so I wasn't obliged to speak to him that much!" Keith Richards didn't fare that much better either, apparently never a bunch of laughs and a little shy with the soap!...
..."That was the great divide. We were working on behalf of black America while the Stones were working on behalf of themselves."
In the early 60s he established the Mary Wells fan club which lead to the formation of the Tamla Motown Appreciation Society and Godin's future appointment as Tamla's official UK representative. It would also be Dave who amalgamated the two labels Tamla and Motown together to create one of the most famous record labels in the World.

...In the early 60s Dave's Church Road home was more of a music Mecca than in the Soul days because all these aspiring blues groups knew that there was him and maybe a couple of others in the whole of London who had the records and they could go 'round and listen to stuff, transcribe it, record it, even buy the disc off Dave. So up to the Motown change over, a lot of bluesy types went 'round there. Motown was the pop end of Soul but Dave was obviously a very shrewd operator and apart from genuinely liking Motown I think he also realised that blues was going nowhere commercially and when Dave heard these Motown records he was like people in the 70s when they first heard Punk he was so excited by them." (KEITH RYLATT)...

...When we started meeting people from Motown we used to spend weeks beforehand on Dave's bedroom floor making up banners. Dave used to cut letters out of a white sticky backed plastic called Fablon and stick them on these big pieces of maroon cloth which had previously been sewn by his mum so you could put banner poles up each side. Before Dave had gone to the states he's worked as a florist and learned how to make proper bouquets so that each one of them got one. The record companies weren't doing anything! They'd just cram the groups into a big car and whish them into London from Heathrow but it was the TMAS holding up the banner with their names and picture on saying 'We Welcome You'. It was all very organised, very professionally done and all from a 12ft square room in a back street in Bexleyheath! I don't think the record companies or stars knew that!...
...I used to go to all the 'do's' where Dave used to rent a room above a pub and you'd get The Four Tops performing!" recalls Graham Moss. "There would be a reception for society members and whenever groups and singers came over to play there'd be a meet....

...what they also used to do was build a stage, put down beer crates and put planks on top of them and then play a record and whichever group was there they would mime to the record. They did all the movements and everything, it was the stage show but it was done just for us in an upstairs room in a pub. They were coming over to play air-force bases, plugging records and to appear on Ready, Steady Go! Dave used to get tickets for RSG!, which those of us who lived close enough around London, and could swear would actually be there, would get. I remember sitting in the studio canteen and the tables were on a kind of platform with a fence and corridor around it and the group Manfred Mann were sitting at the same table and Dave was going on about plagiarism and Paul Jones from the band said "What do you mean by plagiarism?". And before anybody could say anything, me, not knowing who Paul Jones was, said, "Well, some fucker's ripped off 'Do Wah Diddy Diddy', it's unbelievable what rubbish they've made of it!" And Dave kicked me under the table, and I didn't know why, and he told me afterwards it was cos it was Paul Jones who was singing it! But we didn't watch television so much and I certainly didn't buy pop magazines so I wouldn't have recognised these people if they'd come up and slapped me with a kipper! Jones' response to my outburst was one of embarrassment and he just looked the other way."

As a regular contributor to Blues & Soul magazine his bi-weekly column became the stuff of legend, avidly read by Soul fans and DJs alike, the latter using his recommendation's of 45s worthy to source to add to their playlists. On occasion Dave himself would make an unscheduled appearance in the DJ booth to spin a new white label release as in the case of 'Blowing Up My Mind' by The Exciters which he uk debuted at Manchester's Twisted Wheel.

In 1966, along with David Nathan and Robert Blackmore, Dave opened Soul City, the first record shop in London dealing 100% in music of black origin. On launch day, vinyl stock was so scarce, discs from the personal collections of Godin and Nathan filled the record racks. Twelve months later Godin mentioned the iconic term 'Northern Soul', a description that by the 1970s had become the tag-line to a music phenomenon that swept the UK and a phrase still used Worldwide today. The associated record labels, Soul City and Deep Soul, followed, releasing hard to get material by the likes of Gene Chandler, The Valentinos, Bessie Banks, The Ad-Libs and Roy Hamilton amongst many others.

..."I might have coined the term 'Northern Soul' and in my advantaged position as a journalist given it every encouragement, but it took thousands of loyal and ardent fans to keep and spread the faith, and in doing this, they gave black America their highest compliment and collective thanks."...

The late 70s saw a massive change in direction for Dave Godin, first a move to Lincolnshire, his involvement with the Right On! record label (responsible for the first UK release of 'Your Autumn Of Tomorrow' by The Crow) and then a permanent location to the steel city of Sheffield to study Film & Art History as a mature student at the city's Polytechnic.
... As he embarked on his film studies course Godin waved a temporary goodbye to the music business with a final PR job helping old Motown mate, Harvey Fuqua and the Fantasy record label push the disco flavoured single, 'You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)' by Sylvester into the UK Top Ten. Dave recalled how bizarre it was for him to be traversing the corridors of the Polytechnic's Psalter Lane campus as a mature student and have his younger peers walk past singing the song out loud while having absolutely no idea of his involvement in the record's success. Also, on joining the Student Union, Dave wasted no time in putting himself forward as a candidate for Student President. Dave wore his 'Vote Godin for President' sticker with pride and fellow student, Jenny Wright, remembers that once elected as branch president, as well as campaigning against every injustice going, "Dave also got us doing a 'sit in' for such things as the exorbitant price of filled cobs in the canteen. I believe they'd gone up to the princely sum of 39p, a lot of money in the early 1980s."
..."The students saw him as amusing and a leader at the same time, they all loved him as he shared their same pure and aspirational ideals," says Jenny. "I was in awe of him and related to him immediately. A journalist friend of mine who was a Soul fan couldn't believe it when I mentioned Dave's name, he asked me to go back and check if in fact it was 'the' Dave Godin, which of course it was."

On graduation he applied and was successful in his application to become the manager of Sheffield's Anvil Cinema, the first cinema in the country to be owned and run by a City Council. Here he could indulge in his other life-long passion for obscure films, filling the programs with work by little known directors including, Fedor Ozep, Pudovkin, Gillio Pontecorvo and Paolo Pasolini.

..."He once booked in a Russian film from the silent era and I don't know how he dared book it 'cos it had Russian sub-titles and no one could understand it. But he had them all translated into English and each sub-title put on a postcard. As the film was shown Dave stood there at the front of the cinema with a little light over a lectern and as each sub-title came up he read the translation out loud from the postcard. The cinema was full that night and the audience reaction to Dave reading out each Russian sub-title in English was one of true amazement!" (ANVIL ASSISTANT MANAGER DENNIS O'GRADY)

"I went to a Northern Soul reunion with Dave in the early 90s and I gave him a suit to wear. It was a beautiful three piece suit made from a heavyweight dark rich grey material called Thornproof, cut in a Victorian style. For some reason I'd had two made, both identical so I gave one to Dave as a gift. He loved it, it fitted him like a glove, he looked amazing. Anyway, I was in this Soul club and there were a lot of leading lights of the Northern Soul scene there and suddenly there was a hush in the room and Dave Godin walked in looking amazing in this suit, and it was almost like a meeting of vampires and Dracula had just turned up!" (MICHAEL SOMERSET, SONGWRITER)

"I'm going to Blackpool in September as there's a Northern Soul weekender, and Barbara Lynn is appearing. As I was the first (only) person over here to review (rave review) her first single in 1962, and have championed her many great records since, I've been asked to go on stage to introduce her. Barbara Lynn has an almost phobic fear of flying, which is why she has never before performed in the UK! I just hope I don't have to go on stage and explain the psychological reason why she is "unable to be with us tonight... And will Geno Washington be an acceptable replacement?"! (DAVE GODIN LETTER EXTRACT)

The 1990s saw Dave's professional return to Soul music with the critically acclaimed and best selling CD compilations, 'DAVE GODIN'S DEEP SOUL TREASURES' for the Kent/Ace label. The final release compiled and released shortly before his death.

"In a strange kind of way Soul bestows a kind of immortality on all of us," Dave would finally conclude. "Certainly when my time comes, just dig out your copies of the 'Treasures' CDs and what I was but no longer am will still be there alongside you all." (DAVE GODIN)

ORIGINATION OF THE BOOK

Author Stephen Stevlor is a Northern Soul DJ, promoter and radio presenter living in Sheffield.

"I first met Dave Godin in the early 1990s when he agreed to write a regular column for 'Sheffield's Alternative Magazine' (SAM for short) of which I was the editor. I'm ashamed to admit it but at that time I had absolutely no idea who he was or aware of his impressive past, but when a friend who'd advised me to phone him also informed me that Dave had been Motown's UK advisor, the man who coined the iconic term Northern Soul and had once told Rolling Stone Mick Jagger to "Fuck off!" on the set of 60s TV pop programme Ready Steady Go, I reckoned Dave Godin was a man worth chasing up. Amusingly when I told a friend later that Dave Godin had agreed to provide a column every month for SAM, he, being fully aware of Dave's history, asked tongue in cheek, "Are you sure he knows SAM stands for Sheffield's Alternative Magazine and doesn't think he's writing for 'Soul And Motown'?"

It was about nine years after his death that I decided to write his biography. Twice a year on my Soul Radio Show I would transmit special broadcasts for the months of June and October to celebrate his birthday and commemorate his passing. As far as I knew I was the only Soul show doing this and couldn't understand why other shows playing Northern Soul didn't do the same. When features concerning Northern Soul appeared in the press or when documentaries and films were made, Dave was either a very brief mention or never name-checked at all in connection with a genre of music and sub-culture he'd christened and given a specific identity to. I was beginning to feel he was being ignored and maybe his incredible input, sadly, forgotten. So, I decided it was time to write his story, but not just the story of a Soul man but also the other avenues of his life, his passion for film and art, life long battles for civil and animal rights plus his atheism, anarchism and freedom flag waving libertarianism.

Dave Godin was a natural archivist, saving and filing every letter, missive and photograph received or sent. His story should have been easy to research 'cos all the info required was there. Unfortunately, shortly before his death and in the weeks following, so called 'friends' appropriated items of choice. Objects were cherry picked and a lot of the most desirable pieces relating to his life in Soul disappeared. As well as writing this biography I also wanted to re-build his archive for an on-line retrieval system that could be accessed by anyone. I put a call out to try and track down some of the missing objects and documents, I wasn't really interested how people had actually acquired things, I appreciated a lot of stuff was purchased in good faith and the buyer may have had no idea that these items had been made available without permission of Dave or his estate, so were in effect stolen goods, all I basically wanted was copies of letters, photographs etc to formulate an archive which was a thing Dave had always dreamed of. A few good 'Souls' sent stuff through with proof of ownership, some items made it into the book, but it was a pretty poor response considering the amount of material and memorabilia that disappeared.
There's a 'Collections' chapter in the book that touches on items appearing for sale on internet dealer sites that 'true' friends recognised as Godin property, but the dealers when questioned showed no concerns about where the items had originated from and amazingly all appeared to be selling on behalf of "Some guy from Manchester!" This chapter will probably be of major interest to Northern Soulies as it also concerns Dave's substantial record collection which caused major division amongst friends because of why and who (legally by the way) ended up with it. I think a lot of people closer to Dave expected it to travel their way and were disappointed by the outcome.
I thought the biography would take about six months to research and complete until I discovered how many facets there was to Dave Godin. Over six years later, here we are!
This was always going to be a book about his entire life and not just Northern Soul and features over 450 full colour pages, but because Dave re-visited black American music periodically, I would say 80% of the book is - DAVE GODIN a NORTHERN SOUL.

DAVE GODIN A NORTHERN SOUL is officially released on 15th October 2020 (Dave's death date) but is available to order to order now for £29.99 via PayPal, Bank Transfer and 'Old School' Cheque by contacting STEVLOR at stevlor@hotmail.co.uk

books

By Stevlor in Articles · August 24, 20204 yr

Two more releases available from the MD gang on the MD - Kicking off with this one!!
SOUL SENSATIONS - BABY I LOVE YOU/PART TWO
Virtually nothing is known about this band other than they recorded for the late great Phil Gaber at his studio. The laid down three tracks plus an instrumental, the fabulous Baby I Love Pt1 and its instrumental version Pt2 which is now available on this single release. Round and Round we go and Wait for you.
All of these have previously only been available on Impact Sound Acetates that reside in the collections of some of the most well known DJs on the northern scene.
This bongo and brass fueled track hammers out of the speakers and just demands the attention of those listening and dancing to it. Jordan Wilson has been playing this every week on his Soul Archive show and its gone down a storm.
It is now available as part of a limited run of 500 singles on the MD yellow series and as usual there are only 500 pressed with no re---runs.
Turn the volume up, hit play and dance your arse off.

Baby I Love You SS.MP3
Baby I Love You 2 SS.MP3
ROLAND JOHNSON - YOURS AND MINE/CAN'T GET ENOUGH
The eagerly awaited second release from Roland Johnson on our Yellow series brings the fabulous Yours and Mine form the first album - Imagine this - to vinyl. Elmore magazine said; “Yours and Mine” and “Promised Land” bring to mind the loving duets of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, sounding perfect for film.
and when reviewing the flip; The horns and saxes are crisp and energetic. Johnson co-wrote 9 of the 10 songs including the inviting up-tempo opener “Can’t Get Enough” with its O’Jays influence.

Roland’s first album, “Imagine This” was released by Blue Lotus Recording studio in 2016. This album was a deliberate move into mainly self-written songs and marked the desire by Roland to break out to wider audiences, gaining even more success than that shown by his live performances appreciated by all on the St Louis and Beale street Blues and Soul Scene.
Often compared to Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, which you can hear the influence, but Roland Johnson is a singer destined to come out of the shadows.
The success and increased interest in Roland’s first album bright about more interviews with the Missouri press and News, with interviews and award nominations celebrating his highly successful blend of heartfelt Southern Soul with a classic vintage delivery in a new way. In the UK Brian Goucher of Vibe UK picked up on the album and reviewed it excellently.
I don't think we need to add much more than that in all honesty, Roland is the real deal, hit the play buttons and decide for yourself.

Yours And Mine RJ.MP3
Cant Get Enough RJ.MP3
Both available through the website -https://www.mdrecords.co.uk/ for £10 each!!!!
Mark n Des

releases

By Md Records in News Archives · August 23, 20204 yr

Just been told that Edward Hamilton has passed away
Thank you for the contribution to the soundtrack of my life.
Sleep well and rest in peace

sad news

By Winsford Soul in News Archives · August 23, 20204 yr

New Soul 45 - Danny Toeman - If What You Say Is What You Mean / Everybody Says I'm Wrong
After the success of ‘She’s Got Something About Her’ on vinyl, LRK Records are proud to announce the upcoming release of ‘If What You Say Is What You Mean’, the latest single from North London Soul man, Danny Toeman.
Raw and gritty, this fiery new soul side packs a heavy punch with its thick horns, relentless northern soul beat, and high-octane vocal delivery from the man himself.
Pulling no punches, Danny unleashes a scathing onslaught on the current world situation, reminiscent of late 60’s era Temptations and Edwin Starr.
Backed with ‘Everybody Says I’m Wrong’, we see Danny in a rare reflective mood. Stripped back to just voice, guitar, percussion and angelic backing harmonies, this song has been a popular staple in Danny’s live set the last few years.
This is a limited edition release, make sure to pre-order your copy now!

Listen
If What You Say Is What You Mean: Vinyl 7" Single 45rpm by Danny Toeman

https://dannytoeman.bandcamp.com/album/if-what-you-say-is-what-you-mean-vinyl-7-single-45rpm

Bio
Born and raised in London, Danny Toeman is a soul singer brought up on the great artists of Stax, Motown, and James Brown. With a dynamic stage presence and inimitably powerful voice, Danny has gone from singing in dive bars to world famous venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and the o2 Arena, supported Kool and the Gang, and been featured on BBC 6 Music.

releases

By LRK in News Archives · August 22, 20204 yr

“He Made A Woman Out Of Me” – Betty LaVette (Silver Fox 17) – 1969.
I was born on a levee; a little bit south of Montgomery. Mama worked at the ‘big house’ and Daddy worked for the county.
Never had no learnin’ till I turned sixteen, when Joe Henry came up the river y’all – he made a woman outta me, Lord, he made a woman outta me.
I used to tease Joe Henry – I guess I teased too hard. Then, one day, it happened, right in my own back yard. Joe Henry had his way – he went and set me free; now I’m here to tell everybody that the man made a woman outta me, Lord, he made a woman outta me.
When I think back to that day, so long ago, I get a good feelin’ on my mind. Even tho’ it hurt me, it’s one thing I know: that when he left, he left a woman behind. Ooh…Lord!
And when I see another young man wantin’ to love and run, my mind goes back to Joe Henry Banks – what a heck of a job he done. Ain’t no other man let me down – y’see I’ve been set free; ever since way back yonder when Joe made a woman outta me…oh he made a woman outta me…Lord he made a woman otta me…wo oh oh oh, said he made a woman outta me.
(Written by Fred Burch and Don Hill).

In 1969, Betty LaVette appeared on Lelan Rogers’ fledgling Silver Fox label courtesy of his soon-to-be-much-better-known brother, country singer Kenny. It seems Bettye had cut a cover of his group, The First Edition’s 1967 track “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)”, penned by group-member Mickey Newbury and first featured on The First Edition’s late-1967 eponymous album (Reprise 6276) as well as on a quickly issued single (Reprise 0655).
When Kenny was in town with the First Edition, Bettye and her manager, Jim Lewis, brought a copy of Bettye’s “cover version” over to the singer, who liked it and pitched it to his brother Lelan. Now, it turned out that Lelan had been Bettye’s promotion man for her impressive earlier Calla side “Let Me Down Easy” (#102) and he duly contacted Bettye about recording for him down at Stan Kesler’s Sounds Of Memphis studio for his new Silver Fox label, which was titled after Lelan’s own hair-colour-related nickname. The tracks which duly ensued were going to be grouped into what would have been Bettye’s first-ever album and Lelan had Shelby Singleton (who was largely funding – and would distribute – Silver Fox) buy the master of “Let Me Down Easy” because he wanted to also include that earlier track on the new album. In fact, the album never materialised because a later disagreement between Lelan and Shelby caused the latter to withdraw his support for Silver Fox, but nevertheless, in addition to a couple of duets with Hank Ballard, several very fine LaVette solo singles would creep onto the market, one of which was Bettye’s debut recording for the label, an outstanding example of southern storyline soul, "He Made A Woman Out Of Me".
As with most great songs, the lyrics are very important and are meant to be heard. Like a good radio play, this song conjures up visions in the listener’s head. Although the recording took place in the big city of Memphis and the singer was raised hundreds of miles away in the north, near another big city, Detroit, the visions are of rural American southern life in the sixties (or perhaps, from even earlier) and the enforced subordinate role in that particular environment then played by most ‘blacks’.
Erotic visions are created too and are fundamental to the piece – visions of a naïve, sixteen-year-old black girl’s first full sexual encounter when she loses her virginity to Joe Henry, an older black lad – yet there is also something genuinely touching about the way this is portrayed. The unspoken willingness of the girl to accept the inevitability of the encounter shines through. This isn’t rape or molestation; she really does like the guy and it’s something she has known for some time would almost certainly happen. Afterwards, she wants to remain Joe Henry’s girl but it isn’t to be.
It’s her ‘first time’ – something she will, of course, never forget, yet something, we learn from the lyrics, she will later use to good effect to ensure no other man ‘loves her and runs’, as Joe did. The sexual act, though, ‘sets her free’ – she is liberated by it to the extent that she thereafter becomes mature enough to retain full control of her own sexual destiny, even if other forms of liberation, because of her race, her situation and the times in which she is living, will be hard, if not impossible to achieve.
The lyrics, then, are both emotive and expressive and, for sixties America, undeniably raunchy. Without these ‘specific’ lyrics, though, the song would have been meaningless. After all, the title itself is straight-to-the-point, ‘he made a woman out of me’ directly implying that the girl only became a woman after her encounter, and had any song with such a title merely employed ‘moon and june’ lyrics, it would have rendered it, if not Joe Henry himself, impotent.
However, the lyrics are not the only element which makes this a great recording. There’s Betty LaVette’s wonderful ‘earthy’ delivery, so ‘southern-sounding’ for a Michigan-raised girl. Her occasional lower-register use of the word ‘Lord’, both as an adjunct to an existing lyric-line and as an interjection, adds subtle emphasis to the emotion she expresses in the song. The different ‘shades’ she employs during her vocal performance are just perfect – layback and vulnerable one minute, up-front and firmly assertive the next. When maximum emotion is called for, she doesn’t scream like a gospel-wailer but rather howls and growls like a tiger being released from a cage – a woman, in fact, being released from the body of a young girl.
Then, of course, there’s the overall ‘sound’ of the recording and the soulful ‘feel’ that it so successfully generates. This is largely down to the wholly appropriate, sparse, country-based, but tough-soul-edged arrangement and the way it is played by that quite remarkable backing band, The Dixie Flyers. The Flyers would become legendary in the early 70’s as Atlantic’s Criteria, Miami Studio ‘house-band’ and would play behind most of the name-acts contracted to their subsidiary Atco and Cotillion labels at that time; but earlier in 1969, just before Betty LaVette’s Memphis session, the band had played on Tony Joe White’s “Continued” album and this could be why Charlie Freeman’s wonderfully ‘swampy’, brooding guitar sounds so White-like on Betty’s recording. The musicians had taken their band-name from a literary reference to William Faulkner, which likened him to a southbound-train in the phrase “When the Dixie Flyer comes down the track you’d better get out of the way.” The Flyers at the time of Betty’s recording were Jim Dickinson and Mike Utley on keyboards, Charlie Freeman on guitar, Tommy McClure on bass and Sammy ‘Beaver’ Creason on drums. In addition to their own wonderfully rhythmic performance, we cannot overlook a potent contribution here by the ever-reliable Memphis Horns, who duly apply their trademark brassy raunchiness at suitably appropriate junctures.
Taken as a whole, the recording is a high-point in smouldering, storyline country-tinged southern soul – one of those wonderful and rare occasions when all of the undeniably top-drawer participants came together at the peak of their considerable powers to produce a genuine ‘soul classic’.
However, the lyrics proved too potent for many southern radio stations of the day and Betty’s version saw little ‘exposure’. Consequently it was not a pop hit although it did make No.25 on the R&B chart. Yet white country singer, Bobbie Gentry’s pacier and more throwaway ‘cover’ successfully ‘dodged the bullets’ by using the old ruse of airbrushing out some of the more potent lyrics. She completely omits mention of “then one day it happened, right in my own back yard” and specifically sings “I used to tease Joe Henry, I guess it served me right, it wasn’t long till he left me crying, out in the night.” She goes on to add that Joe had his ‘day’ (not his ‘way’). This ‘cleaner’ version, culled from her Fame-recorded “Fancy” album, whilst not a major hit, did at least make No.71 on the Pop chart, although it did not register on the Country or R&B charts.
And so yet another great black-American original recording would fail to ‘crossover’, while a deliberately more-accessible, almost ‘singalong’ white ‘cover’ would go on to wider appeal.
Peter Nickols

Music Clips

artists

By Peternickols in Articles · August 21, 20204 yr

I've read that we've lost a proper legend. anyone confirm this ?
very sad, if true !
added by site
unfortunately appears to be true
the sad news was reported by Tony Wells via facebook

sad news

By Ian Parker in News Archives · August 20, 20204 yr

Soul Tracks reporting that David "Cowboy" Sanders of The Masqueraders has passed on
https://www.soultracks.com/story-david-sanders-masqueraders-dies

Related Soul Source site content

HOF: The Masqueraders - Male Group Inductee
Date Of Induction: 01 November 2014 Category : Male Vocal Group The Masqueraders, have spanned a recording career of over 50 years and still enjoythe original line up of members from their beginnings half a century ago.

Masqueraders Article by J R Smith
The Masqueraders main claim to fame, to an outsider at least, would seem to be there dogged persistence.

sad news

By Mike in News Archives · August 18, 20204 yr

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Edna Wright aka Sandy Wynns Sad News RIP

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New Release - Emma Noble - Woman Of The World

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Northern Soul Connections #23 - Soulsations and then some

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New Soul 45 - Danny Toeman - If What You Say Is What You Mean / Everybody Says I'm Wrong

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