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In 1964, R&B music really came of age. Mainstream black music was evolving from R&B into soul and this helped it sell to greater volumes of white American teenagers. At the time, teenagers were the big growth market in record sales both in the US and in Europe. Because of this (due to the additional advertising revenue generated) most US radio stations were chasing the teenage market. But many American pop station DJ's weren't keeping up with the times. A 1964 run-down of top US radio DJ

Much of what we know of the group The Admirations is already “out there” but scattered across the internet.  I decided to pull together what we know of the group into one article.  The groups discography and gaps in their story was discussed at length on Soul Source, instigated in particular by Timmy Leonard (R.I.P.) from Brussels and other members of Soul Source contributing.  Robert Pruter was a valuable source as was Secret Stash who had access to One-Derful masters and the associated labels

Indie record label, Continued Sound, announces its first 7" vinyl release with the reissue of an unspeakably rare rock and soul-tinged single from 1973 by Kip Carmen, a Native American R&B artist from Huntington, New York. The record features two original songs ("That's Enough For Me" and "Loving in the Morning") recorded in NYC with veteran producer Bob Morgan (known for his work with Bobby Vinton and Marcos Valle) shortly before Kip signed with Hi Records in Memphis. Fans of garage an

The latest issue of this long running informative series courtesy of Ken b aka @Kenb Northern Connections #38 - Ditalians, K & S Studio & Saxony  This article is about shining a new light on key associations of Saxony like the Ditalians, and a couple more of its artists. From time-to-time, It does refer to Saxony Artists and staffers that are covered elsewhere, but only when I believe I'm presenting new information As always you can check out all Kens other quali

RECORDING STUDIO TECHNIQUES  – HOW THINGS HAVE EVOLVED Back in the 60's, recording studios were very different places. The equipment wasn't that sophisticated at all. In fact, some recordings were just made on domestic tape recorders, with the group set up in a garage or similar space. Even professional studios would only have 2 or 4 track 'desk' equipment. As the decade progressed, the desks / studio rooms changed rapidly. But, even though the equipment was changing rapidly, the way many s

25th Anniversary Hayley Records story. A recollection.  by founder Rob Moss.   I first visited Detroit around 1990. I was living in Vancouver at the time working for Much Music, the Canadian equivalent of MTV, as an on air presenter on the West Coast affiliate, Much West. I happened on an article in a music trade journal about the release of a book dedicated to the life and times of Motown bass player James Jamerson by a guy named ‘Dr. Licks’, called ‘Standing in the Shadows

Colin Day sat down with DJ, collector, soul historian and stalwart of the Northern Soul scene, Andy Rix, to recall his journey into soul and give his most candid interview yet on AI music production and all things Riker… JOURNEY INTO SOUL So Colin, before we get into the music, AI and Riker Records, it’d be really interesting to learn a bit more about your personal history, and your journey into soul. Where did you get to prior to Riker forming in your head? IT’S A MOD, MOD WORLD

Something to read… Something I wrote a few years ago hoping to get in Record Collector magazine. Apparently they only run features on artists who might have a new collection or whatever. And it’s a bit long Jerry Butler - The Iceman Cometh As 1966 made way for 1967, Jerry Butler’s career was at something of a crossroads. The 27-year-old had moved to the security of the well-heeled Mercury label following the financial meltdown of his previous label, Vee Jay, but so far there had b

Intro Bill Buckley from Souljazzandfunk.com recently got in touch with us regarding a recent (Nov 2024)  Ep release from James Hovay, that he thought deserved exposure. You can read Bill's review further below Long time readers may be familar with James recent 2022 releases,  this time around the five track EP does take a similar path and would say that the description 'the soundscape is the classic sound of 60s Chicago' is a most valid take. Review, details and video clips follow

Wade in the water Wade in the water children Wade in the water God said He’s gonna trouble the water We are the sons and the daughters We gotta stand up and make it loud Just like our God told the Pharaoh Let my people go We are a new generation From the ones who have gone before He’s calling us out of bondage Let my pеople go “Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains. Those songs still follow me, to deepen my ha

We’re thrilled to unveil the professionally produced trailer for The Embers: The Bobby Tomlinson Story! This video captures the heart and soul of Bobby’s journey with one of the most iconic bands in Carolina Beach Music history. Take a sneak peek into the stories, the music, and the legacy that have inspired generations.  So you like beach music1+++.mp4

The most recent issue of this long running informative series courtesy of Ken b aka @Kenb Northern Connections #37 Zodiac international – Jack Gillen, artists, writers, publishers, labels The private press Aquarious 1 album feels like it was maybe inspired shortly after the 1969 Woodstock festival, Bethel, NY. The Aquarian exposition. It takes on a similar astrological theme. However short-lived, the driving force behind Zodiac International, Jack Gillen, must have always felt a strong

Photos and Info sent in from Lorne Anton, who while based in Chatham with the RN took these photos at The Central Gillingham in 1967 Maxine Brown and the Q-Set at the Central R&B Club, Gillingham 3rd December 1967 Lorne's accompanying words The date I originally gave for the Maxine Brown gig at the Central R&B Club, Gillingham is wrong, apologies! The correct date should be 3/12/1967. This was, I think, her second UK Tour with some 30 odd gigs between Sept 67 and Feb

As we continue to profile our guests at the Home Run Soul Club (more can be found HERE including Dave Ripolles, Pat Bleasdale and Chris Anderton) our aim is to build an archive of those we've had play whilst offering a little sense of who they are and what drives their passion for soul.  For our first home run Soul club birthday we've picked another great character from the scene (with a great story) and a some of the records you might hear on the day.  Phil Shields    How

Yann Vatiste   How long have you been collecting? I discovered a mixture Northern Soul, R&B, Latin, Ska, Jazz, Acid Jazz & Funk music on the Mod scene in the late 80s. I slowly started collecting records around the age of 15 as I had a very good friend called Spider who was a musician with an incredible collection of French EPs and thousands of soul, r&b and jazz records. I spent hours at his house, making tapes, taking notes and discovering black American music. D

Deptford Northern Soul Club - 08/06/24- Manchester A hidden pocket of joy in Manchester's Yes club  written by Jodie Edwards This incredible Northern soul night is as unique and vibrant as the people who attend. The atmosphere at a Deptford northern soul night is unpalpable. Everyone who comes is here to have a great time and dance the night away, with feelgood soul music on spin and friendly faces on the dance floor.  The YES Club  YES is one of Manchester's newes

I frequently have a tendency to delve into researching a particular subject, only to find myself veering off course after about a month or so, leaving some interesting facts sat on my computer’s desktop. Some might attribute this behaviour to ADHD, but who knows? Navigating the soul and R&B scene can be a labyrinthine journey, unbelievably it’s a small world where boundaries can blur effortlessly. Delving into research often leads to a mass of discovery, and you can easily lose track of

We are now hitting issue #36 of this very long running informative 'Northern Connections' series from ken Brown aka  @Kenb   Northern Connections # 36 Deception Today (2023) it would hardly be considered the crime of the century to operate a 'near victimless mail scam' or cause a deception for the benefit of a few 45 records. However, not so in Virginia 1972. Back then, defrauding a record club and stereo tape club carried a U.S. District Court  indictment. Some still may say t

FOOTIE AND 45s WEEKENDS By Dave Moore As lifelong Burnley Football Club fans, I am so chuffed that Bev, my Grandkids, (who are also season ticket holders) and the club, play a central role in this tale. We left Burnley in 1985 but as a family we still attend most home games and quite a few away games which, when your grandson plays grass roots football on Saturday and Sundays, can be a challenging programme at the best of times, as even the home games result in a 300 mile round trip for

Now at #35 in the long running informative 'Northern Connections' series by @Kenb. Northern Connections # 35 -  Child Of Friendship, Train Robbers The eagle-eyed amongst you will have spotted two different addresses on the 2 versions of Natural Records 1516. 1516 25th Ave versus 1510 16th St. The latter being a small room and the location for Black Unity, Inc-at least from 1971 to 1974. Black Unity, Inc was incorporated in 1967 and was essentially founded to raise the political conscio

Introduction For over 15 years I wrote a monthly column in the now defunct Manifesto magazine, latterly under the editorship of Mike Ritson. This was a premier, glossy monthly publication that in my opinion surpassed everything since Black Music and hard copy Blues & Soul went under. Most of my submissions were record reviews interspersed with articles on labels and artists. My many box files contained information from various sources from old copies of the Detroit Free Press to heart f

MD 117 – Blinded by Pride / I Found A Love – The Sensations At MD Records, our main mission has always been to ensure that the music we release is handled fairly and ethically. We put a significant amount of effort behind the scenes to ensure that all legal requirements are met before we make a release public. Sometimes, this task can become challenging when dealing with tracks that come with limited information. This challenge becomes even more pronounced when many of the people who contri

There is an opportunity to celebrate Lea Manor and meet up with friends on 23rd September 2023. The promoters are Martyn Bradley, Kev Spittle, Sharon Spittle and Kev Bodley. Martyn has been out and about over the last year or so and had many folks asking for a Lea Manor meet-up. So, finally, it’s happening! As many of you will be aware, Martyn, Kev and Sharon were also promoters of the popular United Sounds of Soul (USoS) events. These were also nights with a loyal following and reputa

Today, we have another story to share - the remarkable tale of The Gambrells, a previously unknown girl group from the heart of Detroit. Thanks to the efforts of our researcher and label partner, Jordan Wilson, and the discovery of long-forgotten studio tapes within the Pioneer Studio vault, we can now shed event more light on the incredible journey of Sharon, Pat, and Sandra. The Gambrells, a trio consisting of sisters Sharon and Sandra Gambrell, along with their close friend Patricia Hunt

We have just reached #34 in @Kenb's long running informative 'Northern Connections' series. Read and digest below Northern Connections # 34 Lew Hanson, Mary Mundy & Soul Syndicate/Seven Sense Insurance City Records said it would give 10% of its profits to The Newington Children's Hospital & Bellevue Square Boys Club, from (this} its first original production release. The record was cut at Creative Sound and released in early 1972. Two musicians and three businessmen started

The latest Northern Connections episode, it's #33 in this long running series from Kenb Northern Soul Connections #33 - The lnvaders / E.Lampkins Figuring out the participants of, and then 'attaching' them to, Earth Record Co F/W 18740 A-B has been a tricky business! The result has mainly fallen to investigating a mash-up of USA geography, people time & place, and combining it with some intuitive wild ass guesswork. There was a number of differing Louisiana 'Invaders' (plus at

Burford Fishback - A man with many irons in the fire (aka Sonny Fishback / Sonny Fisher) Burford 'Sonny' Fishback was born in Nashville, Tennessee but moved to Louisville, Kentucky at the age of 13. He attended Madison Jr. High there in 1953 and in 1957 he  transferred to Central High School joining Mohammad Ali there. Sonny's plan and dreams included becoming a nightclub singer and a recording artist. In 1957 Sonny wrote a song called "You Ain't Going Nowhere" which was a mild local hit. S

Around 1968, a Philly vocal group, the Naturals, were looking for a fresh bunch of musicians to back them up on live shows. A local band found out about this and made contact with the singers. Thus the Soul Crusaders and the Naturals teamed up to form an 11 strong ensemble. There were already a number of recording groups using the name the Naturals and so their managers came up with an appropriate new name for them; the FUTURES. Life & their career progressed for the Futures & after 4 ye

The latest Northern Connections episode #32 from Kenb Northern Soul Connections #32 i.e. that is Disciples of Soul Disciples of Soul-Phantom The Disciples of Soul vocalists on 'Together' & 'That's The Way Love Goes' were Bill Ferrell, Steve McKeown, and Bud Rand. They were under the management of Jeff Reed (Rand & McKeown names you can find on the Phantom label & credits) and the sides were recorded in the summer of 1968 and released in Feb 1969. Whenever I've lis

The upcoming release of the Shrine Vinyl Lp from Kent Records stirred Andy Rix aka @Andy Rix to pass on his second set of his Shrine related sleeve notes, the ones written for the 'Shrine - the Rarest Soul Label Vol.2' 2000 Cd release, which dovetails nicely with the set of original uncut sleeve notes from the Shrine Volume One Cd already posted in our Article section (link at bottom) Shrine - the Rarest Soul Label Vol.2 Sleeve Notes by Andy Rix 2000 The story of Shrine Records, from i

30 Years Of Northern Soul In Todmorden. A commemorative booklet issued at the Charity Anniversary Evening 20th April 2001. Walsden Cricket Club Site note the first 2 pages of this booklet are reproduced in text format below, the other pages are via scanned images only. Todmorden is known around the world as an important centre for soul music due to the Goldmine record label. Accolades fall thick and fast on the label and its leading light. Tim Brown. There are in life very few tru

Anyone who grew up listening to pop or R&B radio in Philadelphia (as I did) in the late 1960’s is familiar with The Show Stoppers’ raucous hit, “Ain’t Nothin’ But a House Party”. Frequenters of the Soul Source website may be familiar with the song from its release on Beacon in 1968 (more on that below). In 2017, the song was featured as the lead cut on Kent Soul’s excellent compilation, Nothing But a House Party – The Birth of the Philly Sound 1967-1971, a Compilation of the Year pick b

Gripped by the Flu over Christmas and new year I needed something to keep the brain engaged and fill the endless hours, and it seemed the right time to delve into something that had been at the back of my mind for a while. So, it was time to scratch the itch, venture into the abyss of the internet and get going. With Paracetamol and Cold and Flu remedy at my side the journey began.   Throughout the years there have always been strange situations and circumstances surrounding the music busin

Northern Soul Connections #31 - Welcome to the latest in this now very long running series of soul connected connections from Ken B aka @Kenb Northern Soul Connections #31 Colstar label, FIRE, VIP's, Magicians A San Francisco Pop Festival that never happened, an associated album of that festival that didn't have the artists perform who were  credited on it, and a Kiwi mod behind it. Upfront. I'm genuinely fond of the people and company's written about in this piece. Non of wh

Chuck Cockerham Interview (albeit A Very Brief One). After following up on a few leads I finally got to speak with the man behind the voice of one of the most iconic crossover records of all time, “Have I Got A Right” released on the Bell records subsidiary label Mala, the one and only Mr Chuck Cockerham. A very nice guy who agreed to briefly answer one or two of the questions that I wished to put to him. He is reputedly working with another party regarding the compiling of memoirs for a fu

Northern Soul Connections #30 - The Seventh Sense - The latest in this now very long running (30!) series of soul connected connections from Ken B aka @Kenb The manager of The Seventh Sense was James Shaw, Shaw Records SH-1. He was mostly a realtor at Lindsay & Shaw Real Estate, 13 Middle Turnpike, East Manchester, Connecticut- the same address as on the SH-1 Shaw Records label. James was an Irishman and brought big bands like Woody Herman to the Hartford area, at places like Pagani's C

In 1969, a 20 year old Charles Lorenzo Blakely along with fellow members of the street gang he hung out with became involved in a shoot out with another rival Milwaukee street gang which resulted in the death of one of their rivals members. Following the arrival of the Police, the shoot out developed into a high speed car chase with Charles being the driver of one of one of the evading vehicles. Charles’s vehicle was eventually brought to a halt when the Cops shot out all four tyres which caused

“Miss Motown” Raynoma Gordy & Jack Gibson By Graham Jarvis     "Miss Motown" The "Miss Motown" record (is one of two 45's) that completely surprised, excited and confused any and all "Motown" collectors or "Motown" interest, when one of the two 45's suddenly appeared on "Ebay" in 2015. The 45 record on a Motown Label was a gift to an unknown "Miss Motown" in 1964. This summary is how we finally resolved the "Miss Motown" mystery, following numerous searches, records

Northern Soul Connections #29 - Murphys Law - The latest in this long running series of soul connected connections from Ken B aks @Kenb Murphy's Law: "Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong" Roscoe Murphy Jr was 34 years old when he ran Mel's Record shop at 2130 S. 7th, which as it happens was destroyed by faulty electrical wiring and eventual fire in Jan 1973. The record shop and apartments were owned by Paul, Sylvan & Stephen Gross. Well known around Philadelphia as r

The Martiniques a short lived three 45 group from Detroit and if some believe LA. Detroit has produced many wonderful obscure acts who recorded a few 45s (sometimes less) and then disappeared with very little known about them. The Martiniques were one such group and until recently nothing was known, just assumptions and myths. There was also confusion over the various recordings and doubts they were the same group, Danceland and Me-O for instance. Thanks to Andy Alonzo one of the membe

Northern Soul Connections #28  The Strange case of the Imaginations - Fraternity Records It's time to visit another Northern Soul Connection - Ken drops in on a strange neighbourhood... In the second half of 1967 a member of a young Dayton group went to see Tom Campbell to 'pitch' their plans, aspirations and dreams. Tom Campbell was a radio personality at WONE and became a columnist at the Dayton Daily News. From the mid 60's to early 70's Tom ran 'Campbell's Corner' and 'Off-t

Project Awakening - Black History Month USA February Also known as African-American History Month, it was first observed by students and faculty at Kent State University in 1970. In 1976 it evolved into a month-long celebration and became a national holiday when President Gerald Ford recognized “the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavour throughout our history” in a speech to mark the United States Bicentennial. Moses B. Norman-Orangeburg chan

As the years past it seems more and more archival material is becoming available online, local papers just being one available source for looking back. The British Newspaper archive being just one current source, be a bit wary as once you start digging the hours may fly past. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/   Used the North Wales Soul Club as an example as it did play a part in my own soul youth, while just a 13 year old kid at the time of the article, memories of

Ella Woods & Miss Lady by Kenb Ella Woods was born in Lexington, Mississippi and moved with her family to L.A when she was 5 years old. She studied opera/classical at U.S.C and majored in English Literature at Redlands. In 1970 she spent 18 months with The (Buck Ram} Platters. It's said she completed a love song for "Slaughter", a 1972 blaxploitation low-budget film starring Jim Brown. However no soundtrack LP was ever issued. (The theme song for Slaughter was written and performed by

The Drifters Girl  throws a spotlight on the murky world of a  music industry often marked by accusations of betrayal, exploitation and plagiarism through a complex web of accusation and counter accusation. Soul music history is of course rife with such tales, but few matched The Drifters in its scale and length.If you probe a bit further you find  a litany of broken promises and contracts , poached talent and double crossing that many football fans might recognise.The Drifters Girl musical  pre

The latest (#27 no less) in the long running series of 'Northern Soul Connections' from @Kenb Teens With Talent  Guests on the late Bob Abrahamian's Sitting In The Park radio shows would occasionally mention Teens With Talent (TWT).  The show of that name was first presented Sunday 17th Feb 1963 at the Studebaker Theater, in the Fine Art Building, sponsored by Sears Roebuck Y.M.C.A. The main principles behind that first TWT were Al Johnson & Johnny Nixon. Al Johnson was an

Article found online about the group formed circa 1965 in San Diego and recorded "This Is The Day" on John B Kopit's" KOPIT label. This is the Day: Breaking Out of Obscurity with THE INMATES Jon Kanis sets the controls for San Diego, 1966. The Inmates, 1966. L to R: John Poppe, Steve Phillips, Gale Kellogg, Jim Conder, Lloyd (Kenji) Kozuma, Tom Kruze.  [Photo: Cecil Caufield) Ugly Things  Have you heard the one about the garage band from Ocean Beach, California, who, aft

A REVIEW OF 'IT AIN'T RETRO DAPTONE RECORDS & THE 21ST -CENTURY SOUL REVOLUTION: JESSICA LIPSKY' (JAWBONE PRESS) Daptone Records, the Brooklyn -based record label reached it’s 20th anniversary this year. With any celebrations under a pandemic having to be kept small they are releasing a live album from their 2014 soul revue at the famous Harlem Apollo in October before that, just out is ; It Ain’t Retro: Daptone Records & The 21st -Century Soul Revolution by Jessica Lipsky,  a

Soul on Screen : An appreciation of Soul music's portrayal by Hollywood and some future options? In anticipation of the cinema release of “Respect” I thought I'd prompt discussion on previous biographical films, and raise a few suggestions for some future ones.  I have focussed on drama-based productions as opposed to the many excellent range of documentaries available which warrant a separate focus. I have also restricted it to Black music which has delivered its fair share of Hollywo

Most of us go through life essentially simply surviving, the dull reality of real life often puts paid to any dreams or aspirations that many of us have, the odd night out and drink at the weekend to break the monotony of real life, of work, bills, debts and the struggle to put food on the table and your kids don’t go without.  Often a cruel twist of fate can lead to an adventure that one doesn’t expect and gives you the kick needed to realise those dreams, no matter how unrealistic they may see