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The Mystery of Junior McCants - Cincinnati Library Panel

He was a guy of many talents said sister Wynetta McCants

By Mike in Soul Music Articles
Updated on 09 Sep 2020 · Published 19 Oct 2014

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An interesting article shows up online via the Cincinnati.com website, not just looking at the story behind Junior McCants but passing on news of a upcoming panel discussion at the library called “Listen to This: The Mystery of Soul Singer Junior McCants”

A preview below of the article and the link to the full article follows....

 

Commercially, that was true. From 1965 until it closed Cincinnati operations in 1971, the Hardest Working Man in Showbiz kept King alive with Top 40 smashes like “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” Otherwise, the rest of King’s artists had records that rarely amounted to much, either because they were unfamiliar names or were veterans who had seen better days (and material).

But one King R&B artist of that period — a Cincinnati native named Junior McCants — has turned out to have quite a following, especially in England, although he didn’t live to see it.

In fact, he’s become important enough to merit a panel discussion at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, 800 Vine St. in Downtown. Called “Listen to This: The Mystery of Soul Singer Junior McCants,” the free presentation will play his music and have interviews, live or recorded, with family members and McCants’ producer and songwriter, Charles Spurling, who worked for King in the 1960s as a talent scout and recording artist.

 

View the full informative news article here...

 

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/history/2014/10/18/mystery-soul-singer-junior-mccants/17532395/

 

 



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Guest Decroco

Guest Decroco

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WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING !!!!

 

Had several virus threats since going on this site, KEEP WELL AWAY.

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Mike

hi

own software that use didn't detect anything

have just ran the url thru 3 online checkers and all say ok

ask can you post up what has made you post the warning please so can square this away

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Robbk

Nice story.  Sorry to hear that the reason his 2nd record is so rare is because he died so young of cancer, and was fighting it off from age 6.  That's very tragic.  Nice to know that he was relatively happy, and seems to have enjoyed the time he did have, and seemed to make the most of it.  I will have a different attitude towards listening to his songs.  I've had his first record since it was out in 1965.  Now I'm not surprised that I never got his second (although I DID see it 4 or 5 times in other's collections.  Maybe I passed up buying it at least once, because it cost too much (over $2).

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KevH

KevH 3,694

Posted (edited)

"Help my love" ,(not Help me love),is one of my favourite ballads.Lyrically must have meant so much to Jnr McCants,one of the most heart wrenching tracks i've heard.Backed with "Boy needs a girl" an ex wdj sits proudly in my small collection.Love it.

Now only to find the other one........

Edited by KevH
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Mal C

Never of my deck, his or Charles Spurling 45.,, in fact Charles penned 'Juniors' tracks didn't he? There is something about the arrangement and style of his tracks I find irresistible, but then I guess most others on here feel the same don't you??

Msl

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Ady Croasdell

Never of my deck, his or Charles Spurling 45.,, in fact Charles penned 'Juniors' tracks didn't he? There is something about the arrangement and style of his tracks I find irresistible, but then I guess most others on here feel the same don't you??

Msl

Yes and his mid-tempo tracks like Mr Cool and Popcorn Charlie have their own idiosyncrasies too

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Dobber

wow..didnt sell for $1000,i imagine it will appear on ebay soon,or jm's good read,nice to see he recorded 2 singles before his death,leaves history behind for his family

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KevH

We actually put out all 4 sides, two on King Northern Soul and both flips-including the obviously super-rare She Wrote It, I Read It on King Serious Soul Vol 2.

 

On one of the youtube clip,his niece says the family have a gold disc for "She wrote it."

One other lovely comment is someone realising his/her mother is a backing singer on "Help my love".Wonderful.!!

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