Sitting In The Park Stimulators Interview And Music Show

[boba]

Hi. Today on my radio show I interviewed the lead singer and producer of a South Side Chicago group called the Stimulators. The Stimulators were from the South East side, around 75th Street between King Drive and Cottage Grove. The members of the group began singing together while they were working together in the mid-to-late 60s in high school as dishwashers at the same restaurant downtown. The group had a throwback doowop sound featuring a prominent bass in their harmony at a time when the style was becoming less fashionable.

Around 1969, producer Art Williams (who originally was from Joliet but was living in the same area as the group) discovered the group singing in his neighborhood. Art was an aspiring songwriter and took a melody / harmony that the group already had and wrote the song "Warm summer nights". Art pulled together a band, rehearsed the song in his kitchen, booked studio time, and recorded the group. After shopping the song around to a couple of labels, he ended up releasing the track on the Sound O Rama label in 1970. "Warm Summer Nights" (released with an instrumental flip) was a story about a lost love that had a great throwback harmony sound that currently appeals to soul collectors and doowop collectors. Unfortunately, the record received little radio play and the group soon disbanded.

Near the end of the life of the group, Art found a backing band for the group's live shows named Len and the PAs (Public Assistance). The band was also from the same neighborhood and the lead singer for the band Len Woods had previously cut a record for Clarence Johnson on the Revue Label -- "Do it funky" / "I'm in love" (backed by the Lovelites on both sides). Art heard the band and Len's record and initially had the band back the Stimulators. After the Stimulators broke up, Art continued working with the band. Art produced 4 songs on Len and the PAs, paying for the recording of two of the songs the band wrote and two of the songs that he wrote. Art searched for a label for the release of the material and released the two tracks written by the band -- "Soul Block" / "Believe Me" -- on the Rush label around 1972. Soul Block had an excellent James Brown style funk sound while Believe me was a nice ballad. The record also did not really receive any radio play. The group disbanded after a couple more years. Art wrote one more record that was released by the C&H Community Bospel Singers on Rush records. You can check out my interview at the bottom of my interviews page at:

https://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews.html

I also did a music show. You can listen to the show at: https://www.sittinginthepark.com/shows.htm . Playlist follows. Thanks for your interest.

Majors - Lost in a city - Big Three

Arvettes - Lovely emotions - HAC

Major III - What a girl - TOI

Epics - Stop to turn around - BIRC

Faces of Truth - I need ya - Jay-Sum

Three Men in Black Productions - I was sent here to love you - Twin Town

Brilliance - Hit girl - Touch and go

Trademark - Why can't I get over you - King

Lombard - On a beautiful day - Rosemont

thanks,

Bob

[Djmelismo]

Hi Bob!

Enjoyed the show like I always do.

My top favourites this time:

Trademark - Why can't I get over you

Lombard - On a beautiful day

Still catching up on some of your interviews,

will put them in my portable mp3 player.

Best regards,

Melismo