Mighty Sam Mcclain

[Tommy1]

I'm sure I can find it somewhere in the WWW, but it's easier to ask here

And, is this the same Mighty Sam which has a release on Malaco "Never to busy"?

[Tommy1]

It is the same guy

Did any of his records get any play on the soul scene? I'm guessing on «Papa True Love» and maybe "Never to busy"?

[Guest trickbag]

Mighty Sam McClain

Sam McClain was born in Louisiana in 1943. As a five year old, he began singing in his mother's Gospel Church. He left home when he was thirteen to escape an abusive stepfather and followed local R & B guitarist Little Melvin Underwood through the Chitlin Circuit. First as his valet and then as lead vocalist himself. While he was singing at the 506 Club in Pensacola, Florida he was introduced to Producer / DJ, "Papa Don" Schroeder. In 1966, Sam recorded Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams", his first real success. Several recording sessions at Muscle Shoals produced singles, "Fannie-Mae" and "In the Same Old Way", but his career never really took off. For fifteen years, first in Nashville, then in New Orleans Sam worked menial jobs and was forced to sell his plasma while he was homeless. Sam was offered a chance to tour and record in Japan in 1989. "Live In Japan", featuring legendary Wayne Bennett is a truly fine recording, much sought after by fans worldwide. By the early 1990's Sam networked his way to New England by way of his association with the Hubert Sumlin's Blues Party project (produced by Hammond Scott on Black Top). These friends provided encouragement and collaborations, which led to Joe Harley and AudioQuest Music. The results were these successful releases, "Give It Up To Love", "Keep On Movin", "Sledgehammer Soul and Down Home Blues", "Journey". ("New Man In Town" was used in the TV show Ally McBeal on FOX-TV). Sam signed on with the Telarc Blues label in 1999 and released two records before starting his own label in 2003, Mighty Music, and released, "One More Bridge To Cross" .

Album Discography

"Live In Japan" (Orleans 1988)

1 Every Day I Have The Blues

2 Sweet Dreams

3 Tlk To me, Talk To Me

4 Fannie Mae

5 Why

6 Your Perfect Companion

7 In The Same Old Way

8 Pray

9 A Change Is Gonna Come

10 Whatever It Takes

11 Forgive And Forget

12 Dancin To Teh Music Of Love

13 This time I'm Gone For Good

14 I Just Came to Get My Baby (Out of Jail)

15 The Blus Is Alright

"Give It Up To Love" (Audioquest 1992)

1. Give It up to Love
2. Too Proud
3. What You Want Me to Do?
4. Here I Go Falling in Love Again
5. Got to Have Your Love
6. Child of the Mighty Mighty
7. I'm Tired of These Blues
8. I Feel Good
9. Love Me I You Want To
10. Don't Turn Back Now
11. Lonesome Road

"Keep On Movin'" (Audioquest 1995)

1. Can You Stand the Test of Love
2. I'm So Lonely
3. Lord Will Make a Way
4. Who Made You Cry?
5. Hold on to the Dream
6. Don't Worry About Me
7. Keep on Movin'
8. Soul That's Been Abused
9. I'm Sorry
10. Let's Have Some Fun
11. This Is All I Have to Say

"Your Perfect Companion" (Orleans 1995)

1. Backstreets
2. Why
3. Miss Bea
4. Your Perfect Companion
5. Pray
6. Change Is Gonna Come

"Sledgehammer Soul & Downhome Blues" (Audioquest 1996)

1. Sledgehammer Soul and Down Home Blues
2. Where You Been So Long?
3. Trying to Find Myself
4. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
5. When the Hurt Is over (Maybe Love Will Flow)
6. Pray
7. They Call Me Mighty
8. Dancin' to the Music of Love
9. Hey, Miss Bea
10. If You Could See
11. Bridge of Faith
12. Don't Write Me Off

"Journey" (Audioquest 1998)

1. I'm a Man
2. Thank You
3. Change Is Gonna Come
4. New Man in Town
5. No More Tears
6. Mr. So & So
7. Time Is Running Out
8. I'm Yours
9. Other Side of the Tracks
10. Prove It to Me
11. Hangin' on the Cross (Between Heaven and the Blues)
12. Somebody Help Me

"Joy And Pain" (Ruf 1998)

1. Gone for Good
2. Sledgehammer Soul and Down Home Blues
3. What You Want Me to Do?
4. Where You Been So Long?
5. I'm So Lonley
6. Forgive and Forget
7. Lord Will Make a Way
8. Long Train Runnin'
9. Soul That's Been Abused

"Soul Survivor: The Best Of" (Audioquest 1999)

1. Too Proud
2. Can You Stand the Test of Love
3. Who Made You Cry?
4. New Man in Town
5. What Do You Want Me to Do?
6. Where You Been So Long?
7. Honey Chile - (previously unreleased)
8. Here I Go Falling in Love Again
9. Lord Will Make a Way
10. Hanging on the Cross (Between Heaven and the Blues)
11. I'm Gonna Love You
12. When the Hurt Is Over (Maybe Love Will Flow)
13. Give It Up to Love

"Papa True Love: The Army Sessions" (Sundazed 2000)

1. Fannie Mae
2. Baby Come on Home
3. Georgia Pines
4. In the Same Old Way
5. I Need a Lot of Lovin'
6. I'm a Man
7. Nothing But the Truth
8. Silent Tears
9. Sweet Dreams
10. Good Humor Man
11. Just Like Old Times
12. Talk to Me, Talk to Me
13. Bad Mouthin'
14. Stranger to Me, A
15. I (Who Have Nothing)
16. Papa True Love
17. I Just Came to Get My Baby (Out of Jail)
18. When She Touches Me (Nothing Else Matters)

"Blues For The Soul" (Telarc 2000)

1. All We Need Is Love
2. Dark Side of the Street
3. Love One Another
4. Going Back to New Orleans
5. No One Can Take Your Place
6. Jesus Got the Blues
7. Sweet Lady
8. Battlefield of Love
9. Mighty's Prayer
10. Sing Me Some Blues
11. Can't Stand It
12. Not I

"Sweet Dreams" (Telarc 2001)

1. Here I Come Again
2. Sweet Dreams
3. Standing in the Wings
4. Learn How to Love You Again
5. Fool for the Blues
6. Living in My Dreams
7. Nothing But a Feeling
8. Respect Yourself
9. This One Is for My Baby
10. I Love Hard
11. Where Would I Be?
12. Must Be the Music
13. Here I Come Again (Reprise)

"One More Bridge To Cross" (Mighty Music 2003)

1. Why Do We Have to Say Goodbye
2. Witness
3. Open Up Heaven's Door
4. If It Wasn't 4 da Blues
5. Most of All
6. Are You Ready for Love
7. Been There, Done That
8. What's Your Name
9. Thought I Heard Your Voice
10. Other Man in the Band, The
11. Sweet Honey Bee
12. Don't Leave Me Behind
13. One More Bridge to Cross

"Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey)" (Mighty Music 2008)

1. I wish You Well

2. Missing You

3. Can You Feel It?

4. Feels So Good - feels so Right

5. Tears

6. Stand Up!

7.Real Thing

8. Use Me

9. Rock My Soul

10. Hey Baby

11. So Into You

12. Wake Up Call

13. Too Much Jesus

(Not Enough Whiskey)

14. Dance

"Betcha Didn't Know" (Mighty Music 2009) LISTEN

1. Can't Stop the Funk
2. Lift Me Up
3. Never Go Away
4. Betcha Didn't Know
5. Don't Doubt My Love
6. What You Want Me to Do
7. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
8. Just Wanna Be
9. My Love Will Never Die
10. Free
11. Funky Love
12. Hold on to Your Dreams
13. Be Ready

Mighty Sam McClain/Mahsa Vahdat "Scent Of Reunion: Love Duets Across Civilizations" (Valley 2010) 1. Meditating Over a Photo

2. Imprints

3. Ambassador of Hearts

4. So Blue

5. Earth

6. Flowers No One Has Ever Seen

7. Migratory Bird

8. Born

9. My Kingdom Is You

10. Silent Song

some albums,try soulfulkindamusic it might help.

ricky

[Anoraks Corner]

Without a shadow of a doubt, this is my fave track from Mighty Sam....'Georgia Pines'.

Solid plodding Northern with trademark brass-stabs, sensitive organ and piano work and a vocal taller than the trees he sings about!

The stock copy is a spare...essential tuneage...vivid memories of it echoing around the 100 Club during the late 8Ts/early 9Ts.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Anoraks Corner

[Tommy1]

Thanks both of you!

[puw]

Wow, I can't recal the who, when or where I found & bought Georgia Pines (unheard), but that blue & silver styrene Amy issue just called to me to buy it, as in that 9th sense as a collector that tells you not to pass this one by, and I do recall getting home from whatever nighter it was, putting it on the player and being blown away.

I've got the Amy CD, but what saddens me (I've just had my memory piqued seeing the name Mighty Sam McClain) is going to the likes of Discogs, his music for 'normal people' begins in 1986, with not even a mention of the album 'Papa True Love' or anything pre-1986!!! I'm trying to imagine a world of people who's lives run on auto-pilot and the Top 20 lol. All the music within the title of Northern Soul that we 'can' take for granted, that the rest are blind to. I know how glad I am to be on 'this' side of the coin.

Time to do some more digging

Check out some of his 1986 and later stuff - he's still got the voice !!

Edited August 30, 2020 by puw
added

[Millo]

Papa true love is a favourite of mine.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Millo
Typo