Jump to content

Anyone Know Who Little Nicky Soul Was, & About Shee Records?


Robbk

Recommended Posts

Anyone know who Little Nicky, M. Alexander and L. White are, or about Shee Records (its owner and staff)? It was located at 563 E. Tremont Ave, Bronx, NY.

As you all probably know, "I Wanted To Tell You" by Little Nicky Soul was released on Shee101.

Sounds like about 1964 or 1965. But the song, itself, has 1962 style. I'm an expert on ZTSC Columbia Midwest (Terre Haute/Chicago) pressing plant code #s, but not quite so good on ZTSP East Coast plant (I think that's in Pennsylvania). Anyway, 94,000 seems to be about right for around late 1964. "I'm On The Outside Looking In" was pressed around that number (somewhat before), as was "Look Away" by Garnet Mimms & Enchanters (slightly after).

The song has a great group sound. The group behind him is very, very good. The song is well-written, too. Richard Tee did a great job arranging it. He's my favourite New York '60s arranger. The lead guitar is great, but I'd have had the piano more upfront. The drummer's part is excellent -and excellently played-got to be Pretty Purdie.

Maybe M. Alexander and L. White were in a group with Little Nicky? The music writing sounds a LOT like 1961-62 mid-tempo Motown group songs. It sounds a LOT like the stuff Robert Bateman was writing with Brian Holland and Freddie Gorman, and then the kind of sound his songs had at Correc-Tone (where he went when he left Motown in early 1962). I could hear Wilson Pickett singing it, with The Falcons backing him up (a la "Let Me Be Your Boy", just like his 1962-63 cuts for Bateman. Bateman took that same style with him to New York, and he used Richard Tee, exclusively, as his arranger.

This was probably a Bronx Soul group. I'd bet I've got some records by this guy as the lead of a group, or as Nick ______, with a last name. He's certainly not Nick Ashford (about as far off a voice as possible). I bet I also have some records produced by M. Alexander (also having his full first name). I doubt that he was New York Jazz pianist, Monty Alexander. I wonder if these guys were under contract to another company at the time. Otherwise, why all the secrecy with the names? (no last name for Nick, no first name for the producer). Richard Tee didn't have to worry about his full name being listed, as the outside arranger.

Anyone out there know any details about this record and label? Were there any other releases on Shee other than 101?

Link to comment
Social source share

Robb (welcome to soul source), there is a nice group northern record by the Four Arts on Shee. It's Shee 100 - "Who do you think you are" / "Just one night". The members didn't include a nick or nicholas though, maybe they backed little nicky? Also, supposedly the four arts record also came out on the "cloverlay" label, I haven't seen it though.

Link to comment
Social source share


Guest Matt Male

Maybe M. Alexander and L. White were in a group with Little Nicky? The music writing sounds a LOT like 1961-62 mid-tempo Motown group songs. It sounds a LOT like the stuff Robert Bateman was writing with Brian Holland and Freddie Gorman, and then the kind of sound his songs had at Correc-Tone (where he went when he left Motown in early 1962). I could hear Wilson Pickett singing it, with The Falcons backing him up (a la "Let Me Be Your Boy", just like his 1962-63 cuts for Bateman. Bateman took that same style with him to New York, and he used Richard Tee, exclusively, as his arranger.

Interesting you should say this, Adam Topping is playing out a single by someone called Little Nicky at the minute, a cover of Edwin Starr's Agent Double-O-Soul.We wondered if it was Little Nicky Soul as well.

Edited by Matt Male
Link to comment
Social source share

Anyone know who Little Nicky, M. Alexander and L. White are, or about Shee Records (its owner and staff)? It was located at 563 E. Tremont Ave, Bronx, NY.

As you all probably know, "I Wanted To Tell You" by Little Nicky Soul was released on Shee101.

Sounds like about 1964 or 1965. But the song, itself, has 1962 style. I'm an expert on ZTSC Columbia Midwest (Terre Haute/Chicago) pressing plant code #s, but not quite so good on ZTSP East Coast plant (I think that's in Pennsylvania). Anyway, 94,000 seems to be about right for around late 1964. "I'm On The Outside Looking In" was pressed around that number (somewhat before), as was "Look Away" by Garnet Mimms & Enchanters (slightly after).

The song has a great group sound. The group behind him is very, very good. The song is well-written, too. Richard Tee did a great job arranging it. He's my favourite New York '60s arranger. The lead guitar is great, but I'd have had the piano more upfront. The drummer's part is excellent -and excellently played-got to be Pretty Purdie.

Maybe M. Alexander and L. White were in a group with Little Nicky? The music writing sounds a LOT like 1961-62 mid-tempo Motown group songs. It sounds a LOT like the stuff Robert Bateman was writing with Brian Holland and Freddie Gorman, and then the kind of sound his songs had at Correc-Tone (where he went when he left Motown in early 1962). I could hear Wilson Pickett singing it, with The Falcons backing him up (a la "Let Me Be Your Boy", just like his 1962-63 cuts for Bateman. Bateman took that same style with him to New York, and he used Richard Tee, exclusively, as his arranger.

This was probably a Bronx Soul group. I'd bet I've got some records by this guy as the lead of a group, or as Nick ______, with a last name. He's certainly not Nick Ashford (about as far off a voice as possible). I bet I also have some records produced by M. Alexander (also having his full first name). I doubt that he was New York Jazz pianist, Monty Alexander. I wonder if these guys were under contract to another company at the time. Otherwise, why all the secrecy with the names? (no last name for Nick, no first name for the producer). Richard Tee didn't have to worry about his full name being listed, as the outside arranger.

Anyone out there know any details about this record and label? Were there any other releases on Shee other than 101?

In addition to the Four Arts, there is another release by Little Nicky on the label, it went through e-bay many years ago. I don't know of any others.

Link to comment
Social source share

The members of the Four Acts were Lee Gilliard, Cleve Gilliard, Dave Richards and Ike Richards.

Interesting that the listed producer of Shee 100 and Shee 101 was "M. Alexander", who was also listed as co-writer of "I Wanted To Tell You", while BMI has Sidney Barnes listed as L. White's co-writer. I don't think Sidney Barnes was producing as early as 1964. Could this be one of those cases in which the producer tried to take over the rights of the writer as "payment" for getting the record released, and Barnes later got things straightened out with BMI to retain his rights?

Has anyone else seen the second Little Nicky Soul on Shee? I assume it must have been 102.

Edited by RobbK
Link to comment
Social source share

Does anyone have the label information for The Four Acts on Shee 100, and/or know what was the other release of The Four Acts, and what label released it? Anyone have The Little Nicky C on Bay Sound? I'd like to find out who was involved in that production.

Link to comment
Social source share

I wrote Four Acts by typo, but meant Four Arts. But, I don't see any modify or edit post function. Is there no edit function on this forum?

L. Roberts? I seem to recall a Larry Roberts as a name on some mid '60s NY records. I wonder if that's the same guy? Also, Lou Roberts rings a bell.

Link to comment
Social source share

Thanks.

You wouldn't happen to remember a Larry Roberts connected with NY mid '60s records, would you? What about M. Alexander? Do you know anything about the Little Nicky C. on Baysound? Wasn't that a Philadelphia label?

Link to comment
Social source share

Thanks.

You wouldn't happen to remember a Larry Roberts connected with NY mid '60s records, would you? What about M. Alexander? Do you know anything about the Little Nicky C. on Baysound? Wasn't that a Philadelphia label?

Those first two names are too generic to connect to anything for me. You're not thinking of Larry Reynolds (aka LJ Reynolds), are you? Lou Roberts was a recording artist. I can't think of a Larry Roberts.

Bay Sound was a Baltimore label. It's probably not the same person, I'm guessing someone made an assumption due to having two "little nickys" but it's probably wrong.

Link to comment
Social source share

Yes, I mixed up Baysound (Baltimore) with North Bay (Philadelphia). You're probably right that Little Nicky C. is a different guy (although a fair amount of DC/Baltimore people went to NY to work (Clovers, Paul Winley, Van McCoy, Eddie Singleton, Raynoma Liles (Gordy)). Lou Roberts probably wasn't a producer. Well, it was worth a try. I think "I Wanted To Tell You" is FAR, FAR superior to Nicky's flip, and the two Four Arts sides. But, I'd like to hear The Four Arts cuts on their other label (I've forgotten what label it is). I'd never seen their names before these recent threads.

Link to comment
Social source share

I just read that "Elsid Music" was Sidney Barnes' (which makes sense, given his first name, and the fact that he was co-writer of the Little Nicky songs (according to BMI's current data). Maybe he left his name off the Shee records due to an exclusive writing contract he still had with Motown's Jobete Music at the time these songs were written? Maybe he was a co-owner of Shee Records, and ran the label?

  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share

I just read that "Elsid Music" was Sidney Barnes' (which makes sense, given his first name, and the fact that he was co-writer of the Little Nicky songs (according to BMI's current data). Maybe he left his name off the Shee records due to an exclusive writing contract he still had with Motown's Jobete Music at the time these songs were written? Maybe he was a co-owner of Shee Records, and ran the label?

or the BMI record could be screwed up. Or it was recorded (maybe not released) on another artist Barnes produced and he took credit.

what's weird about the BMI entry is that it says that the writer Lucille White is the same L White that wrote the final brighter side of darkness record "he made you mine"

Link to comment
Social source share

also, here is the copyright entry for "flirting with other girls", another track Lucille White wrote:

FLIRTING WITH OTHER GIRLS; w & m Luke

Gross S Lucille White. 2 1.

© Jobete Music Co. Inc.; lMay65;

EP202256.

I don't know a motown song with that title, maybe it didn't even get recorded.

Link to comment
Social source share

I don't think it ever got recorded. I do remember seeing a reference to it. So, Lucille White must have been a friend of George Kerr's and Sidney's. So, apparently, she also wrote for the Kerr and Barnes writing team in The New York Jobete Music Office. Then, after they closed down, she still worked some with Sidney. I wonder why the song got listed as 1965. ALL the NY Jobete staff were gone from Motown in late 1964.

I'll bet that song was originally written in 1964. Immediately after Berry closed down NY Jobete office, George Kerr went over to Ed Wingate, and started his Maltese Music and Maltese Records (distributed by Wingate). Sid Barnes wnt over to Wingate maybe near the end of 1964, so he probably worked with Shee Records a little before NY Jobete was closed down, and a little after, before moving to Detroit to work for Golden World. George Clinton also went over to Wingate. So did Gene Redd, to have his Stephanye Records recorded there and distributed by Golden World.

Why would Lucille White have continued to write for Motown after The NY Office was shut down? I never heard of her working in Detroit at Motown. I never heard of W.Luke or M. Luke. They must have been New Yorkers as well. Maybe Motown (Jobete) bought the song from White and The Lukes in mid 1964, and didn't get around to registering it until 1965?

Edited by RobbK
Link to comment
Social source share

i replied on SDF as well Robb....wonder if this Nicky is the Greek name in the writing credits......quite a hard 45 these days......

Thanks for the sound file. I listened to it, and agree that it's "Blue Eyed Soul", and a very different lead voice from Little Nicky. Nicky C. was probably the Greek guy in the writing credits, and from The Greater Baltimore area or nearby Maryland or Virginia. Whereas, Little Nicky Soul was probably from The Greater New York/New Jersey Metro Area.

Link to comment
Social source share

Now that I've found out that BMI has Sidney Barnes and Lucille White as co-writers of the 2 songs, rather than the "M. Alexander" and L. White on the record label, and knowing that the music publisher, Elsid Music belonged to Sidney Barnes, I conclude that Sidney Barnes used M. Alexander as an alias, to avoid problems with his contractor, Jobete Music Co. He and partner, George Kerr were contracted as songwriters (and demo recording producers) with Motown's Jobete Music's New York office (run by Raynoma Gordy). It's clear that Barnes was "moonlighting" with productions on Shee Records. The Four Arts' 2 cuts on Shee were also published by Elsid Music. I think that Barnes was, at least, co-owner of the label (maybe with a money partner), and he ran the label. Lucille White was also a writer in Kerr & Barnes' crew at Jobete Music.

They worked there until mid 1964, when Raynoma had quantities of Mary Wells' "My Guy" pressed up and she sold them, herself, to dristributors on The East Coast, and kept the money to fund The NY Jobete office. Berry Gordy shut down that office immediately, and "fired" all the contractees (Kerr & Barnes and their crew, George Clinton and his crew, and Gene Redd, Jr. and his crew, plus Raynoma and Eddie Singleton (managers).

Before that happened there was an evergrowing straining of the relationship of Gordy towards Raynoma and Eddie and their office. It was clear that he never intended to finance their operations properly or support them in any way. He proved that by signing only The Serenaders and Sammy Turner to Motown recording contracts, and allowing only one release each on them, with absolutely no marketing push.

Raynoma had likely also promised to get record releases for Clinton's Parliaments, and possibly The Parlettes and maybe Tamala Lewis. She probably had promised releases for Redd's Roy Handy and The Prophets, and maybe to Kerr & Barnes for The Dolls, Carole Moore, and possibly The Tokens. When it was clear that little would happen on that front, Sidney Barnes may have decided to moonlight, to make some extra cash. That may explain why his name doesn't appear on the Shee Records. Later, after The Jobete NY office was closed, and his contract was over, he could have folded his M. Alexander songwriting rights in with his under his real name.

From the sound of the music writing in "I Wanted To Tell You", I conclude that Barnes and White wrote that song originally with Motown in mind and fully intended to sell it to Jobete Music Co. But, when Barnes started moonlighting and needed songs, he decided to keep that one for himself, so his own project would have a chance to succeed. It might have been interesting to hear what The Funk Brothers would have done with it. But Richard Tee and crew did a fine job, anyway.

Link to comment
Social source share

I've been talking to Sidney (Barnes). He helped Shee Records get started, came up with the name and even drew the logo.

He didn't know the Four Arts as he had left by the time they arrived.

However Little Nicky Soul was in his words a young guy and a dear friend of his from Newark, NJ. His real name was Nichalous Faircorth and Sidney gave him his name of Little Nicky Soul.

The credits were as guessed an alias because as you said Robb he was under contract to Motown.

Sid did say he has been a BMI writer since 1963.

Link to comment
Social source share

Thanks Chalky. It's nice to get information from the actual participants. I guess we can assume that Barnes left before Nicky got recorded (or, if not, then The Four Arts were NOT the group that backed up Nicky). We know now, that Sidney Barnes was not the A&R man for Shee Records, nor was he a co-owner.

Link to comment
Social source share

We can only assume judging by what Sidney Barnes says that he was there for just a short time, probably involved in the setting up and the co-writing of one of the 45's. I would have thought both discs and maybe the unknown third one were record at pretty much the same time? Having come up with the label name, logo and helped in setting the label up Sidney would have been about for the first recording, The Four Arts I presume? Maybe he was working at Motown and came back for the Little Nicky Soul track?

I will ask him a couple of more questions including one about the unknown third release.

Link to comment
Social source share

We can only assume judging by what Sidney Barnes says that he was there for just a short time, probably involved in the setting up and the co-writing of one of the 45's. I would have thought both discs and maybe the unknown third one were record at pretty much the same time? Having come up with the label name, logo and helped in setting the label up Sidney would have been about for the first recording, The Four Arts I presume? Maybe he was working at Motown and came back for the Little Nicky Soul track?

I will ask him a couple of more questions including one about the unknown third release.

I think that "I Wanted To Tell You" sounds like Motown's late 1961-1962 to some degree. Please ask him if he and Lucille White wrote that originally with the idea of selling it to Jobete Music, and later, he decided to give it to his friend, Nicky, to help ensure that he'd have a chance for a hit. I've noticed that all of the writers at Jobete Music NY changed their writing style to fit Motown's style when writing songs for Jobete Music. Ask him if Raynoma and Eddie had the NY writers get any instruction from Detroit Motown staff on what they wanted.

Link to comment
Social source share

I told Sidney the group names for the Four Arts and he still said he doesn't know them.

Larry Roberts was part owner and along with other partners they wanted help putting together a record label, they asked him (Sidney) for help and that they would pay him so he gave them the help they needed.

Richard Tee was a piano player who worked at Jobete, he later worked as musical arranger for Paul Simon and Aretha Franklin.

SIdney does say he didn't think Little Nicky did any more recording so that casts doubt on a second 45???

I will ask him your other questions Robb :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Social source share

I told Sidney the group names for the Four Arts and he still said he doesn't know them.

Larry Roberts was part owner and along with other partners they wanted help putting together a record label, they asked him (Sidney) for help and that they would pay him so he gave them the help they needed.

Richard Tee was a piano player who worked at Jobete, he later worked as musical arranger for Paul Simon and Aretha Franklin.

SIdney does say he didn't think Little Nicky did any more recording so that casts doubt on a second 45???

I will ask him your other questions Robb :thumbsup:

The 2nd 45 is purported to also be on Shee Records. So, perhaps 4 songs were recorded in his session? Did Sidney say that they only recorded the 2 on his Shee 101 release?

Link to comment
Social source share

Have you got the matrix details Tony? or anyone else for that matter?

We had scans of both sides of both Shee 101 and Shee 100 on a thread on some forum. But I can't find it now. The matrix numbers of all four cuts of those two records were consecutive. "I Wanted To Tell You" was ZTSP 94863. Its flip was 94864. I believe that the numbers for Shee 100 (The Four Arts) were ZTSP 94861 and 94862. They were probably pressed up at the same time. I think that Bob A. posted the scan of The Four Arts. That would place the releases around late May-early June of 1964.

Edited by RobbK
Link to comment
Social source share

Have you got the matrix details Tony? or anyone else for that matter?

We had both sides of Little Nicky and both sides of The Four Arts label scans posted on a forum thread (but I forget which one). The 4 ZTSP numbers were consecutive. "I Wanted To Tell You" was ZTSP 94863, so its flip was ZTSP 94864. I believe that the numbers for Shee 100 (Four Arts) were ZTSP 94861 for "Who Do You Think You Are", and ZTSP 94862 for the flip.

Link to comment
Social source share

Hi Robb, Great thread, been following it with interest.

The ZTSP numbers you've quoted are nearly correct, but, for Shee 100 (Four Arts) ZTSP 94861 is on the "Just one night" side and ZTSP 94862 is the "Who do...." side.

Would also like to know what the other record is on the label if you find out.

Naturally, I, or Chalky, or Bob A., or whoever finds out anything about the supposed 2nd Shee release on Little Nicky will post that info here on this or a new thread.

I'm glad to see that "Just One Night" was the "A" side of The Four Arts' record. I like it better than "Who Do You Think You Are" (which I think sounds messy).

Link to comment
Social source share

  • 1 year later...
Guest Mark Hanson

Label was co-owned by Sidney Barnes and M Alexander was his sydonim as he was still working for Motown's Jobete Music at the time as a staff writer.

Link to comment
Social source share

  • 2 months later...
  • 6 years later...
16 minutes ago, April3122 said:

I know I am a lot late but I was just thinking about my step-dad who use to always tell us that he use to sing back in the day and was friends with George Clinton. We are from Newark NJ.. This was in 1986-87 when George Clinton's hit "Ain't nothin' bit the dog in me" was out. We laughed at him. Never believed him. He ran across my mind today and I decided to look online to see if I could fine anything under Little Nicky Soul and came across this site. Nonetheless I was surprised. If he was telling the truth I think he is the Nicholas Faircloth from Newark, NJ that raised me and my sisters. Nicky be passed away in a traffic car accident in Newark, NJ on December 29,1987. I was a senior in high school at the time. I remember him singing around the house and always telling us about his times as a singer. He left behind four biological daughter's, 2 step-daughters and one step son. He was a truly magical character. Miss him lots!

I found this quote from Sidney Barnes who thought very highly of Mr Fairclough

"Here's the Shee records story. Shortly after I left Jobete I started my own label with some guys from the Bronx NY. We called it Shee records. Little Nicky was a very, very good friend of mine from my New Jersey hood who wanted so bad to be a singer. So I recorded him as our first act on the label. Now because I was still under contract to Motown & Jobete I couldn't use my real name, so I became M. Alexander (Alexander) is my middle name. Only a few records were pressed but it was a great song co-written by a sweet lady named Lil White. Little Nicky's real name is Nicholas Faircloth and he was like a son to me. Richard Tee was my arranger and good friend from Jobete, George Kerr and I worked with him and helped him develop into a really great musician"

Link to comment
Social source share

1 hour ago, April3122 said:

I know I am a lot late but I was just thinking about my step-dad who use to always tell us that he use to sing back in the day and was friends with George Clinton. We are from Newark NJ.. This was in 1986-87 when George Clinton's hit "Ain't nothin' bit the dog in me" was out. We laughed at him. Never believed him. He ran across my mind today and I decided to look online to see if I could fine anything under Little Nicky Soul and came across this site. Nonetheless I was surprised. If he was telling the truth I think he is the Nicholas Faircloth from Newark, NJ that raised me and my sisters. Nicky be passed away in a traffic car accident in Newark, NJ on December 29,1987. I was a senior in high school at the time. I remember him singing around the house and always telling us about his times as a singer. He left behind four biological daughter's, 2 step-daughters and one step son. He was a truly magical character. Miss him lots!

Great to hear from you and so glad you could find this information about your step dad.  His 45 is worth quite a lot of money these days, both 45s on the label are very in demand.

If you have anything else you can add it would be great to see.

 

Link to comment
Social source share

This is what I put together with Sidney at the time 

Shee Records

563 E. Tremont Avenue, Bronx, New York,

Founded by Larry Roberts with some other partners.  Sidney Barnes was asked to help set up the label, coming up with the name and the logo.

 
Sid was a Motown Staff writer at the time and Lucille White took a song to Motown with the hope of getting it recorded, it was rejected.  However Sid liked the song and thought it would be ideal for Little Nicky Soul at the newly created Shee records.

Little Nicky, real name Nichalous Faircorth was from Newark, New Jersey and was a very good friend of Sidney Barnes.  Sidney collaborated with Lucille, helping rewrite the lyricsand produced the recording of the song for Little Nicky.  He is credited on the label as M. Alexander as he couldn’t use his real name because he was solely contracted to Motown.  Richard Tee, the arranger and conductor was a piano player at Jobete, he later went on to work as musical arranger for Paul Simon and Aretha Franklin.


Despite rumours Little Nicky didn’t record any other tracks with Shee according to Sidney.

One other release on the label was by the Four Arts. The group was Lee Gilliard, Cleve Gilliard, Dave Richards and Ike Richards.  Sidney doesn’t remember anything about them.  The 45 was written and produced by Larry Roberts.

 

SR-100 Four Arts

Just One Night (ZTSP 94861)

Who Do You Think You Are (ZTSP 94862)

SR-101 Little Nicky Soul

I Wanted To Tell You (ZTSP 94863)

You Said (ZTSP 94864)

 

 

 

 

 

  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share

On 17/07/2011 at 03:18, Robbk said:

I don't think it ever got recorded. I do remember seeing a reference to it. So, Lucille White must have been a friend of George Kerr's and Sidney's. So, apparently, she also wrote for the Kerr and Barnes writing team in The New York Jobete Music Office. Then, after they closed down, she still worked some with Sidney. I wonder why the song got listed as 1965. ALL the NY Jobete staff were gone from Motown in late 1964.

 

I'll bet that song was originally written in 1964. Immediately after Berry closed down NY Jobete office, George Kerr went over to Ed Wingate, and started his Maltese Music and Maltese Records (distributed by Wingate). Sid Barnes wnt over to Wingate maybe near the end of 1964, so he probably worked with Shee Records a little before NY Jobete was closed down, and a little after, before moving to Detroit to work for Golden World. George Clinton also went over to Wingate. So did Gene Redd, to have his Stephanye Records recorded there and distributed by Golden World.

 

Why would Lucille White have continued to write for Motown after The NY Office was shut down? I never heard of her working in Detroit at Motown. I never heard of W.Luke or M. Luke. They must have been New Yorkers as well. Maybe Motown (Jobete) bought the song from White and The Lukes in mid 1964, and didn't get around to registering it until 1965?

I see now that the "Luke" was Luke Gross, member of George Kerr's Serenaders.

Link to comment
Social source share

  • 3 weeks later...

Get involved with Soul Source

Add your comments now

Join Soul Source

A free & easy soul music affair!

Join Soul Source now!

Log in to Soul Source

Jump right back in!

Log in now!


×
×
  • Create New...