Went to see Curtis mayfield in brum ,I'm sure it was late 80s or something, can't even remember where we seen him !!!!, but one thing I do remember was being in the bar later and low and behold mr mayfield was sitting at the bar,after 10mins or so me and a pal approached him for a chat/autograph. We chatted for a fair bit of time and my mate (who's the tightest bastard going and only go's to the pub if he finds a fiver down the sofa) asked Curtis if he would like a drink and in response Curtis replied back yeh a double bourbon and coke for me and the same for my two buddies(who looked like his minders), the look on my pals face was one of the funniest things I have ever seen he was major gutted, think the drinks cost more than his actual ticket, anyone else got any stories of meetings with the stars

Edited January 25, 201213 yr by sheldonsoul

Met Tamiko Jones at Cleethorpes Winter gardens , sure she was with Chris Hill (Canvey Island) was talking to her at the bar for about 10mins and didn't realise who she until someone asked her to sign his copy of 'Spellbound'! Seem to remember she had leather trousers and waistcoat on showing plenty of jubbly , if you know what I mean , fit as ! Chris Hill was a nice bloke also (diidn't fancy him tho') and even said if we went down to the 'Goldmine' we could crash at his ! top bloke !

Cheers

Swifty

p.s. went on the Soultrip USA to new York and was outside the Hotel having a fag and this little Black fella with a white hat on (can I say that ?) asked me for a light , got chatting and it was Sidney Barnes !!!!

Ronnie Taylor (Revilot/Nassau/Columbus Pharaohs/OFS Unlimited) lives here in Auckland, went to see him singing at a cafe with just a pianist, pulled out the Nassau 45 for him to sign, blew him away, I think it made his year that someone here knew. Got a cool photo with him & some stories about the good old days.

Back in '95 me and steve green were in Washington DC and pookie hudson come to pick us up from our motel room to take us to his cousins thrift store which had a load of vinyl in the back room of a very "dodgy" area of DC, anyways he sang "this gets to me" to us "ballad style" as this was the way he intended it to be released I guess if he did do it like that we would probably be wondering around now saying "Pookie who"?

I will never forget it, top bloke and a sad loss when i heard of his passing a while back.

vince

I'm sure some of the likes of ian dewhirst , Kevin Roberts and the likes have some great stories

Had my moments over the years Bettye Lavette in Detroit she cooked me soul food and ran me a bath after three or four days digging for records without washing lol, was the first one to meet Deon Jackson in a bar in Chicago years before major contact was made with him, tracked down Jimmy Burns also in Chicago and got a certain record off him on my return to the UK, had Barbara Acklin, Ruby Andrews, Larry Johnson, Marvin Smith and Jesse Bolin (Artistics) Sonny Saunders arranger/producer all together in Barbara Acklins appartment what a night that was Marvin Smith sang 'Have More Time' to me which was a dream he later drove me back to where I was staying and we listened to Marvin Gaye tunes on the radio, had breakfast once in a pancake house with Johnny Moore 'Walk Like A Man', 'Sold On You', 'It May Be Tears Of Joy' etc. etc. etc. fame and his producer Jack Daniels, saw Otis Clay perform in a small Blues club in Chicago one night met him and he remembered me when we met once before Alvin 'Twine Time' Cash was in the club with L.V.Johnson that was a long night I can tell you very very drunk

Numerous other meets over the years.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

p.s. went on the Soultrip USA to new York and was outside the Hotel having a fag and this little Black fella with a white hat on (can I say that ?) asked me for a light , got chatting and it was Sidney Barnes !!!!

I met Sid Barnes when me and me sis went to Soul in Ibiza week. A lovely bloke he is

Here's a pic of me with him

Had my moments over the years Bettye Lavette in Detroit she cooked me soul food and ran me a bath after three or four days digging for records without washing lol, was the first one to meet Deon Jackson in a bar in Chicago years before major contact was made with him, tracked down Jimmy Burns also in Chicago and got a certain record off him on my return to the UK, had Barbara Acklin, Ruby Andrews, Larry Johnson, Marvin Smith and Jesse Bolin (Artistics) Sonny Saunders arranger/producer all together in Barbara Acklins appartment what a night that was Marvin Smith sang 'Have More Time' to me which was a dream he later drove me back to where I was staying and we listened to Marvin Gaye tunes on the radio, had breakfast once in a pancake house with Johnny Moore 'Walk Like A Man', 'Sold On You', 'It May Be Tears Of Joy' etc. etc. etc. fame and his producer Jack Daniels, saw Otis Clay perform in a small Blues club in Chicago one night met him and he remembered me when we met once before Alvin 'Twine Time' Cash was in the club with L.V.Johnson that was a long night I can tell you very very drunk

Numerous other meets over the years.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

superb stuff,im gonna love this thread

jason

superb stuff,im gonna love this thread

jason

Don't think anyone can top that!!!!!!!!!

Had my moments over the years Bettye Lavette in Detroit she cooked me soul food and ran me a bath after three or four days digging for records without washing lol, was the first one to meet Deon Jackson in a bar in Chicago years before major contact was made with him, tracked down Jimmy Burns also in Chicago and got a certain record off him on my return to the UK, had Barbara Acklin, Ruby Andrews, Larry Johnson, Marvin Smith and Jesse Bolin (Artistics) Sonny Saunders arranger/producer all together in Barbara Acklins appartment what a night that was Marvin Smith sang 'Have More Time' to me which was a dream he later drove me back to where I was staying and we listened to Marvin Gaye tunes on the radio, had breakfast once in a pancake house with Johnny Moore 'Walk Like A Man', 'Sold On You', 'It May Be Tears Of Joy' etc. etc. etc. fame and his producer Jack Daniels, saw Otis Clay perform in a small Blues club in Chicago one night met him and he remembered me when we met once before Alvin 'Twine Time' Cash was in the club with L.V.Johnson that was a long night I can tell you very very drunk

Numerous other meets over the years.

Posted wrong, can't anybody top bicks

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Hopefully one or two SoultripUSA attendees will share memories of seeing more than 300 acts/producers over 4 trips 2004-2011.

Finding Alexander Patton must be up there, along with the Mel Britt moment etc etc

Hopefully one or two SoultripUSA attendees will share memories of seeing more than 300 acts/producers over 4 trips 2004-2011.

Finding Alexander Patton must be up there, along with the Mel Britt moment etc etc

Like to hear about the mel Britt moment

Had my moments over the years Bettye Lavette in Detroit she cooked me soul food and ran me a bath after three or four days digging for records without washing lol, was the first one to meet Deon Jackson in a bar in Chicago years before major contact was made with him, tracked down Jimmy Burns also in Chicago and got a certain record off him on my return to the UK, had Barbara Acklin, Ruby Andrews, Larry Johnson, Marvin Smith and Jesse Bolin (Artistics) Sonny Saunders arranger/producer all together in Barbara Acklins appartment what a night that was Marvin Smith sang 'Have More Time' to me which was a dream he later drove me back to where I was staying and we listened to Marvin Gaye tunes on the radio, had breakfast once in a pancake house with Johnny Moore 'Walk Like A Man', 'Sold On You', 'It May Be Tears Of Joy' etc. etc. etc. fame and his producer Jack Daniels, saw Otis Clay perform in a small Blues club in Chicago one night met him and he remembered me when we met once before Alvin 'Twine Time' Cash was in the club with L.V.Johnson that was a long night I can tell you very very drunk

Numerous other meets over the years.

Regards - Mark Bicknell.

Thats an amazing story Mark,Jimmy Burnes i really love you is the only record that Icould say is in my all time top five favourites, I couldnt even think of the other four,well I could but i would be telling porkys.

Ronnie Taylor (Revilot/Nassau/Columbus Pharaohs/OFS Unlimited) lives here in Auckland, went to see him singing at a cafe with just a pianist, pulled out the Nassau 45 for him to sign, blew him away, I think it made his year that someone here knew. Got a cool photo with him & some stories about the good old days.

Had a similar situation a couple of years back when a so-so blues band was advertised to play at a pub a few minutes drive from where I live in Surbiton, Surrey. 'The Deacon Jones Blues Band featuring Freddie Hughes' said the ad in the local paper. Didn;t believe for a minute that it would be the 'Send My Baby Back' man but I thought I'd go along and take my Wand LP on the offchance.

Well, of course, it turned out to be the Freddie Hughes, working his way - as a 'hired hand' - through the book of cliched blues classics with one of the dullest bands I've ever seen in my life. I approached him in the interval - he was completely knocked out that anyone had come specifically to see him, and signed my album with no hesitation. We talked a bit and I asked him if he was going to do any of his own numbers. 'We don't have any in this set, but I'll see what I can do' he said and went back up onto the bandstand.

A bit of dialogue immediately ensued between Freddie and the band members followed, at the start of the second set, by an unrehearsed and fairly shambolic, but nevertheless vocally terrific, version of 'Send My Baby Back'.

Fair made my week, so he did.

Edited January 26, 201213 yr by TONY ROUNCE

Saw and met many of our heros on the 4 Goldsoul Soultrips.In Los Angeles Alexander Patten performing then being reunited on stage with producer James Charmichael after all those years, Frank Wilson singing Do I Love You. Sitting and talking to Fred Smith and James Carmichael.

In New York having records signed by the Invitations and Lew Kirton (see photo), seeing the Del-Larks sing Job Opening

In Chicago being on the same coach as Mel Britt and later at Motown Museum and then at Memphis Smoke bar in Detroit. Must also mention the great job done by Willie Henderson putting a band together to back all the artists live including Marvin Smith, Jimmy Burns and Major Lances daughter.

In Orlando meeting Spyder Turner in the lift after the record fair and him asking if I had bought his I can't make it any more and me saying no but I had bought it over and he signed it later also his performance later singing and cracking jokes. Seeing Eugene Thomas of the Epitome of Sound sing You don't want me, along with the writer of the song Robert Paladino.

Much respect to all the artists I have not mentioned and to the ones bought over to the UK.

Finally, through the love of this music meetig complete strangers who turned into friends from here and the USA and Australia a real pleasure.

Would I do it all over again if it were possible NOT HALF

Mick Perrins

Must also mention the great job done by Willie Henderson putting a band together to back all the artists live including Marvin Smith, Jimmy Burns and Major Lances daughter.

it wasn't really announced / acknowledged, but a lot of the people in the band were famous (or not famous but important) music people themselves

Always remember about 1974 when in the Army in Germany. Edwin Starr was on at a nightclub called the Alhambra in a place called Isserlohn. It was a wed night and there was only about thirty people in the place. He did his first set of numbers then sat next to me at the bar, and was surprised to find i was English and a huge fan . After sharing a few drinks he said "Its a waste of time doing the second set with this lot", who didnt seem to know any of his numbers ecxept for WAR, so we just sat at the bar for the rest of the night drinking shorts and chatting until it was time for him to leave.

p.s. went on the Soultrip USA to new York and was outside the Hotel having a fag and this little Black fella with a white hat on (can I say that ?) asked me for a light , got chatting and it was Sidney Barnes !!!!

I met Sid Barnes when me and me sis went to Soul in Ibiza week. A lovely bloke he is

Here's a pic of me with him

Namedropper!!!!.. :D ..Delxxxxxx

At Soultrip Orlando, I had the chance to meet Spyder Turner and chat (top chap!), sitting with Frankie Gearing, and meeting Jock Mitchell.

This last Saturday, I had the chance to see (and was blown away) by Mickey Murray. I got 2 LPs signed plus got some photos with him.

Ritz alldayer shared a hand dryer roller towel with Edwin Star it jammed up Edwin tugged at it and the attendant bloke started shouting " watch the mechanism the mechanism "

Was woken up to Brenda singing 'When I'm Gone' to herself in our bathroom when she stayed at our old place.

Dx