Seems this Baltimore based blue-eyed soul group made a 45 that has remained popular down the years.

 

 

 

 

 

SUDDEN SOUNDS RECORDS was based out of 1100 GREEN ACRE ROAD, BALTIMORE

........ and the songs featured on the 45 were as follows .........

"YOU'D BETTER WATCH YOUR FOX"   written by LARRY J FOX and REX LITTLE

  ............... PLUS ................

"HANG ON" written by KEITH COLLEY &  LAWRENCE LYNN MANNERING

 

"Hang On" was a cover version of the song first cut by Gene McDaniels for Liberty (released around November 65).

"Hang On" had formed one side of Gene's follow-up 45 to "WALK WITH A WINNER" (that song also having been written by KEITH COLLEY &  LAWRENCE LYNN MANNERING in conjunction with JILL JONES).

 

Because the Soul Machine covered Gene's song, I'd guess that their 45 escaped in 1966.

This Baltimore outfit (with no connection to the groups who had a 45s out on Sound House Records or Pzazz Records) featured Dennis (Denny) Picasso on lead vocals. The group soon broke up and Denny found himself leading another Baltimore R&B group, Denny & the Hitchhikers. When Denny decided to 'go it alone', the group recruited Kenny Hamber as their new lead singer (around late 1967).

With Kenny up front, they were soon one of the most popular live draws on the Baltimore soul club scene.

 

Back in 1962,Denny had been in another local group; the Dynamics. They had cut an album which was never released although a single from it did escape on the Dyna label (an acetate of the LP was floating about some years back). Denny passed away a while back. I have no idea what sort of shape he was in later on, but from the picture below, he didn't look too trim way back in the mid 60's.

Edited March 21, 201312 yr by Roburt

Great 45!! Do you know how copies are floating about?

I know that the Soul Machine 45 is rare. I guess most copies were sold in Baltimore back around 1966/67 and then disappeared into collections / were lost / thrown out.

So the few copies that are in the collections of US / UK soul 45 collectors must be minimal.

Anyone on here own a copy of the 45 ?

 

RELATED INFO ....... When Denny (Picasso  -- the lead singer on these cuts) joined the Hitchhikers they were an all white group (there's a young Balt pop trio who have tracks posted up on youtube who go by the same name and I'd guess that they are the same outfit prior to Denny joining them). The group (with Denny) appeared on a music TV show in Baltimore in 67 and were appointed as the house band at a local black club --- the Black Jack.

Kenny joined them after Denny quit & took over as their lead singer on dates at the Black Jack. As guys dropped out of the group, he got old musician friends (black guys) to replace the leavers. One such guy was James Gilyard who had led the Shyndels (the outfit who backed up a lot of artists on Ru-Jac recordings). James was an old hand & good arranger. He soon took over leadership of the Hitchhikers.

I know that the Soul Machine 45 is rare. I guess most copies were sold in Baltimore back around 1966/67 and then disappeared into collections / were lost / thrown out.

So the few copies that are in the collections of US / UK soul 45 collectors must be minimal.

Anyone on here own a copy of the 45 ?

RELATED INFO ....... When Denny (Picasso -- the lead singer on these cuts) joined the Hitchhikers they were an all white group (there's a young Balt pop trio who have tracks posted up on youtube who go by the same name and I'd guess that they are the same outfit prior to Denny joining them). The group (with Denny) appeared on a music TV show in Baltimore in 67 and were appointed as the house band at a local black club --- the Black Jack.

Kenny joined them after Denny quit & took over as their lead singer on dates at the Black Jack. As guys dropped out of the group, he got old musician friends (black guys) to replace the leavers. One such guy was James Gilyard who had led the Shyndels (the outfit who backed up a lot of artists on Ru-Jac recordings). James was an old hand & good arranger. He soon took over leadership of the Hitchhikers.

Picked up a lovely clean copy a few months back

My copy is a bit rough, Alex Jones also has it, got his spare when he minted up a good few years ago! Are a quite a few around I think...

Edited March 24, 201312 yr by grumpyfella

Just goes to show then. A few copies must have found there way over here in the last 20 years or so.

Just goes to show then. A few copies must have found there way over here in the last 20 years or so.

I think it's still a rare one to turn up Roburt .

Seems that it was more popular for the "Hang on " side but the flip does it for me !

I have a copy that I'm looking to move on if anyone is interested

had a copy a number of years now few marks but plays great,

Sold my VG- copy on here for £150 about 4 months ago

Had a copy for a good few years, played out at Lowton a few times....love it!

Denny Picasso, after he had left Soul Machine and Denny & the Hitchhikers, went on to join another local B'more group Hinge around 1970. 

He only stayed with the outfit for a short while but they did have a 45 out ("Share A Little Love") though I don't know if they were still into R&B by that time.