Darrell banks is ONE of my favourite's, I think his voice is as good if not better than any other male soul singers. I think I like every song I have heard from him, his unique voice and his amazing lyrics.

If Darell had not been shot in the neck and die ,would he have been a big success?

It would be nice to think so, but unlikely imo. He hadn’t attained it at that point so I don’t think he would later, unless he put out some belter early 70s LPs, which could have been possible if he teamed up with the right crew.

Darrell banks is ONE of my favourite's, I think his voice is as good if not better than any other male soul singers. I think I like every song I have heard from him, his unique voice and his amazing lyrics.

If Darell had not been shot in the neck and die ,would he have been a big success?

Place him in the same bracket as Steve Mancha, Melvin Davis and JJ Barnes Liam. Love every single one of em. Difficult to answer the question, in a hypothetical situation you can only base an opinion around similar artists and how they turned out. Using the examples I have, you would have to say he would have struggled to make a good living out of a recording career as the others did struggle. These guys are our heroes, but, we are not in the majority, and as a result wouldn,t be able to create a  demand for the promotion from the record companies that would ensure there was a feasible market to sell their brilliant (to us) talents. Its sad, but its the reality, we hear our favourite artists singing, and they stir up feelings that are incredible, then we have to listen to the drivel that is served up today and watch Simon Cowell et al giving the thumbs up or down to the collection of Karaoke wannabees that are deemed the stars of tomorrow, at that, think I'll  nip off to play "Beautiful Feeling" and wind myself up even more

 

Kev

Edited April 10, 201312 yr by kev cane

I would say that he like JJ would of visited our shores countlees time and who knows with the right song could of made lower chart entry,also he may of ended up taking residence here just as Edwin and G Washington did who knows,he could sing pretty good too.

If Darell had not been shot in the neck and die ,would he have been a big success?

Unlikely, it has never been about vocal talent it has always been about the right material and the right people pushing you. Although to the ears of most northern soul fans all of these Detroit underdogs sound fabulous, the fact is that the particular sound that we love did not find mass appeal Stateside and was always overshadowed by the mighty Motown machine. Banks did record what is, by most soul fans calculation, one of the top ten tunes of all time - OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART. But the fact that he stole this song from Donnie Elbert and then claimed authorship himself together with the manner of his demise leads me to suspect that he perhaps was not the nicest of men. Of course this is pure conjecture because none of us got to know the man himself so he might have been a lovely chap. Either way I feel he was always destined to be one of soul musics unsung heroes.

I think there would have been a couple of collectible 70s singles, and he would have been brought over to play CLEETHORPES a few years ago.

Nice thought Steve. Hope to see you there in a couple of months! :0)

Unlikely, it has never been about vocal talent it has always been about the right material and the right people pushing you. Although to the ears of most northern soul fans all of these Detroit underdogs sound fabulous, the fact is that the particular sound that we love did not find mass appeal Stateside and was always overshadowed by the mighty Motown machine. Banks did record what is, by most soul fans calculation, one of the top ten tunes of all time - OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART. But the fact that he stole this song from Donnie Elbert and then claimed authorship himself together with the manner of his demise leads me to suspect that he perhaps was not the nicest of men. Of course this is pure conjecture because none of us got to know the man himself so he might have been a lovely chap. Either way I feel he was always destined to be one of soul musics unsung heroes.

 

Good post. I think you are right. I would like to learn a bit more about the story of Darrell stealing the song. Do you have anymore information about it? Was it ever actually proven? So did Donnie write it and then Banks sang it and claimed he had? Also did the police man who murder him go to jail or was it self- defence?

Edited April 11, 201312 yr by thfcliam

Have to say there are some very good points here

Unlikely, it has never been about vocal talent it has always been about the right material and the right people pushing you. Although to the ears of most northern soul fans all of these Detroit underdogs sound fabulous, the fact is that the particular sound that we love did not find mass appeal Stateside and was always overshadowed by the mighty Motown machine. Banks did record what is, by most soul fans calculation, one of the top ten tunes of all time - OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART. But the fact that he stole this song from Donnie Elbert and then claimed authorship himself together with the manner of his demise leads me to suspect that he perhaps was not the nicest of men. Of course this is pure conjecture because none of us got to know the man himself so he might have been a lovely chap. Either way I feel he was always destined to be one of soul musics unsung heroes.

Unlikely, it has never been about vocal talent it has always been about the right material and the right people pushing you. Although to the ears of most northern soul fans all of these Detroit underdogs sound fabulous, the fact is that the particular sound that we love did not find mass appeal Stateside and was always overshadowed by the mighty Motown machine. Banks did record what is, by most soul fans calculation, one of the top ten tunes of all time - OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART. But the fact that he stole this song from Donnie Elbert and then claimed authorship himself together with the manner of his demise leads me to suspect that he perhaps was not the nicest of men. Of course this is pure conjecture because none of us got to know the man himself so he might have been a lovely chap. Either way I feel he was always destined to be one of soul musics unsung heroes.

i have to concur, its a moot point that perhaps he wasn't as well liked in some quarters, though it is speculation. he didn't live long enough for even the oldest of us to appreciate or get the feel of him...and he didn't visit these shores on that point, i don't think he ever would have done as surely the 60's would have seen his calling along with the rest and perhaps the people who he worked for didn't think the cost of sending an unknown here was worth the expense...its hard to swallow that, isn't it? but his untimely and somewhat grizzly demise is uncannily paralleled to that of Sam cook...perhaps HIS life concealed a dark, messy background that betrays the image of the clean cut guy with the melodic voice that captured the hearts of millions in his heyday. the only difference is, Darrell DIDN'T get the breaks, as has already been said. look...people like Garland green did survive and in a more accommodating 70's, where better understood and subsequently, got the chance to record, albeit in a more discofied manner for major labels....the dust settled on the 60's and a more level playing field gave the diehards a chance to establish theirselves...and many did. it would be nice to think that he could have given us a 70's legacy...with his voice, anything would have been possible.

Donnie Elbert claimed everyone stole his songs...It all got a bit tedious listening to him after a while....Is it categorically true that he wrote Open the door then????

Donnie Elbert claimed everyone stole his songs...It all got a bit tedious listening to him after a while....Is it categorically true that he wrote Open the door then????

 

Really? What other songs  did he claim were stolen?

"Mr Banks, I've come from the future to tell you the apex of your career will be playing a holiday camp on the north Lincolnshire coast"

"Pull the goddam trigger NOW !!,"

..the history of black music is littered with the demise of singers under tragic circumstances..DB was just another..i often wondered as a kid (when i first appreciated Otis Redding) what would have happened to Otis' career? (ironically shared same label)..would he have managed to adapt to a new style of soul..doubtful as OR success was due much to his power and vocal delivery..most had their time in the the spotlight ..some brief..which is why they are so revered now..

This is what Sidney Barnes told me last year when I asked him a similar question

"Darrell Banks was a pretty nice guy to work with and hang out with, he was one bad dude in the streets, that's why he got killed he wouldn't take any shit off any body. And some times you have to back off and not push it.

I was lucky to get a song on the B side of Open The Door which sold nearly a million copies. I never got paid for it and still trying to collect from it. "

Sounds pretty cool to me

Shelly

I think speculating on the man's reputation forty odd years after the event is pointless and insulting to his survivors. Why not just reflect on his musical legacy?  Every time I hear 'I'm The One Who Really Loves You' I hear a great, great performer. It's such a shame there's no live footage of the man (or is there?)...When you look at other 60s artists who were given a second lease of life in the 70s, it's not hard to imagine Darrell doing a Leon Haywood, Al Wilson, Gene Chandler etc on Soul Train and getting interviewed by Don Cornelius. Not hard for me to imagine, at least. :-)

Donnie Elbert claimed everyone stole his songs...It all got a bit tedious listening to him after a while....Is it categorically true that he wrote Open the door then????

the thing is i don't think Darrell wrote ' any other songs' where as Donnie Elbert did and to write something as classic as "door to your heart" was surely done by someone who had a knack of writing more than one song

dave L

Good post. I think you are right. I would like to learn a bit more about the story of Darrell stealing the song. Do you have anymore information about it? Was it ever actually proven? So did Donnie write it and then Banks sang it and claimed he had? Also did the police man who murder him go to jail or was it self- defence?

Donnie Elbert wrote a ballad called - BABY WALK RIGHT IN - Which he registered with B.M.I. Originally from New Orleans Elbert was living in Buffalo N.Y. at this time and his friend and fellow Buffalo native Darrell Eubanks was looking for a song to launch his career. Elbert gave the song to Eubanks who took it to Revilot in Detroit, where he claimed the song was his own composition. He changed the title to OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART, upped the tempo, changed his name to Banks and had a huge hit. There was a protracted legal battle that was only settled just before Banks death. Although Elbert was proven to be the sole writer of the song 50% of the credits were attributed to Banks whose name appears on most writing credits when the song has been covered by other artists.

Donnie Elbert wrote a ballad called - BABY WALK RIGHT IN - Which he registered with B.M.I. Originally from New Orleans Elbert was living in Buffalo N.Y. at this time and his friend and fellow Buffalo native Darrell Eubanks was looking for a song to launch his career. Elbert gave the song to Eubanks who took it to Revilot in Detroit, where he claimed the song was his own composition. He changed the title to OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR HEART, upped the tempo, changed his name to Banks and had a huge hit. There was a protracted legal battle that was only settled just before Banks death. Although Elbert was proven to be the sole writer of the song 50% of the credits were attributed to Banks whose name appears on most writing credits when the song has been covered by other artists.

 

Interesting. Thanks for the information.