Duke Turner had a couple of releases on Spinning Top c.1974 (I think).

 

- (Let me be your) Baby sitter (Vocal/Instr)

- Give me some sugar baby pt1/2

 

As far as I can tell from looking online, they were the only releases on the label, which appears to have been owned by Turner himself.

 

Anyone got any info on the man or the label?

 

Thanks...

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 201411 yr by Russell Gilbert

There is a 3rd release on the label. Duke redid a version of "sugar baby" in the '80s, a similar top label design but a little more '80s looking. I have a friend who told me he used to know Duke but I don't really remember any details. The '70s version of "sugar baby" was also reissued on Crajon, both came out in '74.

There is a 3rd release on the label. Duke redid a version of "sugar baby" in the '80s, a similar top label design but a little more '80s looking. I have a friend who told me he used to know Duke but I don't really remember any details. The '70s version of "sugar baby" was also reissued on Crajon, both came out in '74.

Thanks for the info, Bob.

 

Turner appears to be alive and well, and - presuming it is him and not a family member who is airing their late relative's more recent musical offerings - has a channel on Soundlcloudthat's aptly named Spinning Top Records.

 

https://soundcloud.com/willie-turner-15

 

My interest in Turner comes about because I just picked up an acetate that has 'Baby sitter' on one side and a seemingly uncatalogued uptempo track on the other. The acetate is blank, but it seems pretty certain the track is called 'Friendship or friends'.

 

I'd like to find out more about it, so might look to contact whoever is behind the Soundlcoud channel. If it is unreleased, it would be interesting to learn why it was dropped in favour of an instrumental of the A side.

he also has an earlier record on omega sound but neither side sounds like the "friends" track you're describing

Ok, thanks for that. I'll see if I can make contact through Soundcloud and shed some light on the track.

I have one more Duke Turner record on Spinning Top: Duke Turner and the Gems of Peace, "Shake Your Rang-a-Tang" vocal/inst., Spinning Top 22139.

I have one more Duke Turner record on Spinning Top: Duke Turner and the Gems of Peace, "Shake Your Rang-a-Tang" vocal/inst., Spinning Top 22139.

Interesting. Thanks, Matt. So four releases and one possibly uncatalogued recording thus far...

Edited May 9, 201411 yr by Russell Gilbert

I've now added a lengthy sample of this possibly uncatalogued track to YouTube….

 

 

Sounds earlier than 1974, don't you think?

Edited May 28, 201411 yr by Russell Gilbert

Quite possibly pre 74 Russ.

For some reason the horns sound more 70s to me tho.

Nice track.

Cheers Paul

Quite possibly pre 74 Russ.

For some reason the horns sound more 70s to me tho.

Nice track.

Cheers Paul

The horns sound very southern to me - Memphis, Muscle Shoals, perhaps - rather than Chicago. In fact, the whole thing sounds very southern. Couldn't put a finger on it and say why exactly. It just does.