Hi,

 

Looking For The Female Part On -I Want to Know- ... Does Anyone Know The Girl?

 

Would Be Great If Someone Got An Idea!

 

Thx In Adv

Zanetti

 

 

 

 

*starts at 1.24

There was previously very little documented history on Merle's recordings or life at all. Merle died 2009 but for my book "Rhythm Message" I managed to track down and interview Merle's brother and a musician who was part of Lionel Whitfield's band and was session player for Whit in Baton Rouge (Lionel owned Whit). The females were two sisters called Geraldine and Myrtle Jackson, and their cousin Margaret Valet from Port Allen Louisiana. The Treats as they were known were regular back up singers for Lionel's band when performing. As to which one provided the 'duet' vocal...I or someone else would need to track them down next!

 

Incidently Merle did end up as a Herculoids front man at one point. I also interviewed Lee Tillman (She's the one I want / All these things etc) for another chapter; he said he and Merle were actually cousins, but neither had realised this until in much later life.

Edited January 28, 201510 yr by Windlesoul

 Merle died 2009 

 

 

Great Work ... Thanks So Much For These Great Exact Infos

Do You Know When Merle Was Born? Maybe Any Picture Sets From Him and His Combo?

 

   

Edited January 28, 201510 yr by Zanetti

He was born Oct 25, 1939 in Baton Rouge. Merle's father was a minister who died when he was 2 years old. He had two older brothers, and they grew up in Alsen on the city limits of BR.  He and four relatives sang in a gospel group as kids, travelling around local Baptist churches before meeting Lionel Whitfield.

 

There is only one 1960s pic I could track down, though there may well be more. His family didn't have any. This can be accessed via the Hot Butta and Peas website. Its a pic of him with the Herculoids. This was well after his Whit recordings although one or two of the band members may have been from Lionel Whitfields band originally.

 

If interested in the full story, try my book at https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/5936116-rhythm-message

 

or check out the Soul News forum on here (plug plug)

 

Cheers, Mark

Edited January 28, 201510 yr by Windlesoul

 

 

 His family didn't have any. 

 

He was born Oct 25, 1939 in Baton Rouge.

 

 

... And Thanks For The Pic - Got It

I've had quite a massive interest in Merle Spears for a few years now and could never find any other info than the research that Mark has reported on and that one pic of him with The Herculoids.

I get excited when something pops up in my emails regarding my ebay "saved searches". Another photo would be amazing.

 

Such a voice!