Jump to content

Northern Soul Singer -- DORA HALL ?????


Recommended Posts

I'm well out of the loop these days with regard to what gets played in 60's NS rooms BUT I do sometimes come across tracks on YOUTUBE that have been posted by Northern guys ... I was surprised to see a couple of tracks by Dora Hall posted up as NS spins ... made me really laugh ....

Dora was born in 1900 and was a music hall star (of sorts) in the 1920's before marrying a multi-millionaire. She settled down, started a family & the like .. BUT by the early 60's, she was wanting to make a comeback and so started cutting 'vanity recordings'. Her hubby, via his company (Solo Cups),  sponsored TV shows that starred her and added free 45's (by her) as give-aways with packs of his disposable plastic cups ... He also started (what are called on-line) a couple of fake record labels on which to put out LP's & singles by her. So her 45's were free give away items that now seem to be commanding decent money ... 

Nothing about the NS world shocks me these days BUT to have DJ's chasing / spinning freebies made by a rich white grandmother in her 60's seems to take the biscuit.    

MORE INFO on the couple & his cup company ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solo_Cup_Company#Founder

DoraHallmont.jpg

Edited by Roburt
  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share


They weren't trying too hard to hide the links to the plastic cup company of this LP's record label.... wonder what HB made of it all ... 

Think I'll try covering this one up ...

 

DoraHallLP.jpg

Edited by Roburt
  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share

I don’t really remember any of the others being played, not on the northern scene, maybe ghe odd time out of curiosity after hearing Pretty Boy. It was no secret when Pretty Boy got played what the records were made for as the sleeves were for promo purposes. 

  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share

41 minutes ago, chalky said:

I don’t really remember any of the others being played, not on the northern scene, maybe ghe odd time out of curiosity after hearing Pretty Boy. It was no secret when Pretty Boy got played what the records were made for as the sleeves were for promo purposes. 

Chalky, you obviously don't know what gets played just up the road from you, as her "Barefootin" was a big play at King Bee Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Club in Sheffield (they promoted their nights on here too). ALSO a "Franklin St" track video was put up on YOUTUBE by Lancashire AGoGo ... and all their posts are of NS spins. 

Edited by Roburt
  • Up vote 2
Link to comment
Social source share

4 hours ago, Roburt said:

Chalky, you obviously don't know what gets played just up the road from you, as her "Barefootin" was a big play at King Bee Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Club in Sheffield (they promoted their nights on here too). ALSO a "Franklin St" track video was put up on YOUTUBE by Lancashire AGoGo ... and all their posts are of NS spins. 

King Bee not Northern is it, its an R&B club so not my usual kinda haunt.  Haven’t the foggiest who lancashire agogo is. 

Edited by chalky
  • Up vote 2
Link to comment
Social source share

24 minutes ago, bbrich said:

just choked on me sandwiches listening to these - to be fair i only got a few seconds into each of them....

As I said in a topic a few months ago,when talking about what music I like,I always use the word Soul,never Northern Soul.Talking about a singer like this on a Soul forum is an absolute Joke. 

  • Up vote 3
Link to comment
Social source share

43 minutes ago, Wheelsville1 said:

As I said in a topic a few months ago,when talking about what music I like,I always use the word Soul,never Northern Soul.Talking about a singer like this on a Soul forum is an absolute Joke. 

But it is basically a northern soul forum not soul. Almost everything about it is towards the scene. 

  • Up vote 2
Link to comment
Social source share

10 hours ago, Roburt said:

Just about all the output on the LABELS (?) named above were by her. They were owned / run by her multi millionaire husband & (as already stated) were give-away items not shop sold records. She released 100's of tracks, nearly all total crap (even if some of the songs were decent, here singing on them wasn't). She cut vanity records coz she had the time & money to do so. Most were covers of existing hits performed by a grandmother in her 60's who could no longer carry a song. 

SORRY, but if this is what NORTHERN has recently descended to, I will be staying in the modern room. 

No need to apologise Rob but you’re a tad wide of the mark. Northern Soul does not descend...it cherry picks the best bits to rise above other musical genres. Dora was a Chicago artist I guess, maybe like Timi Yuro. That’s enough in itself to put her on a plinth. She was devoted to her art. The cover versions she cut bear comparison with the original songs. She has left a legacy that we are giving serious consideration to. Pretty Boy is a classic uptempo number that has been played out in public for decades and compiled on albums.

You are granted a pardon to be spared of the modern room on the strict understanding you listen to a few tunes by Duffy and Joss Stone to recalibrate your hearing... There’s also a few 60 year old grannies (and grandads) on here so go easy on us Brits - we might be getting on in years, but appreciation of a half-decent tune grows over time. Now where did I put those Dolly Parton 45’s on Monument...

  • Up vote 2
Link to comment
Social source share

13 hours ago, Soul-Slider said:

Some of her tunes were arranged and conducted by H.B. Barnum....pedigree right there!

HB is no SOUL pedigree in my book. Not to diss the man or his work, but he was never a "soul hero" IMO. Good at what he did but rarely "on the edge" of sounds, emotions or lyrics. I still love his 'too hurt to cry' which it's his most "northern soul" emblematic song IMHO ! But further there is not much he's done with his voice on the "soul" side.

And if he's done few descent productions, arrangements and compositions, off which not many come to my mind instantly, he's more and most of the time on "pop" commercial projects than anything else. On the pay back side of things, I wish him that the money was good with the Dora Hall productions as sacrifice... LOL

Edited by tlscapital
precision on HB pedigree
  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share

6 minutes ago, Mickey Finn said:

Names associated with HB Barnum ... as well as a lot of performers not in any way associated with soul... On the subject of what this forum is about, there's a definite northern slant here...

People HB worked with and others; exactly. Some names I like from your "soul" list here but none of their work in association. But this is merely my taste, so it's not to debate. Just the same; I love Phil Spector early 6T's work, don't care for his work for the Beatles and never liked the character.

HB was talented as a business man with ego none the less. I was a Jamaican music lover and collector before being an American soul lover and collector, so I have met the name of HB prior with 6T's "ska" when it was a "jump in the commercial wagon" in the USA by 1964/1965... (sic).

Northern Soul being my "HQ", as a crate digger I have had to listen and discover many records and got to love other "schools" of soul music along the way and this ear self education lead me to part the Soul in and from the Northern. Soul that is !

Like many I have my guilty secrets, but unlike these "mystery tracks", I will always defend mind, body and soul the Soul in the Northern. At least that is what I believe I am hearing and errrh doing... Now I doubt that... LOL ! This to say, I was too rarely impressed or pleased by the HB "touch".

So serving as credential for something that... years ago I had all the pain in the world to sell on, really doesn't do it for me. Sincerely with no offense to anyone on here, tastes are that, at least I have learned things on the "artist" and can say more than never on that Dora as to why my NO GO !

  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share

Get involved with Soul Source

Add your comments now

Join Soul Source

A free & easy soul music affair!

Join Soul Source now!

Log in to Soul Source

Jump right back in!

Log in now!


×
×
  • Create New...