'I Searched for Soul and Found the Stars' missed stories

[Gilly]

Back in November 2020 I hoped to have my book out by Christmas of that year, at the time I blamed it on the pandemic, not true. It was the printers themselves that messed me about, so I had to find a replacement printers and quick. Though getting it out by Christmas was impossible, we did manage to meet a January release.

Because of me racing a few things got missed, so I have now published on here a couple articles omitted at the time of going to the printers;

 

A lady I met in more recent times having had the pleasure of her wonderful stage appearance at the UKs Cleethorpes's Soul-Weekender, a lady who is more noted for her musical writing ability having 100 registered songs with the BMI, readers, please welcome the child prodigy, song writer and singer Sharon McMahan.

Let me tell you not only is she a lovely person, she can also tell some unique stories from her memory bank and with fine detail. She said ''I ought to write a book'' and I agree, she should. Whether Sharon decides to, or not to set about that task, I'm going to pinch a couple of her stories she relayed to me recently, with her permission of course.

Ollie McLaughlin made a point of travelling to New York every year and with him he took songs to 'Tin Pan Alley' to try and get deals on them. He would call on Sharon, usually once a week to check if she had any new material for him. Most Saturdays Ollie could be found at United Sound Systems recording one song or another and Sharon often joined him so she could 'watch and learn.' Don't forget Sharon was only a young girl at the time.

She goes on to say, Ollie stopped by, it was a Tuesday and said he wanted a song with an English feel to it and he would call back on the Friday to pick it up. As Ollie drove off she said she ''kinda panicked a little bit'' how would she come up with something so quick? She stepped onto the porch of her mothers house where she lived and noticed two doors down Hubert a guy from the neighborhood calling round to his girlfriends house, she shouted over to this Hubert ''give me a title for a song?'' Hubert paused for a second and replied ''Some Day We're Gonna Love Again'' she said ''That will do'' went back into the house, sat down at the piano, and the rest is history of course. The song was first recorded by Barbara Lewis, and then by The Searchers, the latter becoming a hit.

 

OK i have a few more and will post them up in the next few days. If anyone wants a book still contact me via gillybook@btinternet.com or message me on here. I've sold over a 1000 so far but still have a few left, there will be no re-prints. 

[Lionelonthevinyl]

Brilliant and fascinating....thank you....Rob

[Thejackos]

Keep the stories coming Gilly. Great to read.

Hope you are both keeping well.

Jacko.

[Jimmy Mack]

any stories about duke browner 

[Gilly]

1 minute ago, Jimmy Mack said:

any stories about duke browner 

Only as I write in the book, although I spent a few hours with him, music was of little interest to him, and being told how big his name is in the UK even less of an interest. Still proud that I managed a visit though.

[Jimmy Mack]

Just now, Gilly said:

Only as I write in the book, although I spent a few hours with him, music was of little interest to him, and being told how big his name is in the UK even less of an interest. Still proud that I managed a visit though.

such a shame that he had turned his back on music something must have peed him off big time ,as you say you were lucky to meet him .

[Gilly]

1 hour ago, Thejackos said:

Keep the stories coming Gilly. Great to read.

Hope you are both keeping well.

Jacko.

Good mate thanks, and to you both also 

[Ladymidnight]

Loved reading the book, more of these stories please Gilly.

/Carl 

[Gilly]

''Popcorn'' told me about a wedding in Detroit one time, i don't know of he was in attendance or not, but this is how it goes.

At the wedding reception some guy barges in holding and pointing a gun, he knew who he wanted to shoot (the groom) he took aim towards the intended victim at which point the best man stood in front of the groom declaring ''if you shoot him, you're gonna have to take me out too'' The gunman shot and killed them both. Nice Wedding !

 

''Popcorn'' having given me a lift to the airport for my return flight there was two guys having a row between one another. I thought I'm not standing here, this is not my argument. So I walked quickly between them to enter the main building. When I got inside ''Popcorn'' appeared through another door and proceeded to give me a right telling off for walking between the two blokes who were arguing. I thought I was doing the right thing by getting out of the way, ''Popcorn'' explained that only a few weeks earlier someone had been shot in doing exactly what I had just done in the crossfire of two guys having an argument (not the same two blokes as far as I know) The lucky lady survived, she was a niece of Jackie Wilson.

 

A few more tomorrow, missed stories from the book 

[Gilly]

11 hours ago, Jimmy Mack said:

such a shame that he had turned his back on music something must have peed him off big time ,as you say you were lucky to meet him .

the reason is explained in the book as best I can establish 

[Gilly]

Another story is about when the Capitols recorded 'Cool Jerk' (it was originally going to be called 'Pimp Jerk' but that title wouldn't have been acceptable back then.) The group were booked to do the first session of the day, the venue was at Golden World Studios (one of the last recording sessions at that studio under Ed Wingates ownership before Berry Gordy JR purchased the studio, then to be called 'Studio B') 

The track and the vocals will be laid today, on hearing that first take Ollie McLaughlin said it needed 'more kick to the rhythm', so they set up extra microphones in order to add some hand claps. Providing those will be Sam, Richard, and Don Norman Storbell (the group members) Deon Jackson, his cousin Rusty Bayliss, Telma Hopkins, Joyce Vincent, (those two girls would later become Dawn who with Tony Orlando sang chart hit 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree)' and the source of this story the one and only Sharon McMahan

Bobby Babbitt is on bass guitar, (not James Jamerson as a lot think) Johnny Griffith on piano. George McGregor in drums, I know Ed Wolfrum was the engineer on that session. Other guys in on that backing track, I'm sorry I don't know.

Thank you Sharon McMahan for this story, like I said at the top of the page, yes you ought to write a book, and soon.

 

Well there you have it, a few more stories that didn't make the book on time. If you have already bought the book you will be able to relate to the stories within, and I thank you all.

If you have not purchased a book, and like what you read here on Soul Source, let me just say the book is full of this kind of shit, and is only the price of a couple of packs of cigarettes, (even if you don't smoke.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Gilly

[Kev Cane]

3 minutes ago, Gilly said:

Another story is about when the Capitols recorded 'Cool Jerk' (it was originally going to be called 'Pimp Jerk' but that title wouldn't have been acceptable back then.) The group were booked to do the first session of the day, the venue was at Golden World Studios (one of the last recording sessions at that studio under Ed Wingates ownership before Berry Gordy JR purchased the studio, then to be called 'Studio B') 

The track was laid, and today the Capitols will add the vocals, on hearing that first take Ollie McLaughlin said it needed 'more kick to the rhythm', so they set up extra microphones in order to add some hand claps. Providing those will be Sam, Richard, and Don Norman Storbell (the group members) Deon Jackson, his cousin Rusty Bayliss, Telma Hopkins, Joyce Vincent, (those two girls would later become Dawn who with Tony Orlando sang chart hit 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree)' and the source of this story the one and only Sharon McMahan

Bobby Babbitt is on bass guitar, (not James Jamerson as a lot think) Johnny Griffith on piano. Not sure about the drummer, maybe one of the Funk Bothers moonlighting, or maybe Andrew Smith, I know Ed Wolfrum was the engineer on that session. Other guys in on that backing track, I'm sorry I don't know.

Thank you Sharon McMahan for this story, like I said at the top of the page, yes you ought to write a book, and soon.

 

Well there you have it, a few more stories that didn't make the book on time. If you have already bought the book you will be able to relate to the stories within, and I thank you all.

If you have not purchased a book, and like what you read here on Soul Source, let me just say the book is full of this kind of shit, and is only the price of a couple of packs of cigarettes, (even if you don't smoke.

Bollocks to the fags, anyone who ain't got this book already, believe me, it's essential 

Kev

[Gilly]

4 minutes ago, Kev Cane said:

Bollocks to the fags, anyone who ain't got this book already, believe me, it's essential 

Kev

thank you Kev x 

[Girdwoodinc]

thanks Gilly for sharing, and also cheering me up on a rather boring day at work - stay safe and hopefully catch you both soon once this is over 

[mid tempo]

Brill stories, & brilliant book  

Gaz.