Tyrone Edwards aka Tony & Tyrone - The Story

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Sorry all, one correction Tyrone's singing partner was Tony Johnson, not Edwards as I stated above

Great read thanks. Good luck getting the material released

Interesting read Dave, cheers!

Just managed to pull together all his 45's, gonna send them over to him. Sadly he doesn't have any of his recordings, should be a nice suprise

Very interesting read, thanks!

'Whip your loving on me' came out on german Vogue as well. I once had a date stamped demo Nov 21, 1970. Don't know how accurate that is. Nice pic sleeve. I attach a scan I nicked off Discogs. Can supply better quality scan from my collection if you want?

I think 'Please operator' also came out in Germany but am not sure.

 

On 22/02/2016 at 22:54, Benji said:

Very interesting read, thanks!

'Whip your loving on me' came out on german Vogue as well. I once had a date stamped demo Nov 21, 1970. Don't know how accurate that is. Nice pic sleeve. I attach a scan I nicked off Discogs. Can supply better quality scan from my collection if you want?

I think 'Please operator' also came out in Germany but am not sure.

 

That's nice Benji, a hi res scan would be nice when you get a chance. Also if you ever see 'Please operator' Germany release, think of me

Hope this is ok....

Dave just to add a little something myself and Andy Tats Taylor met Tony Johnson in 1990  It was something Betty Lavette arranged for us as Tony was in the Magnetics (same group as Lady in Green) but prior to that. The Train song was nearer to his time. We met in a bar The Locker Room (Curtis/Levonia) at some late hour and it emerged that thru a conversation with Tats that he was one half of Tony and Tyrone.

                             He was one of the nicest guys I ever met in Detroit, he came to see us the next day, sold us some 45s and then without warning began to sing a few songs that he was working on with Barrett Strong, yes we did have a video recorder with us but we didn't know he would sing for us, but he did the result being its very emotional.

                              With speaking to him it emerged his sister was at university in Oxford so we said because he (Tony) had been so sweet with us that on our return to the UK we would afford his sister some of our time and we did just that. Andy bought her down to my house and we went for a meal and afterwards Tats took her to some soul event, I couldn't go to that for some reason but at least we kept our promise  Gilly

9 hours ago, Gilly said:

Dave just to add a little something myself and Andy Tats Taylor met Tony Johnson in 1990  It was something Betty Lavette arranged for us as Tony was in the Magnetics (same group as Lady in Green) but prior to that. The Train song was nearer to his time. We met in a bar The Locker Room (Curtis/Levonia) at some late hour and it emerged that thru a conversation with Tats that he was one half of Tony and Tyrone.

                             He was one of the nicest guys I ever met in Detroit, he came to see us the next day, sold us some 45s and then without warning began to sing a few songs that he was working on with Barrett Strong, yes we did have a video recorder with us but we didn't know he would sing for us, but he did the result being its very emotional.

                              With speaking to him it emerged his sister was at university in Oxford so we said because he (Tony) had been so sweet with us that on our return to the UK we would afford his sister some of our time and we did just that. Andy bought her down to my house and we went for a meal and afterwards Tats took her to some soul event, I couldn't go to that for some reason but at least we kept our promise  Gilly

Gilly , I remember watching that on Video (which Rob Thomas lent me I think ) was that when you were both sat in his car in a carpark ?

The song he sung was awesome , did it ever get a release ?

Cheers

Swifty

Are Mr Swifty, I think I met you on Saturday didn't I, well yes that was the car park singing episode. He sang 2/3 songs and we asked to bring the songs back to the UK to see if we could help them along, now Tony was up for it but Barrett said no. At the time Tony was selling womens clothes door to door from out of his trunk to make a living having owned a string of beauty shops his wife divorced him taking his last penny.  As I said he was a fantastic human being

                                           Regards Gilly

Yep ! was a bit pi**ed Saturday night , good night though!! . Thought the songs were superb especially considering he was sat in a car singing , don't suppose you have any clips you could put on here Gilly ?

Cheers mate

Swifty

 

You might find something on Andy tats Taylor facebook page

On 26/02/2016 at 21:11, Benji said:

Hope this is ok....

They also released on GM (US) and Bulldog (UK) as TNT

 

I thought it was Tyrone Pickins 

 

6 minutes ago, Gilly said:

I thought it was Tyrone Pickins 

 

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DzEhAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA164&lpg=PA164&dq=tyrone+pickens+singer&source=bl&ots=nn8NnA6678&sig=ACfU3U3Y_3ypNKsyTkqvm9mXxlnxRWVHAg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_lNSL8vjnAhUOQUEAHRCBAyAQ6AEwC3oECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=tyrone pickens singer&f=false

Dave makes mention of Tony & Tyrone's close friendship with Carolyn & Aretha Franklin, but he didn't extend that to include the 3rd sister -- Erma.

Erma had lost her Epic record deal in 63 & wouldn't sign with Shout (where she had big hits) till 67, so her career must have been at a bit of a low point in the mid 60's, albeit that she was still a singing sister of the future  'Queen Of Soul'. In 65, Aretha was still signed to Columbia and had a top 20 R&B hit with "One Step Away" (which was coupled with "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face" on the 45). So Erma must have landed these booking partly coz Aretha was 'back in fashion' & on the charts.

Seems Erma was also a friend to Tony & Tyrone as she took them on a tour down the US east coast with her in 1965 ... see attached Baltimore club ad from August 65 ... 

 

I read somewhere (can't recall exactly where) that Bob Babbit played bass on 'Please Operator', Paul Mc Cartney was in town and sat in on the session to observe the Detroit bass maestro!

On 29/07/2024 at 08:51, Tim Richmond said:

I read somewhere (can't recall exactly where) that Bob Babbit played bass on 'Please Operator', Paul Mc Cartney was in town and sat in on the session to observe the Detroit bass maestro!

 maybe read on here

Ed Wolfrum - Detroit Sound by Rob Moss

Another shot of particular interest is a photograph of Paul McCartney sitting on a stool at Theme productions, intently watching Bob Babbitt play bass on the 'Please operator' session. "He was quite young then, but he was fascinated by the bass playing here in Detroit and dropped by to watch, and listen, for himself. I think it was a spy mission as I know the were trying to figure out how we got the bass sound." 

link

https://www.soul-source.co.uk/articles/soul-articles/ed-wolfrum-detroit-sound-by-rob-moss-r2445/