Who Was Otis Smith?

[Billy Freemantle]

Seeing as we had some fun with Jack Montgomery AKA Marvin Jones, can anyone tell me the real identity of the singer of 'Let her go' that was covered up as Otis Smith? At least I think it was covered up!

Edited January 7, 2005 by Billy Freemantle

[Guest miff]

News to me that its a cover up do you mean soudomin (Spell checker wont work)

Got it on Perception with Alley full of trash on B side allways thorgt it was the original

Top tune just love the laid back lyrics

[Billy Freemantle]

I've only heard it on CDs and have never actually seen a record. My belief that it was a cover-up grows out of thinking that I read a Soul Quiz at one time that asked who it really was and also because the first and second nmes sound unlikely couplings.

But you're right. Great tune. And you're right - it is the laid-back vocal that makes it special!

[Guest miff]

Just found this on web dont know if its the same guy

In 1982, Otis Smith (who had worked with Chapter 8) contacted Anita about recording for his new label Beverly Glen

[Dayo]

One of my all time faves this, lovely languid vocals, the bass line we know and love and killer backing vocals.

I don't recall it was ever a cover-up; certainly was a monster. As to who Otis Smith is/was, I've no idea. Same goes for Moses Smith (another all time fave of mine and many others with good taste! lol)

[Billy Freemantle]

One of my all time faves this, lovely languid vocals, the bass line we know and love and killer backing vocals.

I don't recall it was ever a cover-up; certainly was a monster.  As to who Otis Smith is/was, I've no idea.  Same goes for Moses Smith (another all time fave of mine and many others with good taste! lol)

link

Maybe I am getting confused with Moses Smith. Another unlikely combination. Wasn't that a Russ W cover-up? Where are the experts on this one?

' The girl across the street' What a good-time sound that is.

[Dayo]

Maybe I am getting confused with Moses Smith. Another unlikely combination. Wasn't that a Russ W cover-up? Where are the experts on this one?

' The girl across the street'  What a good-time sound that is.

link

Russ W? In his dreams! Nope - Girl across the street pre-dates the Casino as a discovery. Massive everywhere in 1972/73 - especially at the Cats. One of the very, very best.

[soulAdequateNP]

Russ W?  In his dreams! Nope - Girl across the street pre-dates the Casino as a discovery.  Massive everywhere in 1972/73 - especially at the Cats. One of the very, very best.

link

If I remember rightly tho', Epitome of Sound "You Dont' Love Me" was originally covered up as Moses Smith and even bootlegged under that name...?

[Guest]

That's right.

Same track on both sides.

Slighly speeded up though.

[Jordirip]

Otis Smith was also lead singer for "The Albert" on Perception. Don't know where the hell that group name came from but I doubt it did them any favours! They were a psychedelic/jazzy outfit but they cut a killer crossover tune on one of their albums called "One Life", with Otis sounding as superb as you would expect.

Jordi

[BrianB]

Otis Smith was also lead singer for "The Albert" on Perception. Don't know where the hell that group name came from but I doubt it did them any favours! They were a psychedelic/jazzy outfit but they cut a killer crossover tune on one of their albums called "One Life", with Otis sounding as superb as you would expect.

Jordi

link

Otis Smith was not covered up, but as stated, Moses Smith was the cover up for Ypu Don't Love Me.

I was really lucky and bought Girl Across the Street for 25p in 73 when it was massive. My mate worked at the Reform Club in London with half of the Longside from Turf Moor, where Jules Verne wrote Around the World in 80 Days. He found a shop in London that sold soul records and the owner did not have a clue. He bought I'm Gone by Eddie Parker and Billy Sharae, Moses Smith, all the Joshie Jo Armstead on Giant and loads of wheel and Torcg sounds. He was always skint, so we got some real bargains. Unfortunately, I was usually skint and bloody passed the real bargains on!

[Dayo]

Got a feeling (may be wrong) that Otis Smith Let her go was not all that old whn it first got played. Anyone know the year of release?

[Dave Moore]

Got a feeling (may be wrong) that Otis Smith Let her go was not all that old whn it first got played.  Anyone know the year of release?

link

As already stated, the Epitome of sound was covered as Moses Smith, was even booted as this I think. This led to a rumour at the time that Moses Smith was the lead with the Epitome of Sound.

Not sure of the exact date of the Otis Smith release but seem to remember that it was a recent (73?) issue.

Scans of nicey minty whitey Demos below.

Regards,

Dave

Edited January 12, 2005 by Dave Moore

[Dave Moore]

EOS

[Paul R]

Was also re-issued around '74 with an organ during the intro I seem to remember.

[Daved]

Was this Otis Smith the same fella who worked at Beverly Glen records, had the bust up with Bobby Womack, discovered Chapter 8, Anita Baker, etc.?

[Guest soulcamper]

I think that it the very same Otis Smith - & he was the owner & 'boss' of the label....cheers

[Sean Hampsey]

Have never believed the Perception Otis Smith to be the same Otis Smith that ran Beverley Glen.

No sir!

Sean

[Roburt]

Was this Otis Smith the same fella who worked at Beverly Glen records, had the bust up with Bobby Womack, discovered Chapter 8, Anita Baker, etc.?

The Otis Smith who ran Beverly Glen Records was a top executive at ABC Records in 1974/75. He was responsible for signing black acts to the label -- one of those being the Hitchhikers (ABC 5209)

This album was recorded at Conneticut Recording Studios, Bridgeport CT in 1973. The group's lead vocalist was Kenny Hamber with Vinnie Vincent credited as playing guitar on the album. The Hitchhikers was a R&B group based out of Providence (initially the group members had come up from Baltimore with Kenny for an extended engagement at Jeffrey Osborne's mothers nightclub. When the original guys got homesick & went off, Kenny recruited a bunch of local guys and kept gigging around the area).

Vinnie Vincent would go on to play on many recording sessions including Dan Hartman's "Instant Replay" album sessions.

[Premium Stuff]

What about Otis Smith who recorded 'We Can All Walk A Little Bit Prouder' on Tuba?

Cheers

Richard

[Roburt]

RE: the BevGlenn / ABC Records Otis Smith >>

FEB 1973; ABC / Dunhill Records appoint Otis Smith as vice president in charge of special projects. Smith was responsible for ABC's expansion into the r&b field, covering all phases of that product.

Smith had been with ABC in the capacity of Director of Singles Sales at an earlier time (from 1968 thru to early 1970's).

In 1971 & 1972 he was working for Hot Wax (label vice-president) & Invictus. He had joined label management at MGM in 1962 and then had a spell at Riverside from Feb 1967.

So I guess the recording artist Otis Smith & the label manager of the same name were different guys (unless he was doing both at the same time).

Edited October 11, 2012 by Roburt

[Steve G]

Yes Sean is right, different Otis Smiths.....A common name....

[Sean Hampsey]

The Beverley Glen Otis Smith took Anita Baker, Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Womack to the cleaners.

According to Bobby, the thief, Smith, had been introduced to him by Wilton Felder, after they had done Inherit The Wind together.

Smith promised Bobby he could get a deal for Womack with Motown, but instead signed him to his own Beverley Glen label, giving world wide distribution to Motown, but he kept the US rights to himself.

The Poet & Poet 2 sold millions. Bobby never saw a dime! - but it cost him a fortune to get out of his contract.

He did pretty much the same for Anita Baker. She never saw a nickel and spent two years and thousands of dollars getting out of her release to sign with Elektra.

Smith was so bent, in 1985 even his law firm had to sue him to get paid for their services!

I don't believe he's the same guy as the artist on perception (after all, neither Otis or Smith are particularly unusual names) but he certainly was the Hot Wax and ABC guy.

He's now deceased, but he managed to f#ck over some of our music's greatest artists before he died.

Sean

[Steve G]

I am also sure I confirmed that he was different at the time of Blackbeat. I must have rung him or something when he was at Beverly Glen. That's the only way I would know he was different. Or maybe Stuart Cosgrove did. I can't remember now. Of course at the time all seemed well, and no one knew of the rip offs to follow. Beverly Glen was a top label at the time as far as we were concerned.

Edited October 11, 2012 by Steve G

[Sean Hampsey]

I am also sure I confirmed that he was different at the time of Blackbeat. I must have rung him or something when he was at Beverly Glen. Of course at the time all seemed well, and no one knew of the rip offs to follow. Beverly Glen was a top label at the time as far as we were concerned.

Spot on Steve. You probably did. It's why I never believed they were the same person (from something I read, back in the Blackbeat days)

Again, you're dead right. Beverly Glen was THE label at the time and we lapped them all up!

Little did we know, by the time The Poet was on the streets and being promoted 'everywhere' Smith was already sueing Womack for the return of nine Womack Masters that Bobby took as insurance (trying to get paid).

When Record Execs Go Bad!

A thread all of its own!

Sean

Edited October 11, 2012 by Sean Hampsey

[Mike Lofthouse]

Little did we know, by the time The Poet was on the streets and being promoted 'everywhere' Smith was already sueing Womack for the return of nine Womack Masters that Bobby took as insurance (trying to get paid).

Sean

But WHO didn't Womack fall out with ? - Fred Smith, Atlantic, UA, David Rubinstein, Columbia, Otis Smith etc etc he'd cause a riot in cemetery .........

Probably why I like him so much

[Ian Dewhirst]

Again, you're dead right. Beverly Glen was THE label at the time and we lapped them all up!

Sean

Talking of which, who owns Beverly Glen these days then? I don't think any of that stuff has resurfaced has it....?

Ian D

[Ian Dewhirst]

But WHO didn't Womack fall out with ? - Fred Smith, Atlantic, UA, David Rubinstein, Columbia, Otis Smith etc etc he'd cause a riot in cemetery .........

You'd have thought he'd have known better than!

Bloody artists.........

Ian D

[Daved]

Thanks for your replies Gents. Only seven years later

[Tfk]

Otis Smith was also lead singer for "The Albert" on Perception. Don't know where the hell that group name came from but I doubt it did them any favours! They were a psychedelic/jazzy outfit but they cut a killer crossover tune on one of their albums called "One Life", with Otis sounding as superb as you would expect.

Jordi

Here here Jordi...hope alls good!

A great shout on this goodie piece.....twas a floorshaking hip swinging on the hour every hour dance floor clearer powerplay at Thorne in those groovy bad good good old days [but hey to no avail or very little interest at all aka it flopped] but over the Pennines in Manchester and hey that there rare groove maistro Mr Dean Johnson DJ flirted with it to say the least at the Parkers soul nights toooooo ...MMMM to a packed hoooose/dance floor ?? but hey still sounds good and fresh for todays tabs ??? Dig it !!!! ya can just make out Otis Smith on the wee group photo on the sleeve.....

right on right on and ktf tfk

Edited October 13, 2012 by tfk

[Tfk]

Thanks for your replies Gents. Only seven years later

hi Daved

Yep that aint to bad 7 years???

Hey if you can wait just a wee while longer for some more info on OS or at least until Richard Searlings book is published sometime during 2013 - Otis Smith is infact one of the artists featured in Richards forthcoming book : " Can I have look through your records, mate?" which details Richards life of collecting and playing soul music.

a quick snippet from an exchange with RS

Andy

Otis smith was not the same guy who,worked at abc and then bev glen as an executive.

As Jordan states, he was in the group, the Albert, discovered by dean at Parkers, an lp track made quite big by him actually.

For those interested, Otis is one of the artists featured in my forthcoming book : " can I have look through your records, mate?" Which details my life collecting and playing soul.

The book should be out before the end of 2013.

Please feel free to share this information with the brothers and sisters on Ss if you wish?

Kind regards

Richard

Canna wait!!

ktf tfk

Edited October 13, 2012 by tfk

[cloth ears]

News to me that its a cover up do you mean soudomin (Spell checker wont work)

Got it on Perception with Alley full of trash on B side allways thorgt it was the original

Top tune just love the laid back lyrics

thats the original the boot has the instrumental on B side i have different coloured one than all the others iv ever seen will post it up later .

as far as i remember dave burton and i sold the first one found to mr minshull at the torch , still a wonderful sound.

[cloth ears]

this is it!