Soulfulsolutions

A very nice white demos up for offers, pictures sound files Closing 8pm on Monday 29 April 2019, unless I receive any offer I can't refuse in between. Benny Sigler – Who you gonna turn to / I can’t give you love – Phil L.A. 314 WD Ex+ Offers Benny was the older brother of the firmly established Bunny Sigler, who recorded predominantly for his home state’s Parkway label. It’s fair to say that Benny lived in the shade of his brothers success, but he still managed to carve out a career in the industry as a writer and producer with Gamble and Huff on Philadelphia International Records. He chanced his arm as an artist with an early 60’s outing on the Bamboo label, which was probably a timely reminder that his musical talent lay in another direction to his brother. He waited many years to record again, this time on Phil L.A. 314 in 1968. This double sider demonstrated how tight the industry was, with Les Tre Femme providing the traditional Northern backing. Covered by Richard Searling as Randolph Walker Benny’s release became an instant hit with the Wigan crowd. Never showed up, so may have dropped from earshot! Beautiful excellent plus copy with excellent labels showing just a hint of age with ring wear. Minimum offer £750. Benny Sigler - Who you gonna turn to.mp3 Benny Sigler - I can give you love.mp3 UK postage included, overseas to be agreed. Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Cheers, Lee

A tasty assortment of 60’s movers, groovers and shakers, smashing tunes everywhere. Sound files on request. Please PM any questions or reservations. Orlons – Once upon a time / Kissin’ time ABC 10948 WD M- £25 Johnny Wyatt – This thing called love – Bronco 2052 M- £150 SOLD (Essential for any DJ or collectors’ box, just the most sublime unadulterated floor filler around) Carl Douglas – Marble and iron – Buddah 212 Ex+ £50 SOLD Barbara Mercer – Hey! / Can’t stop loving you – Golden World 21 Ex+ £15 Gail Wynters – You don’t have to be in love – Hickory 1478 WD M- £50 Prophets – I got the fever – Mercury 1097 WD NM £ 200 SOLD (Condition, condition, condition, a spotless UK copy and what a great tune too) Beverly Ann – He’s coming home – RCA 9269 WD M- £125 Betty Barnes – Walking down broadway – RCA 9274 WD M- £30 (I was put onto this femme beat ballad back in the late 80s by Alan Rhodes, one time Wigan DJ, he knew his stuff, what a guy) Rose Valentine – I’ve gotta know right now – RCA 9276 WD M- £100 Maria Dallas – Ambush – RCA 9279 WD M- £70 (Superb R&B, a dark horse on the label) Sidney Barnes – You’ll always be in style – Red Bird 10039 WD M- £200 SOLD (Checklist out, artist - tick, song - tick, label - tick, winner - tick, minor edge lift DNAP - tick) Gloria Lane – Lets get together / Love of my life – Spotlight 1001 M- £750 (Championed under cover by Ginger Taylor as Betty Baker & Heartbreakers, this incredibly rare femme double sider is a class act. “Let’s get together” with its rasping brassy intro and Motownesque quality vocals gets my vote. This Spotlight label 45 from New York is in tip-top condition, with just a P penned on the flip. One appeared on DISCOGs at 1500 if you want!) Gloria Lane - Lets get together.mp3 Gloria Lane - Love of my life.mp3 Dennis Robinson & Original Tams – Trial run – Talent Attraction 303 Ex £100 (Lesser known North Carolinan soul) Grover Mitchell – What hurts – Vanguard 5003 Ex- £100 UK Ballads – I can’t see your love – Vee-Jay 714 WD Ex+ £150 SOLD (Music to drive cars too, well over the speed limit.....) Joe Moore – I ain’t – Verve 10566 Ex £35 (Rarer dark blue label issue) Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: £1.60 – 1st Class, insured up to £50 £2.80 – Signed for, 1st Class, insured up to £50 £7.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £500 £8.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £1000 Overseas on request Cheers, Lee

A mix of bloke and blokess crossover and to mid-70s! All cracking tunes, sound files available on request. Please PM any questions or reservations. Dee Dee Sharp – What kind of lady – Action 4511 M- £100 SOLD Bettye Swann – Kiss my love goodbye – Atlantic 3019 M- £75 SOLD Sam Dees – Fragile, handle with care – Atlantic 3287 DJ M- £80 Ronnie Shannon – Sweet games of love – Black Gold 3 Ex+ £100 SOLD (In-demand for the top side, the flip “Count your chips” is Vg+ with audible feedback) Terry Callier – I just can’t help myself – Cadet 5497 WD M- £75 SOLD Judson Moore – Everybody push and pull – Capri 109 Ex £100 Lou Edwards & Today’s People – Talkin’ bout poor folks – Columbia 45611 WD Ex £150 Shelly Fisher – I’ll leave you girl – Kapp 2114 WD M- £125 Eula Cooper – Beggars can’t be choosey – Note 7208 WD Ex £75 SOLD Webs – Give in / Its so hard to break a habit – Popside 4595 WD M- £200 SOLD (2 brilliant sides, minor edge lift, DNAP) Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: £2.80 – Signed for, 1st Class, insured up to £50 £7.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £500 Overseas on request Cheers, Lee

3 crackers up for grabs! Please PM any questions or reservations. Lonnie Russ – Say girl – Kerwood 711 WD Ex £1300 SOLD (Brilliant ever popular oldie with a decent flip. The label shows minor pitting, and the vinyl has been wiped with something that has dulled the sheen, but despite this it plays like a dream at mint minus all the way through, no audible feedback at all, listen to sound file) Lonnie Russ - Say girl 2.mp3 Ringleaders – Baby what has happened to our love – M-Pac! 7232 Ex+ £300 SOLD (Totally reliable Chicago, flip “Love start again” is Ex-) Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: £7.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £500 £8.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £1000 £9.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £2500 Overseas on request Cheers, Lee

Keeping low ahead of the storm, so time to kill with a short listing of quality tunes! Please PM any questions or reservations. Lovations – Later Baby - Cap City 113 Ex+ £300 SOLD (Stunning ever popular girl group crossover, sumptuous) Johnny Caswell – You don’t love me anymore – Decca 32017 DJ M- £600 SOLD (Wonderful brassy Latin tinged dancer, been around as a top play forever. Conservatively graded near mint copy, you won’t need an upgrade. Company bag) Overtones – What would I do – Hip City 1 Ex- £900 (Outstanding soulful vocals on this melancholy mid-tempo rarity. One-off label release from Wilmington, Delaware, typifies the hard to find Northern obscurities, and coupled with a juicy beat ballad. To look at, its Excellent, but Graded Excellent Minus for the odd light pop in feedback. Labels have light ring wear, lightly penciled X on flip, SO hard to find this in great condition, the few that have turned up are normally knackered) Overtones - What would I do.mp3 Shelley Fisher – I‘ll leave you (girl) – Kapp 2114 WD M- £125 (Smooth crossover) Larry Williams – I’m the one / You ask for one good reason – Okeh WD M- £150 SOLD (Belting double sider in absolutely tip-top condition) Four Arts – Who do you think you are – Shee 100 Ex- £300 SOLD (Superb New York group soul dancer, plays Ex or better, graded visually as Ex- due to some marks that DNAP) Four Arts - Who do you think you are.mp3 Gwen Davis – I can’t be your part time baby / My man don’t think I know – Sound Stage Seven 2557 DJ M- £250 SOLD (Disc Jockey copies much harder to find, I always see these in much weaker condition, M- vinyl on this great copy) Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: £2.50 – 1st Class Signed For (at buyer’s risk for items over £50) £7.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £500 £8.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £1000 Overseas on request Cheers, Lee

A gorgeous double sider with a funky edge up for grabs. Harvey Scales & Seven Sounds – Trying to survive / Bump your thang – Magic Touch 3002 M- £1800 SOLD Milwaukee, Wisconsin is not the most obvious source of rare soul, but this is where Lennie LaCour established Magic Touch Records in 1964 having left Chicago for a brief spell. He discovered and produced Harvey Scales, a prominent figure in the large Magic Touch catalogue. Northern material is deep seated throughout the label, ranging from the real rarities like Harveys “Trying to survive”, Mar-J-s “I’ve got to find a way out” and Sean Taylor’s raucous “Never do I worry” through to the more obscure and semi known like Evelyn Smiths “You don’t mean a thing to me”. Harvey enjoyed a phenomenal writing, recording, producing and performing career, still revered and inspiring audiences at live gigs right up until he passed away a few weeks ago. I can’t work out when or why the Seven Sounds became the Seven Seas, but the band was a significant force in this full blown relationship. In 1969 at the time of the release of “Trying to survive” members were Rudi Jacobs, Ray Armstead, Mannie Smith, Bill Purtie, Bill Stonewall and Mel Taylor, the sax player and co-writer with Harvey on this excellent studio session. At some point Magic Touch was moved to Illinois. Trying to survive is a story of hard times, the USA at a turning point, sung with a heavy heart, worrying about family matters and the bleak future. This song should be dark, but its a beautifully crafted gentle persuasive story on a lilting crossover backing with occasional funky edged break. My first attempt to buy this many years ago was beaten back in an auction that exceeded $3500, and for good reason as it turned out to be a very rare original 45. The flip “Bump your thang” is an accomplished string driven track, so a cool double sider. Vinyl on both sides is a conservative Mint Minus, labels are the same. The only thing to report is a very mild edge lift that does not affect play. Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: £10.00 – Special Delivery (Fully Insured) Overseas on request Cheers, Lee Harvey Scales & Seven Sounds - Trying to survive.mp3

Gene Toones - What more do you want.mp3Northern monster in tip top condition up for grabs….. PM any questions or to reserve. Gene Toones – What more do you want – Simco 30000 WD M- OFFERS SOLD Simco Music was owned by Richard Simpson, a prominent 60s jazz and gospel producer. His short flirtation with the soul genre around 66-67, was captured in 4 releases, 3 by Gene and another by Sandy Wynns. None appeared to scale the heights they needed to provide the stardom they sought. This tiny New York label distributed by Bell Records has proven to be yet another example of a humble source of Northern gold, with “What more do you want” fantasised over by probably everyone ever to pass through the scene. Genes own career looked bleak, drifting aimlessly around various labels, cutting no more than a handful of tracks for the likes of Anette, Chumley and Wand, even the national proved a fruitless enterprise. With no obvious record of success, this wonderfully athletic vocalist appears to have been satisfied with his lot, surviving on these meagre opportunities to express his musical talent. This Jesse Herring production is pure class though, sailing along on a sea of trumpets, drums rolling like surf and the backing girls surfacing like mermaids the deep. Gene recorded as Eugene Toon on a Locus label LP in the late 70s, returning to his Gospel roots, which clearly guided his divine rich voice. Vinyl is Mint Minus, graded conservatively, the top side stunning and only some light sleeve lines on the flip. Bell sound and Shelly stamped original of course. Labels are clean and sharp white, with only light label ripple on the top side where the glue around the centre hole has not stood the test of time. This is reported as a typical thing for Shelly pressing plant labels and be assured It’s not coming away any decade soon! You're not gonna want to upgrade this, unless it’s a Blue stocker! Minimum offer is £3000. I’ll let it run for a few days, unless I get one I can’t refuse. Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: Overseas on request Cheers, Lee. Gene Toones - What more do you want.mp3

A few tidy little tunes up for grabs! Please PM any questions or reservations. Ritchie Adams – I can’t escape from you – Congress 256 Ex £550 SOLD (Labels show some grubbiness, vinyl has a couple of feint pops but otherwise solid Ex) Anthony & Aqua Lads – I remember – Gold Bee 1656 M- £250 SOLD (Turn to soul beach scene group, mesmeric track, love it) Shelley Fisher – I‘ll leave you (girl) – Kapp 2114 WD M- £150 SOLD (Smooth crossover) Larry Williams – I’m the one / You ask for one good reason – Okeh WD M- £150 SOLD (Belting double sider in absolutely top condition) Willie Kendrick – Change your ways / What’s that on your finger – RCA 9212 WD M- £450 SOLD (One of thee double siders to have, up-tempo and beat ballad fighting it out for the slip mat on your turntable) Celeste Hardie – You’re gone – Reynolds 200 Ex £1200 SOLD (Popular to say the least, not M-, but a nice Ex, light ring wear) Four Arts – Who do you think you are – Shee 100 Ex- £300 SOLD (Plays Ex or better, some marks DNAP, reduced from 375) Gwen Davis – I can’t be your part time baby / My man don’t think I know – Sound Stage Seven 2557 DJ M- £275 SOLD (Disc Jockey copies much harder to find, I always see these in much weaker condition, M- vinyl on this great copy) Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: £2.50 – 1st Class Signed For (at buyer’s risk for items over £50) £7.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £500 £8.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £1000 Overseas on request Cheers, Lee

20+ doubles pulled from the vaults of my Motown demo collection….. My advice is not to ignore these Motor City gems, but to take the time to remind yourself of the sheer brilliance of Hitsville USA, captured in this relatively short but juicy list of tracks. Universally the most aired Soul output for most of the 60’s. Some show signs of use, mainly with writing on labels, others immaculate, but all play well enough to sell. Conservatively graded. As ever sound files available on request, PM to ask any questions or reserve. All WHITE DEMOs 1) Temptations – The girl’s alright with me / I’ll be in trouble – Gordy 7032 Ex+ £30 SOLD 2) Temptations – Beauty is only skin deep / same – Gordy 7055 M- £30 2 X on flip 3) Temptations – I could never love another (after losing your love) / same – Gordy 7072 M- £20 4) Edwin Starr – War / same – 7101 Ex+ £25 SOLD Red vinyl, light ring wear, initials and date on flip 5) Supremes – A breath taking buy….. (long title) / Rock and roll banjo band – Motown 1044 Ex- £25 SOLD 6) Carolyn Crawford – Forget about me / Devil in his heart – Motown 1050 Ex- £50 SOLD Looks M- plays with light pops but doesn’t impact on audio pleasure and the top side is a fantastic tune! 7) Mary Wells – My guy / Oh little boy – Motown 1056 Vg+ £10 😎 Supremes – Come see about me / Always in my heart Motown 1068 Ex £30 SOLD Pure class 9) Four Tops – Your love is amazing / It’s the same old song – Motown 1081 M- £30 Distributor stamp and title circled in pen on “Same old” 10) Four Tops – Loving you is sweeter than ever / same – Motown 1096 M- £25 11) Supremes – You can’t hurry love / same – Motown 1097 M- £20 SOLD 12) Tammi Terrell – This old heart of mine / same – Motown 1138 M- £25 13) Tammi Terrell – This old heart of mine / same – Motown 1138 Vg+ £10 Top side plays fine, flip more marks 14) Barbara Randolph – I got a feeling / same – Soul 35038 M- £60 Another outstanding track by a Motown female “B” lister 15) Jimmy Ruffin – Farewell is a lonely sound – Soul 35060 M- £20 Red vinyl, what’s the story, were these distributed for juke boxes by Seeburg? Another rock solid mid-tempo delight. 16) Miracles – Mickey’s monkey / Whatever makes you happy – Tamla 54083 Ex £20 SOLD Light stain on label 17) Miracles – Tracks of my tears / A fork in the road – Tamla 54118 Vg+ £30 Much rarer West Coast release, with Jobete’s “Quality Control” stamp and reference to Monarch pressing date of 24 Jun 65, nice provenance! 18) Marvelettes – Danger heartbreak dead ahead / Your cheating ways – Tamla 54120 Ex £35 SOLD Much rarer West Coast release, date 7/65 and initial on top side, clean flip 19) Miracles – My girl has gone / same – Tamla 54123 Ex+ £20 This is a beautifully crafted piece of soul and possible the best tune in this selection 20) Miracles – Going to a go-go / Choosey beggar – Tamla 54127 Ex £25 Catalogue number and 2 X on top label, flip clean 21) Brenda Holloway – Just look what you done / same – Tamla 54148 M- £35 SOLD Superb tune, dull white labels PayPal as friends or add 4% please Postage: £1.25 – 1st Class (covers to £50 £2.50 - 1st Class Signed For (covers to £50) £7.50 - Special Delivery (Fully insured over £50) Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee

Great spot, thank you I nearly mentioned it in the write up, and even though I had it once for the life of me couldn't remember the artist or label, but the tune I knew I knew! A later answer song, as this is dated about Sep 67, see Billboard

Joining me in the queue! Nice one 😂👍

Hi Chalky, said exactly that in the text mate 😄 see after Phil Terrell

Brilliant girl group double sider up for grabs….. PM any questions or to reserve Tiaras – Love’s made a connection / You’re my man – Seton 777 Ex+ £1000 Just when you think that it may be easy to pin information down, along come the Tiaras, 3 groups in fact, the Los Angeles outfit who we are focusing on here, another from New Jersey and the girls from Toronto who I have a date with but are on a long rain check! Our LA Tiaras; Latish Thelma Harvell, Joyce Williams and Edna Woods, are most famous for backing Rita (Graham) who was reputedly drafted in at the last minute by the producer Lou Baretto to lead on “Gone with the wind has my love”, probably the most famous release from Lew Bedells fabulously rich Dore catalogue. Rita who is still performing in Jazz circles said she never knew the girls, who were a studio backing group. The Tiaras actually recorded the Seton sides in 66, well before Dore. They later emerged on a previously unknown take of “Gone with the wind” fronted this time by Gloria Jones, but its hard to work out whether they backed her on the mid 60s Uptown releases and an alternate take, or by some modern day feat of engineering. There are similarities between the Seton and several Dore releases, with Jack Eskew and Rob Baumgardner featuring as arranger (Eskew) and writers. Clearly a close knit circle and the lone 777 release on Seton still much of a mystery, but 2 class sides both fit for the Northern scene, so if you don’t know the flip, you’re in for a treat. Not bad for a backing group! Our Jersey City girls were; Lilly Hammond, Lois Joiner, Lorraine Robinson, Margie Godbolt who from Tiaras went on to become the Pets on MGM and Carnival, and latterly the Lovettes on Carnival. They were close to Phil Terrell. Our Canadian girls were; Arlene Trotman, Brenda Russell, Colina Phillips and Jackie Richardson. Their Op-Art double sider no longer a close kept secret, hence my long rain check! Let’s be grateful Chicago’s Gloria and the T-Airas - I’m satisfied – Betty, took copyright seriously! Remains a very hard to find 45, probably more so than R&Ts on Dore. As you can see in the pictures there is label wear on both sides, less on the top side with a green X. If you are not worried about aesthetics, then this is for you, because the vinyl on both sides is Excellent Plus playing Mint Minus. Advice was that I could ask for more, but I am taking label wear into consideration. https://soundcloud.com/user-833795819/loves-made-a-connection https://soundcloud.com/user-833795819/youre-my-man PayPal as friends or add 4% or bank transfer please. Postage: £9.50 - Special Delivery Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee Tiaras - Loves made a connection.mp3 Tiaras - You're my man.mp3

I can hear it now, not another one! Major label this time, an absolute beauty too…. PM and questions or to reserve Turley Richards – I feel all right – Columbia 43837 WD M- £650 SOLD I’ll keep it simple tonight, no write up, just a good old barnstormer blowing its own trumpet. Turley’s distinctive vocal on this floor filler leans towards a speeded up Hayes Cotton for me. Brill tubes bursting all over and a foot to the floor beat. Apart from a couple of very light superficial sleeve lines, and you have to look hard, I describe this as visually Mint Minus and plays the same. Labels nice and clean too. Sound files on request. PayPal as friends or add 4% or bank transfer please. Postage: £8.50 - Special Delivery Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee

Outrageously popular Philly double sider on rare Disc Jockey copy….. PM any questions or to reserve Frank Beverly & the Butlers – If that’s what you wanted / Love (Your pain goes deep) – Sassy 1002 WD M- £750 Born Howard Beverly in Philadelphia in 1946, Frankie went on to a level of stardom and success that was far beyond many of those we idolize on the scene. If only some of those in the wilderness were afforded a snip of Franks exposure the world would be a fairer place. He did it all though, singer, songwriter and producer, quite the talent. Of most interest are the 60’s releases, straddling an array of Philly labels, Liberty Bell, Guyden, Fairmount, Phila, Sassy, Parkway and Gamble over a long stretch between 63 and 69. The Butlers; Jack “Sonny” Nicholson, Joe Collins, John Fitch and Talmadge Conway were as formidable a group as any lead could wish for, and not necessarily hanging around on the coat tails of Frankie either. Of course, I must mention the biggie, “Because of my heart” initially released on the Parkway subsidiary Fairmount, but latterly finding its way to Tom Rouse’s tiny NY Rouser label, famous for the El Corols “Chick-Chick”. I don’t know what Sassy Records where thinking, but the tempo of the day was far slower than Northern jocks would have wanted it. The labels efforts to get a hit with "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)" saw the 45 fail miserably, made doubly worse when it was re-released on the bigger Gamble label a year later. Whilst that was a death knell for the uptempo flip it comes as no surprise that the frenetic Northern scene picked up on “Wanted” first, mellowing enough over the years to accept that hard edged melancholic flip “Love” with the same affection. Pure class though, both sides. A very rare white demo, vinyl on both sides is M-, and plays as such, only things to report is the top side has 1 light fingernail mark, and the flip a pressing bubble at intro, neither affect play. Labels are clean with just the slightest hint of use over its 50 years of existence. Sound files on request. PayPal as friends or add 4% or bank transfer please. Postage: £8.50 - Special Delivery Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee

Brilliant, but most probably only semi-known, and on very rare white demo too….. PM any questions or to reserve Webs – Don’t ever hurt me / Little girl blue – Dynamic 109 Ex- £1100 ON HOLD I revel in a bit of Texan soul, and you don’t have to look any further than Abe Epstein’s Dynamic label for a wealth of Northern and Chicano Soul winners. With over 20 releases in under 3 years it is hands down one the best sources of soul output from San Antonio. Abe was the not only the owner, but the producer at his General McMullen studio. On his passing at the age of 74 back in 2012 he was described as one of Texas’s early music visionaries and a pioneer, along with the likes of Huey P. Meaux, Sir Douglas (Quintet) and Sonny Ozuna (Key-Loc & Tear Drop) creating and promoting what was to be known as the West Side Sound. His music, some 900 songs, were recorded on a two-track machine. One pair in particular “No time for you / Hey its love” for the Commands who were picked up by Abe after winning an Air Force national talent contest. Willie Leroy Cooper (aka Sonny) and the Webs originated from Galveston and recorded on Dynamic in 66 and 67. Willie, a church singer, formed the group with childhood friends for Guyden as early as 63. They stuck together, recording for some pretty impressive labels over a short span of 3 years, Whiz, MGM, Atlantic, Pop-Side and Verve. They travelled the country and opened for acts such as Gladys Knight & the Pips at New York’s, Apollo Theatre. I can’t trace the names of the remaining members, although Marshall Boxley is credited on several Webs releases across all labels, suggesting he was with them. This double sider brings the best out of the classy Cooper on lead (although not credited), one mid to up-tempo dancer the other a gorgeous beat ballad, both hinged on exquisite group harmonies laced with subtle horns, these relaxed tempos are still punchy enough for the dance floor. Pure class and a dream for a DJ. I’m hinting that Texas still has so much more untapped soul to offer. Vinyl on both sides shows light use, with the occasional pop or 2, but nothing to distract for the overall audible pleasure. Graded visually as Excellent Minus but Plays Excellent or better. Labels show smudges from the printing process and some light ring wear. Soundfiles on request, soundcloud won't allow insert! PayPal as friends or add 4% or bank transfer please. Postage: £9.50 - Special Delivery Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee Webs - Don't ever hurt me2.mp3 Webs - Little girl blue2.mp3

Another gorgeous and hard to find 45 in great shape….. PM and questions or to reserve Ultimates – Girl I’ve been trying to tell you / I just can’t stand it – Br-roma 101 Ex+ £500 Brooklyn born Bruce Clarke worked in music all of his life, singing harmonies with childhood friends, opening and running a record store on Clinton Street in Red Hook, NY, producing the Enchanted Five and Topics of ”Booking up baby" fame - amongst others, owning and working labels like Br-roma, CVS, Sirocco, Zanzee and touring with Erma Franklin. Clearly Bruce is another fine example of one of a multitude of un-recognised music people that inadvertently presented the scene with the titles we cherish. At their peak the Enchanted Five went on the road as the opening act for Erma. The Ultimates were formed as a result of the untimely deaths of Ray Railey and Freeman (full name unknown) from the CVS outfit, whose remaining members were Donnie Scales, Earl Railey (brother to Ray) and Jimmy Radford. The CVS label emanates from Clarke, Venieriee & Smith. Arthur Venieriee was one of the original managers for Ohio Players and Joseph Peppy Smith was a buyer and marketing rep at J & R Music World. The passing of those 2 band members led the survivors of the Columbus, Ohio outfit to bring in new blood in the form of Nate (Nathanial) Hayden and another member whose name has long been forgotten to form the Ultimates. Clarke recorded the Ultimates in New York. They stayed in town for three or four days, completing a session of tracks, which appeared on their later album ”You’re my lady” and when that was over, they left again. Clarke didn’t have any control of the group or what they did workwise except for the recording on Br-Roma. The Ultimates reputedly completed one other recording after Clarke lost touch without knowing what name they did it under. The label name is derived from 2 of Clarke’s sons Br - Bruce, Ro - Robert, and a nephew, Ma – Mark. This beautiful example of a 70’s crossover dancer is coupled with a smoozy mid-tempo sweet soul winner, and the only thing to report is a very mild edge lift that does not affect play and light ring wear on the top side, otherwise it’s a fantastic slab of vinyl. https://soundcloud.com/user-833795819/girl-ive-been-trying-to-tell-you PayPal as friends or add 4% or bank transfer please. Postage: £7.50 - Special Delivery Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee Ultimates - Girl I've been trying to tell you2.mp3

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Authentic Festival release from LA’s Monarch Records plant, don’t miss out on one of the scene’s best….. The Flirtations – Stronger than her love – Festival 705 WD EX+ £650 SOLD Well documented I know but formerly the Gypsies recording on Old Town records, with favourites like “It’s a woman’s world”, “Jerk it” and the nice underplayed “Diamonds, rubies and fame”. The group comprised of Leslie Johnson, and sisters Ernestine, Shirley and Betty Pearce, all from South Carolina, an ever issuing spring for youthful soul talent. Their formation for New York’s Old Town label in 62 was the beginning of a journey that is still chugging along to this day, appearing at Headingly Carnegie Stadium in 2017. Moving as the Flirtations to the Josie label, Johnson left, Viola Billups joined and their single release “Change my darkness into light” crashed, unable to repeat earlier successes, so it was over to Herb Abramson’s Festival label for another reinvigoration, but again “Stronger than her love” failed to take off. It may not have influenced the paying customer at the time but how could anything with Sidney Barnes and Horace Ott involved have failed to make an impact? Thankfully that’s not the case on the Northern scene where for over 50 years those names have been linked with some of the most popular records to own or play and an unsurpassed stamp of pure class wherever those names appear. Between then and now Betty left, the Flirts went trio, and Billups was replaced by Loretta Noble in 74. Although they signed for the Parrot label, most of their 70’s releases were on Deram, notable dancers included “Nothing but a heartache”, “Someone out there” (cover of Candy & Kisses on Decca) and my fave “How can you tell me”. . PLEASE DO NOT confuse this sale with the 70’s pressing, you could park a car in the run out on that cheap nasty boot. This is the real deal and rare too, sandwiched between the Los Angeles red label as the rarest format and the New York multi-coloured advance disc jockey copy, still rare but more common and probably most sought after! This white demo has the same run out markings as the east coast press, AB F1124, but additionally Delta 64784 and the Monarch Records (MR) machine stamp. The run out is much-much smaller than the boot, 7mm to be precise and it’s a match to the east coast, I know I have both in my hands! Beautiful deep luster on the styrene, conservatively graded, plays with high fidelity. Clean labels, and only the date 19/12/66 written over the top side logo, just provenance really. Images and sound files on request. Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: £8.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £1000 Overseas on request One final tip, if you haven’t seen it, check out you tube for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=874Qetm7UBc Absolutely fabulous! Cheers, Lee

Rufus and roots superb!

Ol’ Virginia dance floor filler up for grabs Sheepherders feat. Bubba Bailey – If ever you need me – Sounds International 638 Ex £1200 Reduced to £1000 for a short time if anyone interested? SOLD Warren Miller founded D’Arcy Sound Studios in Norfolk, Virginia sometime in 66 providing the launchpad for his first label “Sounds International”, building a moderate catalogue that offers up a small number of collectable Northern tracks including Elsie Strong’s gorgeous cover of the Four Tops “Ask the lonely”, and the Del-Notes and Nite Liters which are reportedly good blue eyed soul. Miller latterly formed Nottingham Disc Co. and changed the studio name to Studio Center in an effort take the set up to new heights. He expanded the operation, offering other artists the chance to record there, including The Regents featuring Mel Gaines, famous for another Northern winner “What’ cha gonna do” on the Mad label, which I highly recommend. The focus here of course is the Sheepherders release on 638, an up-tempo dancer that has enjoyed short periods of exposure on the scene at various points over the years. They band were renowned for their availability for fraternity parties. A short drumroll and horn fanfare propel the rhythm section off a at controlled canter to the finish line. Like other bands out of Virginia and the Carolinas its white musicians were fronted by a black vocalist to attract a soul market, in the instance it’s Bubba Bailey who plies his trade brilliantly against the backdrop of classic organ. The Sheepherders went on to become the Royale VII on the Windmill label, most famous for “It’s an explosion”. Overall condition of the 45 is a pleasant Excellent, some light marks from use on the vinyl, more so on the flip than top side and labels, no more effect on play that than you would expect from a record graded so. Clean labels, showing the lightest ring wear. PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own reassurance please. I can send details for bank transfer. Postage: £8.50 - Special Delivery full insured. Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee Sheepherders - If ever you need me.mp3

Over to set sale on this Northern rarity….. E. Williams – Trade my soul to the devil – Jaa Dee 505 M- £3000 SOLD E. Williams - Trade my soul to the devil.mp3 Previously well documented on these pages, but just to remind you its Near Mint but described as Mint Minus to be conservative. Clean full deep luster on vinyl that plays like a dream. Labels clean and blemish free. I may consider part trade on a portion of the price. PayPal as friends or add 4% for your re-assurance, or bank transfer please. Happy to spread if required. Cheers, Lee

New York group soul up for grabs.... Four Arts – Who do you think you are – Shee 100 Ex- £375 Not often I see 45’s from the Bronx!. This short-lived label hails from East Tremont, and with “Little Nicky Soul’s” sought after “I wanted to tell you” as the only other release it’s another sad tale of just how obscure our Northern heritage can be, a tiny outfit and 2 discs so right for us yet the immediate demise of Shee perhaps a sign of the times back in the early 60’s. The highly regarded Sidney Barnes was involved in the labels set up, asked by the owner (and writer) Larry Roberts to provide the name and logo for this cool pink label. Its seems that Barnes (Elsid) and Richard Tee, another excellent producer and musician, were moonlighting for this label and probably others whilst contracted to Motown’s publishing arm Jobete. The group comprised of 2 pairs of relations, Lee & Cleve Gilliard, and Dave & Ike Richards, who in this one-off release for the group created a harmony laden mid-tempo group dancer that to my ears is very much like the vocal style of Shrine’s male groups, but without the fantastical backing tracks. Graded Excellent Minus due to a light scuff, and some light sleeve marks, none of which affect playback, which is graded as Ex+. Top label is clean, and flip has a felt tipped “A” on it. PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own reassurance please. I can send details for bank transfer. Postage: £2.50 – 1st Class Signed For up to £50 cover (at buyer’s risk) £7.50 - Special Delivery full insured. Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee Four Arts - Who do you think you are.mp3 Appreciation to contributors on Soul Source for some of the information include here. 👍

A superb Windy City oldie up for grabs and at its most glorious best too….. Adams Apples – Don’t take it out on this world – Brunswick 55330 M- OFFERS Imagine, if you were stuck in your downtown Chicago apartment today of all days, avoiding those record breaking minus 15-20 degree temperatures and you needed just little bit more warmth in your life what would you turn to? Well, any self-respecting Soulie wouldn’t need extra layers of clothing, a duvet or the expense of cranking up the heating. You’d simply plug in the turntable, pull a few of your favourite 45’s and spin them until the warmth returned to your cheeks, and you wouldn’t care what cheeks either! Let’s face it the Brunswick yellow demo would bring the colour back, but a black stock copy in prime condition, WOW that gets mercury rising. A super rarity in this format given its a major label release. As one of America’s leading R&B record companies throughout the 60’s it comes as no surprise that they had an eye on all the music genres, using Adams Apples as part of the attempt to gain chart footholds with the Garage / Psych market, but this group proved a hot potato for this normally white band orientated scene when they learnt the group was black, rejecting this wonderful slab of Northern Soul. Their loss is our gain. I would describe the 45 as Near Mint, but I am always conservative so Mint Minus it is, but that does allow for the name “Rosie” lightly written on the label and the customs hole. Otherwise it’s a stunning slab of vinyl with ring wear free rainbow arrow labels, so clean you could shave with it! Ignore the white line through full disc scan, it is a mark on the scanner glass and any white flecks on the photos are simply dust from my cloth. Given that I saw 3 demos sell for £750 last year, It's hard to determine a set sale price for the stock copy, so I am open to offers, letting it run until I get a reasonable offer I’m happy with. PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own reassurance please. I can send details for bank transfer. Postage: £7.50 - Special Delivery full insured. Overseas on Request Cheers, Lee

Handfulfrom across the board tunes, not a duffer amongst them! Please PM any questions or reservations. Sound files on request. Ultimates – Girl I’ve been trying to tell you / I just can’t stand it – Br-roma 101 Ex+ £500 SOLD (Great example of a 70’s New York crossover dancer is coupled with a smoozy mid-tempo sweet soul winner, and the only thing to report is a very mild edge lift and light ring wear, otherwise it’s a fantastic slab of vinyl) Terry Callier – I just can’t help myself – Cadet 5697 WDJ M- £100 (What an artist, virtually everything he did is so collectable, regardless of what decade too) Main Attraction – I’ve got love for my baby – Cindy 001 M- £325 SOLD (Great double sider out of Flint, Michigan, raw group soul and a real hidden gem) Flirtations – Stronger than her love – Festival 705 WDJ Ex+ £700 SOLD (Original West Coast demo, far less around than the multi-coloured DJ copy but in the shadow of the red stocker. Simply one of the most recognisable and floor filling tunes over the years) Sheepherders – If ever you need me – Sounds International 638 Ex £1200 SOLD (Virginian Northern at its very best, featuring the irrepressible lead Bubba Bailey. A few light marks but plays through great, again with minimal feedback) Emanuel Laskey – Never my love – Westbound 151 M- £80 SOLD (Fabulously slick mid-tempo) Content with PayPal by friends or add 4% for your own assurance, or I can take bank transfers. Postage: £2.50 – 1st Class Signed For (at buyer’s risk for items over £50) £7.50 – Special Delivery full insurance for 45’s up to £500 Overseas on request Cheers, Lee