AnthonyReichardt

In 1967, Steve Benson acquired the services of an artist co-worker at his day job at Disneyland to create a record label design. He wanted a 'Materhorn' styled image in the logo to coincide with the label name, 'Summit'. Both the Betty Willis and Jim McFarland Summit discs were pressed in 1968. Incidentally, Steve still has the original artwork cells used in the label design.

Steve Benson noted that the Jim McFarland and Betty Willis Summit singles were pressed by Alco. The Alco stamp is not visible in the run-out grooves nor are there any delta numbers, only the catalog numbers: 'Lonely Lover' - S-1791-A 'Let Me Be Your Man' - S-1791-B (Same track issued as the Messengers in 1965 - Era 3143)

Apparently, both the Summit pressing of 'Lonely Lover' and Mick Holdsworth's DCT Recorders acetate disc, have the longer fade which was edited out of the RPR issue.

Producer, Steve Benson said at that time, having already been within the recording industry for a few years, he learned just how slimy the record business was. His previous dealings leasing his productions to Era, Ava, Crusader and Venus were frustrating. Ava Records was infuriating. RPR was no different and him being only 24 years old, record executives basically just flicked him aside as if he were an annoying fly. He recalled that when he made the deal with RPR to release 'Lonely Lover', he submitted a mono tape copy of the final edit. They actually wanted the multi-track tapes, but having learned from past experiences, he declined to provide them. RPR did do some promotional advertising in the music magazines and the record was getting airplay in various markets. He held out and waited patiently for a short while for some compensation to come his way but in the end, the RPR deal would only garner him a mere $100 which he said that he had to struggle to get. He said that he showed up at their office in a older, worn building on Hollywood Boulevard only to find that they were headed out to the race track. After a 'tense' discussion, Steve was handed the cash. That was that.

The first issue of the Steve Benson produced Blue-Eyed Soul track, 'Lonely Lover' by Jim McFarland. Months later in 1969, it was issued by RPR Records credited to Jimmy McFarland. According to Benson, he gave co-producer credit to Wayne Martin because he was a nice guy who was the husband of his girlfriend's sister and that he put up some money for the session. He wasn't involved in the recording process. The creation of this track began when the then 22 year old producer was in the office of Mark Davis who after working as an executive at the Motown Records west coast office, had formed an independent production company. As Benson was leaving, Davis handed him an unlabeled 8" acetate disc and told him that they weren't going to release the recording on the disc and if he wanted to do anything with the song, he was welcome to it. The disc had a 1965 recording of 'Lonely Lover' by Marvin Gaye. Steve took up the offer and while at his job at Disneyland, asked the 25 year old arranger for the band at the Tomorrowland stage, Jack Eskew, if he would be interested in creating an arrangement for 'Lonely Lover'. He agreed and eventually, 13 musicians and three female background singers were booked for the session at Nashville West Recording Studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood to record the backing track along with a Motownesque cover of 'Baby I've Got It'. Originally, Ray Lockhart was suggested to Benson by singer Betty Willis to provided lead vocal on the tracks. Steve recalled that on the day before the vocal was to be recorded, he had a function up at his home. He had a professional hypnotist at the gathering who actually hypnotized Ray Lockhart. While Ray was under hypnosis, the hypnotist suggested that he would perform at his absolute best for the session the next day. Well, suffice to say, following the session at Wally Heider's Studio in Hollywood, although Steve was not satisfied with Lockhart's vocal on 'Lonely Lover', he nailed it brilliantly on 'Baby I've Got It'. At a later date shortly thereafter, Steve brought in vocalist Jim McFarland who he had recorded on several of his other productions, and had his vocal added to 'Lonely Lover' at Sound House Recorders in El Monte, California. After the track was mixed and mastered, Steve pressed it on his own label, Summit Records and distributed it to various radio stations. He gave the disc catalog number '1791' after the house number where his parents lived at 1791 Beverly Glen Drive in Tustin, California. Months later, Steve's friend, composer Lou Barreto, suggested that he set a up a deal with RPR to issue the record. Steve Benson said at that time, having already been within the recording industry for a few years, he learned just how slimy the record business was. His previous dealings leasing his productions to Era, Ava, Crusader and Venus were frustrating. Ava Records was infuriating. RPR was no different and him being only 24 years old, record executives basically just flicked him aside as if he were an annoying fly. He recalled that when he made the deal with RPR to release 'Lonely Lover', he submitted a mono tape copy of the final edit. They actually wanted the multi-track tapes, but having learned from past experiences, he declined to provide them. RPR did do some promotional advertising in the music magazines and the record was getting airplay in various markets. He held out and waited patiently for a short while for some compensation to come his way but in the end, the RPR deal would only garner him a mere $100 which he said that he had to struggle to get. He said that he showed up at their office in a older, worn building on Hollywood Boulevard only to find that they were headed out to the race track. After a 'tense' discussion, Steve was handed the cash. That was that.

Beverly Noble - BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU (Rally 502) - 1965 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ct9uKz1X2I

Dee Irwin - YOU SATISFY MY NEEDS (Rotate 851) - 1965 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiudiNvx24I