Roburt

Mary Wilson (in her book) talks about the 1962 (fall to Xmas) Motortown Revue ...... she lists some of the musicians involved ..... Choker Campbell, Tate Houston, Miller Brisker, Norris Patterson, Herbert Williams, Little John Wilson, Tommy Perkson, Benny Benjamin, 'Swing' Lee, Marvin Tarplin, Cornelious Grant, Teddy Harris, Joe Hunter, James Jamerson, James Outcault, etc. Must say, I've never heard of some of the guys !! The 1st date on that tour; a week at the Howard Theatre in DC ....

A story that illustrates how influential the Platters were back in the 60's ........ When the Miracles first auditioned for Berry Gordy he rejected them ...... ...... coz he thought their line-up / sound was too close to that of the Platters & the world didn't need another 4 boy + 1 girl group.

Another Carl Holmes French EP release ....... he has one cut (Mashed Potatoes) on this Atlantic VA release from 62 .........

1000's of records (45s, EPs, LPs) for sale on Indian Ebay, only trouble is most just seem to be music from Hindi movies !!!

This has to be the guy from Straight Ahead Productions: Doles Dickens .... ... seems he had a long association with Decca, maybe why Little Gigi's 45's ended up on the label .........

That's not the point Pete. The days of cover-ups are long over. If it ain't Willie Tee, why claim it is. To increase the hype !?! Surely we've had way too much of that already. We've grown up & are fully developed men now not boys. Just tell the truth, it's way simpler in the long run.

Sunnysoul, I think you're right. It was late 1963 (?) & the shows were recorded and released on an LP (Motortown Revue Vol.2 ?).

Back home now & able to access my book library .... there I have had the alternate book on Burt (BACHARACH: MAESTRO ! THE LIFE OF A POP GENIUS by Michael Brocken) for some time, though I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Tony Middleton does get a mention in this other book. It states that on BB's 'Hit Maker' LP (released in mid 65 & a charting album in the UK back then) cabaret man (!?!) Tony Middleton was one of the two guest vocalists. But "My Little Red Book" wasn't originally on this album (but was added when the LP was re-released on CD in the 90's). So I wonder which tracks Tony also adds his lead vocals to.

Two more of Little Gigi's 45s ............ seems she just about always worked with Straight Ahead ...

Little Gigi was signed to Straight Ahead Rhythm Inc in 64. This outfit was run by Jean Grace (song writer / arranger). At that time the outfit was also getting into TV work -- they made a show titled 'All The World of Music' that was screened in the US. Doles Dickens was a musical director for the company & in 64 he was making records (for them) with the likes of King Coleman (radio DJ with WWRL) and Kenny Burrell.

More stuff on Little Gigi (from 62 & 64) ............

Another Paul Anka released Indian 78 (this one dates from 1958/59 I believe) ....

Little Gigi was touring as early as 1962 when she seems to have had a popular record release ("Little Bit Of Love") .....

She recorded with / worked with Vernon Harrell. Harrell was from New York & he made some recordings himself in the 60's and 70's. Under the name Keidar Syenon Harrell he also co-wrote songs with J R Bailey. Decca Records got involved with the duo in 1964 .............

Seems that Little Gigi made a few good records in the 60's ..... Very little seems to be known about her but I've found a few relevant bits ..........

I have some (a couple I think) Indian pressed 45's from the 70's ... can't recall what they are though (memory shot due to old age). ALSO ... India was one of the countries that EMI used to ship it's old equipment to. Hence, you can find 78 releases there that run through to around the mid 60's (so some early soul tracks there will have been made available in 78 rpm format). In fact it seems that 78's were still being made in India up to 1970 .... see here ........... https://www.mustrad.org.uk/reviews/indrecbk.htm

Info on the set-up here ........... https://www.discogs.com/label/265890-EMI-Studios-301?page=1 https://www.milesago.com/industry/emi.htm

The people involved on the Motortown Revue shows would change even during the course of a single US tour ...... ..... The revue would be out on the road for around 3 months (they would play week long stints in all the big chitlin-circuit theaters (Fox, Regal, Royal, Howard, Apollo, etc.) and this would sometimes clash with some artists recording schedules. So, if Stevie Wonder was on the package as it left Detroit but 9 weeks later, he had to be back in Hitsville to cut some new stuff, he would be replaced on the revue line-up by another artist (who say had a new 45 out that needed promoting). ... ALSO .... when the revue were playing a gig close to home (the Fox Theater, etc.), extra acts / musicians would be added to the numbers involved. For instance, in 1964 (?) the show undertaken @ the Fox Theater in Detroit include the likes of Tommy Good & the Headliners and I'm sure these two acts weren't on the rest of the tour.

Her "Who Rolled The Stone Away" goes for a goodly sum ($150).

This version of the song was a big US hit.

So Ruth was playing live gigs with Karl Holmes & the Commanders at the time that she was signed to Gamble (Huff Puff) and the group were signed to Verve (after Karl & the guys had been with Cameo Parkway). No wonder they never recorded together. Were the tracks included on the French EP (see above) released on Parkway in the US ?? .... OR ..... was the deal to cut & release those 4 tracks a 'France only' thing (were the tracks recorded in France) ?

The song "My Little Red Book" gets mentioned in a 5 page long section of the BB book. The Manfred Mann + the Love version are talked about + the fact that the song was written for the 'What's New Pussycat' film .... BUT Tony Middleton never gets a mention (either for providing the vocals on BB's version of the song OR with regard to him working with BB at all) ...... SAD OMISSION ME THINKS. Didn't Tony sing this song live when he was on @ Cleggy ??

A piccie of Willie performing @ the Cleggy Weekender .....

A picture of Ruth fronting Carl Holmes & the Commanders (around 67) .....

Another ad for the Marie + Rex 45 from March 1959 ......