Roburt

Cleveland always kept himself to himself and never even mixed with many others on the Cleve recording scene back in the day or more recently. I met with him & his wife / sons in Vegas a good few years back. One of his sons (who recorded) lived in LA whilst the rest of the family still lived in Cleveland. His son Paris unfortunately passed away in December.

RE: "There used to be a club downtown Columbus called Club Lavanna and he (Jo Jo) used to perform there .... " That must have been some venue back in the 60's as the likes of James & Bobby Purify, Oscar Toney Jr, Bobby Moore & Rhythm Aces also played the place back then.

I'm sure it must be a real release ....... otherwise they would have spelt Curtan in some strange way such as Kirton !!

Greg, a relevant section from my old piece on Barbara Stant ............. By the mid 1970’s, the original shop premises (Nimrod Record Store at 726 Church Street) had seen better days and with demolition threatened to allow road widening, Noah Biggs (now getting on in years) relocated across the road. He set up his new base at 707 Church Street and hired Martin Culpepper as his new studio engineer. Culpepper had worked on a couple of gospel 45’s that had been released on the Jobs label (which had ties with Leroy Little’s Tri-Us Records). This deal also brought the Grooms into the Shiptown (Jobs) family.

The US (& French) 45 version of "I Can't Stand It" were released around April / May 67 and are timed at 2:38. The group's big hit 45 was released twice in the US (1967 & 1968) but didn't have "I Can't Stand It" as the B side on either. This track formed the A side of a separate US 45. I believe the album version was slightly edited (2:33) and released (in Nov 68) on a German 45 as the B side there to "Time Has Come Today". .......... see here ..........https://www.45cat.com/record/3720de

Lou Ragland was also on those Ric Tic Review shows. The package also played the Ritz in Manc (a Sunday alldayer I seem to recall). Lou was brought in as a late replacement (for Laura Lee ?) as he had known Edwin for many years and was available to travel to the UK at short notice.

I'd guess it is quite a rare 45, I don't actually have a copy myself. I believe it is 521 #1004 (& it probably features Part 1 and Part 2 of the same song -- "Wonderful Love").

Here's some info on 'Guitar Crusher' ... a US guy now on the Euro blues scene ........... see post above ........ ........ Sidney Selby is a true blues man. He also goes by 'Bone Crusher' and 'Guitar Crusher', names he earned throughout his career. Born in rural Hyde County N.C. in 1931 during the height of the Depression, he toiled in the cotton fields during his youth but set aside Sundays for exercising his rich baritone in the choir of Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, continuing a tradition which gave rise to a whole generation of blues singers of his era. He moved to New York in the 50s, found a job and started singing in Church again. However. encouraged by his friends, he soon formed his own band, the Midnight Rockers and began attracting a large following. The year 1960 marked the beginning of a decade of performances with The Drifters, The Isley Brothers, Ben E. King and other major R&B talents which flourished during the 1960's musical renaissance. Selby was signed by Columbia Records and remained under contract until 1970, when the musical tastes in America began to shift away from blues and soul sounds. So, in the early 80s GUITAR CRUSHER headed for Europe and a more hospitals blues climate. Here his performance on major festivals marked the start of his comeback. The now internationally-known singer and writer has since accorded 4 albums singing his own compositions with force and assurance in his gospel-inflected voice. His transfixing vocal power won him a reputation as 'The Big Voice From New York', a headliner on the European blues-circuit. Seems he also played the 521 Club in the 60's and maybe played on some of the tracks released on 521 Records. He must have been UK based around 1969 as he had a Mike Vernon produced 45 out on Blue Horizon (here & in France) .... ...... see here for more info ..... https://www.45cat.com/record/573149fr

Would the 45 you're interested in be "Wonderful Love" by Freeman Williams" ??

Jerry Hankins seems to have had a lot of creative input on this labels releases. He also worked on the Revlons (with Little Martin & the Mustangs) tracks for the label (VC 112) & the Martin's Mustangs cuts (VN1001 -- no doubt the same outfit as Little Martin & the Mustangs) + the Little Willie Jones sides (VC115). Jerry Hankins was also co-writer of Tony Mason's "Scram" which was released on RCA in 67. He also did work for MPR -- Magic People Records. Jerry is still registered (as a songwriter) with BMI (he has 55 songs listed with them). Their site contains his contact details (he lives in Orange, New Jersey these days). Among the people he wrote with are the likes of George (Giorge) Pettus, Sandra Mercer (who I guess is Sandy Mercer to us) and Richard & Robert Pointdexter.

I seem to recall that the label took it's name from a local music scene magazine (hence the strange name). Here's more info on the releases on the label in an old Soulful Detroit thread ........... ac.us/adf/messages/178308/180645.html?1223671085

James doing a cover live at a Memphis venue ...........

Sad to pass along the news that James recently passed ........... https://www.commercialappeal.com/go-memphis/music/news/memphis-soul-singer-beale-street-fixture-james-govan-dead-at-64_16206097 He made some great records ............... .... AND .. by all accounts put on a great live show around his home area of Memphis.

Good to hear from you Freddie (Freddy) and to learn that you are still going strong. Can you recall where your 521 cuts were cut ("I Can't Go On" / "All About Now"), at the club or in a local studio ? What age were you when you cut those tracks ? What can you recall about the 521 Club, I guess you must have played a number of gigs there.

After the Brooks Brothers left the Impressions, they spent some time based in Baltimore. While there they got to know some local artists, Kenny Hamber being one of them. Kenny saw them walking down the street one day & recognised them from shows he had seen the Impressions perform in the city. He introduced himself and asked if they were who he thought they were (which they confirmed). Seems that they must have moved about a bit back in the 60's after their spell based in New York with the Impressions.

This music news snippet from 1953 implies that Sax Kari was Chicago based back then ........

Tom Moulton posted this on Facebook earlier today ............ Singer, songwriter, Alfie Davison, passed away this past Easter Sunday, April 13th, after various medical complications. Davison was widely known, particularly in the U.K., for his songwriting achievements, namely the 1978 "pop / r&b" smash recording and song, "Who's Gonna Love Me", recorded by The Imperials, which reached number 5 on the Music World pop charts. He went on as both singer and songwriter of the 1980 "Northern Soul" classic, "Love Is Serious Business". In more recent times his "disco" song contribution, "Put Yourself In My Place" by TJM, was remixed by the "legendary", Tom Moulton, on Tom's 2011 CD album, "Philly ReGrooved 2", as well as two other recent previous appearances, on the 2011 "TJM" CD compilation, on Big Break Records, and an even earlier remix by Woody Bianchi on D-Vision in Italy. Producer and longtime friend, Reid Whitelaw, said that Alfie Davison was the most warmest, caring, gentle, and loving souls he ever knew. R.I.P. He made some great tracks down the years & had a few popular cuts, this being his main one here in the UK ...........

The above is correct as Fred & Doug Tanner is the same person. He has 24 songs registered with BMI as Fred Tanner, Doug Tanner or Fred Douglass Tanner. Some of his songs were co-written with Douglas Brown who also co-wrote stuff (for Mikim) with Leon Ware & Mickey Stevenson.

I guess you mean "Summertime in the city" by The Manhattans. If so that was a Columbia / CBS 45 in the US, UK, Germany & I'd think a few other countries as well (summer 1974).

A December 65 Pittsburgh newspaper piece about Tawny & her new 45 "Last Night (I Found A Boy)" .................

Guess the guys at Ace will know a bit about Van (Venson) Robinson as they put out one of his earlier recordings ("Basis of Rock'n'Roll") on their 'Long Gone Daddies' CD.

The book launch party is being staged at New York's famous Bitter End Club next Tuesday (22nd April). Lots of top acts played live at the club back in the 60's / 70's .....

Old thread on this here ........... ....... BUT I don't think it ID's who has the acetate now.

Anyone ever compile a full run-down of the less well known tracks he worked on ?

Gil Askey passed away in Australia on Wednesday. Born in Austin in 1925 he got into the music biz in the 40's. By 1955, he was recording (playing trumpet & singing) with the likes of the Buddy Johnson Orchestra. He went on to play with Chris Columbo and arrange loads of studio sessions from the early 60's. Next he was working with Wingate / Ric Tic and Motown in Detroit. In the 70's, he did loads of work for Curtom and toured with the likes of the 4 Tops and Temptations. On a tour in Australia, he met a local woman and they struck up a romance. He moved there, they got married & had a kid. He still toured with the likes of the Tops and also played in local clubs around Melbourne. Seems strange to me that no one has made the effort to do a decent run down on this talented guys extensive and varied music career.