Roburt

A couple of their very early releases get reviewed ... Both Golden World and Ric-Tic Records were operating from early 1962. Run by Ed Wingate and Joanne Bratton till the summer of 1963, label operations being mainly undertaken in New York by Leonard Reed. Ed and Joanne would commute to & fro between Detroit and New York. The Ric Tic name came from the nickname of JoAnne's son to boxer Johnnie Bratton. Myto Music was named after Joanne's Aunt Myrtle and her cousin Toni. Leroy Smalley was from Cleveland.

A couple more ...

Thought these items may be of interest to some .... Wonder if the mag typesetter or the Ric Tic exec got a b*ll*cking for the "Whole World Is A Stage" ad error ...

In the Guardian article above, they select the 10 most defining tracks that Nina cut down the many years of her recording career ... this was one of them ... her version of a Leonard Cohen song .... 10 of Nina Simone’s most defining tracks -- #1. Suzanne This was cut for her 'To Love Somebody' album which came out in 1969. She also performed the song on many of the UK / European concerts she undertook in March / April 69 -- in fact she performed every song off that album during the tour. She played Belfast, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester & London dates here. Her main backing singer on that tour & on the recording session for the album was one DORIS WILLINGHAM aka DORIS DUKE ...

A couple of Shrine related bits ... enter now if you want to land a record deal with the label ...

Nina Simone recorded quite a few radio / TV shows in the UK / Europe in 1968. A big TV special featuring her was recorded in late May 68 (shown later & in the US in March 69). She also did a recorded show for the BBC (radio I presume). She returned to the UK in Dec 68 and did Top Of The Pops (12th Dec) and the David Frost TV Show (8th Dec). From what I can tell, she was still just performing with her small backing outfit (no Doris Duke). Done some checking & it seems the bigger backing team for Nina Simone (musicians + singers) was put together for the UK / European tour in March 69. Doris & the 2nd female backing singer did all the shows on that tour -- March 10th to April 5th (or thereabouts). The full ensemble (10 strong) must have done some shows in the US ahead of xing the pond, to make sure they were ready to impress from their 1st show over here (Dublin). The whole bunch of them had rehearsed a number of songs and these were listed in the tour programme for the UK shows -- Nina would perform which ones she wanted on each night (all being from the list). In June 69, her new album was released in the US ('To Love Somebody') and all the tracks on it were also selected from the list she performed over here -- Doris Willingham was a backing vocalist on the album tracks, so I guess it was really just a studio based version of the UK live shows. No idea how long RCA took to get from laying down tracks to releasing a finished album, so am unsure if the tracks from the album were cut ahead of the trip to the UK or after their time in the UK was over. The whole ensemble stayed together on the return to the US and did some high profile shows in the US too -- an example being the Berkeley Jazz Festival @ the very end of April. In mid May she was doing a week @ the Apollo Theatre (Harlem) and the Swordsmen (the Cleve group signed to her label, who would do live shows with her (including some in the UK later in 69). Don't know if Doris Duke was still with her for this week, but would GUESS that she was. The Sound Of Soul TV show (May 68) ... no Doris Duke at this time ...

Doris, when she was a backing singer for Nina Simone (not sure if the pic is from a US or UK show -- Doris on the left) ... the other lady is Gina Rothschild.

Doris Duke's time with Nina Simone must have been a bit traumatic as this was just about the most turbulent time in Nina's life (& she had quite a few of those). Nina had toured the UK in 1967 doing small soul clubs (& some jazz venues). But then "Ain't Got No" was a big pop chart hit here in autumn 68. She came to the UK to promote the 45 (doing an in-person appearance @ Soul City record shop for her fans -- SC's David Nathan ran her fan club at the time) and to do a Top of the Pops TV show (mid Dec 68). She had two more pop chart hits early in 69 and so returned to the UK for a tour of bigger venues (March 69). At the time she was backed up on live shows by her quartet (in all but name, the Weldon Irvine group) + backing singers [one of whom was as stated Doris Willingham / Doris Duke) and acts signed to Ninandy Records [her brother Sam Waymon plus -- on a 2nd tour later in 69 -- Cleve outfit, the Swordsmen). At the time her marriage to her abusive husband (Andy Stroud) was breaking down, so her personal life was in crisis. Stroud was also her manager / booker and ran their record label, so her business affairs must have been complicated. ALSO, after seeing how black people were still treated in the US and how they were being sent in high numbers to Viet Nam to die, she adopted a high profile Civil Rights stance & anti-war stance. This made her unpopular with the US government, the FBI and many everyday Americans. Coz of that, I think RCA got a bit scared of her being signed to the label -- she'd had a big hit for them with "Young, Gifted & Black" (written by Weldon Irvine). So her record biz life was also getting quite complicated. So she packed a bag & moved to Barbados (where she started an affair with the head of state there). She did cut tracks that RCA released on an album in 71 but Stroud was no longer involved with them & her contribution (if not already in the can) was added from abroad. After a spell in the Caribbean, she moved to Africa (Liberia) & then Europe (France. etc) and never again lived in the US for any length of time (though she visited to record & do live shows). Don't think Doris was with Nina when she made her PA @ the Soul City record shop. Or how the turbulence of her time with Nina had much of an effect on Doris at all. Nina, who was diagnosed as being Bipolar later in her life, was a very turbulent person to work with most of the time -- I'm sure Doris would have seen / been involved in some incidents caused by Nina's mental health problems. Nina did a 2nd UK tour later in 69 (November), don't think Doris was with her on that.

Geoege Kerr (who co-wrote this song) was a Motown New York office staffer from 63 till the operation was closed down. Even after 64, lots of the songs other artists recorded were his efforts published by Jobete -- Among his Jobete published songs are tracks by the Chiffons, (63), Tamiko, Sparkels, Richard Simmons, Exotics (all 64) thru to those by Carl Hall, Linda Jones (65 releases). So I don't think there's anything 'iffy' about the Bobby Moore song being a Jobete effort.

An extract from Andy Rix's fine article on Motown's New York office & the work done by the team there ... . . . Much better listening is afforded by Bobby Moore's 'I Carefully Checked Your Heart', one of two George Kerr-Jerry Harris compositions that appeared as a single on the tiny Kay-O label in late 1963. Bobby is clearly NOT the Alabama-based sax-playing Bobby Moore who scored a couple of years later on Chess with 'Searching For My Love' ... MORE ADDITIONAL INFO ... Bobby Moore & the Fourmosts cut "It Was A Lie" was picked up by Red Bird for national distribution in July 1966. This was just before Red Bird closed down -- their last single escaping in Sept 66 (# 083). . . . A matter of weeks before the BM & 4Most 45 had been issued, Red Bird had licensed a UK recording for US release. This was credited to the Silence (an early name used by UK mod group John's Children who for a brief time included Marc Bolan among their members). Although Red Bird boss George Goldner had agreed to put out a record by John's Children, under the name of the Silence, the 45 did not actually feature the group. Pierre Tubbs, of the Jeeps, had cut his two songs for the 45 on John's Children but he didn't like the results. So he recut them himself, with his group the Jeeps, and sent those tracks to Red Bird for the US 45 release. Around the same time, Pierre Tubbs was working with J J Jackson (by then the very recent ex-writing partner of Red Bird artist Sidney Barnes). J J in conjunction with the Jeeps would cut his song "But It's Alright" in Strike Records London studio. J J only cut "But It's Alright" himself after it had been rejected by a UK male group or singer he (J J) was working with (either the Pretty Things, David Essex or Miki Dallon).

I don't want to 'pour cold water' on what is a fine article but surely the bit about Doris working for Motown's New York office from 65 to 67 is wrong. BG shut down Motown's NY office in April 64. To back up this info, Sidney Barnes has often stated that he only started penning songs with J J Jackson after he'd left Motown following their NY office being closed (before that he'd written for Jobete in conjunction with George Kerr). I don't know the exact date of the start of the Barnes / Jackson teaming or what the 1st song that they wrote together was BUT one of their songs was cut by Mary Wells for her initial 20th Century LP which was released in March 65, so must have been recorded very early in 1965.

New release 7" single available direct from the artist in the US ... Pumpkin -- Take Me Back Paris Ford has a long music career history; he started out playing bass on the Oneness of Ju Ju's mid 70's album, moved on quickly to play with the likes of The B.B.Q. Band, Whole Darn Family, Rick James, Johnny Gill, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Lenny White, Tyrone Thomas, Norman Connors, Lonnie Liston Smith, Invisible Mans Band, Glen Jones, Vicki Sue Robinson, Jean Carn, etc. James Robinson is already well known to MS fans as a solo artist but also sang lead with Change. Go to the guy's web page to buy this 45 ... $13 including P&P to the UK & Europe. Listen to it on the site ... //parisfordrecords.wixsite.com/my-site?fbclid=IwAR3W3xLHgceaB0wndf0b8J3vPeb18nyXrIZXHp8-W2RUjz4bLNae3pTjk9w

This new one up on Amazon looks very promising ...

QUOTE >> My memory is not what it once was but wearing a black fist round one's neck and one racing glove was a thing for some in the early days, maybe pre-Wigan. Guys who attended the Mojo in Sheffield in 1966/67 would wear black skin tight leather gloves. Mojo shut in Sept 67 & the crowd moved onto venues like the Nite Owl, Bin Lid, Crystal Bowl, Wheel, etc. After the 68 Olympics, they started wearing just the one glove.

The Continental Club obviously knew who to 'butter up' ... I don't believe the night shown below was promoted by Mr. Walters but his shop still got a mention ... Mr Walters also promoted nights when the Bell Brothers, Little Eddie Taylor & Cal Roberts appeared live; I don't think any of them were his acts (though he may have wanted to manage them). I'm almost sure that the Tor-rons were a group he managed but (under that name) they never landed a record contract. When Mr.Walters was promoting the show, you always got a fashion show too (including a wig's show). PLUS, when Willie Walters lost interest in putting out records / managing groups & singers, the Reflections moved on to work with another local business man -- local insurance agent Jack Gillen.

If you were a budding recording artist down in Miami in the mid 60's, you could do worse than sign with local entrepreneur Mr. (Willie) Walters ... he had his own record labels (Wax-Wel + Went), wrote decent songs (or at least put his name as the writer on the 45 labels -- maybe he bought them outright from the actual writers) and produced lots of studio sessions. He also ran a string of successful wig shops, the main one of these being right across the road from the Continental Club (6000 NW 7th Ave). He would promote lots of shows at this club (& others) and have his acts perform on them -- his acts being Mr. Percolator (Perk Badger), the Reflections & Mary Hylor. As well as getting to see his group / singers perform live, you would also get a Mr. Walters Wig Fashion Show (you lucky people). To ensure their were lots of females (potential customers) in the audience at the club, he would make it free for women lots of nights.

Going back to the Steinways & their 'hit' 45 track "Call Me" . Is it much different to the earlier version on Oliver from the Pandoras (female lead on both; almost certainly Frankie Gearing on this version ) ...

A Miami gospel group wanted to land a recording contract ... so they went along with the record company's advice and changed their name ... THUS the Gospel Jazz Singers became the Outer Limits (& then the Jet Setters) ... the group started out playing black venues around the city, but after they were a recording act they got lots of gigs at the big hotels on Miami Beach. Not sure if the cuts attributed to a 'solo' Jesse Ferguson actually also featured the group or not. Jesse Lee Ferguson & the outer limits had "New Shoes" out on Pye Int of course.

AN ADD ON ... The Steinways 2nd 45 did make a US R&B radio chart ... it was a Miami radio stn, so they actually did one show in the city as the Steinways. Though most of their live shows were in the Miami & New York areas, they did do two in Yorkshire ... one shown below ...

A couple of DID YOU KNOW's from me ... The tracks credited to the Steinways were just rebranded Laddins recordings really (the record company thought their existing name branded them as old fashioned, so came up with a new one). . . . BUT down in Miami, the Laddins were still a big drawn under their old name ... So they'd perform in New York as the Steinways but still be billed as the Laddins in Miami ... The group had started life as an all male do-wop group, but around 1964, they'd added Frankie Gearing to the group to allow them to be more versatile in their live performances (male + female leads). However, after a while, she went off to form the Glories. She was on their Oliver tracks though which had been cut in spring 1966. Their rebranding did little to increase sales of their 45, however the single did almost make the top of the chart on Roanoke pop radio stn WROV in July 66 -- the 45 being on their chart for a period of weeks. Frankie Gearing was no longer in the group when the Laddins / Steinways made their 1st trip to the UK -- she was replaced with another female lead for those UK trips. They were brought over here by Roy Tempest & had to perform here as the Fabulous Platters.

The Jnr Walker clip was recorded @ the Ram Jam, Club in London of course. It was the club that gave Geno Washington's band their name. Otis Redding also played a gig there & he was able to bring his full 14 piece US band with him. But he had just been voted top world male singer by UK music mag readers, so I guess he knew he had to impress when playing live here. From my post 3 above; the middle two adverts are for 2 shows in Baltimore around the Xmas period 1964; one at the Royal Theatre, one at the Stanton Theatre. There was only 4 days between the 2 shows & Xmas is an expensive time anyway -- If I'd only had the money to go to one of them, I think my $2 would have been spent at the Stanton.

Lots of prog rock & blues rock acts in the 70's would extend their recordings when on stage. They'd add in solo's by some / all the members of the band; a rock guitar break, a drum break, etc. so a 6 minute long LP track would last 12+ minutes on stage. Some bands, I seem to remember the Incredible String Band being one, would show just how versatile / avant-garde they were by adding totally unrelated bits into songs and reciting a poem halfway through another. Other bands would swop instruments on stage to show that every member could play each individual's main one; again to show off how 'gifted' they were. Emerson, Lake & Palmer would do long rock versions of classical numbers. Excess seemed to be the order of the day. THANKFULLY, that never really happened with many black soul / blues acts, they were on stage to entertain their audiences, not show off (the 'showing off' element came in their clothes & dance moves). The likes of Isaac Hayes would extend tracks & alter them on live shows, but he was already doing 12 minute long tracks in the recording studio. Blues guitarists would add in an extended guitar break & other singers would add in a 'rap' (old skool talkin rap, not hip hop style rap). Most times the story told in the rap would be relevant to the storyline in the song being performed. You had singers such as Millie Jackson who would have one theme to her whole show (sex in her case), so again tracks would be changed to fit in with her theme.. But if you had 20+ musicians backing you up in the studio, you had to adapt the way it was played when on a live show with 4 / 5 less versatile guys behind you. But, that said, the NORM for soul acts was just about always to really speed up the song when doing it live. Very little or no effort was made to reproduce the track as recorded. I'd say that Motown acts would be required to stick closer to the recorded version when playing live but that was made much easier on Motown Review shows (a staple touring format for the company's acts in the 60's) as they took their own backing troupe with them on tour (that band being led by Popcorn Wylie, EVD, Choker Campbell, Hamilton Bohannon at different times). Of course, if each act only had a short section of a much longer show, you had to stick to short versions of songs done in a pre-planned way -- that meant each section of the show could be tightly controlled (time wise) and therefore the whole presentation would fit neatly into the required time slot. When the Stax / Volt ensemble toured the UK & Europe, they also brought their studio musicians with them, but they didn't try too hard to stick close to the recorded versions of songs. Sam & Dave always performed in more of a gospel way, incorporating call & response sections into most songs. In fact, lots of soul shows were run more on the lines of the famous gospel caravan shows that had been doing the rounds in the US since the 50's. But in the US, if you didn't hold up your part of the show, you wouldn't get selected to join the package tours that did the chitlin circuit. The circuit of chitlin theatres were great though, as most had their own resident orchestra. As you'd play around 15 times over a 7 day period (only doing a 15 minute slot), they learn all your songs and perform them well on each show. So they'd have listened the the recorded versions and you'd have to tell them if you were sticking close to that on the live show or how you wanted to change it (speeding it up or whatever). Unluckily for us Brits, such backing ensembles weren't often available when soul acts visited the UK. In the 70's, more soul acts became self-contained (playing their own instruments), so touring the UK / Europe didn't present as big a problem to them.

CHANGING THE SUBJECT A LITTLE ... On the other 'busy' topic it was stated that only the original artists performing their studio recordings in the same way that they were originally recorded is acceptable on the NS scene. No singers / acts doing covers of those songs or orchestras having a go with guest singers. BUT BACK IN THE DAY, no act performed their hits / studio tracks as they were recorded ... they upped the energy level to add to the excitement of the show ... an example from RSG .. In addition to the tempo change; visiting acts (apart from the Motown & Stax packages) had to accept UK backing bands. So once again, their performances were much different to their studio work. Lots of soul folk don't like the LIVE albums released on visiting soul acts (Garnett Mimms, Major Lance, etc) coz of this. Lots of backing bands were quite inexperienced/ far from top class musicians (Roy Tempest's backing bands for instance, whereas some visiting acts were better served (Mary Wells having Sounds Incorporated as her band on the Beatles tour she did here -- she also brought a Motown guitarist with her to lead them).

ClubaGogo, did you approach Ian Wright about getting access to some of his 60's photos taken in the club ? He lives in the US these days & gets lots of TV interviews coz of all his early NE England pics of the Beatles & Stones. The Beatles also took him with them to document their 1st US tour, so he's got loads of great pics from that too. He worked for the Darlington newspaper (Northern Echo) back in the day & had left lots of his old negatives with the paper but they contacted him when they were clearing all their old stuff out & he came over to reclaim his 60's work product. When a top UK theatre tour wasn't in the north-east, he'd go along to the Club aGoGo to take pics of the acts they had on there. News: Legendary Photographer Ian Wright to Deliver a Talk About His Star-Studded Collection at Stockton Globe – NE Volume //nevolume.co.uk/culture/events/news-legendary-photographer-ian-wright-to-deliver-a-talk-about-his-star-studded-collection-at-stockton-globe/

The Port release has also seen plenty of action.