Roburt

Well if they're different labels, one stole the logo off the other & they had both registered their publishing with BMI as Frisco Music ..... The Porgy & Polka Dots 45 with the Brilliants info superimposed ...

Seems one of their NOla artists passed away in 2014 ..... Warren B. "Porgy" Jones Obituary Warren "Porgy" B. Jones, a resident of New Orleans, LA, passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Thursday, August 21, 2014 at the age of 74. He grew up in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and was a student of the legendary music educator Yvonne Busch. By the time he was in high school he was performing with such New Orleans R&B greats as Johnny Adams, Lee Dorsey, Eddie Bo, Tommy Ridgely, and Ernie K-Doe, and was on recordings produced by Cosimo Matassa. After leaving New Orleans for New York, he became a successful session musician and sideman, and appeared on records by Ray Charles, Jerry Butler, Marvin Gaye, Groovesect, Gladys Knight, Curtis Mayfield, Otis Redding, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations, and many others. He performed around the world, and toured with the Red Sanders Big Band, Ray Charles, the Slide Hampton Band, and Art Blakey, among others. As recently as 2013, he had performed at the Jazz Journey event at Dillard University, produced by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.

I know it's been mentioned in the past but this label still confuses me ...... It was based in New Orleans but had a California derived name (seem to recall the owner was originally from SanFran) .... they cut one of their artists up in Memphis (at Stax & Royal Studios utilising Isaac Hayes & Davis Porter as writers / producers), so I'm OK up to now (though still confused) ..... They started up in 1962, lapsed in 63, returned in 65 and then shut up shop for good in 66. On the face of it, they had a straight forward numbering system; 101,102,103.104, etc. BUT they put out 2 different versions of # 105 + before & after returning, put out 2 different versions of # 110 .... there was no # 112 .... BUT there were 2 St Louis related releases that had weird numbers ........ 3221X14 ... and ... 15235(A) .... Anyone know the reason for those 2 'out-of-sequence' numbers AND ALSO ... what the St Louis link was ??? Would guess the Ace / Kent team are the best to provide the answers ....

A biggie from these Voice Masters ...

The gentle genius, Curtis Mayfield ..... ....... ...... ..... .... ..... Little girl again you are blue, Another fellow has gone and left you, I see you've come back to me your best friend, To tell another tragic story again, and once more you look in my eyes, And one more time you ought to realize ....

.... INFO ON THE VOICEMASTERS, who were from St Louis ..... Back at that time (1972/73), St Louis was something of a hot bed for soul styled talent though this had largely gone untapped. Kent Washburn quickly commenced studio work with the Hypnotics, a locally based male trio led by James Thompson. Thompson had already been involved in the music business for around seven years as a singer and song writer. He had started his first group, the Voice Masters back in 1965. This outfit comprising himself (as lead singer, guitarist and songwriter), Arthur Jeffries (1st tenor), Godfrey Lewis (2nd Tenor) and Morris Henderson (Baritone). They had been signed to the Copa label and had cut some tracks with Oliver Sain (“My Love Was All In Vain” & “Dance Crazy”) which escaped on a single. Their initial recordings were then picked up by the New Orleans based Frisco label but despite gaining a national distribution deal, this second incarnation of the single again failed to make a commercial breakthrough. The group soldiered on though with Don Bodie replacing Godfrey Lewis as their 2nd tenor. Mamie (the owner of Bamboo Records) signed them before handing over the creative positions at the St Louis based label to a team from Chicago. The Voice Masters initial Bamboo release (in 1967) coupled “If A Woman Catches A Fool” with “You’ve Hurt Me Baby”. Gene Chandler led the team from the Windy City that took over the reigns at Bamboo Records and in no time at all he had transferred the labels creative base to Chicago. In 1969, a second Voice Masters Bamboo 45 escaped, this again featuring “If A Woman Catches A Fool” which on this occasion was coupled with “Never Gonna Leave You”. Gene soon recognized James Thompson’s skills as a song writer and so started using his songs on both his own sessions and those of other Bamboo artists. The Voice Masters final single was their most successful as “Dance Right Into My Heart” (again utilising “If A Woman Catches A Fool” on the flip) made the national soul charts in June 1970. The 45 peaked in the Top 50 of the chart but with James now being so highly regarded for his song writing, the group wasn’t encouraged to continue on. The Hypnotics of course had big cuts out on Reprise in 1973 and later on Emkay. The Hypnotics on Cheapo are a different outfit. The Voicemasters out of Detroit were a totally different group (Anna, Check-mate, Chess) and included Lamont Dozier & 2 guys who would later be in the Originals.

I talked to him about Earl Jackson. That was cut in the period when he was 9 to 5 everyday for ABC. It was just a job to him by then, he couldn't remember even working with Earl Jackson, anything about the guy or the tracks cut. That work was a total blank to him, even though he arranged the track, conducted the musicians on the backing & produced it. He is even co-credited with writing "Soul Self Satisfaction", so he must have changed / developed the song that Earl had fetched to the studio with him to have 'earnt' that credit (maybe Earl had planned it at another tempo & Johnny suggested doing it the way it turned out, we'll never know I'm afraid).

Of all the tracks Johnny Pate worked on in his early years as an arranger (1963/64 -- Major Lance, Billy Butler, Impressions, Betty Everett, Artistics, Gene Chandler, Ted Taylor, Opals & more), this was the track that he got the most excited about when I talked with him. He was really proud of this.

In it's final incarnation (decoration wise), the Mojo went all 'flower-power' .... pics showing this. At the righthand side of the picture (& lefthand side of the stage) are some barrels. The more adventurous girls would dance on top of these ...

Well the LP this track was lifted from escaped in at least 3 countries (US, Germany & Japan) PLUS her EMI America 45 before this one (the LP's title track -- "This Is Hot") was released in at least 9 countries [US, UK, Australia, Spain, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Portugal & Japan (?)]. Her earlier US 45 release was #8022 back over there. The daft thing is, that neither of her earlier releases in Germany were on EMI America, they were on other local EMI label's; EMI Electrola & EMI itself. ... ALSO ... the numbering system utilised on the above 45 is NOT the German system (see attached 45 scan), it was put out using the EMI America US numbering system .... I.E. # 8001/2/3/4/5/ etc. However, EMI America was an active label in Canada in 1979 where at least # 8007/ 9 / 12 / 15 / 19 / 30 were put out there. I guess the only complete set of 45's utilising the # 8001/2/3/4/ numbering system is in the USA itself (though maybe a copy of #8033 failed to escape in the US whilst that number was used abroad). VERY STRANGE.

More 45's he was on ........

Keith Williams, ex lead singer with the Flamingos (in the groups Polydor period) & leader of Gospel Truth & Facts of Life has passed away at his home in Pasendena. Keith started out in the chesters, then at the turn of the 50's he was in the Velours. By the end of the 60's, he was lead singer in the Flamingos & featured on the group's last hit, "Buffalo Soldier". He then started up the group Gospel Truth who changed their name to Facts of Life. Keith passed on 2nd August ... https://www.woodsvalentinemortuary.com/book-of-memories/2667969/Williams-Keith/service-details.php

The French Vogue version was released in 75 after the UK Route 45 had escaped here ....

It seems that there is indeed much confusion everywhere over this matter. It COULD well be that the lady in really bad health (BUT NOT PASSED) is RUBY WILSON ... Ruby is a top live performer in Memphis & at US blues festivals. She's also this Ruby Wilson ...

See the other thread ... but just thought it also needed a thread headline of it's own. It seems, that even after a number of seperate reports ... on facebook, youtube, southern soul, etc. ... Ruby has not passed away. No real idea who started the rumour but a Jerry Jones (singer / songwriter from Memphis who knows many southern soul singers) has apologised on Facebook for posting the info up there.

An apology has now been posted on Facebook saying that Ruby hasn't passed & apologising to her .... although that wasn't where I got the info from. The posting on one of the youtube videos of her tracks ("Neither One of Us") by the guy saying Ruby is his aunt still states that she has passed, but he may be too embarassed to go back on there & post a retraction.

My fave underplayed cut is THE SNAKE !!! Never hear it played out, can't think why.

I keep all mine in cardboard (or wooden / plastic) boxes. Keep getting stuff out & leaving it in piles around the record room. Eventually the wife goes mad coz she's got no room to clean up. Then I hurriedly shove em all in the nearest space in any box to hand. It's a great system, only takes me a few days to find a specific 45 when I need a particular one.

I believe the above track (her 1st release) was produced by the same Ray Allen who produced the Imaginations (Fraternity) in Cincinnati. That would make sense as Ruby grew up in Cincinnati. The song writer is Charles E Daniels who's supposed to be the country guy Charlie Daniels !!

Her biggest successes in Europe (& the UK) came at the end of the 70's but it was her 60's stuff that did well in the States ... Another goodie from her ....

site note: the below info was posted in error by a member who hadn't confirmed the actual details apologies on behalf of the site steps are being taken to try and avoid this happening in future It has been reported (by her nephew Christopher Forehand on youtube) that Ruby Winters has passed. A very sad loss .... R.I.P .... ... her rendition of white 'soul man' Eddie Hinton's "Sweetheart Things" is & always will be a great track.

Chalky, I wrote that article many moons ago (around 15 years) & have never gotten around to checkin it for mistakes in the last 10+ years.

Musicor MU1188 is J.B. Troy and every other Musicor number around that time is also accounted for.

The 1st group Lou was in .... the Sahibs ... they provided the backing vocals on his 1st Way Out 45 .... THEN & NOW PICS .... MEMBERS: Lou Ragland, Robert Middlebrooks, Benny Butcher and James Dotson (L to R in original picture of group) .....

Lou with copies of his albums ....