Sean Hampsey

It is a nice thought Mike. Although Joe Robinson was a bit of a player, I've no reason to doubt what he said back in '73, so I've been curious about this for a long time. "Linda was a girl who was very close to me. She's the only artist that I have a picture of in my office, of all the artists we have. And that picture was up there before she died. Linda was a great artist; I think she was one of the greatest. And she would have been tremendously big, big. She died of sugar diabetes. She was brought to me by George Kerr, who was her producer. She was doing nothing up in Rochester, up-state New York, and I sent one of my promotion men up there to get her. He brought her back here and I put her on staff here. That was we could make sure she could eat right and try to get her health back together. We put her in the hospital here, too. When she came out, we had her in the office every day to keep an eye on her. In fact, that's the reason why we have so much stuff cut on her because she was here every day. We've got maybe three or three and a half albums on her yet." Both Joe & Sylvia long gone. So where are those tapes now? Did they survive the fire? Are they sitting in a vault somewhere? I guess Sanctuary Records / Castle now have the All Platinum rights. They put out the previously unreleased Heartstoppers, but would they have the tapes for Linda? Sean

The chaps who said Samanthas are dead right. Was certainly an 'evergreen' favourite in South Yorkshire area (Rotherham, Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster) right through the very early 70's - pre-Sammies and beyond. Everyone had it, everyone loved it. Don't think I heard it played at all in the 80's, except at the odd 'Oldies' nights in the region, alongside Little Anthony, Chuck Wood, Spellbinders etc. Sean

The real culprit on this track was Antwans on Snatwa. Label 'writer uncredited' - And they even changed the song title! Must say I've always loved this great song! Check out this recent 'funky take! And also look out for the UK EMI copy by Willian Devaughan. Great double sider! Sean

My take has always been it was a 'mistake' mate. They just didn't do their homework. Sean

It's on Cellarful of Motown Vol 4. Great little track. One here! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cellarful-Of-Motown-Vol/dp/B003XDV3HA Cheers, Sean

think mine is same as the second one shown Roger. I'll check! Sean

You writing your memoirs Ady? Sean

Worth noting; Joe Robinson, of All Platinum Records (the husband of Sylvia) who owned all the Turbo, Stang, Vibration, Stang material, said that, as Linda had worked for a while in the firms office in Englewood, she was in the studio, recording, all the time and that he had around 3.5 albums worth of unreleased material in the can on her. Neither Joe or Sylvia are around any more - and the studio burnt down in 2002. In the mid 90's Rhino were reported to have bought the back catalogue and unreleased Master recordings from the estate. I've often wondered what happened to those tapes... and will they ever see the light of day! Sean

Wasn't gonna mention the 'Gay Disco' tracks Ian. Hadn't included Village People 'YMCA' which Horace also arranged, amongst others in the late 70's. Appreciate you 'filling in the gaps' for us. Sean

Agree Bob. Arrangers don't get the props that label owners get, yet they are the true 'creatives' behind the records we all love. His pedigree is probably up there with the likes of Van McCoy, Bert De Coteaux, Mike Terry, Johnny Pate, Jack Ashford etc. He needs to know how much his work is loved, appreciated and respected amongst Soul fans, particularly here in the UK Sean

Gotcha mate, I know you've got a downer on that one LOL Sean

As a Deep Soul record, no Pete. I'm not joking. "Try To Leave Me If You Can" is the real deal. Incredible lyrics, superbly sung. a genuine, heart tugging, solid, genuine DEEP SOUL record. "Stay With Me" is an over dramatised ballad opus, the result of a cancelled session for Frank Sinatra. Highly sophisticated orchestration, but lacking in all sincerity as a true DEEP SOUL record. Sean

That's true, Horace wrote (as well as arranged) many songs. It's how the Pierre Hunt version of the Chris Hamilton appeared, some years later. It was his record. Along with others, Horace wrote the following; Jackie Wilson - I'm Coming Back To You Jackie wilson - Years From Now Rocky Fellers - Like The Big Guys Do Dee Clark - Crossfire Time (along with Don Covay) Solomon Burke - You're Good For Me (along with Don Covay) Dee Dee Warwick - We're Doing Fine Jimmy Randolph — You Have To Lose Love Arthur Prysock - The Love I Need And (although he is not credited as such) he actually came up with the original lyric for the classic "Don't Let Me Be Understood" (Nina Simone, Animals etc.). Quite a talent! Sean

Agree Dave wasn't infallible, but it would be a huge mistake to think that he wasn't aware that Ragavoy was behind both "Piece Of My Heart" and "Stay With Me". The 'facts' would have no bearing on Dave's opinion of the end product. He always went with his tastebuds, regardless. Remember playing him another release by Jean Plum (after he had raved over her "Look At The Boy") - he simply said "a shame that lightening hasn't struck twice!" He would never have gone along with undeserved praise for the sake of diplomacy - and would have been hugely aggrieved at the suggestion that the Five Star rating for the Bessie Banks release (which is far superior in every department to the Ellison 45) had anything to do with his relationship with B&S / Contempo. Sean

Always been an important name to me, and one to look out for, since I first picked up a copy of Billy Harner "What About The Music"... crikey, nearly 40 years ago. His arrangements are usually fabulous. Pulled together a few which might be of interest to 'Northern Soul' fans where Horace was involved (see below). Pretty sure there will be others that I've missed. Would love to be a fly on the wall in that interview :0) What an INCREDIBLE career. Best, Sean Northern Related Tunes From Horace Ott Charades — Key To My Happiness — MGM Bobby Adams — That's The Kind Of Man I Am — Big Bee Billy Harner — What About The Music — Kama Sutra Billy Harner — A Message To My Babe — V-Tone Billy Harner — Everything's Hunky Dory — V-Tone Helena Ferguson — My Terms — Compass Helena Ferguson — The Loneliness Is Coming Again — Compass Celestrials — Keep Your Hands Off My Baby — RCA Celestrials — Chain Reaction — RCA Four Bars — Waiting on The Right Guy - Falew Jackie & The Umpires — Three Kinds Of Love — Sew City Sylvia St Clair — It Hurts To See You Happy — Brunswick Chris Hamilton — I've Got To Have Your Love — Bell Pierre Hunt — I've Got To Have Your love — Golden Wheels Jimmy Richards — My New Found Joy — A&M Milt Grayson — Your Old Standby - Derby Sharon Redd — Half As Much - Veep Jimmy Randolph — You Have To Lose Love — Honey Bee Gwen Kousar — The Hardway — Stork Chuck Jackson — Any Other Way — Wand Bobby Hebb — I Was A Man — Cadet Marie Knight — I Don't wanna Walk Alone & I Was Born Again — Diamond Marie Knight — Walk Away — Diamond Carolyn Franklin — Reality — RCA John Lucien — What A Difference Love Makes — Columbia Luv Co — Things Are Not The Same - Spring Bessie Banks — I Can't Make It Without You — Verve Perfections — And Then The Sun Went Down — Jubilee Skyliners — We've Got Love On Our Side — Tortoise Swordsmen — Grow On Love — RCA Jive Five — Happy Man - UA Mavis Staples — It Makes You Wanna Cry & What Happened To The Real Me — Volt Billy Adams — You And Me — Amy MVP's — Turning My Heartbeat Up — Buddah Don Covay — Mercy, Mercy - Rosemart Chantels — Indian Giver — Verve Geminis — Can't Let You Go — RCA Bobbettes — Happy Go Lucky Me - RCA Don Gardner — Prove It — Sack Mary Wheeler — Prove It - Calla Ike Lovely — Fools Hall Of Fame — Wand Brooks O'Dell — You Better Make Up Your Mind - Bell Magnificent Men — All Your Lovin's Gone To My Head — Capitol Lea Roberts — Don't Let Me Fall In Love Alone — UA Donald Height — Bow N'Arrow — Roulette Relations — Back To The Beach — Davy Jones Ronnie Wilson — Boy In A Crowd - Karate Dee Dee Warwick — We're Doing Fine — Mercury Dee Dee Warwick — Gotta Get A Hold Of Myself — Mercury Mary Wells — It Must Be — Jubilee Mary Wells — Dig The Way I Feel — Jubilee Le Vons — Everytime - Columbia Sylvia Robbins — Our Love — Sue 11th Commandment — Why Are You So Hard To Forget — Chess Ray Garvetta — I Can't Take It — La Vette Buddy Skipper — Restless Breed - Deesu Brenda Jo Harris — Play With Fire — Roulette Dee Clark — Don't walk Away From Me — VJ Ben E King — So Much Love - Atlantic Sam Waymon — You Can Count On Me — Ninandy Ben Monroe — Broken Home - Dakar Lady Luck & The Lullabies — Young Stranger & Dance - Phillips Arlene Bailey — Conversation In The Street — Conlo Mighty Shaine — Call Me Sweet Things - Sue Junior Lewis — Where Do I Go From Here — Scepter Ray Fleming — Another Like You & For Better Or Worse - Purdy Little Anthony & Imperials — It'll Never Be The Same Again — UA Little Anthony & Imperials — The Change — UA Cortez & The Entertainers — Life — Your Town Richard Barbary — LP — A&M Jean Wells - Try Me And See - Calla Bits & Pieces - You Should Have Told Me - Paramount Ollie & The Nightingales - You're Leaving Me - Stax

Still got my copy of this particular B&S (and many others). Nobody could write quite like Dave, could they. A wonderful human being. So sad it all ended so tragically. Sean

Hi Bob, I realise that, better grammer would have been "other 'fans' had proliferated; in much the same way as the Soulero's in LA and those in Chicago and other parts of the USA" When I mentioned Chicago, I was actually thinking about You! :0) Hadn't realised the term 'dusties' came from Chicago, but I guess that figures, with the 'Dusty Groove Store' etc. All very interesting stuff, which I guess belies the myth that the North of England has (or even had?) the monopoly on (rare) Soul music. Sean

Hi Rick, Thanks so much for that very thorough reply. That's exactly what i was looking for. I was aware, back in the 70's when I had my record stall and first started selling a few pieces Mail Order that a lot of unforeseen and unexpected demand was coming from Holland, Belgium and Japan. Certainly they were into lots of records that wouldn't shift for love nor money in the UK. One Dutch guy in particular, got very excited after seeing the stuff I was listing and wanted to come to the UK and spend a few days going through my boxes 'because only then would he be able to see if I had what he was after'. I declined, fearing that I might be letting go of rare and 'indemand Dutch Soul' 45's for peanuts, and behaving much like our American cousins do with us lot these days! lol Remember also, mid 70's, a Japanese collector sending me a Wants List with so many tracks that nowadays would be worth a fortune. One in particular that stands out 'Eddie Billups - A Soldiers Prayer on Peachtree. And that was the side he wanted the 45 for :0) I can appreciate the 'Northern Soul Phenomena' exporting across the globe, as ex-pat brit communities have taken root beyond the UK over the decades and because of the internet, playlists, online radio etc. and generally a much more 'mobile' generation of people, than back in 'the day' - but what I was most interested in was parallels, where 'beyond and unconnected' to the Northern soul scene,, other scenes had proliferated; in much the same way as the Soulero's in LA, Chicago and other parts of the USA - nothing to do with Northern, but boy, they love their rare soul collecting thing. Thanks Rick. That's great info. Cheers, Sean PS: I'll take 2 x Mitty Collier on UK Peachtree please!

Must have finished at least 3 Just Soul's off with Gregg Jackson Kev. As Ted says, incredible tune! Some nice LP's listed lads. Nice to see Soul lovers active on this thread with a bunch of solidly soulful suggestions. Sean

They reckon it was John Hendley, having a particularly bad day Pete. Certainly not as committed vocally as on 'My Baby Came Out Of Nowhere'. The 'Pink' issue is (IMO) the better take of the two, Dobber. Don't let all that 'rarity' nonsense play tricks with your hearing. Sean

Yep. Lol.

Yorkshire born and bred Mike. Exiled in Debyshire, this past 10 years, for Tax reasons. Sean

I used to play two tracks of the 'Love's On The Menu' LP at time of release; "I'm Going Left" and the excellent "I Don't want Nobody To Know".... long forgotten. Sean

Hi Waggy, Long time no see mate. That's a bit like saying there are too many shops, parks, supermarkets, solicitors, football teams etc. There's a bit more 'choice' around that in previous years. As the poster above inferred, anyone can put on a Soul Night these days (even if it is only to play to their mates). We're not little boys anymore! So a lot of folk who would never have ventured into the deep waters of promoting (or DeeJaying) are now having a go... good luck to 'em, they'll rise or fall on their ability to please and entertain. So where do you get to these days? Sean

Nice article. Thanks. Sean