SOLOMON BURKE

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CORNELIUS BROTHERS AND SISTER ROSE

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Biography by Ron Wynn
A Florida family group, Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose had a brief moment in the sun in 1972, with their self-titled United Artists LP. They scored two pop hits in "Too Late to Turn Back Now" and "Treat Her Like a Lady," and the album cracked the pop LP chart at number 29. They actually fared better with general audiences than R&B and soul fans, who found their arrangements, harmonies, and style lacking grit and intensity. They enjoyed one more mild hit in "Don't Ever Be Lonely (A Poor Little Fool Like Me)." But their two hits are among the most requested songs of the early '70s that air on oldies stations.

CLIFFORD COULTER

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Review by Thom Jurek

Clifford Coulter was a soul-jazz and blues pianist who gradually moved more into urban R&B. His early recordings for the ABC label in the early '70s were full of a bright, sweet sound and were recommended listening for anybody interested in the funkier side of soul-jazz. This disc, cut in 1980 and produced by none other than Bill Withers, is a very commercial and radio-friendly set of funky soul. Coulter's writing and arranging are nice and tight and virtually full of singles -- it is a wonder he didn't score any with this. Music was as fickle a business coming out of the disc era as it is in the 21st century. Coulter's sound, while contemporary, is rooted in the soul balladry of an earlier time. His songwriting is top-notch and his session players, who include Withers, Russ Kunkel, Ronnie Beck, Jerry Perez, and others, are empathetic on tunes like the mellow grooving opener, "Don't Wanna See You Cry," and "Magic Carpet Ride" (not that one). On ballads such as "Nothing in the World Is Free," Coulter's own singing wrenches emotion out of a slick soul tune and puts it in the listener's breadbasket. This is as fine a specimen of urban soul as there was at the time. It should have been a smash.

GEORGE & GWEN MCCRAE

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Gwen McCrae (born Gwen Mosley, 21 December 1943, Pensacola, Florida, United States) is an American R&B singer, best known for her 1975 hit "Rockin' Chair".

Gwen was the youngest of five children. She grew up singing in her pentecostal church and later discovered secular singers like Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin. She began performing in local clubs as a teenager, and singing with local groups like the Lafayettes and the Independents. In 1963, she met a young sailor named George McCrae, whom she married within a week.

From 1963 she recorded as a duo with her husband George, and was first to receive a solo recording contract, with Henry Stone's TK Records. She found success on the R&B charts with "Lead Me On" in 1970, followed by "For Your Love".

George & Gwen were discovered in 1967 by singer Betty Wright, who helped get them signed to Stone's Alston record label. Their debut single, "Three Hearts in a Tangle," was released in 1969; the follow-up, "Like Yesterday Our Love Is Gone," marked the first time they worked with the writing team of Clarence Reid (who would later morph into the bawdy comic Blowfly) and Willie Clarke. Both were regional hits, as was third single, "No One Left to Come Home," although none of those records broke nationally; meanwhile, the McCraes and Wright were collectively earning a reputation as stellar session vocalists.

Following husband George’s unexpected solo success with "Rock Your Baby", Gwen went on to have a major hit of her own in 1975 with "Rockin' Chair", a #1 R&B hit which also reached the U.S. Top 10. The follow-up "Love Insurance" also made the R&B charts. By this time, the separate successes were taking their toll on the McCraes' marriage. Gwen has since alleged that her husband beat her frequently.[citation needed]

After Gwen and George divorced and TK Records collapsed, Gwen moved to New Jersey, and signed with Atlantic Records, having another hit with "Funky Sensation" in 1981. She continued to record, and the success of some of her earlier recordings on the UK’s Northern Soul scene maintained her popularity as a live act in Europe. In 2004 she released her first gospel album.

In 1999, french house music duo Cassius released the single "Feeling for You" which sampled the vocals of Gwen McCrae's "All this love that I'm giving", which was a top 40 hit on the UK Charts and is considered a classic dance track by many house enthusiast.

In 2008, Yung Ralph released the single, "I Work Hard," which samples "Rockin' Chair."

BOBBY WOMACK

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Biography by Steve Huey

A veteran who paid his dues for over a decade before getting his shot at solo stardom, Bobby Womack persevered through tragedy and addiction to emerge as one of soul music's great survivors. Able to shine in the spotlight as a singer or behind the scenes as an instrumentalist and songwriter, Womack never got his due from pop audiences, but during the late '60s and much of the '70s, he was a consistent hitmaker on the R&B charts, with a high standard of quality control. His records were quintessential soul, with a bag of tricks learned from the likes of Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, and Sly Stone, all of whom Womack worked closely with at one time or another. Yet often, they also bore the stamp of Womack's own idiosyncratic personality, whether through a lengthy spoken philosophical monologue or a radical reinterpretation of a pop standard. An underrated guitarist, Womack helped pioneer a lean, minimalist approach similar to that of Curtis Mayfield, and was an early influence on the young Jimi Hendrix. Additionally, his songs have been recorded by numerous artists in the realms of both R&B and rock, and the best of them rank as all-time classics.

Bobby Dwayne Womack was born in Cleveland on March 4, 1944. His upbringing was strict and religious, but his father Friendly also encouraged his sons to pursue music as he had (he sang and played guitar in a gospel group). In the early '50s, while still a child, Bobby joined his siblings Cecil, Curtis, Harry, and Friendly Jr. to form the gospel quintet the Womack Brothers. They were chosen to open a local show for the Soul Stirrers in 1953, where Bobby befriended lead singer Sam Cooke; following this break, they toured the country as an opening act for numerous gospel groups. When Cooke formed his own SAR label, he recruited the Womack Brothers with an eye towards transforming them into a crossover R&B act. Learning that his sons were moving into secular music, Friendly Womack threw them out of the house, and Cooke wired them the money to buy a car and drive out to his Los Angeles offices. The Womack Brothers made several recordings for SAR over 1960 and 1961, including a few gospel sides, but Cooke soon convinced them to record R&B and renamed them the Valentinos. In 1962, they scored a Top Ten hit on the R&B charts with "Lookin' for a Love," and Cooke sent them on the road behind James Brown to serve a boot-camp-style musical apprenticeship. Bobby eventually joined Cooke's backing band as guitarist. The Valentinos' 1964 single "It's All Over Now," written by Bobby, was quickly covered by the Rolling Stones with Cooke's blessing; when it became the Stones' first U.K. number one, Womack suddenly found himself a rich man.

Cooke's tragic death in December 1964 left Womack greatly shaken and the Valentinos' career in limbo. Just three months later, Womack married Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell, which earned him tremendous ill will in the R&B community; many viewed him as a shady opportunist looking to cash in on Cooke's legacy, especially since Campbell was significantly older than Womack. According to Womack, he was initially motivated to look after Campbell in an unstable time, not to tarnish the memory of a beloved mentor. Regardless, Womack found himself unable to get his solo career rolling in the wake of the scandal; singles for Chess ("I Found a True Love") and Him ("Nothing You Can Do") were avoided like the plague despite their quality. The Valentinos cut a couple of singles for Chess in 1966, "What About Me" and "Sweeter Than the Day Before," which also failed to make much of a splash. To make ends meet, Womack became a backing guitarist, first landing a job with Ray Charles; he went on to make a valuable connection in producer Chips Moman, and appeared often at Moman's American Studio in Memphis, as well as nearby Muscle Shoals, AL. In the process, Womack appeared on classic recordings by the likes of Joe Tex, King Curtis, and Aretha Franklin (Lady Soul), among others. He recorded singles for Keymen and Atlantic without success, but became one of Wilson Pickett's favorite songwriters, contributing the R&B Top Ten hits "I'm in Love" and "I'm a Midnight Mover" (plus 15 other tunes) to the singer's repertoire.

Womack had been slated to record a solo album for Minit, but had given Pickett most of his best material, which actually wound up getting his name back in the public eye in a positive light. In 1968, he scored the first charting single of his solo career with "What Is This?" and soon hit with a string of inventively reimagined pop covers -- "Fly Me to the Moon," "California Dreamin'," and "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," the former two of which reached the R&B Top 20. A songwriting partnership with engineer Darryl Carter resulted in the R&B hits "It's Gonna Rain," "How I Miss You Baby," and "More Than I Can Stand" over 1969-1970. A series of label absorptions bumped Womack up to United Artists in 1971, which proved to be the home of his greatest solo success; in the meantime, he contributed the ballad "Trust Me" to Janis Joplin's masterpiece Pearl, and the J. Geils Band revived "Lookin' for a Love" for their first hit. He also teamed up with jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo on the LP High Contrast, which debuted Womack's composition "Breezin'" (which, of course, became a smash for George Benson six years later). Most importantly, however, Womack played guitar on Sly & the Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin' On, a masterpiece of darkly psychedelic funk that would have an impact on Womack's own sound and sense of style.

Womack issued his first UA album, Communication, in 1971, which kicked off a string of excellent releases that ran through the first half of the decade. In addition to several of Womack's trademark pop covers, the album also contained the original ballad "That's the Way I Feel About 'Cha," which climbed all the way to number two on the R&B chart and became his long-awaited breakout hit. The 1972 follow-up Understanding spawned Womack's first chart-topper, "Woman's Gotta Have It," co-written with Darryl Carter and stepdaughter Linda (Womack divorced Barbara Campbell in 1970). The follow-up "Harry Hippie," a gently ironic tribute to Womack's brother, also hit the R&B Top Ten. Later that year, Womack scored the blaxploitation flick Across 110th Street; the title cut was later revived in the 1998 Quentin Tarantino film Jackie Brown. 1973's The Facts of Life had an R&B number two hit in a rearrangement of the perennial "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out," and the following year's Lookin' for a Love Again found Womack revisiting his Valentinos hit; the re-recorded "Lookin' for a Love" became his second number one R&B single and his only Top Ten hit on the pop charts. Follow-up single "You're Welcome, Stop On By" made the R&B Top Five.

Womack was by this time a seasoned veteran of the rock & roll lifestyle, having befriended the likes of the Rolling Stones, the late Janis Joplin, and Sly Stone. After his brother Harry was murdered by a jealous girlfriend in 1974 (in Bobby's own apartment), the drug usage began to take a more serious turn. Womack scored further R&B Top Ten hits with 1975's "Check It Out" and 1976's "Daylight," the latter of which seemed to indicate a longing for escape from the non-stop partying that often masked serious depression. Despite Womack's new marriage to Regina Banks, the song was a sign that things were coming to a head. Womack pushed UA into letting him do a full album of country music, something he'd always loved but which the label regarded as commercially inadvisable (especially under the title Womack reportedly wanted to use: Step Aside, Charley Pride, Give Another Nigger a Try). They eventually relented, and when BW Goes C&W met with predictably minimal response, UA palmed the increasingly difficult Womack off on Columbia. A pair of albums there failed to recapture his commercial momentum or reinvent him for the disco age, and he moved to Arista for 1979's Roads of Life, which appeared not long after the sudden death of his infant son.

At a low point in his life, Womack took a bit of time off from music to gather himself. He appeared as a guest vocalist on Jazz Crusader Wilton Felder's 1980 solo album Inherit the Wind, singing the hit title track, and subsequently signed with black entrepreneur Otis Smith's independent Beverly Glen label. His label debut, 1981's The Poet, was a critically acclaimed left-field hit, rejuvenating his career and producing a number three R&B hit with "If You Think You're Lonely Now." Unfortunately, money disputes soured the relationship between Womack and Smith rather quickly. The Poet II was delayed until 1984, and featured several duets with Patti LaBelle, including another number three R&B hit, "Love Has Finally Come at Last." Beverly Glen released a final LP culled from Womack's previous sessions, Someday We'll All Be Free, in 1985, by which time the singer had already broken free and signed with MCA. Another hit with Wilton Felder, "(No Matter How High I Get) I'll Still Be Looking Up to You," appeared that year, and his label debut So Many Rivers produced a Top Five R&B hit in "I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much." 1986's Womagic reunited Womack with Chips Moman, and he also backed the Rolling Stones on their remake of "Harlem Shuffle." By the following year he'd christened himself The Last Soul Man, which proved to be his final recording for MCA.

In the years since, Womack has made high-profile returns to the music business only sporadically. 1994's Resurrection was recorded for Ron Wood's Slide label and featured an array of guest stars including Wood, Keith Richards, Rod Stewart, and Stevie Wonder. In 1999, he fulfilled a long-standing promise to his father (who passed away in 1981) by delivering his first-ever gospel album, Back to My Roots.

THE O'KAYSIONS

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Biography by Ron Wynn (amg)

The O'Kaysions didn't have many hits, but the North Carolina sextet's energetic "Girl Watcher" remains a staple on the Carolina/Georgia/Florida beach circuit. The song actually did a bit better on the pop side, reaching number five there, as opposed to number six R&B. It was their only chart tune for ABC in 1968. Lead singer Donny Weaver, Ron Turner, Jim Spidel, Wayne Pittman, Jimmy Hennant, and Bruce Joyner began as the Kays.

The O'Kaysions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


The O'Kaysions are an American pop / blue-eyed soul group originally from Wilson, North Carolina. Today, they are known as Beach Music artists. The group first formed under the name The Kays, and scored a top ten hit in the U.S. in 1968 with the tune "Girl Watcher" (#5 Pop, #6 R&B).[1] The song was first released on a local record label under the production of John I Whitfield, North State, before being released nationally by ABC. It was their only major hit, and they never released a second full-length album. In 1987, the song was reworked as "I'm A Wheel Watcher" and was used to promote the TV game show, Wheel Of Fortune.

Since the song was recorded in a budget studio, the master tapes are unfortunately long gone so every copy is a dub from a 45 record. Best quality can be found from a mint "North State" 45.

The group still performs today with a different line-up. Wayne Pittman is the only original member remaining active in the band. He also serves as the manager of the group.
Band members (Classic Line-Up)

* Donnie Weaver - vocals, organ
* Wayne Pittman - guitar
* Ron Turner - trumpet
* Jim Spezialle - saxophone
* Jimmy Hinnant - bass
* Bruce Joyner - drums

"SWEET" CHARLES SHERRELL

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Biography by Jason Ankeny (amg)

Although his successor, Bootsy Collins, receives most of the recognition, bassist "Sweet" Charles Sherrell was no less a pivotal figure in shaping James Brown's groundbreaking evolution from soul to funk. The much-copied "slap" technique and syncopated, thumping rhythms Sherrell introduced on such landmark records as "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)," "Mother Popcorn," and "Soul Power" remain the essence of the almighty groove. Born March 8, 1943, in Nashville, Sherrell began playing the trombone at age eight, later learning the trumpet and drums as well. While majoring in music at Tennessee State University, he played drums in an R&B band featuring then-unknown guitarist Jimi Hendrix and bassist Billy Cox. When rumor spread across Nashville that Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin was traveling to town to assemble a backing band for her upcoming U.S. tour, Sherrell bought his first bass at a pawnshop for 69 dollars, sufficiently mastering the instrument within three weeks to land the gig. After Brown's longtime bassist Tim Drummond contracted hepatitis in mid-1968, Sherrell was tapped as his replacement. Upon making his debut as a member of the J.B.'s with "I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)," he gradually honed the pioneering slap approach that remains his greatest contribution to contemporary music. "[Sherrell] hasn't gotten the credit as a bass player that he should have," Brown later admitted. "A lot of stuff that Bootsy Collins and some other bass players did later -- like thumping the strings -- 'Sweet' did first." As the decade drew to a close Brown issued a new record virtually every month, each further defining the basic formula of funk: bold, precise horns, repetitive rhythms, and a minimum of melodic embellishment. But the relentless pace, combined with Brown's infamously tight-fisted business practices, forced Sherrell to resign from the J.B.'s in January 1970. In the years to follow he played on sessions headlined by Al Green and others, and also attempted to mount a solo career. He returned to the J.B.'s in 1974, also cutting a solo LP, the superb For Sweet People from Sweet Charles for Brown's People label. Despite his appealingly honeyed vocal style, the album did not sell, and except for a handful of subsequent solo singles (including the 1976 novelty "Do the King Kong" and 1981's "If I Only Had a Minute") Sherrell confined the remainder of his career to sideman duties, assuming the title of Brown's musical director upon trombonist Fred Wesley's 1975 departure from the fold. Sherrell remained with Brown until October 1996, when internal friction again forced his exit. This time he teamed with another J.B.'s alumnus, the legendary saxophonist Maceo Parker, with whom he toured well into the next millennium.

THE REFLECTIONS

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Biography by Ron Wynn (amg)

A New York City vocal group formed in 1971, the Reflections also served as Melba Moore's background vocalists during a 1972 tour. Herman Edwards, Josh Pridgen, and Edmund and John Simmons were the original members. They recorded for Capitol in the mid-'70s, and made one nice number, "Three Steps from True Love," in 1975. It was their lone Top Ten R&B hit.

(Not TO BE CONFUSED with the Detroit Doo-Wop group who were around in the '60's)

J. BLACKFOOT

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Daddy B. Nice's #32 ranked Southern Soul Artist

Review by William Ruhlmann (amg)

J. Blackfoot's debut solo LP, City Slicker, is a concept album based on that age-old theme, the country boy's experiences when he comes to the city. Blackfoot isn't embarrassed to borrow heavily from Stevie Wonder's "Livin' for the City" for the album-opening "The Way of the City," and it's a good indication of what's to come: Blackfoot, with his gruff voice, is a forceful soul belter, but he's not exactly original. Nevertheless, in 1983 it was pleasant to hear someone hewing so closely to the soul sound of the late '60s and early '70s, and Blackfoot scored a Top Ten R&B hit with the smooth "Taxi" from this album, which also made a respectable showing on the R&B LP chart.

BOBBY WOMACK

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Review by Quint Kik

Debut album from the self-proclaimed "Last Soul Man," who earned his credentials as writer and composer of the Rolling Stones' first U.K. number one. He was also one of the forces behind Sly & the Family Stone's sultry classic There's a Riot Going On. Derived from his 1987 album, this title of honor would have sounded pretentious employed by just anyone. However, with most of the true soul legends gone or lost in the '80s ozone of slick synthesized productions, Bobby Womack remained one of few who stayed true to their art. Like Bill Withers, Womack could be viewed as sort of a singer/songwriter by accident, who developed a genuine style of his own. His remarkable quality was brought back to memory through Quentin Tarantino's kind gesture of including him on the Jackie Brown soundtrack. Fly Me to the Moon (aka A Midnight Mover) is an impressive debut. It took Womack several years to come to the point of recording his own material, having first to shake off the untimely death of his mentor Sam Cooke. Based on the results, everything here sounds like he had been holding it back for this kind of raw soul explosion. A mere seven out of the ten tracks are Womack originals, two of which were written for ("I'm in Love") or with (the title track) Wilson Pickett. His authentic rasp of a voice, combined with a superb production by Chips Moman, lend to Fly Me to the Moon the overall feeling of a Stax release. "You Oughta Think It Over," "What Is This," and "The Time Is Now" are as good as anything by either Sam & Dave or Pickett himself, if not better. His stunning version of "California Dreamin'" tops this sublime effort. Womack makes the lyrics come alive in a way you can really smell those brown leaves and feel the chilly presence of a gray sky on a winters' day.

BARBARA LYNN

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Biography by Steve Huey (amg)
Singer/guitarist Barbara Lynn was a rare commodity during her heyday. Not only was she a female instrumentalist (one of the very first to hit the charts), but she also played left-handed -- quite well at that -- and even wrote some of her own material. Lynn's music often straddled the line between blues and Southern R&B, and since much of her early work -- including the number one R&B hit "You'll Lose a Good Thing" -- was recorded in New Orleans, it bore the sonic imprint of the Crescent City. Lynn was born Barbara Lynn Ozen in Beaumont, TX, on January 16, 1942; she played the piano as a child before switching to guitar, inspired by Elvis Presley. In junior high, Lynn formed her own band, Bobbie Lynn and the Idols; at this point, her musical role models veered between bluesmen (Guitar Slim, Jimmy Reed) and female pop singers (Brenda Lee, Connie Francis). After winning a few talent shows and playing some teen dances, the still-underage Lynn started working the local clubs and juke joints, risking getting kicked out of school if she had been discovered. Singer Joe Barry caught her live act and recommended her to his friend, producer/impresario Huey P. Meaux, aka the Crazy Cajun.

With her parents' consent, Meaux brought Lynn to New Orleans to record at the legendary Cosimo's studio. Lynn cut a few singles for the Jamie label with the understanding that if none hit, she was to attend college instead of pursuing music right off the bat. In 1962, her self-penned ballad "You'll Lose a Good Thing" became a national hit, reaching the pop Top Ten and climbing all the way to number one on the R&B charts. Her first album (of the same name) was also released that year, featuring ten of her originals among its 12 tracks. Lynn continued to record for Jamie up through 1965, producing follow-up R&B hits like "You're Gonna Need Me" and "Oh Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin')," the latter of which was recorded by the Rolling Stones in 1965. In 1966, Lynn switched over to Meaux's Tribe label and cut "You Left the Water Running," which became something of an R&B standard and was covered by the likes of Otis Redding. In 1967, she signed with Atlantic and had another R&B hit with "This Is the Thanks I Get" early the following year; she also issued another album, Here Is Barbara Lynn, in 1968. Lynn scored one last hit for Atlantic in 1972's "(Until Then) I'll Suffer," but by this point, she had several children to worry about raising; dissatisfied with her promotion anyway, she wound up effectively retiring from the music business for most of the '70s and '80s, though she did play the occasional low-key tour.

Lynn returned to music in the mid-'80s, touring Japan for the first time in 1984; she later cut a live album there, called You Don't Have to Go, which was eventually issued in the States by Ichiban. Lynn had managed to retain a cult following among connoisseurs of American soul and blues in several different pockets of the world, and toured internationally during the early '90s. In 1994, Bullseye Blues issued her first full-fledged studio album in over two decades, So Good; Until Then I'll Suffer followed in 1996. Lynn later caught on with the respected blues label Antone's, and in 2000 she cut Hot Night Tonight, which featured a couple of raps by her son Bachelor Wise.

Review by Ron Wynn (amg)

Barbara Lynn Ozen's smoky voice and fine guitar playing was one of the better blends of soul vocals and blues embellishment. Huey P. Meaux produced this early-'60s record, which featured the classic title track. Other Lynn numbers, like "I'll Suffer," were equally outstanding; Lynn was sometimes tough and confrontational, and tender, inviting or anguished at other times. Meaux didn't clutter the works with unnecessary firepower; his arrangements and charts were just enough to augment Lynn's sturdy vocals. Lynn also wrote ten of the 12 songs.


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BABY HUEY

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Biography by Steve Huey

A locally beloved figure on the Chicago soul scene, Baby Huey never achieved quite the same renown outside of his hometown, despite an exciting live act and a record on Curtis Mayfield's Curtom label. Born James Ramey in Richmond, IN, in 1944, Baby Huey was literally an enormous stage presence: a glandular problem kept his weight around 350-400 pounds and beyond. He began performing in Chicago clubs in 1963 with his backing band the Babysitters and soon became a popular concert draw. As the '60s wore on, Baby Huey's sound moved from energetic R&B into a more psychedelic brand of soul, with a vocal style that drew comparisons to Otis Redding. He signed with Curtom and recorded a debut album, The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend, that featured several Curtis Mayfield songs (most notably the oft-sampled "Hard Times" and "Mighty Mighty Children"), plus a cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." Sadly, Baby Huey didn't live to see it released; his weight and substance-abuse problems were exacting a steep toll on his body, and on October 28, 1970, he suffered a drug-related heart attack in a hotel room in Chicago. The album was released early the next year, and the Babysitters attempted to carry on for a while with a new lead singer, the still-teenaged Chaka Khan (she would, of course, go on to fame as the frontwoman of funk band Rufus shortly thereafter). In the years since, Baby Huey's lone LP has become a sought-after collectible among soul fanatics.
Review by Wade Kergan

Baby Huey's only album, released after his untimely death, is titled The Living Legend with good reason. He was legendary in his appearance, a 400-pound man with a penchant for flamboyant clothing and crowned by a woolly Afro, a look that is best illustrated by one of several rare photos included in the Water Records edition that shows our man in a wide-lapeled polka-dot shirt with a lime-green jacket. Beyond his unusual appearance, though, he was graced with a stunning, fierce voice on par with Otis Redding and Howard Tate, wailing and howling one moment and oddly tender and sentimental the next. Nowhere on Living Legend is his range more apparent than the opening track, "Listen to Me," where listeners are introduced to both the enigma of Baby Huey and his diamond-tough psychedelic funk backing band, the Baby Sitters. The high-energy instrumental workout "Mama Get Yourself Together" is worthy of the J.B.'s and a hazy, spiraling ten-minute rendition of Sam Cooke's chestnut "A Change Is Going to Come" confirms that the Baby Sitters could hold their own with Blood, Sweat & Tears. Further lore that catapults The Living Legend from good to great: the production was helmed by Curtis Mayfield, reason enough to make it near essential, and is highlighted by three of his compositions, "Mighty Mighty," which Mayfield and the Impressions recorded a few years earlier; "Running," a classic Mayfield cut that can only be heard here ripped to glorious bits by a band that is trying to let every member solo; and "Hard Times," which Mayfield himself would revisit on his 1975 album There's No Place Like America Today, although Baby Huey's razor-edged reading remains the definitive version -- no small caveat considering Mayfield not only wrote the tune, but could rightfully be considered one of the architects of soul to boot.

NORMAN WHITFIELD - R.I.P.

Norman Whitfield, who died on Tuesday aged 67, was a songwriter and producer and one of the principal architects of the Motown sound; he was responsible for many of the label's greatest hits, including such classics as Money (That's What I Want) and I Heard it Through the Grapevine, a chart-topper on both sides of the Atlantic in 1968 that became the biggest-selling record in the label's history.

Two of the four versions of I Heard it Through the Grapevine which Whitfield recorded with various Motown acts became hits. One, by Gladys Knight & the Pips, reached number two in the American charts in 1967; while the version by Marvin Gaye went to number one in both Britain and the United States in 1968. Gaye's brooding, experimental version ranks at number 80 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Having frittered away his teenage years in pool halls, Whitfield began writing for Motown when he was 19. Some of the classic songs he wrote for Berry Gordy's Motown artists were covered by some of the biggest acts in the world. The Beatles covered Money on their second album in 1963, and the Rolling Stones recorded a version of his Ain't Too Proud To Beg.

Norman Jesse Whitfield was born in Harlem, New York, on May 12 1941.

When he was in his teens the family moved to Detroit, where eventually Norman began pestering Berry Gordy for a job at the Motown offices known as Hitsville USA; the Motown founder agreed to give him a job in the quality control department, which selected the songs the label would release.

Having become a member of Motown's resident songwriting team, Whitfield had some minor successes, but made his name only when he started producing recordings of his own songs.

His big break came when he replaced Smokey Robinson as the Temptations' principal producer on Ain't Too Proud To Beg (1966). Whitfield's decision to highlight the rasping vocals of David Ruffin paid off, and he continued to foster a rougher sound in the group's subsequent hits, including Beauty Is Only Skin Deep and (I Know) I'm Losing You (both 1966).

After Ruffin's departure, Whitfield steered the Temptations into the realms of psychedelic soul with his controversial Cloud Nine (1969). At first Berry Gordy objected to the song on the ground that it appeared to promote drugs, but Whitfield convinced him otherwise, and the record earned Motown its first Grammy award.

With his songwriting partner, the lyricist Barrett Strong, Whitfield continued to supply the Temptations with such gritty classics as Psychedelic Shack, Ball Of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) (both 1970), Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) (1971) and Papa Was A Rolling Stone (1972).

I Heard it Through the Grapevine was another collaboration with Barrett Strong; and in 1969 Whitfield penned a follow-up hit for Marvin Gaye, Too Busy Thinking About My Baby. The following year he had another chart success with the uncompromising War, recorded by Edwin Starr.

Having left Motown in 1973 to form his own eponymous label, Whitfield had a smash hit three years later with Car Wash by Rose Royce, originally Edwin Starr's Motown backing group. The track was used as the theme song to the 1976 film of the same name, and the soundtrack album won Whitfield another Grammy in 1977.

His subsequent hit numbers for Rose Royce included I Wanna Get Next To You (1976), Wishing On A Star (1977) and Love Don't Live Here Anymore (1978).

He returned to the Motown label in the early 1980s and produced another hit single for the Temptations, Sail Away (1983), and the soundtrack to Berry Gordy's film, The Last Dragon (1985).

In 2005 Whitfield was convicted of tax evasion on income of more than $2 million. He was sentenced to six months' house arrest and fined $25,000. He was spared prison on account of his various health problems, notably his diabetes.

THE STYLISTICS

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Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

After the Spinners and the O'Jays, the Stylistics were the leading Philly soul group produced by Thom Bell. During the early '70s, the band had 12 straight Top Ten hits, including "You Are Everything," "Betcha by Golly, Wow," "I'm Stone in Love With You," "Break Up to Make Up," and "You Make Me Feel Brand New." Of all their peers, the Stylistics were one of the smoothest and sweetest soul groups of their era. All of their hits were ballads, graced by the soaring falsetto of Russell Thompkins, Jr. and the lush yet graceful productions of Bell, which helped make the Stylistics one of the most successful soul groups of the first half of the '70s.

The Stylistics formed in 1968, when members of the Philadelphia soul groups the Monarchs and the Percussions joined forces after their respective band dissolved. Thompkins, James Smith, and Airrion Love hailed from the Monarchs; James Dunn and Herbie Murrell were from the Percussions. In 1970, the group recorded "You're a Big Girl Now," a song their road manager Marty Bryant co-wrote with Robert Douglas, a member of their backing band Slim and the Boys, and the single became a regional hit for Sebring Records. The larger Avco Records soon signed the Stylistics, and single eventually climbed to number seven in early 1971.

Once they were on Avco, the Stylistics began working with producer/songwriter Thom Bell, who had previously worked with the Delfonics. The Stylistics became Bell's pet project and with lyricist Linda Creed, he crafted a series of hit singles that relied as much on the intricately arranged and lush production as they did on Thompkins' falsetto. Every single that Bell produced for the Stylistics was a Top Ten R&B hit, and several -- "You Are Everything," "Betcha by Golly, Wow," "I'm Stone in Love With You," "Break Up to Make Up," and "You Make Me Feel Brand New" -- were also Top Ten pop hits.

Following "You Make Me Feel Brand New" in the spring of 1974, the Stylistics broke away from Bell and began working with Van McCoy, who helped move the group towards a softer, easy listening style. In 1976, they left Avco and signed with H&L. The group's American record sales declined, yet they remained popular in Europe, particularly in Great Britain, where "Sing Baby Sing" (1975), "Na Na Is the Saddest Word" (1975), "Can't Give You Anything" (1975), and "Can't Help Falling in Love" (1976) were all Top Five hits. The Stylistics continued to tour and record throughout the latter half of the '70s, as their popularity steadily declined. In 1980, Dunn left the group because of poor health, and he was followed later that year by Smith. The remaining Stylistics continued performing as a trio on oldies shows into the '90s.

Review by Craig Lytle

This was the Stylistics' sophomore album and it spawned three Billboard R&B Top Ten singles: "I'm Stone in Love With You," "Break Up to Make Up," and "You'll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)." The first two even cracked the Top Ten on the pop charts. Furthermore, there is much here to savor. The vocal quintet's version of the Carole King classic "It's Too Late" never soars or dips -- it just soothes in spite of the fateful lyric. "Children of the Night" imparts a similar mood but with a different lyrical content. The two selections "Peek-A-Boo" and "You're As Right As Rain" are Stylistics originals. First tenor Russell Thompkins Jr, who leads on all the aforementioned songs, seems to effortlessly reach each note and hold it as long as necessary. Although only the first three hit the charts, all of the songs referenced are radio favorites. As superb as the group was vocally, the production work of Thom Bell is commendable as well.

SAM & DAVE

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Samuel David Moore (12 October 1935, Miami, Florida, USA) and David Prater (b. 9 May 1937, Ocilla, Georgia, USA, d. 9 April 1988). Sam And Dave first performed together in 1961 at Miami's King Of Hearts club. Moore originally sang in his father's Baptist church before joining the Melonaires, while Prater, who had worked with the Sensational Hummingbirds, was also gospel-trained. Club-owner John Lomelo became the duo's manager and was instrumental in securing their contract with Roulette. Five singles and one album subsequently appeared between 1962 and 1964, produced by R&B veteran Henry Glover, but it was not until Jerry Wexler signed Sam And Dave to Atlantic Records that their true potential blossomed. For political reasons, their records appeared on Stax Records; they used the Memphis-based house band, while many of their strongest moments came from the Isaac Hayes/David Porter staff writing team. "You Don't Know Like I Know", "Hold On I'm Comin'" (both 1966), "Soul Man" (1967) and "I Thank You" (1968), featuring Prater's gritty delivery and Moore's higher interjections, were among the genre's finest.

When Stax and Atlantic separated in 1968, Sam And Dave reverted to the parent company, but a disintegrating personal relationship seemed to mirror their now decaying fortune. The amazing "Soul Sister, Brown Sugar' (1969) delayed the slide, but the duo split briefly the next year when Sam Moore began his own career. Three solo singles followed, but the pair were reunited by a contract with United Artists Records. A renewed profile, on the strength of the Blues Brothers" success with "Soul Man", faltered when the differences between the two men proved irreconcilable. By 1981, Moore was again pursuing an independent direction, but his sole chart success came when he was joined by Lou Reed for a remake of "Soul Man" six years later. Prater found a new foil in the "Sam" of Sam And Bill, but before they were able to consolidate this new partnership, Prater died in a car crash on 9 April 1988. Sam Moore, in the meantime, carried on working consistently all over the world, notably on luxury cruise-liners. In 2001, some master tapes of solo material recorded in 1970 were discovered and issued the following year. A fully-fledged solo album, Overnight Sensational, followed in 2006.

The best duo in the history of soul music, Sam And Dave released records that combined urgency with an unbridled passion.

THE CONTROLLERS

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Biography by Ron Wynn (amg)

Alabama soul belters the Controllers began as the Epics in 1965. They became the Soul Controllers in 1970, and finally the Controllers. Reginald and Larry McArthur, Lenard Brown, and Ricky Lewis formed the lineup, and were especially effective on heartache ballads, though they also did competent up-tempo dance numbers. They relocated to Miami in the late '70s and began recording for Juana. Frederick Knight produced some of their material, including the 1977 debut LP Somebody's Gotta Win, Somebody's Gotta Lose. They enjoyed moderate success with other Juana singles and LPs, though both "Heaven Is Only One Step Away" and "We Don't" were outstanding performances. They moved to MCA in 1984. Stevie Wonder made a guest appearance on harmonica for their first MCA single, "Crushed," which reached number 30 on the R&B charts. Their biggest MCA hit was "Stay," which peaked at number 12 in 1986. They moved to Capitol in 1988, issuing Just in Time that year.

PROBLEMS WITH SOME OF MY UPLOADS:

I have email from 2 people have who downloaded some stuff from me and are having problems with them.

I don't know what the problem is - there is no special encoding that I know about.

I know nothing about ITUNES - never have used it myself.

There is nothing in the files when I look at them that makes them look any different than any other music files I have put up. I have been able to change the titles, numbers, group names with no problem - I use a program called MP3 Tag to do it.

I AM SURE IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FILES THEY WOULD HAVE BLOWN UP MY MACHINE ALREADY - AS I HAVE HAD THE FILES SINCE 2006! They have been on 2 of my computers and moved to at least 4 different hard drives.

So here is a copy of one of the emails:
What a beautiful compilation this is! I like it a lot - just - the files are acting out.

Just like Patterson Twins, People's Choice and Five Du-Tones, there must be a hidden encoding (or something else), that prevents me from filling the fields in my playlists.

I cannot fill in name and album titel, the fields are empty, and the picture cannot be put in either.

Weird: for half a second the cover photo appears (by itself) in its window, before vanishing into nowhere.
When I try to put it back in, it will not stay. Just like all names and album titles will not stay in their fields, after I have written them in.

I don't get it! I have almost 30.000 mp3s now, and this is new to me.
I have no idea what this is. I assume it is some type of hidden encoding, but of course I don't know it really.

Does anybody else have any problems like that?

I am playing my files in itunes, and usually find that perfect.
Now, in the last album (this one), itunes even decided to close the player automatically. That NEVER hapened before - EVER!!

Should I rather delete the files? Is there a safety hazard? I am confused and a bit nervous now.
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CAN SOMEONE HELP PLEASE???

TIMI YURO

Now that I have crossed the Mason - Dixon Line (so to speak) with yesterday's extravaganza (LOL) - it brings to my mind another southern type singer - from a different era ....

NOW not everyone would consider Timi a soul singer. For such a little thing, she sure had a powerful voice. I'm not really sure I consider her a soul singer myself ....
But you either love her or hate her. There are a couple of great Timi albums at Funk My Soul blog.
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THE LOST VOICE OF SOUL

"The little girl with the big voice," Timi Yuro was America's finest white soul singer of the 1960s. Her million-selling debut single, "Hurt," introduced a performer of such profound poignancy and depth that many listeners assumed she was a man, an African-American, or both, and while Yuro never again achieved the same commercial heights, her finest records deserve mention in the same breath as Aretha Franklin, Irma Thomas, and the other soul queens of the era. Born Rosemarie Timotea Aurro in Chicago on August 4, 1940, she was the product of an Italian-American family that owned a local restaurant; as a child she received voice lessons, and according to legend, her nanny also snuck her into the Windy City's legendary blues clubs, where Timi (a childhood nickname) witnessed life-altering live appearances by singers Dinah Washington and Mildred Bailey. After adopting the phonetic spelling of their surname, the Yuro family relocated to Los Angeles in 1952, where Timi studied under voice coach Dr. Lillian Goodman. By the middle of the decade, Yuro was performing in nightclubs, much to the chagrin of her parents. However, her subsequent performances at their Hollywood restaurant Alvoturnos would not only pull back the eatery from the brink of bankruptcy, but vault it into the ranks of Tinseltown's hottest destinations.

A late 1959 Alvoturnos performance convinced Liberty Records talent scout Sonny "Confidential" Knight to recommend Yuro to label head Al Bennett, who immediately offered the singer a recording contract. But Yuro found Liberty's choice of material so frustrating that after months of recording lightweight demos ill-matched to her resonant, commanding voice, she crashed a 1961 label board meeting, vowing to Bennett and his colleagues to tear up her contract if they did not let her cut more appropriate material. She then performed an a cappella reading of the 1954 Roy Hamilton R&B hit "Hurt," so impressing the Liberty brass that in June 1961 Yuro entered the studio with producer Clyde Otis to record the song for posterity. A remarkably mature and assured debut record, "Hurt" peaked at number four on the Billboard pop charts that autumn, in addition to reaching number 22 on the R&B charts. No doubt viewers on both sides of the color line were shocked when Yuro's accompanying television appearances revealed this deeply emotional ballad was the work of a 20-year-old white woman less than five feet tall. Her follow-up single, a cover of the Charlie Chaplin composition "Smile," climbed to the number 42 spot in late 1961, and Liberty wrapped up the year with the release of "I Believe," a one-off effort pairing the singer with pop heartthrob Johnnie Ray.

Yuro spent early 1962 opening for Frank Sinatra on a brief tour of Australia. While the exposure no doubt boosted her profile, it was instrumental in crystallizing the growing public perception that she was more a cabaret performer than a soul singer, an image that was further established with her fourth single, a revival of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" that went only as high as number 66 on the pop charts but cracked the easy listening Top 20. And despite its title, Yuro's sophomore LP, Soul!, proved to be a collection of standards, although she returned to her R&B roots with the superb Drifters homage "Count Everything." During sessions for her next effort, "What's a Matter Baby," producer Otis abruptly quit Liberty, and the masters were handed to his interim replacement, Phil Spector. The completed single bears all the hallmarks of the classic Spector sound, from its elegant string arrangement to its insistent rhythm to Yuro's righteously indignant vocal, and would prove her biggest hit since "Hurt," reaching number 12 on the pop charts and number 16 on its R&B counterpart. The team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David penned Yuro's next single, "The Love of a Boy," which climbed to number 44 in early 1963. Its follow-up, "Insult to Injury," went no higher than number 81 when it hit radio a few months later.

Following Ray Charles' successful embrace of country & western material, Yuro next covered Hank Cochran's "Make the World Go Away," scoring her last significant U.S. chart hit when the single reached number 24 on the pop charts and number eight on the easy listening chart. An album of country covers, also titled Make the World Go Away, yielded two more minor hits -- "Gotta Travel On" and "Permanently Lonely" -- and in the wake of 1964's "Should I Ever Love Again," Yuro cut ties with Liberty, signing to Mercury to release "If," which stalled at number 120. Her third Mercury effort, a rendition of Roy Hamilton's "You Can Have Him," was her only release on the label to crack the Hot 100, limping to the number 96 slot in early 1965. Teddy Randazzo authored Yuro's next release, the sublime "Get Out of My Life," and while the record was a commercial stiff, its flip side, "Can't Stop Running Away," would later resurface as a favorite of Britain's Northern soul community. Yuro returned to her Italian origins with the 1965 release "Ti Credo," recorded for entry in Italy's annual San Remo Festival. Her profile back home in the U.S. was by now virtually nonexistent, however, and subsequent Mercury releases including 1966's "Don't Keep Me Lonely Too Long" and the next year's bluesy cover of Johnny "Guitar" Watson's "Cuttin' In" went nowhere.

Yuro finally returned to Liberty in early 1968, traveling to Britain to cut her proposed comeback single, "Something Bad on My Mind." The finished product was her strongest release in some time, but went nowhere. Her breathtaking theme song to the Douglas Sirk film Interlude followed, and met a similarly grim fate (although Morrissey and Siouxie Sioux covered the tune a quarter century later); "It'll Never Be Over for Me" also stiffed, but also became a Northern soul perennial, with original copies changing hands for over 100 pounds a copy. A concert LP, Live at PJ's, was scheduled for release in the summer of 1969, but withdrawn just days prior to hitting retail. Yuro again left Liberty soon after, this time relocating to Las Vegas and starting a family. She performed only sporadically in the decade to follow, briefly resurfacing in 1975 on the short-lived Playboy label with "Southern Lady," which stalled at the number 108 spot. For Willie Mitchell's Frequency imprint, Yuro cut a stunning cover of Toussaint McCall's "Nothing Takes the Place of You" in 1979. A year later, she was diagnosed with throat cancer, but recovered to cut several LPs for the Dutch market as well as 1982's Timi Yuro Today, produced and financed by longtime friend Willie Nelson. Two years later she was forced to undergo a tracheotomy operation, effectively ending her singing career. She died March 30, 2004, at the age of 63.
Biography by Jason Ankeny (Allmusic)

RICK LAWSON

Daddy B. Nice's #68 ranked Southern Soul Artist

The fourteenth of fifteen children born near Raymond, Mississippi, Rick Lawson was a musical child prodigy whose uncle, Willie Banks, was known as "The Godfather of Gospel." Rick Lawson recorded his first single, a gospel song, at the age of ten, and by the age of sixteen had recorded his first album with his own gospel group, the Gospel Carriers.

Lawson began singing R&B professionally with the Jackson-area Mighty Upsetters Dance Band in the early 90's, and in 1994 was proclaimed Jackson's "Most Outstanding New Artist Of The Year." His first CD, 24/7, debuted in 2001 on Ecko Records. The title track was a cover of Tyrone Davis's "Kiss You (Where I Miss You)."

Lawson, known as the "The Babe Of The Blues," followed up with Pride & Joy in 2002, I Wanna Have Some Fun in 2003, and Ladies Night in 2004.

All were produced at Ecko Records by Southern Soul's prolific hit-maker, John Ward. Another Ecko label mate, O. B. Buchana, recorded "Both In The Wrong," a Raymond Moore/John Ward composition first recorded by Lawson on his 24-7 CD, on Buchana's 2004 Ecko release, Shake What You Got. A new Rick Lawson album, Sexified is anticipated.

Song's Transcendent Moment

"This is the party.
This is the place.
Everywhere I turn,
There was booty shaking in my face."

Tidbits

Dec. 7, 2005. Sexified (Ecko), Rick Lawson's newest CD, came out in the fall of 2005. "Freak Cowboy" entered playlists across the chitlin' circuit as the disc's favored radio single.

Nov. 26, 2006. Rick Lawson's Sexified has been a veritable Thanksgiving feast of radio singles. In the year since its release the LP has spawned at least three solid chitlin' circuit singles in roughly this sequence: "Freak Cowboy," "If You Hit It," and "She Was Cheating Better Than Me."

A couple of Reviews:
If it ain't broke don't fix it. Lawson is back serving up smooth Southern Soul and booty-wigglin' dance. "Slow Walk" was a huge hit down South. "It's Party Time" pops up again (seems to be a bad habit carrying a song over from a previous album). "I Don't Wanna Be Here" is a moody slow grinder about a breakup and "You Are My Friend" is a sweet slowie.

"Ladies Night" (Ecko 2004)

*** Ecko Records out of Memphis, Tennesee has been producing some of the best party soul & blues on the chitlin circuit since 1997 and the latest release by Rick Lawson proves they still have life left in the formula of mostly programmed uptempo dance tracks, upbeat southern soul and slow jams. Out of all the many Tyrone Davis imitators perhaps Rick Lawson is the most obvious- even using Tyrone's favorite vocal filler ("well"). LADIES NIGHT makes its intentions known right from the opening head-bobber "This Is The Party", one of three songs with the word "party" in the title. (also "Juke Joint Party" & "All Night Party Mood"). As is custom in the genre several of the songs are derivative of other southern soul songs, The great "I Found Me A Sure Thing" is a kissing cousin to "I Got A Sure Thing" and "I'm In A Steppin' Mood" is nearly identical to R. Kelly's "Step In The Name Of Love". Quinn Golden's recent hit "Bottoms Up" is reworked as "Bottoms Up Again". The dilemma of having "a girlfriend, a woman and a wife" crops up again on "Too Tight Too Close". Despite the formulaic sound and spirit- (and typical "cheating" subject matter)-thi
s new Ecko release it still feels fresh and keeps the party going.

"Sexified" (Ecko 2005)

*** There are two types of Southern Soul/Urban Blues: "Organic" (live musicians) and "Synthetic" (programming, sequencing). While Organic is normally to be preferred, the Synthetic sound has a life on it's own. I used to be a snob- reticent to programming but now I like it equal. This new Ecko Records release is actually a combination of live players and programming and it is excellent. Lawson is a good Tyrone Davis-disciple and has the benefit of a big production. "Sexified" is his fifth disc and may be his best. This is party soul exemplified like the shuffle bumpin' radio candy "I'm Your Man In The Streets" that opens the disc. Next up is the funky "Freak Cowboy" with Rick saying he needs a real horse not just a "pony" (you hear that Sheba Potts-Wright?). The retro-disco "Heavenly Lady" evokes the spirit of Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra and is one of the brightest spots. A yearning vocal and sweet refrain. One of the key ingredients on this project is Morris J. Williams- giving mo' flavor to the aging Ecko sound. Williams plays synthesizer, sings backing vocals and creates some of the rhythm tracks on this release- he even co-wrote 8 of the 11 cuts here- most notably the grinding booty shaker "Shake What You Got" (not the O.B. Buchana hit) and "Baby Mama Drama". On The latter Lawson complains he's got 5 babies by three different women..but wait! There's two more on the way! I think he should take Frankie Lee's advice from "The Ladies And The Babies"! ("If you can't afford to help support the babies/You better think twice before you grab the lady!") More woman issues crop up on "That Boogie Bear". Even though his woman is playing him for a fool he sho'nuff can't resist that "booger bear". The cut also features some tight drums via Curtis Steele. "She Was Cheatin' Better Than Me" borrows the "Booty Scoot" bassline and is a potential hit single on an album with commercial appeal. Yep, "Just Another Juke Joint Party" indeed.


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Sexified: Review

Rick Lawson has the sweet Motown-inspired vocal style of one of the great soul groups of the late '60s and early '70s, not at all unlike Cuba Gooding of the Main Ingredient or General Johnson of the Chairmen of the Board. Unlike the comparatively chaste lyrical stance of those groups, however, Lawson is not at all above singing choruses like "I'm your freak cowboy" or delivering an R. Kelly-style wry psychodrama like "Baby Mama Drama." The tunes on Sexified don't have a bit of hip-hop influence other than the unabashedly frank (but never cheaply vulgar) lyrical topics, however. Although the arrangements feature modern synths as much as they do vintage wah-wah guitar, this is proudly retro-soul, providing richly melodic settings as well as deep grooves. The closing "She Was Cheatin' Better Than Me" is a particularly choice near-classic of the style, but there's not a dud to be found on this album. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide All Music Guide

LEST THE WORLD FORGETS

24 CANADIANS KILLED IN THE TOWERS ON SEPTEMBER 11TH.

ALMOST 100 CANADIAN PEACEKEEPERS have died ...



OVER 200 people come out Saturday on a Whitby, Ontario, bridge to pay respects to a convoy for three of our fallen soldiers.

The ritual is repeated every time a fallen soldier returns to Canada.



On Saturday night, as three bodies moved down the 100-mile-long section of Highway 401 that connects the military base in Trenton, Ontario, to the morgue in Toronto, dozens of bridges along the way were packed with people.

RASPUTIN STASH

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Biography by Andy Kellman (AMG)
The brainchild of session musician Martin Dumas Jr., Rasputin's Stash was a '70s soul/funk ensemble from the Windy City of Chicago, IL. In the early '70s, Dumas assembled an eight-piece group out of fellow session regulars from the city. Signed early on to the Cotillion label, the group released a self-titled album in 1971 and gradually lost half of their members by the time they recorded their second album for Gemigo, a subsidiary of Curtis Mayfield's Curtom imprint. The quartet -- Dumas, Ernest Frank Donaldson, Bruce Butler, and Paul Coleman -- shed the possessive of their band name for another self-titled album, released in 1974. Gemigo eventually went under, and the group was shifted over to Curtom proper for a pair of singles released in the latter part of the decade: "Dance With Me" was released as r-Stash in 1977, and "Booty March" was released as Stash the year following. In a distribution switch that saw Curtom move from Warner Bros. to RSO, the label's roster was gutted and Stash was one of the victims. After that, the group opted to quit, but not before they did plenty of shows in New York and their hometown, where they were most appreciated. Throughout the years, Rasputin's Stash and all its following incarnations endured as rare groove favorites. In 2000, the U.K.-based Sequel label issued The Devil Made Me Do It, a CD compilation of the group's Gemigo material, including several unreleased cuts that were intended for their third album.

Review by Andy Kellman (AMG)

This disc, released with the help of Castle Music U.K. in 2000, compiles all of Rasputin Stash's Gemigo-era material and adds some previously unreleased material to sweeten the deal. The group featured experienced session musicians who knew how to lay down some loose soul/funk in the vein of early Kool & the Gang, the Meters, and the J.B.'s, while remaining true to their Chicago roots. The lyrical content is limited to getting high and making love, but there's plenty within the grooves -- full of slick keyboard work, down-and-dirty basslines, nimble percussion, and the occasional accent of strings -- to keep the mind from wandering. Devout fans of all things '70s Chicago would no doubt enjoy this.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE

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Biography by Ron Wynn (AMG)
Vocalist/keyboardist Frank Brunson formed People's Choice in Philadelphia in the early '70s. Drummer/percussionist David Thompson, vocalists Valerie Brown and Marc Reed, guitarists Darnell Jordan and Johnnie Hightower, keyboardists Clifton Gamble and Bill Rodgers, and bassist/vocalist Stanley Thomas were in the original lineup. Despite the vocalists, the group's biggest hits were instrumentals. They were signed to Philadelphia International and worked with Leon Huff on the funk and disco gem "Do It Any Way You Wanna," among the great pieces of '70s Philly dance music. It was their lone R&B chart-topper, and it peaked at number 11 on the pop charts in 1975. They previously recorded for Phil-L.A., and "I Likes to Do It" had reached number nine in 1971. They remained on Philadelphia International until 1982, when they recorded for TPC. They also issued one LP on Mercury, Strikin', in 1984.

Review by Alex Henderson

If you asked five different R&B experts what the first disco songs were, you might get five different answers. It has been argued that the disco beat was born in Philadelphia in 1972, when Jerry Butler recorded his fast, ultra-danceable version of the Kenny Gamble/Leon Huff classic "One Night Affair" (which had been previously recorded by the O'Jays in 1969). Even if Butler's hit wasn't the very first disco single, it was definitely among the first. It's inaccurate to give Philly all the credit for disco's birth -- Isaac Hayes and Barry White, neither of whom are Philadelphians, have been exalted as two of disco's early architects -- but the city deserves some of the credit. When Philly soul gave way to Philly disco-soul, one of the groups that got in on the action was the People's Choice. The group's 1975 smash "Do It Any Way You Wanna" is a definitive example of Philly dance music, as are several other disco-funk gems on Boogie Down U.S.A., including "Party Is a Groovy Thing" and the clever "Nursery Rhymes." However, not everything on this 1975 LP (which was produced by Gamble & Huff at Philly's legendary Sigma Sound Studios) is dance-oriented. The playful "Are You Sure" and the ballad "Don't Send Me Away" are pure Philly soul, and the instrumental "Mickey D's" contains jazz overtones. Without question, Boogie Down U.S.A. is the most essential LP that the People's Choice recorded in the '70s.

THE ETHICS

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Biography by Steve Leggett
Formed in 1967 in Philadelphia by Ron Tyson, Joe Freeman, Carl Enlow, and Andrew Collins, the Ethics combined Motown-styled songs with sweeping string and horn arrangements in a nascent version of what would come to be known as the Philly sound. Led by Tyson's considerable songwriting skills and Eddie Kendricks-like tenor, the group recorded for independent labels Wale, Kent, and Golden Fleece, turning out songs like "Standing in the Darkness" and "I Want My Baby Back" that certainly deserved a wider audience than they received. Working with Vince Montana's rhythms and Thom Bell's sophisticated horn and string arrangements, the Ethics were truthfully just a little ahead of their time. The Ethics had split by the time the 1970s dawned, and they watched from the sidelines while newer Northern soul groups like the O'Jays followed the same template to massive success. Tyson later joined the reconstituted Temptations put together by Otis Williams.

Review by Andrew Hamilton

Ronald Tyson-Presson, Joe Freeman, Carl Enlow and Andrew Collins were the Ethics, a quartet of lead singers with Philly roots. Tyson-Presson went on to sing with Love Committee before striking gold with the Temptations, where's he's the longest running member next to Otis Williams. The versatile falsetto is also a noted songwriter with eight pages of titles listed with Broadcast Music Incorporated. "Sad Sad Story," led by Tyson-Presson's delicate falsetto is a heart tugger that did well in Philly and along the East Coast. The clattering "I Want My Baby Back" and "Standing in the Darkness" features a rough tenor. A classy tenor/baritone is out front on "Nothing Too Good for My Baby" (a lilting, midtempo floater) and "Every Night and Day." "Tell Me," their biggest record, is choice sweet Philly soul; each Ethic sings some lead lines on a song that may well have inspired Blue Magic's sound. The subtle grace of "Searching" grows on you. The Ethics excel when Tyson-Presson leads, and "That's the Way Love Goes" is no exception -- the beat ballad has heavy doo wop influences. Tyson-Presson sounds like an innocent adolescent on the lilting "Think About Tomorrow," whose lyrics were obviously motivated by the Temptations' "Fading Away." In the skittish "Closer and Closer," a tenor testifies against sparse instrumentation and rah rah backing vocals. "Look at Me Now" hooks you from the start; a tenor convincingly sings of how his life has improved since finding his Boo. They close with the appropriate "Farewell," a killer ballad that Tyson-Presson juices along with a tenor a la Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin. While some material is weak, their singing abilities are unquestionable. Unfortunately, Collectables Records did a miserable packaging job, there are no songwriters' credits and the bio is skimpy.