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Thursday, 3 December 2020

R.I.P. - Len Barry (12 Jun 1942 - 05 Nov 2020)

Another soul hero departs  in 2020!  Len Barry, real name Leonard Borisoff, was born in Philadelphia 12th June 1942 and died 5th Nov. 2020 aged 78.  The cause of death, stated by his son Spencer, was Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) which is a type of blood cancer that affects bone marrow. Obituary.

 
Revered on the Northern Soul scene for his blue-eyed soul for '1-2-3' (#3 UK 1965), 'Like A Baby' (#10 UK 1966), 'You Baby', 'It's A Crying, Shame', 'The Moving Finger Writes',  'I Struck It Rich'. I would say that he was one of the most played Blue-eyed soul artists on the scene.

'I'll Always Love You', 'Love, Love, Love', 'When You Call Me Baby' and 'I'm In Love' weren't released until 2007 when they were released on 2 x 45s on That Philly Sound. 'I'll Always Love You', co-written by Barry & Leon Huff,  was an 'anthem' by Dean Courtney in mid 70s and likewise for Joey Heatherton's - 'When You Call Me Baby' co-written by Barry, David White, John Madera, Leon Huff. 'Love, Love, Love' was also played by Bobby Hebb and became a #32 pop hit in UK.

'You Baby' was a huge Casino sound also for Jackie Trent released on UK Pye and fetches 3 figure sums these days.

Most of his material from '1,2,3' in 1965 to 1968 has 'that Northern beat', unfortunately, most of the material thereafter doesn't!

I watched this clip only a little while ago chatting with Doris Hall-James in 2018 who met at WMOT and worked together on Fat Larry's Band.

He also worked with these WMOT/Fantasy artists in late 70s/early 80s writing, arranging, producing, Sweet Thunder ('Baby, I Need Your Love Today'), Fat Larry's Band ('Zoom'), Damon Harris ('Silk'), Philly Cream ('Motown Review'), Slick ('Sunrise', 'I Can Understand It')

Discography (of his Northern Soul related recordings)

1964 - Hearts Are Trumps [Cameo #C-315 reissued on Parkway #P-969 in 1965]

1965 - I.O.U. /Treat Her Right [Decca #7-34346] - EP
B2: 1,2,3 part 2! This was on released on the flip side to Johnny Caswell - You Don't Love Me Anymore
B3: R&B

1965 - 1-2-3 / Bullseye [Decca #31827]
A: Northern Soul His massive world-wide hit in 1965 (#2 US, #3 UK). If you've never heard this then where have you been for the last 55 years?  Here he is performing it on Hullabaloo A-Go-Go in 1965.
B: Northern Soul


A; Northern Soul
B: Pop

1966 - Somewhere / It's A Crying Shame [Decca #31923]
A: Northern beat applied to the standard
B: Northern Soul

A: Northern Soul
B: lovely mid-tempo stroller

1966 - I Struck It Rich / Love Is [Decca #32011]
A: Northern Soul
B: Northern Soul

1966 - You Baby / Would I Love You [Decca #32054]
A: Northern Soul
B: Doo-wop'ish ballad

1967 - The Moving Finger Writes / Our Love [RCA Victor #45-9150]
A: Northern Soul
B: Northern Soul

1967 - All Those MemoriesRainy Side Of The Street  [RCA Victor #45-9275]
A: Pop
B: Stroller

2007 - I'll Always Need You / When You Call Me Baby [That Philly Sound TPS-R101]
A: His version of the song he co-wrote and made famous by Dean Courtney on RCA.
B: A monster sound for Joey Heatherton which he co-wrote

2007 - I'm In Love / Love, Love, Love [That Philly Sound TPS-R102]
A: Northern Soul
B: Northern Soul huge for Bobby Hebb

Album Only

Selected album tracks not released on 45 

1965 - 1-2-3 [Decca #DL 4720]


1967 - My Kind Of Soul [RCA Victor #LPM 3823]

cover of The Marvelettes

Previously Unreleased

Many of the tracks above featured on this 2010 compilation The Lost LP from That Philly Sound. I've selected a few additional tracks that appear to e previously unreleased.


Writer/Producer/Arranger

Here's a selection of records that he was involved with.

1966 - Chubby Checker - Hey You! Little Boo-Ga-Loo [Parkway]
1966 - Johnny Caswell - I.O.U. [Decca]
1971 - Grover Mitchell - What Hurts [Vanguard]
1976 - Sister Sledge - Have Love, Will Travel [Cotillion]
1976 - Sister Sledge - Cream Of The Crop [Cotillion]
1976 - Blue Magic ‎- Summer Snow / Spark Of Love [WMOT]
1978 - Sweet Thunder - Baby, I Need Your Love Today - Note nothing in credits but he states in interview above he was involved in the production of this, perhaps as part of WMOT Productions.
1979 - Philly Cream - Motown Review
1980 - Slick - Sunrise [WMOT]
1980 - Slick - I Can Understand It [WMOT] - cover of Bobby Womack
1980 - Slick - Space Bass [Fantasy]
1982 - Fat Larry's Band - Zoom [WMOT]
1983 - Booker Newberry III - Love Town [Boardwalk]


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