NS551 Charles Johnson [1980] - Never Had A Love So Good [Alston ALSX 3751]

NOTE Bootleg white promo - the cat no (3743) is for 

Lew Kirton - Heaven In The Afternoon!

which is on the flipside.

551 Charles Johnson [1980] - Never Had A Love So Good [Alston ALSX 3751 B]

b/w:	Baby I Cried, Cried, Cried (official A side)
Format:	45
Label:	Alston
Cat No:	ALSX 3751-B / Reissue 3743
Year:	1980
Value:	£500+

Our first foray into some 'modern' soul, leaping from the mid 60s to 1980 for this track by Charles Johnson on Alston.  This is a tremendous piece of soul music with a great deep soul flip (which is the official A side).  Very hard to find now as the 'wanted' track is the official B side which is only available on issues and not on promos.  As the official top side deep soul ballad didn't receive radio airplay once Alston 's initial press was exhausted no more were pressed.

Both tracks were written and produced by Horace Straws and Nathaniel Dean who turn up on a number of other interesting records e.g. Snoopy Dean - Lady, Lady, Lady; David Hudson / Paulette Reeves - Let Me Wrap You In My Love.

I can't find any further information on Charles Johnson.  The only 3 records I've managed to find all come from the Miami area on TK based labels between 1975 and 1980.

Charles Johnson [1980] - Baby I Cried, Cried, Cried [Alston ALSX 3751-A]

Other tracks include:

Charles Johnson [1975] - I Betcha Don't Know / Instr. [Mighty Mo 902]

Is a very rare sweet soul ballad produced by J.R. Bailey and Ken Williams which is much rarer than the Alston 45.  The flip side is an instrumental version of the A side.

Charles Johnson [1980] - Good Good Lovin' [Dash 5065]

A nice modern soul 'stepper' from 1980 released on the Dash label.

Charles Johnson [1980] - Don't Lose The Groove [Dash 5065]

Charles Johnson & The Tornado Orchestra [1965] - You Made A Mistake [Rainbow R-153-A]

I've included this here as it is a terrific track (which annoyingly reminds me of something else which I can't place) but I'm pretty sure it is NOT the same Charles Johnson as it was released around 1965.  A very hard to find (rare?) 45 released on Texas label Rainbow written by James Lynn Marsh and not listed on either Discogs or 45Cat.  A few are listed on Popsike between £1,500-£2,600.

It is believed that it is actually James Lynn Marsh singing lead on this track.  It was released on limited edition compilation LP (500 copies) in 2016 'Texas Soul '65'  credited as James Lynn Marsh.