The evergreen Whispers on the Soul Clock label with one of their few sounds played on the scene. This has the same backing track as another northern favourite by The Fuller Brothers - Time's A Wasting also on Soul Clock 105.
Out of New Orleans this ever favourite was written by Guitar Ray and arranged by Wardell Quezerque. The original of this record is very elusive. One sold for $665 back in June 2004 and another sold by Pat Brady for £1,000 in Oct 2010. It was bootlegged in the 70s due to demand. I managed to pick this info up on original for anyone interested:
The bootleg is styrene whilst the original is vinyl. The original copies have hot-line in green at the top of the label. To the right, half way down, is a bold 906 under that in small print is 174-1765. To the left of the label half way down in small print is Bonatempt pub. and under that is in small print BMI-2.39 under that is Arr; W. Quezerque. At the bottom of the label is Take Me Home in bold green print under that in brackets and small print is R.Washington then at the very bottom of the label is Donna King in bold green print. On the run out is in large writing 174-1765 and the Nashville matrix.
One of the very first Northern Soul records I bought on the green (reissue) Carrie label 009 (now sells for around £40) and still a favourite. I'm surprised this was not higher in the 600! It is an out and out Detroit stomper penned by the great Melvin Davis. Edward Hamilton released this track under several different guises and on different labels; solo on Carrie C-6502 (orange label) & 009 (green label), with The Arabians on Mary Jane 1008 & 6707 and with The Fifes on Jameco 2008.
The first release was on Carrie on the super-rare orange label. It was then reissued on Mary Jane without Call Me with a slightly different take. A later re-release came on Jameco and finally in the mid 70s owing to demand from the Northern Soul scene it was re-issued (legitimately) on Carrie green label.
He had another monster sound on the scene with 'Baby Don't You Weep' also released on Mary Jane 1005 which will be featured later in the top 600.
This record was the penultimate release on the Old Town label which ran from 1952 to 1966 and featured other notable artists known on the rare soul scene such as Arthur Prysock, The Volumes, Donald Height, The Fiestas, The Gypsies.
This is NOT Jesse Johnson the guitarist of The Time and I have not been able to discover any info about this particular Jesse Johnson.
No info available on Yvonne & The Violets although we do know that Yvonne is one Yvonne Vernee (real name Yvonne Symington) who cut a couple of 45s on SonBert including 'Just Like You Did Me' (see NS 556) on SonBert in 1965, and another on Correc-tone in 1964. She went on to be lead singer with The Elgins on Motown's V.I.Pl. imprint. This track was released as flip to 'Show Me The Way' on Barry 1004 in 1966. In the same vein as Lorraine & The Delights - Baby I Need You 1002 1965 an early 60s girlie group sound that echoed around large all nighter halls in the 70s. This one goes for around £200 on white demo.
