NS558 The Gypsies [1965] - It's A Womans World [Old Town OT 1184]

558 The Gypsies [1965] - It's A Womans World [Old Town OT 1184]

b/w:	They're Having A Party
Format:	45
Label:	Old Town
Cat No:	OT 1184
Year:	1966
Value:	£0

The Gypsies were founded in 1962 in New York and after releasing about 4 singles on Old Town they switched to Josie and changed their name to The Flirtations.

Lestine Johnson, Betty Pearce, Ernestine Pearce and Shirley Pearce

Lestine Johnson replaced by Viola Billups (Pearly Gates) in 1965

Betty Pearce left in 1968 leaving a trio

Loretta Noble replaced Viola Billups in 1972. Viola Billups embarked on a solo career as Vie and as Pearly Gates

In 1989 Viola Billups returns.

Discography

The Gypsies
1964 Blue Bird (Mr. Jay) / Hey There, Hey There - Old Town 1168
1965 Jerk It / Diamonds, Rubies, Gold And Fame - Old Town 1180
1965 It's A Woman's World (You Better Believe It) / They're Having A Party - Old Town 1184
1966 Oh I Wonder Why / Diamonds, Rubies, Gold And Fame - Old Town 1193

The Flirtations
1966 Change My Darkness Into Light / Natural Born Lover - Josie 956
1967 Stronger Than Her Love / Settle Down - Festival 705
1968 How Can You Tell Me/ Someone Out There - Parrott 40028
1968 Nothing But A Heartache / Christmas Time Is Here Again - Deram 85036
1968 Nothing But A Heartache / How Can You Tell Me - Deram 85038
1969 Need Your Loving / South Carolina - Deram 85048
1969 Keep On Searchin' / I Wanna Be There - Deram 85057
1969 Can't Stop Lovin' You/ Everybody Needs Somebody - Deram 85062
1970 Give Me Love, Love, Love / This Must Be The End Of The Line - Deram 7531
1971 Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me / Little Darling (I Need You) - Polydor 2058 167
1972 Hold On To Me Baby / Love A Little Longer - Polydor 15047
197? Why Didn't I Think of That - Mojo
197? Dirty Work - RCA
197? Mr. Universe - RCA
197? One Night of Love - RCA
1977 Earthquake
1977 Earthquake D&D 5501
1986 Read All About It - D&D 1267
1986 Get Up (Come On Over) - Fantasia FTA X 109
1989 Back On My Feet Again - Megatone Mt-169
2009 Roulette - Night Dance NDRCD 007
 

The Gypsies [1965] - They're Having A Party [Old Town OT 1184]

The Gypsies [1965] - Jerk It [Old Town OT 1180]

The Gypsies [1965] - Diamonds, Rubies, Gold And Fame [Old Town OT 1180]

The Gypsies [1965] - Oh I Wonder Why [Old Town OT 1193]

The Gypsies [1964] - Blue Bird (Mr. Jay) [Old Town OT 1168]

The Gypsies [1964] - Hey There, Hey There [Old Town OT 1168]

NS559 Moses Dillard & The Dynamic Showmen [1964] - I'll Pay The Price [Mark V MV-20-66]

559 Moses Dillard & The Dynamic Showmen [1964] - I'll Pay The Price [Mark V MV-20-66]

b/w:	They Don't Want Us Together (official A side)
Format:	45
Label:	Mark V
Cat No:	MV-20-66
Year:	1964
Value:	£?

Now this has certainly turned up a few surprises.  I knew that Moses Dillard, Moses & Joshua Dillard (Joshua (Dillard) being a psedonym for James Moore) (My Elusive Dreams & Get Out Of My Heart - Mala 1967) and The Sons Of Moses (Soul Symphony - Coral 1968 which will be featured at 357) all had tunes played on the scene but not until I found their full discography over at soulfulkindamusic did I realise that they were involved with The Saturday Night Band who had a huge disco hit in 1978 with Come On And Dance.  Nor that Peabo Bryson was a member of Moses Dillard & The Tex-Town Display in 1971.

The outing here is his very first secular release (he recorded with The Golden Wings a gospel quartet prior to this)  on the flip of 'They Don't Want Is Together' on Mark V out of Carolina.  'They Don't Want Is Together' would also feature as the flip to Get Out Of My Heart on Mala in 1967.   The track was first played by Richard Searling at Wigan Casino in Sep 1979 covered up as Eddie Jefferson - 'I Won't Think Twice'. For those new to the scene the policy of 'covering up' a record was to protect its identity so that DJs could retain exclusivity of a track for as long as possible before dealers and other DJs could discover its true identity.  This practice was quite controversial because some claim that it was protecting DJs egos rather than promoting artists and the music, however, given that the records were already oldies it didn't really damage sales and was argued that it drew crowds to see DJs who had 'the sounds' ... even way back in the mid 70s Northern Soul pioneered the way for today's DJs!

Moses Dillard was apparently discovered by Otis Redding who liked his guitar playing style, and consequently he played guitar on Fame recordings (such as Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley, and the rest of Conley's early Fame recordings such as Let's Go Steady and Whole Lotta Woman). He later moved to Papa Don Schroeder Productions (staying in Muscle Shoals), becoming Papa Don's vice president, and playing on records by James & Bobby Purify and Mighty Sam among others, released on Bell and Mala.

He also cut a nice crossover track in 1972 with Martha Starr (another legend on the scene) entitled Cheating, Teasing and Misleading on Shout 248 ... see below.

Much more info regarding Moses Dillard on Soul Source.

Moses Dillard & The Dynamic Showmen [1964] - They Don't Want Us Together [Mark V MV-20-66]

Moses Dillard & The Dynamic Showmen [1964] - Pretty As A Picture [Mark V MV-40-26]

Moses Dillard & The Dynamic Showmen [1964] - Go 'Way Baby [Mark V  MV-40-26]

Moses & Joshua Dillard [1967] - My Elusive Dreams [Mala 578]

Moses & Joshua Dillard [1967] - What's Better Than Love [Mala 578]

Moses & Joshua (Dillard) [1967] - Get Out Of My Heart [Mala 598]

This is superb ... one of my all time favs from The Twisted Wheel (Manchester) era.

Moses & Joshua (Dillard) [1967] - They Don't Want Us Together [Mala 598]

Moses Dillard & The Tex-Town Display [1969] - Bring Your Dreams To Me 

- the killer track from the LP 'Now!' featuring a young (and soulful) Peabo Bryson on vocals!

Moses Dillard & Martha Starr [1972] - Cheating, Teasing & Misleading [Shout 248]

NS560 Major Lance [1966] - Investigate [Okeh 4-7250]

560 Major Lance [1966] - Investigate [Okeh 4-7250]

b/w:	Little Young Lover
Format:	45
Label:	Okeh
Cat No:	4-7250
Year:	1966
Value:	£40-£60 US Okeh / £100-£215 UK Columbia Demo

The first track to feature in NS Top 500 from an absolute legend on the Northern Soul scene who cut so many sides in Chicago in the mid 60s - 18 of these on the legendary Okeh label between 1962 and 1968.  Put the two together and you get this classic flipped with another cracker 'Little Young Lover'.

After Okeh, Major went on to record with Dakar 1969 (3), Curtom 1970-71 (2), Volt 1971-72 (3), Playboy 1974-75 (2), Osiris 1975 (2), Columbia 1977 (1) and Soul 1978 (1).  He was arrested for cocaine possession in 1978 and served a 3 year prison sentence.  He cut only a further 3 45s in 1982 on Kat Family.

Prior to going solo, Major recorded with The Floats (which included Otis Leavill & Barbara Tyson) and The Ideals between 1958 and 1961.  Whilst his mid 60s output is popular I personally prefer some of his early 70s recordings especially on Volt.  Not included in http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/mlance.htm discography, possibly because it was a UK only issue, is a great remake of 'Without A Doubt' on UK Warner Brothers.

Sadly Major Lance died in his sleep at home in his early 50s in 1994 almost blind from Glaucoma resulting from suffering a heart attack in 1987.

Major Lance [1966] - Investigate [Okeh 4-7250]

Major Lance [1966] - Little Young Lover [Okeh 4-7250]

Major Lance [1971] - Little Young Lover [Curtom CR 1956]

He re-recorded Little Young Lover on Curtom in 1971 (I slightly prefer this version)