NS529 Lorraine Chandler [1966] - I Can't Hold On [RCA Victor 47-8980]

529 Lorraine Chandler [1966] - I Can't Hold On [RCA Victor 47-8980]

b/w:	She Don't Want You
Format:	45
Label:	RCA Victor
Cat No:	47-8980
Year:	1966
Value:	£100-£150

Motor City soul singer, songwriter, and producer Lorraine Chandler was born Ernastine Lewis and bred in Detroit, she met songwriter and producer Jack Ashford, previously known for his own percussion work with the Funk Brothers, and together they penned 'I'm Gone', a 1966 single for singer Eddie Parker an absolute monster sound on The Northern Soul scene around 1977 and still extremely rare on original Awake label.

Sadly Lorraine Chandler passed away on Jan 2nd 2020.

After collaborating on the O'Jays' 'I'll Never Forget You', Ashford convinced Chandler to sign on full-time with his fledgling Pied Piper Productions not only as a writer but also as a performer. Her first single, Ashford and Mike Terry's 'What Can I Do',  appeared on Jo Armstead's Giant label in 1966, becoming a smash in Detroit and Chicago. RCA then picked up the song for national distribution, soon followed by Chandler's sophomore effort, 'I Can't Hold' On. RCA also cut a production deal with Pied Piper that resulted in a series of Chandler-authored singles for the likes of the Cavaliers, the Metros, and Willie Kendrick. While in Chicago for an RCA-funded session, she also cut her third solo single, 1967's 'I Can't Change'. That same year, Chandler also recorded an unreleased version of the title theme to the James Bond film 'You Only Live Twice'. (Nancy Sinatra's rendition was instead present over the opening credits.)

OOTP (Out Of The Past)  Bootleg

In addition to the RCA deal, Pied Piper negotiated a similar production agreement with Kapp, forcing Chandler to focus her time and energy behind the scenes. For singer Freddy Butler, she penned the singles 'I Fell in Love' and 'There Was a Time', and for the Hesitations she authored the hits 'Soul Superman', 'Wait a Minute,' and 'Clap Your Hands'. In 1968 she and Ashford attempted to go it alone, founding their own Ashford label. The venture would yield just one single before going bankrupt, but what a single: Eddie Parker's 'Love You Baby' was a flop upon its initial release, but enjoyed new life in the 1970s thanks to its massive popularity among the DJs and clubgoers populating Britain's Northern soul revival scene. Chandler and Ashford then resumed their careers as writers and producers for hire -- the former's compositions of note include:

NOTE There was a UK release on Black Magic in 1975 credited to Lorraine Chandler - Love You Baby.  Lorraine has categorically denied that it is her singing.  She has posted messages as such on Soul Source forum and also on Discogs comments for the master release.

The Sepias 1968 'Tell Me You're Mine', 

Billy Sha-Rae 1969 'Do It', 

Sandra Richardson 1971 Buddah label release 'The Ring', 

Baby Washington 1973 'I've Got to Break Away', 

Ray Gant & the Arabian 'Don't Leave Me Baby'

This is a 70s reissue

When Ashford relocated from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1976, Chandler was left in limbo, and did not resurface until 1980, when she co-produced Parker's 'The Old, the New, the Blues 'LP, even headlining a pair of duets. During the mid-'80s, British record exec Ady Croasdell unearthed a cache of unissued Pied Piper productions in the RCA vaults, among them Lorraine Chandler's 'You Only Live Twice' - when issued on vinyl, the song became a cult hit, inspiring the singer to cross the Atlantic to sing live at a Northern soul weekender. In the decades to follow, Chandler has been a staple of the Northern soul touring circuit, with her original singles reissued on CD to much renewed interest.

Taken from TheSoulGuy (site now defunct)

Ian Levine re-recording 90s

Lorraine Chandler [1966] - She Don't Want You [RCA Victor 47-8980]

Lorraine Chandler [1967] -  I Can't Change [RCA Victor 47-9349]

As I am no longer posting the full Northern Soul 500 I will include this track here which was positioned at 392.

Yvonne Baker & The Sensations [1965] - I Can't Change [Junior 1010]

Recorded by Yvonne Baker & The Sensations 2 years before Chandler's release.  It was re-ssued in 1967 on Junior 1071.

Lorraine Chandler [1967] -  Oh How I Need Your Love [RCA Victor 47-9349]

Lorraine Chandler [1966] - What Can I Do [Giant G-703]

Lorraine Chandler [1966] - Tell Me You're Mine [Giant G-703]

The Four Sonics - Plus One [1968] - Tell Me You're Mine [Sepia 1A]

The Four Sonics were Jay Johnson, Bill Frazier, Steve Gaston and EddieDaniels and the 'plus one'  for this release was apparently Joe Buckman.
They released 5 singles on various Detroit labels 2 on Sport, this one on Sepia and one one Triple B and JMC between 1967-69

The Hesitations [1967] - She Won't Come Back [Kapp K-822]

Wriiten by Lewis and Ashford.  Now I would guess that its is Lorraine Chandler using her birth name (Ermastine) Lewis.  This uses the same backing track as 'Tell Me You're Mine'.

Lorraine Chandler [1997] - You Live Only Twice [Kent 6T 13]

A previously unreleased track of her 'audition' for the theme song for the Bond film of the same name. It was issued by Kent for the 100 Club 18th Anniversary 45 in 1997.

Lorraine Chandler [2017] - Ease Your Mind [Kent 6T 33]

Another unreleased track discovered by Kent (Ady Croasdel)  It was released on the 100 Club 38th Anniversay 45 in 2017.

The Magnificents [2017] - I Can Fly [Kent 6T 33]

For 'completeness' I've included the flip side of the Kent 38th Anniversay single.  This track was originally recorded and released by Jack Ashford on his Hotel Sheet album as 'I Can Fly To your Open Arms' on Magic Disc in 1977.

Jack Ashford [1977] - I Can Fly To Your Open Arms [Magic Disc MD-116]

Lorraine Chandler [2014] - I Hear Music [Pied Piper 006]

A recent (2014) release on Kent off-shoot Pied Piper imprint targeted at publishing rare and previously unreleased Pied Piper productions.

Lorraine Chandler [2016] - Mend The Torn Pieces Of My Heart [Pied Piper 009]

Another recent (2016) Pied Piper release. This track was originally recorded by Yvonne Baker & The Sensations who also recorded the Northern Soul classic You Didn't Say A Word.

Yvonne Baker & The Sensations [1965] - Mend The Torn Pieces [Junior 1010]

Originally recorded in 1965 by Yvonne Baker & The Sensations.