Soul Strutter: Gene Townsel

Thursday 26 March 2020

Gene Townsel

As far as I am aware this is his complete 'secular' output.

Albums
1978 - Time Wounds All Heels [Dobre DR-1054]

45s
197? - There's No Use Hiding / I'm Walking Away [Balance Town BTM 138]
197? - Mr. Boon Tang / Can't Stop A Poor Man Makin' Love [Ah-La-Vi RI-3160]

Gene Townsel was the grandson of a Baptist preacher and got a degree in choral music from Florida A&M university and then performed in churches and teaching music. He turned to secular music and worked as a session musician backing many artists such as Ray Charles, Lou Rawls and Dusty Springfield. This led him to record his first album Time Wounds All Heels in 1975 at Ray Charles' Tangerine studios (although not released until 1978) which has become a rare collector's item. The label states recorded at Gold Star but Gene confirms that it was recorded at Tangerine but possibly pressed at Gold Star hence the 'mistake'. Clydene Jackson (I Need Your Love), who was a friend of Gene's appeared on the album on 'There's No Use Hiding' and 'Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast'.

According to an interview with Gene, unbeknown to him at the time, Dobre was a shelter company for Expression Sound Inc. and when the album started becoming successful in LA it scared Dobre/Expression as the album was not supposed to make money! It is rare because very few were pressed because Dobre never wanted it to be successful from the outset

After this disappointment with recording, Gene concentrated on live performances in the 80s. He left secular music and ran a rehearsal studio in LA for 20 years before returning to Florida in the late 90s where he started a church supply company and founded his own preaching ministry.

Source RD Francis

Two killer tracks from his highly regarded and sought after solitary album 'Time Wounds All Heels' released on Dobre in 1978. It was thought that these tracks were never released on 45 but copies have turned up on Balance Town. Some seem to think that they were released a long time after the album by Gene himself. I have found a few on Popsike and they have been selling recently sell for around £600-£650.

Gene confirms that he licensed the tracks to Gary Dennis at Crazy Beat in 2005 for both sides to be issued on the first release on Crazy Beat label (CB 001), but he does not know who was behind the Balance Town release and claims that he still has the master tapes ... so go figure? Another highly regarded DJ/collector/soul aficionado Steve Guarnori recalls that he bought the 45 around 1997/98. No one at present seems to know for sure whether the Balance Town release is legit or a bootleg but going by the prices many must believe that is legit.

I found a signed copy on Popsike - so either the signature is a fake or Gene did know about it at some point but has forgotten?

Some info from thread on SoulSource

Gene Townsel [1978] - No Use Hiding [Balance Town BTM 138]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 9.5

Superb Crossover/modern soul.

Gene Townsel [1978] - I'm Walking Away [Balance Town BTM 138]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 9.4

Equally good crossover/modern soul.

Gene Townsel [197?] - Mr. Boon Tang / Can't Stop A Poor Man Making Love [Ah-La-Vi R-3160]

His only other known 45 release is this one on Ah-La-Vi (the only release on the label). This one also sells for big sums £600-£1000 but I notice that prices are falling so perhaps it was 'in-demand' a few years ago as one sold for £1110 in 2011!

SoulStrutter's Rating: 7.6

Northern Soul / crossover, similar in tempo to the previous tracks but I would guess they are earlier.

Gene Townsel [197?] - Mr. Boon Tang / Can't Stop A Poor Man Makin' Love [Ah-La-Vi R-3160]

SoulStrutter's Rating: 7.6

Crossover track a bit funkier than his other tracks and sounds earlier certainly not as late as 1978 more 1973/4 to me but only guessing.

NB Both sides on this clip

Gene Townsell [1978] - Time Wounds All Heels [Dobre DR-1054]

The album has seen a reissue on CD in 2012 and is available via Amazon. It was also reissued on Balance Town in 2003 so perhaps that's when the 45 was pressed?

01 - Time Wounds All Heels

SoulStrutter's Rating: 9.5

Sublime deep soul title track from the album.