John Nathan Bowie began his recording career as a member of the Philadelphians, who released 45s on Campus, Cameo and Guyden labels. A talented singer, songwriter and producer, “Big John” produced artists like the Del Cords, The Dogs and others for the Impala / Delsey / Mr. Genius and Treasure labels. John recorded four songs for Merben records during the 60s, with two being released as a single: Merben 503 - You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing, Baby / At The End Of The Day. The two other tracks, Help Me Pretty Baby / Bad Luck, survived on the only known copy of a Merben acetate, recorded at Virtue Studios in Philly."
From Dave Louis Brown, head of Funkadelphia records and author of the upcoming book on the History of Philadelphia R&B
Philadelphians Discography
Philadelphians Discography
1961 - The Love That I Lost / Dear [Campus C 101]
1961 - I'm Coming Home To You / Church Bells [Campus C 103]
1962 - I Missed Her / The Vow [Cameo C 216]
1963 - My Love, My Love / Cleo's Theme (My Love, My Love) [Guyden 2093] #
# As Big John & The Philadelphians. Cleo's Theme is instrumental of A side by Vince Montana Orch.
A post on Soul Source from Henry 'Smitty' Smith in Jan 2008:
"Concerning John Bowie. He was lead singer for The Philadelphians; a Philly R&B group of the late fifties and sixties. The Philadelphians used to rehearse at The Community Center located at 10th and Thompson Sts. of The Cambria Hgts. projects. In 1962, I met Big John and members of The Philadelphians at the center. I had a R&B group called The Premieres from The Richard Allen Projects near The Cambria Hgts Projects. Members of The Philadelphians were Big John as lead, Frank Gordon as bass, Sam as second tenor, and Eddie as first tenor. I don't remember the name of the baritone singer.They recorded for Campus Records, Cameo-Parkway and Jamie-Guyden with such recordings as Dear, The Love I Lost, I Missed Her, Coming Home To You, The Vow, Church Bells and My Love- My Love. The Premieres were a new group starting out and they helped us a lot to win a local talent show at The B&R club. We won a chance to record at a Jamie Record Studio on Girard Ave where we recorded "Devil Woman b/w Don't Leave Me". However, our manager then took the tapes of the recording to New York and we never saw him again. Disillusioned, the group disbanded and I went on to sing bass for The Informers (If You Love Me and Baby Set Me Free on J-Rude and Blackjack labels). After returning home from the military in 1973 I ran into Frank Gordon at a movie theater where he told me that The Philadelphians had split up and John was doing some production and solo work. Big John had did some work with The Delchords out of Harrisburg, Pa. This group was the origin of The Magnificent Men (Peace Of Mind). There also was some word that Big John did some production work with The Three Degrees. Big John later went on to be Little John Bowie on Merben label. I read an article by David Brown from Philly Archives/ Funkadelphia Records written for Scoop newspaper in Philly that Big John had died from a robbery attempt at a gas station where he worked. This article was dated in the 1998 and had the approximate date of death about 1985. As for the other members, according to David Brown, they may all have passed. He didn't know their names. In talking with him I gave him the names I remembered. I hope this info is helpful. I am currently singin bass with a group called Quiet Storm. We sing R&B/Soul from the fifties, sixties and seventies. Perhaps you will hear of us soon. Take Care. Kamau Akiba ( formerly Henry "Smitty" Smith )"
"Concerning John Bowie. He was lead singer for The Philadelphians; a Philly R&B group of the late fifties and sixties. The Philadelphians used to rehearse at The Community Center located at 10th and Thompson Sts. of The Cambria Hgts. projects. In 1962, I met Big John and members of The Philadelphians at the center. I had a R&B group called The Premieres from The Richard Allen Projects near The Cambria Hgts Projects. Members of The Philadelphians were Big John as lead, Frank Gordon as bass, Sam as second tenor, and Eddie as first tenor. I don't remember the name of the baritone singer.They recorded for Campus Records, Cameo-Parkway and Jamie-Guyden with such recordings as Dear, The Love I Lost, I Missed Her, Coming Home To You, The Vow, Church Bells and My Love- My Love. The Premieres were a new group starting out and they helped us a lot to win a local talent show at The B&R club. We won a chance to record at a Jamie Record Studio on Girard Ave where we recorded "Devil Woman b/w Don't Leave Me". However, our manager then took the tapes of the recording to New York and we never saw him again. Disillusioned, the group disbanded and I went on to sing bass for The Informers (If You Love Me and Baby Set Me Free on J-Rude and Blackjack labels). After returning home from the military in 1973 I ran into Frank Gordon at a movie theater where he told me that The Philadelphians had split up and John was doing some production and solo work. Big John had did some work with The Delchords out of Harrisburg, Pa. This group was the origin of The Magnificent Men (Peace Of Mind). There also was some word that Big John did some production work with The Three Degrees. Big John later went on to be Little John Bowie on Merben label. I read an article by David Brown from Philly Archives/ Funkadelphia Records written for Scoop newspaper in Philly that Big John had died from a robbery attempt at a gas station where he worked. This article was dated in the 1998 and had the approximate date of death about 1985. As for the other members, according to David Brown, they may all have passed. He didn't know their names. In talking with him I gave him the names I remembered. I hope this info is helpful. I am currently singin bass with a group called Quiet Storm. We sing R&B/Soul from the fifties, sixties and seventies. Perhaps you will hear of us soon. Take Care. Kamau Akiba ( formerly Henry "Smitty" Smith )"
Now this is where is gets confusing! There was a group in Philly called The Del-Cords who also recorded as The Dogs which I believe is the name they used for instrumental tracks. The Dogs - Soul Step is an instrumental that was played on Northern Soul scene by Richard Searling late 70s. A Treasure label reissue late 80s/early 90s with Soul Step by The Dogs and I'm So Sorry by The Delcords (misspelled) which is the vocal to Soul Step. Both tracks were written by John Bowie (Soul Step was co-written with Fran Williamson). Bowie 'may' also have been in the group.
Soul Step was originally issued on Treasure in 1967 as flip side to Don't Try To Help Me (a garage tune also written by John Bowie) on Treasure 001.
The Del-Cords later merged with The Endells from Harrisburg to become The Magnificent Men.
Discography
Little John Bowie
1967 - Go Go Annie / My Love, My Love [Phil-L.A Of Soul 307]
John Bowie
1967 You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing (Baby) / At The End Of The Day [Merben MR0503]
1968 - A Fool I Would Be / I Never Felt So Lonely [Chante 808]
Unreleased
1967 - Help Me Pretty Baby / Bad Luck [Merben Unreleased]
196? - Do Your Own Thing [Bud Ross Productions Vol. 1 Philly Archives 2016]
John Bowie definitely had some connection with The Del-Cords/The Dogs but I don't know for sure whether he recorded with them.
The Del-Cords/Del-Chords
1964 - Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday /Your Mommy Lied To Daddy [Impala 215]
1965 - Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday /Your Mommy Lied To Daddy [Mr. Genius MG-401]
Discography
Little John Bowie
1967 - Go Go Annie / My Love, My Love [Phil-L.A Of Soul 307]
John Bowie
1967 You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing (Baby) / At The End Of The Day [Merben MR0503]
1968 - A Fool I Would Be / I Never Felt So Lonely [Chante 808]
Unreleased
1967 - Help Me Pretty Baby / Bad Luck [Merben Unreleased]
196? - Do Your Own Thing [Bud Ross Productions Vol. 1 Philly Archives 2016]
John Bowie definitely had some connection with The Del-Cords/The Dogs but I don't know for sure whether he recorded with them.
The Del-Cords/Del-Chords
1964 - Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday /Your Mommy Lied To Daddy [Impala 215]
1965 - Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday /Your Mommy Lied To Daddy [Mr. Genius MG-401]
1967 - Won't You Let Me Know / Just A Little Misunderstanding [UP 2012]
The Dogs
1967 - Don't Try To Help Me / Soul Step [Treasure 001]
1967 - I'm So Sorry / Soul Step [Treasure 001]
John Bowie [1967] At The End Of The Day [Merben MR0503]
Superb deep crossover.
John Bowie [1967] You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing (Baby) [Merben MR0503]
Northern Soul classic
John Bowie [1967] You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing (Baby) [Merben MR0503]
Demo Version
John Bowie [1967] - Help Me Pretty Baby (Demo) [Merben Unreleased]
Alternative Mixes
John Bowie [1967] - Bad Luck [Merben Unreleased]
Little John Bowie [1967] - Go Go Annie [Phil-L.A Of Soul 307]
Little John Bowie [1967] - My Love, My Love [Phil-L.A Of Soul 307]
Northern Soul / Popcorn
A song written by Bob Finiz and recorded by Big John & The Philadelphians on Guyden in 1963 (It may be the same recording put out as LJB). Bob Finiz wrote many songs including Mose Smith's - Girl Across The Street, Village Callers - When You're Gone and others for Brenda & The Tabulations Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles and Loving Spoonful.
John Bowie [1968] - I Never Felt So Lonely [Chante 808]
Release date not listed so I've guessed 1968 as 202 was 1966 and 909 was 1968, but it sounds earlier than 1968 to my ears. It has a popcorn feel to it so may have been a song written earlier as this is the B side.
A side is A Fool I Would Be - no label scans or sound clips available.
A side is A Fool I Would Be - no label scans or sound clips available.
John Bowie [2016] - Do Your Own Thing [Philly Archives prev unreleased]
A previously unreleased track on Bud Ross Productions Vol. 1 CD released on Philly Archives 2016.
If you like this track then there's another version of the track by Synard Smythe (an artist I've never come across before) on the same compilation.
If you like this track then there's another version of the track by Synard Smythe (an artist I've never come across before) on the same compilation.
This compilation is similar but not identical to The Northern Soul of Philadelphia Vol. 3 put out by Goldmine Soul Supply in 2002 with some tracks removed with different (presumably previously unreleased) tracks. Dave Louis Brown head of Funkadelphia records had a hand in both compilations. Funkadelphia seem to be releasing a lot of previously unreleased material in recent years. The John Bowie unreleased tracks above for example.
The Del-Cords [1964] - Everybody's Gotta Lose Someday [Impala 215]
The Del-Cords were an interracial group from Philadelphia who later merged with The Endells from Harrisburg to become the Magnificent Men around 1966.
I'm not entirely sure that John Bowie was with The Del-Cords but he wrote both sides of their only other known 45 and is 'alleged' to have been on the record so I've included this 45 by them.
Also released on Mr. Genius in 1965 as The Del-Chords.
Soul group harmony
The Del-Cords [1964] - Your Mommy Lied To Daddy [Impala 215]
Also released on Mr. Genius in 1965 as The Del-Chords.
Soul group harmony
The Dogs [1967] - Don't Try To Help Me [Treasure 001]
A garage tune written by John Bowie
The Dogs [1967] - Soul Step [Treasure 001]
Northern Soul Instrumental co-written by John Bowie and Fran Wiliaimson who owned the Impala label.
The Del-Chord [1967] - I'm So Sorry [Treasure 001]
Northern Soul and previously unreleased vocal to Soul Step written by John Bowie. It is claimed that Bowie sang on this track and that he appears on the picture sleeve but I'm not sure that is John Bowie on sleeve.
This was legally reissued late 80s / early 90s.
The Del-Cords [1967] - Won't You Let Me Know [UP 2012]
Just to confuse things further there is a 45 by The Del-Cords from Harrisburg on Up records. Discogs states NOT to be confused with group from York PA but it's too much of a coincidence that they merged with The Endells from Harrisburg so I've included it in case they are the same group as they do sound similar - there's certainly some blue-eyes in there.
Soul harmony
The Del-Cords [1967] - Just A Little Misunderstanding [UP 2012]
Northern Soul - Blue-eyed
This is an inferior cover of The Contours Northern Soul classic. The lead singer is straining badly on the vocals. Click link to compare with the original.
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