Bottom & Company / The Patterson Twins - Gonna Find A True Love

From recollection, Bottom & Company became big in the late 90s, or at least that's when I first became aware of it and acquired a copy for around £100. I believe that The Patterson Twins version was already known on the modern soul scene before Bottom & Company's version. It has become popular again in more recent years and copies are now fetching up to £350.  It's not as rare, or as hard to find, as The Patterson Twins version which was released on a promo 45 (only), but is also on their highly sought after 1978 album 'Let Me Be Your Lover' which sells for more than the 45.  There's one currently for sale on Discogs for £1,500.

Personally I prefer Bottom & Company's original version from 1974 as it's more soulful and not as 'frantic' as The Patterson Twins version. It was written by one of the group members John Helms and Terry Woodford who wrote loads of songs recorded by many well known artists such as Esther Phillips - Catch Me I'm Falling, Carl Carlton (etc.) - You Can't Stop A Man In Love, Sandra Wright - Wounded Woman, Gwen Owens - You Better Watch Out to list just a few and several major artists have recorded his songs including Temptations, Supremes, Commodores, Millie Jackson, Bobby Womack, Carl Carlton, Thelma Houston, Joe Tex, William Bell, Ann Sexton, John Edwards, G.C. Cameron.

Bottom & Company [1974] - Gonna Find A True Love [Motown #M 1291F]

Bottom & Company were a 7 piece band who released 4 singles and an album 'Rock Bottom' for Motown between 1974-76.  The singles appeared on Motown with the album being released on Gordy in 1976. Only the sides on the last 2 singles appeared on the album, hence the only way to acquire this track is on a 45.

Guide Price: £250-£350

Patterson Twins [1978] - Gonna Find A True Love [Commercial #CDC-00042]

Estus & Lester Patterson, from Mississippi, started out as the Soul Twins in 1972 (not the same group as on Karen). They changed their name to The Patterson Twins in 1973 and recorded up to 1988.   As well as this track, they had a big modern soul tune 'I Need Your Love' released in 1976 on Malaco.

This track appeared on their album 'Let Me Be Your Lover' in 1978 and got a promo 45 issue but was never released.

Guide Price: £450-£550