Hot off the press is Little Ann - Detroit's Soul Secret which has just been issued on a 25 track CD on 27th Nov 2020 by Kent with additional tracks (and different mixes) to the 13 track vinyl LP released in 2019.
Listen to the full album on YouTube and if you like then please support the record company and artists by clicking on image above to buy the CD direct from their website for £11.50 incl. P&P - you know it makes sense - less than 50p per track! The digital version is a mere £7.99 (less than 30p a track!).
(P.S. I make nothing from the link (or any other links on this blog for that matter) - if we want companies like Ace/Kent to continuing unearthing recordings like this then we need to support them which is why, wherever possible, I provide links to sources where you can buy anything that I post)
So, what's the story? Well, Little Ann released a solitary 45 on Detroit's, now legendary, Ric-Tic label in 1968. In fact the 45 had only one side by her, 'Going Down A One Way Street (The Wrong Way)' which is a surprisingly funky tune for Ric-Tic, the other side is an instrumental (by an unnamed group but presumably Dave Hamilton) and then nothing more was heard from her.
In the early 70s she released two 45's on Canadian label Celebration using her full name Ann Bridgeforth. She wrote all of the songs except Lost A Lover (Need A Friend). It wasn't known until recently that this was Little Ann.
That's All I Want was recorded by Nina Simone on her 1978 album 'Baltimore' and was released as a single on CTI as B side to The Family.
Wigan Casino DJ Richard Searling had been playing a record covered up (disguised) as Rose Valentine & The Sisters Three - When Your Not Around on an acetate for years until a couple of collectors (Richard 'Gilly' Gilbert and Andy 'Tats' Taylor) visited Detroit between 1985-92 and met up with Dave Hamilton who played them some unreleased tapes he had recorded in the 60s. The two looked at each other in amazement when they heard the first few bars of the 'Rose Valentine' track. At last the real artist had been uncovered. It turned out that the track that had been known as Rose Valentine all these years was in fact Little Ann - What Should I Do.
Kent Records acquired the tapes which I believe held 9 tracks. What Should I Do was released on 45 in 1998, followed by Who Are You Trying To Fool / I Got To Have You in 1999. Others tracks have also been released on 45 by Kent including a version of Tobi Lark's (Legend) Sweep It Out In The Shed, Lean Lanky Daddy c/w an instrumental version of Who Are You Trying To Fool by Dave Hamilton and Deep Shadows was issued on their Deep Soul imprint. What Should I Do and Lean Lanky Daddy have been issued twice by Kent such is their popularity.
Finnish label Timmion licensed the tracks from Ace/Kent in 2009 and released an album 'Deep Shadows' on both vinyl and CD.
Further alternative takes of the earlier recordings were discovered and access was gained to the 4 sides she recorded on Celebration, so Kent released a vinyl album of 13 tracks in 2019. A year later Kent have also obtained instrumentals of the original 9 tracks and some different mixes and have released an extended 25 track CD.
The CD coincides with the long awaited book from Gilly (Richard Gilbert) 'I Searched For Soul And Found The Stars' which documents his trips to the US and meetings with many Northern Soul heroes in Detroit including Dave Hamilton, Richard 'Popcorn' Wylie, Melvin Davis, Johnnie Mae Matthews and her daughter Kaiya and Ollie McLaughlin's wife Ruth and daughter Moira. McLaughlin owned several Detroit labels all named after his wife and daughters i.e. Ruth, Moira, Karen and Carla which released some records held in esteem on the Northern Soul scene such as Belita Woods - Magic Corner and That's When I'll Stop Loving You on Moira, many tracks by The Soul Twins (Quick Change Artist is one of the best NS tunes you will ever hear!), Jimmy 'Soul' Clark, Betty Lavette, The Capitols on Karen and Carla releases were predominantly from Deon Jackson such as When Your Love Has Gone, That's What You Do To Me, and my personal favourite double-sider You Gotta Love / You'll Wake Up Wiser and of course many others.
You can read more about the book on Soul Source (or by clicking on book image above). Here's a promo clip for the book. The book launch was Sat 5th Nov with a 6 hour broadcast on Facebook. The book is limited to 1000 copies. To reserve a copy, send £5 via PayPal to gillybook@btinternet.com or take a chance by ordering one by sending a message to the same email address. Please note that Gilly will be donating a portion of the proceeds to Kettering General Hospital as a thank you for time had to unfortunaely spend there recently.
