Jeanette Williams [1966] - Mr Soft Touch [Back Beat #568] & Discography

This record just shows how much the pace has changed with Northern Soul as this record was in demand in the 70s for the faster, stomping, side 'All Of A Sudden' but more recently it's the flip (which was the official A side) that is getting spins, and quite rightly so as it's an excellent and 'so soulful' mid-tempo tune. Beware if buying as it was bootlegged on a counterfeit promo label.

I think I'm right in saying that she is Betty & Milton Wright's sister. A talented family as they also had another two brothers Phillip and Charles who were professional musicians.

She released two 45s in 1963 on Golden Eagle and Terry and joined Back Beat in 1965 where she released five single between 1965-69, the last two even saw UK releases on Action.

Jeannette was a member of Fire, who were K.C. & The Sunshine Band's backing singers who released an album in 1978 and a handful of disco oriented singles on Sunshine Sound, sounding like a female version of K.C. & Sunshine Band (enough said!). She also recorded two 12" singles with Girlfriends in the 80s, one of them was a cover of The Reflections 'Three Steps From True Love'. 

From 1976 onwards she performed as a backing singer for many artists as well as K.C. & The Sunshine Band including Ted Taylor, Dorothy Moore,Timmy Thomas, Barrett Strong, Frederick Knight, George McCrae, Fern Kinney and many others and used several aliases such as Jannie Wiliams, Jeanette Wright, Jeanette Black, Jeanette Wright-Black, Jeanette Holloway.

Discography

1963 - To You / I Can't Wait [Terry #45-144]

A: Deep Soul ballad

B: Northern Soul/Popcorn

1963 - I've Been True / Get Up Off Your Knees [Golden Eagle #103]

A: Popcorn/R&B

B: Deep Soul/Blues originally recorded by Johnny Copeland

1966 - A Friend Of Mine / You Didn't Know Then [Back Beat #556]

A: Mid-paced 60s

B: Northern Soul

1966 - Mr. Soft Touch / All Of A Sudden [Back Beat #568]

A: Mid-paced Northern Soul/Crossover

B: Northern Soul stomper

1968 - Longing For Your Love / Something's Got A Hold On Me [Back Beat #587]

A: ?

B: Northern Soul - her rarest and best NS tune

1969 - Stuff / You Gotta Come Through [Back Beat #601 / Action ACT 4534]

A: Sister soul/funk

B: Deep and bluesy Southern soul

1969 - Hound Dog / I Can Feel A Heartbreak [Back Beat #609 / Action ACT 4557]

A: Yes it's a raw, R&B bluesy version of Big Mama Thornton/Elvis song.

B: Raw Deep Soul

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Back Beat
Cat No:	568
Year:	1966
Key:	?
BPM:	109
Value:	£1