R.I.P. - Al Kent (08/12/1939 - 31/05/2021)

Only a week or so ago I posted a new single from Al Kent aka Ewan Kelly from Glasgow (under his alias Million Dollar Disco Machine) and made the comment that it was not 'the' Al Kent. I've just learned today that, sadly, 'the' Al Kent (Albert Prentice Hamilton) has died aged 81 on 31 May 2021. It was announced by his niece on his facebook.

Not well known in the mainstream, but to most Northern Soul / Motown fans he is remembered well for a handful of singles released on Detroit's, now legendary, Ric-Tic label, most notably 'The Way You've Been Acting Lately" and "You've Got To Pay The Price" which he recorded the instrumental of. Vocal versions were recorded by Gloria Taylor in 1969 and The Supremes which was a previously unreleased until 2005. 

He was married to Norma Toney who he regularly co-wrote songs with. Separately and jointly they worked with many of the Ric-Tic artists including Flaming Embers, The Fantastic Four, Detroit Emeralds, Edwin Starr, J.J. Barnes and The Dramatics (on Wingate).

Al (Kent) Hamilton, his brothers Robert (Bob aka Rob Reeco) and Eugene (aka Ronnie Savoy) and his wife Norma Toney were probably involved in writing and/or producing most of Ric-Tic's output (as Al Hamilton) before Golden World was acquired by Motown in 1966 and Ric-Tic folded in 1968, at which point he joined the Gordy label working with The Fantastic Four before moving on to Westbound in the early 70s to work with The Fantastic Four again.

He had a hand in many Northern Soul classics on Ric-Tic such as "S.O.S. Stop Her On Sight", "Headline News", "Real Humdinger", "Show Time", "Hungry For Love", "You're My Mellow" and most of The Fantastic Four's early material including "Can't Stop Looking For My Baby". He also worked with artists on Golden World including The Debonaires, Juanita Williams, Rose Batiste and The Adorables.

There is a detailed story about the lives of The Hamiltons written by Rob Moss (Hayley Records) on Soul Source written in 2016.

Kent wrote a 648 page autobiography titled "Custodians of the Hummingbird" published by Rosedog on 5 April 2017.

As a tribute I'll post a track which is probably the soundtrack of many of our lives cutting our teeth on Northern Soul, his instrumental version of "You've Got To Pay the Price" along with "The Way You've Been Acting Lately".