Willie Williams [2021] - Give It All I've Got / Do You Understand [Soul Junction #SJ545]

The next 45 from Dave Welding's Soul Junction records is set for release on limited edition vinyl on 27 Sep 2021. It maintains the quality of the last two previously unreleased 45s, both from Jesse James, with the wonderful version of "(The Girl In) Clinton Park" (Jan 2021) and "If A Man Ever Loved A Woman (Baby I Love You)" (Jun 2021) which have both now sold out. So if you like this one then be sure to get your pre-order in (click label image below) as it is also likely to sell out quickly.

Willie Williams (deceased) was a blind singer from Chicago who was first discovered performing in clubs in and around the Windy City. He was signed to ABC records in 1966 by Johnny Pate (their A&R Director for the Midwest and a former jazz bassist,  producer (The Impressions), arranger and songwriter) who was a friend and colleague of  Tom Dorsey who was the founding member of one of ABC’s vocal groups The Trends. 

Dorsey wrote most of The Trends early material but ironically not their NS favourite "Thanks For A Little Lovin'". He also wrote several songs that were played on NS scene including The Ivories "Please Stay" along with a few songs for The O'Kaysions on their "Girl Watcher" album. Curiously The O'Kaysions released "Watch Out Girl" in the same month and year (Sep 1970) as The Embers so I'm not sure which is regarded as the original version although The Embers was only a B side and is the one that got played as it's a faster version. 

Pate and Dorsey contributed as writers and producer throughout William’s recording career, beginning with his first ABC 45 release "Have You Ever Been Played For A Fool" / "With All My Soul" in 1966. Two further ABC releases followed "It Doesn’t Pay" / "Just Because" (1967) and "I’m Through With You" / "Strung Out" (1968) (which must be pretty scarce as it's not listed on either Discogs or 45Cat and no sound file available on YouTube nor can I find any trace of it except on SirShambling).

In 1969 he released "Just To Be Loved By You / Name It" on RCA and in 1971 "The Baa-Baa Song" / "Psyched Out" came out on Lakeside. Lakeside appears to have produced only three 45s, all in 1971, this one and the other two by well known names on the rare soul scene Boby Franklin (for "The Ladies Choice") and Maurice Jackson of the Independents who released the modern soul gem "Lucky Fellow" on the label, later recorded by Leroy Hutson in 1975. 

The last two songs were recorded along with the two on the Soul Junction release ("Give It All I've Got" / "Do You Understand") at the same session and were offered to Eddie Thomas (owner of Satellite subsidiary Thomas who I have just discovered died only a month ago on 26  Jul) who chose "Psyched Out" and "Must Men Love" which was then retitled as "The Baa-Baa Song" for release. The other two songs have remained in the can since 1970 until now.

A Willie Williams released two singles on Jo Armstead's Gamma label "Stop (You're Playing With My Heart) / Brown Sugar" and "It Gets In Your Feet (When You Hear The Beat) / Funky Chicken Along With" with the latter dated on Discogs as 1970. It is not certain whether this is the same Willie Williams and a quick search on Discogs will show a plethora of artists with that name, certainly the second one seems out of context for the material this Willie Williams recorded and all his other material was either written or produced by Dorsey and Pate but these two aren't.

Details

Rating:	8.6
Genre/Style:	Crossover
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Soul Junction
Cat No:	None
Date:	27/09/2021
Value:	£12