Johnny Baker - Discography

This article was prompted by a previously unreleased track which has just been released on 45 and is on the latest Soul Togetherness 2020 compilation and it stood out like a sore thumb as all the other tracks were 2020 new releases.  I looked into it further as I have always liked the  handful of recordings released by Johhny Baker in the early 70s on a couple of San Francisco labels, as I wondered if it was the same Johnny Baker and it does appear to be.

I thought I'd also take this opportunity of introducing his material to those who are not familiar with it. Apart from this latest discovery, he released only three 45s to my knowledge but did feature on a track on Webster Lewis'1979 album '8 for the 80's' and did background vocals on a couple of tracks on Garland Green's 'Gospel Rap' album in the 80s (Discogs states 1980 but it sounds much later than that to my ears). I'm pretty sure with his talent he must have featured on others that are undocumented.

Discography

1973 - Fog City (And You Babe) / Practice What You Preach [Fog City #800-01/02]

1973 - Donnie-O / Shy Guy [Fog City #800-03/04]

1976 - Accept Me As I Am / Operator, Operator! [Cisco #C-1000]

As featured vocalist

1989 - Webster Lewis - Give Me Some Emotion [Epic #9-50832]

As backing vocalist

Garland Green [198?] -  Gospel Rap [L.A. Music #LLA-101]

A2 - You Came Along

B2 - Let's Make A Better Place

2020 - It's Your Night [Expansion #SEARLING 1]

Johnny Baker [2020] - It's Your Night [Expansion #SEARLING 1]

The story (according to comments on Discogs) is that it is a previously unreleased track on acetate which Garland Green had in his garage and passed to the promoter of The Baltic Soul Weekender, Dan Drombowe in 2011 who had copies pressed on Unique (UNIQ184).  In more recent times Richard Searling has been playing it out and on his podcasts, I don't know if he has the acetate or one of the pressings from it.  Richard used to be, and possibly still is, involved with Ralph Tee's Expansion label who have released it on a limited edition (300 copies) 45 in August 2020.  

These have sold out quickly and now sell for silly money, but it is available on the Soul Togetherness 2020 CD/LP.  This is a recent practice that I find abhorrent, as I am pretty sure that there are individuals who buy multiple copies purely for the purpose of profiteering from them, thus preventing genuine buyers purchasing at the face value, otherwise how come many appear on Discogs with inflated prices as soon as they are sold out as there are currently 10 for sale on Discogs starting at £50 up to £95.

The B side is an alternative version with a different intro.

Johnny Baker [1973] - Fog City (And You Babe) [Fog City #800-01]

Never got a look in back in the day but would probably 'qualify' as crossover these days, a nice, soulful, mid-tempo number that just builds and builds.  I just love his tenor vocals.

Johnny Baker [1973] - Practice What You Preach [Fog City #800-02]

This is stunning deep soul ballad. Unfortunately the YT clip is not great sound quality and has been truncated at the end, but gives you a feel for it.  I think I might have a sound file of it somewhere, so if I find it I'll post it on my YT channel and link to it.

Johnny Baker [1973] - Donnie-O [Fog City #800-03]

No sound clip available. I'll look and see if I have one and, if so,  post it on my YT channel.

Johnny Baker [1973] - Shy Guy [Fog City #800-04]

I've always liked this record from when it was first played back in the early 70s, a great 70s 'modern' tune that was widely 'accepted'.

Johnny Baker [1976] - Accept Me As I Am [Cisco #C-1000]

Another stunning deep soul cut from 1976 on the flip to his NS spin Operator, Operator. His best recording IMHO.

Johnny Baker [1976] - Operator, Operator! [Cisco #C-1000]

It is believed that this may have been a 'tailor made' for the Northern Soul scene after 'encouragement' from San Franciscan record dealer Bob Cattaneo who used to supply NS records to UK.

Webster Lewis [1979] - Give Me Some Emotion [Epic #9-50832]

Johnny Baker featured on vocals on this track from '8 for The 80's' album which was also released as a single and was Webster Lewis' highest charting 45 reaching #41 R&B and #107 Billboard.  It was covered by Merry Clayton in 1980 (45 and on album of same name) and also by Tracy Hamlin in 2015 (on 'No Limits' CD), both re-titled as simply 'Emotion'.

Garland Green [198?] - Gospel Rap [L.A. Music #LLA-101]

This is the full album, Johnny Baker features on background vocals on tracks A2 - You Came Along @ 6:30 and B2 - Let's Make A Better Place @ 17:37.  I'm afraid to say that I can find no redeeeming features on this 80s synthesised gospel album, which is a shame as I do like Garland Green's earlier material. Sadly, his later, and last, album 'I Should've Been The One' in 2012 is not much better!

Mary Cross [2021] - Promise [Mary Cross]

Another new release for 2021. Her previous single, 'In Love, There's A Risk', appeared in my Top 25 for 2020, so it's great to have some new material.  There is also another, more uptempo track, on her YT channel released in October which I previously missed, so I'll also post that.

On her debut single she was compared to soul diva Phyllis Hyman and she states that she was influenced by her. You can read more about her on her website.

Promise

Officially released on 1st Jan 2021 and another deep soul ballad.  Not sure whether I like it as much as 'In Love, There's A Risk' yet as it will need a few plays I think.

You Can Change It

La'Verne Washington [2020] - I've Found What I've Been Searching For / The Promise [Melodies #MEL020]

Unfortunately this doesn't seem to happen as often as I'd like, but this track has literally just popped up on my YouTube feed and made my ears prick up.  What a lovely 2020 'real soul' release from La'Verne Washington called 'I've Found What I've Been Searching For' released on 21st Aug 2020.

As, suspected it's just 'too good' to be a new release, and after further investigation, it is in fact a reissue from 1984, originally a self release on La'mett Productions.  The only release listed for her.  It was recorded at Chapman Studios in Kansas Ciy in 1984. Washington wrote, arranged, sang and played piano on both sides and It features legendary 'Wrecking Crew' guitarist Carol Kaye on bass guitar.

There is more information about the release and the artist on the Melodies International (the publishers) website, but in summary she was predominantly a gospel singer and after the release of this single moved into the background by supporting artists and eventually managed Dee Dee Sharp and sang background vocals for her and Freda Payne. 

I've Found What I've Been Searching For

A wonderfully soulful slice of 80s modern soul.

The Promise

80s Modern soul/boogie

'I Have No Choice' - now you have 4 choices! Johnnie Mae Matthews, Audrey Matthews, Black Nasty, Sharon McMahan

The original version of this song has long been regarded as a Northern Soul classic even though it is not typical of the type of record played.  In this post I'll bring you a few other versions, two of which were previously unreleased until relatively recently.

To kick off this article here's some footage filmed by Richard 'Gilly' Gilbert and Andy 'Tats' Taylor from arond 1990 on a visit to Detroit showing Johnnie Mae Mathews and her daughter Audrey (Kaiya) singing part of the song in their kitchen.

Johnnie Mae Mathews [1967] - Big Hit #TZ 105]

Johnnie Mae Matthews, was dubbed 'The Godmother of Detroit Soul' as she was the first Afro American woman to own a record company. George Clinton referred to her as 'Mother Funker'. She created several labels (Northern, Big Hit, Tank, Reel, Bon, Jam, Art and Audrey, the last two named after her son and daughter respectively) in Detroit in the 60s on which many future established artists started their recording career e.g. Otis Williams & The Distants who later became The Temptations.  Apparently Berry Gordy asked her repeatedly to record for Motown. 

This is a highly in-demand rare record, now fetching up to 4 figures.  It was written by Sharon McMahan who had her previously unreleased 1967 version released by Hayley around 2016 (see below).

If you want to read more about her career there is a good article on SoulfulDetroit.

Black Nasty [1973] - I Have No Choice [Enterprise #ENS 1031]

Taken from their 1973 album 'Talking To The People' on Stax subsidiary Enterprise. The group contained members of the Matthews family. Artwell was drummer and Audrey was lead singer.  Johnnie Mae Matthews managed them and produced their album with Sir Mack Rice who had recommended the group to Stax when he began working at the label.

They released an album on Enterprise and half a dozen 45s, 3 on Big Hit (Johnnie Mae Matthews label) and 3 on Enterprise.  The last single on Enterprise 'Cut Your Motor Off' was a big NS tune around 1976.  Prior to being named Black Nasty they were know as Raw Integrated Funk and afterwards changed their name to Nazty (who recorded an album 'I Got To Move' and two singles for Mankind in 1976) and then ADC Band and continued recording, mainly on Cotillion (5 albums and a dozen or more 45s), into the 80s.

Audrey Matthews [2001] - I Have No Choice #Kent #CDKEND 192]

Previously unreleased and discovered on an acetate and believed to be Audrey Matthews, the daughter of Johnnie Mae Matthews. It first got a release on Kent Northern Soul's Classiest Rarities CD in 2001 and has since been issued on a 45, on a 'look-alike' Northern label, with her mother's version on the other side - I don't know whether this is an official release, I suspect not, but is sells for between £75-£100. It is still not known for sure who the singer is and many have speculated that it was a demo cut by Sharon McMahan who denies it , and Audrey Matthews also doesn't recall recording it. She renamed herself Kaiya and released around 4 singles in the 80s as well as recording with Black Nasty, Nazty and ADC Band.

Sharon McMahan [2016] - I Have No Choice [Hayley #HR 021]

McMahan wrote the song and recorded a previously unreleased version in 1967 at Detroit's United Sound Systems which got a released on Hayley around 2016.  For some time it was believed that the Audrey Matthews version was in fact Sharon McMahan, but this has now been dispelled with the release of her version, which for me is probably the best as the production by Ollie McLaughlin and arrangement by Mike Terry is fuller.

As an added bonus here's some footage from Cleethorpes Weekender in June 2015 of her performng it live. It is more like Johnnie Mae Mathews version rather than the Hayley version and starts approx 2:30 into the video. (Thanks to Karl White for uplodaing the video).