Well here's another 'coincidence'. A few days ago I posted a 1996 compilation
The Best Of Society Hill Records, and they are due to release a new single by Tesa Williams Feat. Marc Nelson on
14 Feb 2021. It should be followed by a debut album from Tesa Williams.
It's a cover of a wonderful
Sam Dees
written song 'Just The Lonely Talking Again' recorded by Whitney Houston on
her 1988 album 'Whitney' which wasn't released as a single except in
Germany as a
B side to a duet with her mother Cissy.
Marc Nelson
is the son of Phyliss Nelson
and was a member of two Philly groups, Boyz II Men (before they hit pay dirt)
and Az Yet and also
Blayse (a
group made up of former members of Blackstreet, Az Yet and Silk, who never
actually released any material except a promo sampler in 2007 which included
'Forever'). He released three solo albums and about half a dozen, or so, singles
between 1991-2007.
The song is produced by legendary Philly producer Butch Ingram.
Whitney Houson [1988] - Just The Lonely Talking Again [Arista]
Real soul for those who feel it. A deep, soulful ballad from, a new name to
me, Chelly K which was released 4 Dec 2020.
I found a little info. on. what I believe to be, her
website. It would appear that she is a jazz/R&B/soul artist from Detroit who
has been performing for 40 years. Her father was an engineer at Motown and
she is vice president of
WJZZ Detroit Radio
station which is a jazz station.
From what I can gather, S. Fidelity is a German DJ/producer. This will be the
first single from a new album titled 'Radio Fidelity Club' and features NDO
released 29 Jan 2021.
Hot on the heels of her previous release 'Crybaby' on 11 Jan 2021 is a new
single 'Majestic' put out on 2 Feb 2021.
Saint Mercedes is a blue-eyed soul singer from New Orleans. She was in
preparation for touring as a session singer in 2015 when she was diagnosed
with thyroid cancer. Her voice was left paralysed after surgery but after 5
years of healing she has regained the ability to sing using a single vocal
chord and since mid 2020 she has released 4 singels and an EP.
New single from Karl Benjamin released 4 Feb 2021. The intro reminds me of fellow UK neo soul artist, Omar's 'There's Nothing Like This' from 1991, I'm not sure whether it's a sample or not.
I reviewed this a few weeks ago when released (15 Jan 2021) and dismissed it
as too R&B sounding, but it sounds much better now as the 'Tripped Out
Soul Mix' released 5 Feb 2021.
An upcoming UK R&B artist, she debuted in 2018 with an EP 'Love Just ain't
Enough'.
This is particulary sad as it was so sudden and unexpected as this is a
video she posted on her YouTube channel only 2 days before, on 6 Feb
2021, announcing the release of new material. She was clearly very excited
about the future. She looks so healthy, vibrant and beautiful in this video.
How fragile life is. Take care.
Mary Wilson was one of the original members of The Primettes when she was just 15. They were formed by Milton Jenkins as a
sister group to The Primes (later The Temptations) in 1959 and included Diana Ross, Florence Ballard
&
Betty McGlown.
Ballard was instrumental in forming The Primettes, as the first member
selected after auditions, she then recruited her school friend Mary Wilson
(they were at school together at Northeastern High School). Wilson in turn
recruited Diane (as he was known then) Ross. The final member, Betty
McGlown joined the group. McGlown left in 1960 to get married and was
replaced by
Barbara Martin. As The Primettes they released two singles on LuPine in 1960
before signing with Motown on 15 Jan 1961.
A condition of signing with Motown was that they changed their name.
Motown provided a list of names to choose from and Florence Ballard, being
the only member present, chose the name
The Supremes. In the early years they were used primarily as backing vocalists but
did release 8 singles which failed to make much impact. In early
1962, just a month before the release of their debut album 'Meet The Supremes', Martin left
the group to give birth leaving the group as the famous trio of well known
names.
Ballard was 'removed' from the group in 1967, being replaced by
Cindy Birdsong
from Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles.
Mary Wilson was the mainstay of the group, being the only surviving
member from the original Primettes/Supremes after Diana Ross left in 1970
to be replaced by
Jean Terrell. Cindy Birdsong left in 1972 to be replaced by
Lynda Lawrence. Terrell and Lawrence both left in 1973 after two consecutive chart
failures. Freda's sister,
Scherrie Payne, was recruited from The Glass House and Cindy Birdsong rejoined the
group in 1973 but left again in 1976, before the release of 'High Energy' album, being replaced by the final member to join the group
Susaye Greene
whose voice was dubbed over two of the songs on the album.
Wilson left the group in 1977, and despite efforts by the surviving
members (Payne & Greene) to find a replacement The Supremes were
officially disbanded. After a legal battle with Motown over the
management of The Supremes name she signed a solo contact with Motown and
released her debut solo album 'Red Hot' in 1979. She was recording another in 1980 when
Motown released her.
She focused on musical theatre productions which included 'Beehive', 'Dancing In The Streets' and 'Supreme Soul' and wrote two best selling books
'Dreamgirl: My Life As A Supreme' in 1986 and 'Supreme Faith: Someday
We'll Be Together' in 1990.
In 1992 she released her second solo album on CEO records 'Walk The
Line', the day after it's release the company filed for bankruptcy.
She was involved in several wrangles over using The Supremes name with
previous members of the group and in 1999 was in negotiation with Diana
Ross and her associates over a
reunion tour, which did finally go ahead but with Scherrie Payne & Lynda Lawrence
instead of Mary Wilson & Cindy Birdsong who couldn't agree on a fee. The other former members, Susaye Green & Jean Terrell, refused to take part after being
told that they needed to audition first.
She wrote a fourth book in 2019 'Supreme Glamour', the third being a
composite of both previous books.
This is a 45 minute appearance on 'Donahue' TV show discussing the release of her
first book 'Dreamgirl: My Life As A Supreme' in 1986 and gives a lot
of history about the group with clips of The Supremes and Mary singing live
on the show.
Singles Discography
Her total solo output included two albums and around 10 singles between
1979-2015.
I don't propose to post any Supremes tracks as a/ there are too many and
b/ she didn't perform lead vocals on many, but here are all the solo singles
that I am aware of that she has released, and where possible I've included
video/live performances rather than just audio. Inevitably some are
a bit grainy and sound quality is not great.
1979 - Red Hot [Motown]
Her debut solo single - a funky disco number.
1979 - Midnight Dancer [Motown]
The B side to Red Hot - more of the same.
1980 - Pick Up The Pieces
From her Red Hot album but only released as a single in UK. A
'grainy' video of her performing the song.
Here's a 2 minute sampler of a previously unreleased track by The Kopestetics
from 1979 now available from Epsilon Records. Click image to go to website
to read about their history and to order.
The only record I can find from then was issued in 1974 on Violet billed
as The New Atttactions & The Copestistics Funky Bump /
The World Today. I'm pretty sure it is the same group as both tracks co-written by Leon Moses a member of the group.
