Richie Merrett Vs These Gents [1973/1974] - Yesterday Standing By [C-Way / Western World]

A record I've owned and loved since release in 1974 by These Gents "Yesterday Standing By" on Soulvation Army (courtesy of John Anderson's Soul Bowl) and also released on Western World which is a slightly different, and longer, take is the subject of the latest release on Soul Junction who John set up with Dave Welding. 

These Gents were from Pittsburgh, PA, and this is their only recording and was only one of two released on Soulvation Army which appears to have been a Western World offshoot. They were formed in 1964 by LeRoy Grammer, Wayne Walker (who had been members of ElRoy & The Excitements and then The Enchantments) along with two members of 50s/early 60s doo wop group The Altairs, Bill Herndon and Richard Harris. The name could well have been derived from 'Dee's Gents' who were Dinah Washington's backing group which Herndon and Harris were also members of along with Chuck Barksdale and Johnny Carter of The Dells and Cornell Gunter of The Coasters. The other Soulvation Army single is the Northern Soul spin from Flora Wilson / The Soulvation Army Band "Dancing On A Daydream". So I assume the Western World issue was the first issue and appears to be the last single released on the label?

Forthcoming in April on Soul Junction is the original version by Richie Merrett released a year earlier on C-Way which seems to be the only release on the label so presumably a private press? The title is slightly different "You'll Always Have Yesterday Standing By"

It appears to be his only release but Discogs links him to a Richie Merritt who released two albums in 1998 and 2005 and a few singles in the early 90s. I had to double take as the photo on his first album he looks remarkably like Bobby Hutton. 45Cat links the the C-Way single with his 90s singles so it looks like it is the same artist (and perhaps the first single was a misspelling of his name) but why the 20-25 year sabbatical?

The song was written by Rich Calloway who only has one other writing credit to his name on both sides of a single by The Entertains "Love Will Turn It Around" / "Why Couldn't I Believe Them"

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sweet Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	C-Way // Western World / Soulvation Army
Cat No:	None
Date:	1973 // 1974
Key/BPM:	8B/70 // 10B/74
Value:	£60-£80 (approx.) // £10-20 (approx.)