Arthur Ponder [2022] - The Prince of Georgia Soul [Athens Of The North] (Full Album)

Today sees a couple of 'essential' album releases by Euan Fryer's, Edinburgh based, Athens Of The North label.

On this one, as often the case, there is a link to the Bar-Kays post as Arthur Ponder, from Macon, GA, replaced Otis Redding in The Pinetoppers (which also included as a member Wayne Cochran) when Redding left to pursue a solo career around 1962.

Ponder only released around four singles and his first wasn't until 1970 "Dr. Strangelove" on the highly regarded Crow label out of Detroit owned by Eugene Davis which got wider distribution via Capricorn. A second release on Crow (probably early 70s)  "Oh Baby Why You Want To Make Me Cry" /  "Let's Get Together For The Wrong We Have Done" are both deep soul tunes. All the Crow releases were written by (or at least credited to) Davis with the latter two sides included on this compilation. 

It then wasn't until 1985 that he released further material as part of a group named Side Show "Lonely Girl" / "You Are The One For Me", both songs written by Ponder with Willie Smith (who was a member of The Mighty Chevelles who released an album on Eugene Davis's Flying Arrow in 1977) and feature on the comp. The original vinyl on Trey sells for around £250-£350. 

The same year he released another single on Macon label Muscadine, "Sexy Lady" / "My Love",  both sides co-written with J.B.'s member Robert Coleman.

The only other (known/listed) released recording by him was in 1988 "You Talk Too Much" on another Macon label Sky Hawk released in 1988 as Arthur 'Bo' Ponder, which is also included on the comp.

So that leaves three previously unreleased tracks: "If You Want My Love", "Whatcha Gonna Do About It" and "It's You Girl".

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	24/06/2022 (a)
Price:	£6.49

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