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Thursday 2 June 2022

George McGregor & The Bronzettes & McGregor Brothers [2022] - Temptation Is Hard To Fight b/w Everytime I Wake Up [Numero Group/Twilight #TWI102]


Originally released in 1967 on the Chicago Twilight label (later renamed to Twinight after only four releases) is the only recording by George McGregor.  It's not a name that trips off the tongue to all but those with the thickest anoraks! However, he was a well know figure and in-demand session drummer in and around Detroit in the 60s and was the in-house drummer at Golden World studios. He went to the same school, at the same time, as Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Barrett Strong and Richard 'Popcorn' Wylie and was cousin of Motown Funk Brother, trombonist, writer/arranger Paul Riser. He was also in a very early 60s group The Atennas with is brother Billy McGregor (as well as McGregor Brothers) and formed the Don Davis Trio with Don Davis, obviously, and Clarence McCloud.

Whilst his own recording career was less than prolific, he should be well known to Northern Soul devotees as he has been involved in writing and/or arranging multiple recordings well known on the scene including a couple of early Ric-Tic classics "I'm Satisfied" San Remo Strings (which was 'actually' recorded by the Don Davis Trio!)  and Edwin Starr's "Harlem" as well as Rose Batiste "Hit & Run", Tobi Lark (aka Tobi Legend) "Happiness Is Here" (written initially for Barbara Mercer for release on Golden World but it was rejected)  He worked with many artists well known to the scene such as The Precisions, Ruby Andrews, Timmy Willis,  Teri Bryant, Barbara Mercer, C.O.D.'s, Gwen Owens, (Little) Rena Scott, Almeta Latimer, Betty LaVette and Wilson Williams to name some of the main ones.

There is a really interesting and in depth article on George McGregor on Soul Source. Information from McGregor himself stating that The Precisions' Northern Soul classic "Such Misery" was originally intended for Timmy Willis and that "If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely)" was intended as a B side and Motown deliberately sabotaged the group by hiring the writers to infiltrate Sidra / Drew to persuade them to put it out as an A side as Motown felt that The Precisions were a threat to The Temptations and didn't think the song would be a success.

The Bronzettes where a female quartet from Chicago who released only one other single "(Beggin) Baby Don't Leave Me" which had the same backing as Jerry-O (aka Jerry Murray Tom & Jerrio) "Karate Boo-Ga-Loo" who, unsurprisingly, wrote and produced it.


Details
Rating: 8.4
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: Deep Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Numero Group (Twilight)
Cat No: TWI102
Date: 02/06/2022
Key/BPM: 11B/77 / 8B/108
Price: £1
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1 comment:

USMAN47 said...

Very nice article on one of the unknown majors of the great Detroit era !!!

Yves