The Mansion [2022] - The Girl Next Door / Stop, Let Your Heart Be Your Guide [Soul Junction #SJ548]

Only last week on the post for the forthcoming next single from Creative Soul by Centaura we made mention of a group set up in prison called The Prisonaires (which included Johnny Bragg and Centaura's producer Bob Riley). The next release from Soul Junction is another one. The Mansion were initially a prison group formed by Charles Lorenzo Blakely in 1970 while serving time in the Green Bay Reformatory at Allouez, Wisconsin for his part in a street gang shooting and subsequent car chase by the police. 

Whilst rehearsing in the prison chapel, they attracted the attention of the warden's wife who was impressed and then instrumental in the group being invited to perform on WBAY, the city’s TV station.

They were later granted permission to perform outside the prison which brought them to the attention of Al Dunlop (a Milwaukee neighbourhood program adviser) who became their manager who arranged the recording of their only single "The Girl Next Door" / "Stop! Let Your Heart Be Your Guide" at Appleton's Golden Echo Recordings for a local Milwaukee label Gibbs [GB 406] in 1974. The release was held back by label owner Bill Gibbs until some of the group members were released from prison as they were unable to sign contract agreements whilst still incarcerated. 

Charles Blakely remained in prison and was later moved to a medium security prison where he formed a gospel group the Bell Tones which was regarded as major factor in his rehabilitation which led to his eventual release in 1976. He then joined up with Bell Tone member Mayweather Lee, Charles (Sonny) Bryant and Jimmy Taylor to form a new group Final Chapter who recorded "Now I Know" / "Get Down For Your Action" for Marvell Love's Milwaukee label New World Records [NM8006] in 1980.

Taylor left to pursue a career as a blues musician with the remaining three members continuing to perform until they finally disbanded in 1987. Three previously unissued Final Chapter songs, along with "Now I Know", can be found on Soul Junction Various Artists CD compilation "We Got A Sweet Thing Going On Volume Two" (2016 SJCD 2011) . Charles Blakely passed away in Oct 2018.

The Mansion's single on Gibbs is now a highly sought after item amongst sweet and group soul collectors and is being reissued by Soul Junction available on 7 Nov 2022. The label released both sides on a CD compilation "We Got A Sweet Thing Going On" (2014 SJCD 5009) 

The single isn't listed on 45Cat and only one has ever sold on Discogs (£352 in Feb 2018) and only three are listed on Popsike, so it's a pretty scarce recording.

Source: Dave Welding (Soul Junction)

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sweet Soul / Reissue
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Junction
Cat No:	SJ548
Date:	07/11/2022
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

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