Kennyflowers (Kendall Alexander Oliver) is a rising talent from Chicago who developed a passion for music at a young age and used that passion to teach himself to play piano, produce and write songs.
Following the release of debut single "Butterflys" in 2019, the indie artist has been growing his fanbase with a series of R&B singles, including "Fireball", which has amassed almost one million streams on Spotify alone.
He hopes to continue his rise with the release of his new single "Anonymous Girl" (released on 30 Apr 2022), which is a song he wrote almost three years ago with aspirations of finding the girl of his dreams, but after three years he says it has evolved into singing about his fear of hurting the girl of his dreams.
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artist.
San Diego's Thee Sacred Hearts release their fourth single "Trade Of Hearts". They formed in 2019 and debuted in March 2020 with "Can I Call You Rose".
The group consists of Alex Garcia, Sal Samano and vocalist Josh Lane. Jensine Benitez contributes to lead vocal on their latest single which has been available digitally since 14 Jan 2022 but is now available on 7" vinyl with "Let Me Feel Your Charm" on the flip which has not been made available digitally as yet.
All their recordings thus far have been 'souldies' i.e. sweet soul harmony throwbacks, but original songs not covers and this one is no different.
Whilst hunting for the flip side I found a live performance of a, so far, unreleased song on YouTube, included below.
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artist.
Tony Walk debuted on the blog in Aug 2021 with his single "The One For You" and featured again in Feb with "Stay". He has already released an album "Introducing Tony Walk" in 2020 (which is mainly cover versions). His debut EP "Good Vibes Only" came out yesterday (6 May) which contains both singles. The title
track from it was posted from promo on 21 Apr.
I think my choice of the three new tracks (discounting the title track
as it's been getting plays for a couple of weeks) is "More", but it's a strong set.
A DJ Pope remixed version of his George Benson cover of "Turn Your Love Around", released on his debut album, was also released last week (2 May
2022).
Tony has spent many years supporting other artists (including Aretha
Franklin) with backing vocals and is now stepping out on his own.
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artist.
A Northern Soul/Crossover classic by Guitar Ray "You're Gonna Wreck My Life" has been released for Record Store Day 2020.
It's a record that has
soared in popularity and hence price. A few years ago it was selling for
around £750 and is now into four figures with the highest price paid on
Discogs now being £1,500 on 23 Apr 2022. It's only other release, that I know of, is on Grapevine in 2000 which are
now selling around the £100 mark. So this is an opportunity, albeit not an original obviously, of acquiring
it on vinyl for a fraction of the price, a mere £11. In stock now at Simply Soul.
Guitar Ray was George Raymond Washington. He released around 6 45s as
Guitar Ray (Shagg, Invicta and 4 on Hot Line all New Orleans labels) and 2
as Ray(mond) Washington in 1959 and 1961.
To be perfectly honest apart from 'You're Gonna Wreck My Life' which is a
superb crossover tune, most of his material is not particularly suited to
this site as much of it is blues.
In April 2020 I posted a
Guitar Ray Discography
with as many sound files as I could find. An extract of his recordings are
below.
Discography
Ray Washington
1959 - I Know / I Never Realized [Vin 1017]
Raymond Washington
1961 Shake To The East / Can't Help Loving You [Tulane 103]
Guitar Ray
1962 - Keep On Trying / Little Red Spinning Wheel [Invicta 501]
1966 - Ball And Chain / You've Got Something [Hot Line 904]
1967 - New True Love / Patty
Cake Shake [Hot Line 912]
1967 - Funky Pete Pt. 1 / Funky Pete Pt. 2 [Hot Line 914]
1968 - Ain't That Soul
/ Love Of A Man [Hot Line]
1974 - You're Gonna Wreck My Life / I Am Never Gonna Break The Rules Again[Shagg 711]
Guitar Ray [1974] - You're Gonna Wreck My Life [Shagg 711]
This is one of only 6 listed releases on New Orleans label owned by
Senator Jones (2 of the releases were by Jones). Discogs lists this
as 1974 and it was listed on 45Cat as 1968 but has now been corrected to 1974.
Written by one C. Burnett - Chester Arthur Burnett aka Howlin'
Wolf.
Guitar Ray [1974] - I Am Never Gonna Break The Rules Again [Shagg
711]
Another Record Store Day 2022 release out of New Orleans is yet
another crossover classic. this time from Willie Tee. (aka Wilson Turbington)
There are 2 versions of "The First Taste Of Hurt" released on 3 different 45s:
1/ Gatur 557 Green label organ version c/w I'm Having So Much Fun
2/ Gatur 509 Green label
organ version (same as 1/ 557)c/w Funky, Funky Twist
3/ Gatur 509 Blue label
piano version c/w Funky, Funky Twist
Dates are a bit sketchy with 45Cat stating 1968 for Gatur 557 and
1970 for the other two releases, with Discogs stating 1969 and 1972
respectively.
The hardest version to find is the piano version on blue 509,
followed by the 557 version with the different flip which is also
in-demand. The more 'common' issue is the green 509 which
are currently selling at around £350+.
The RSD 2022 release is a reissue of the first release on Gatur
557 which is now commanding around £2k. It's a shame they didn't
reissue the Gatur 509 piano version along with "I'm Having So Much Fun"! It's another that has been reissued by Grapevine, in 2002 and these are selling for almost £100.
You may or may not be aware that Joss Stone recorded a version in 2012 on her "Soul Sessions Volume 2" album, It was included a a bonus track.
RareSoulMan, renown rare soul record dealer John Manship, waxed lyrical about the piano
version:
"THE VERSION TO OWN - Not only because it is significantly
rarer than the green label release, more importantly a totally
different version to the green label release even though the
labelling carries the same release number 509 release number
and oddly master number 1005 also . This release is even more unimaginably brilliant,
thoughtfully considered, a softer take, with a different
vocal, than the muscular Hammond organ propelled version on
the later green label release; was preceded by mesmerising
piano and horn alchemy, brought down into an awesome flood of
beseeching Northern Soul, sublimely filled with warnings of
impending "hurt". Preeminent New Orleans Northern Soul with few comparisons;
Willie knew he had written something very special, indeed
lyrically remarkable, unadulterated Soul poetry drenched in
the irony of karma. One of the greatest records ever to emerge
out of The Crescent City, we think inexplicably revamped and
re-promoted by Willie Tee. But he knew he had written a gem
but he didn't feel it carried enough "funk" to capture the
public's attention. So he abandoned his first draft and
re-recorded it for release on the more familiar green Gatur
label take. Leaving the original "session" adrift, to be
discovered by dedicated European Soul Scholars and DJ's who
still swoon in its soulful purity today. For me no superlative is too strong, to clothe this record
in, utterly brilliant, frustratingly rare and seldom if ever
encountered in anything but poor condition."
Willie Tee recorded some fine tune. His Discography was posted in 2020 check it out.
Willie Tee [1972] - The First Taste Of Hurt [Gatur 509] Blue
Willie Tee [1972] - The First Taste Of Hurt [Gatur G-557]
Willie Tee [1972] - I'm Having So Much Fun [Gatur G-557]
Joss Stone [2012] - First Taste Of Hurt [S-Curve] Joss Stone recorded a version for her Soul Sessions Vol. 2 album
in 2012 - it was included as a bonus track.
The third Record Store Day 2022 reissue comes from
Eunice Collins and her only recording "At The Hotel" (vocal/inst) from 1974 on Chuck Sibit's Chicago label Mod-Art. The
label is probably best known for Newsounds modern soul tune "I Bet You
Never Thought About It" which was first issued on Scorpion green/blue
label (as Newsound) in 1971 followed by a yellow label which I
understand came after the Mod-Art release.
It has become a bit of a cult tune and as such has been been sampled
several times:
Lion Babe on "Treat Me Like Fire" on their 2014 self-titled EP and was later remixed for release as a
single in 2015.
Alkalino on "Take It Easy" around 2015,
Bella Boo "Fire Fire" (2018)
Flamingosis "For Sale" from Mood Provider 2019,
Franky Rizardo & Ros T "Out Of The Fire (At The Hotel)" in 2021,
It's also been used on a few hip-hop tunes (not appropriate for posting here) i.e. Primo Rice "Hotel (Intro)", Novatore "At The Hotel" and MC White Owl "At The Hotel, all in 2020.
The original from Eunice Collins was included on a 2020 compilation by Fat
Boy Slim (Norman Cook) called "Back To Mine", which is a an eclectic mix
with tracks ranging from Biddu Orchestra, Rhondo A La Turk, Manu Dibango and
Wilbert Harrison with the original version of Bryan Ferry's Let's Stick
Together (Let's Work Together).
I'm not sure whether Simply Soul will be stocking this, it's not
currently on their website but is on
Soul Brother
but has sold out, so its a case of trawling around the vinyl retailers to
see who has copies. The deal with RSD releases is that they went on sale
for RSD on 23 Apr 2022 and any remaining stock is then released from 29
Apr. There were 1,000 copies of this one pressed.
Lion Babe "Treat Me Like Fire" (2014)
Alkalino "Take It Easy" (2015)
Bella Boo "Fire Fire" (2018)
Flamingosis "For Sale" (2019)
Franky Rizardo & Ros T "Out Of The Fire (At The Hotel)" (2021)
