I came across a post on Rare Soul Talk facebook page yesterday
highlighting a
GoFundMe page
for 60s Detroit soul artist Melvin Davis. Davis was diagnosed with Leukaemia before the pandemic and then got
infected with two bouts of Covid along with pneumonia. The States being
the states, there is no NHS so he needs $25k for pay his medical bills,
which is not easy for anyone, never mind an 80 year old, so please help if you can.
Davis says "It’s been a very challenging past 18 or 19 months for me. I’ve lost about
60 or 70 pounds and am feeling very weak. Any assistance from my music
family is more than appreciated. I just don’t have the words to tell you
how appreciative I am of all my supporters."
Melvin is a songwriter, singer, drummer, producer, and bandleader who worked
with Motown in the 60s as a staff drummer performing with Smokey
Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, Martha Reeves, The Supremes
and others. He has become a bit of a 'legend' in Northern Soul circles over
the years for his songs and recordings. He has written songs played on the scene by artists such as Ann Perry, Edward Hamilton, Johnnie Mae Matthews, Steve Mancha, J.J.
Barnes, E.J. & The Echoes, The Turbines, Darrel Banks and Johnnie
Taylor.
In 2018 he recorded "Politicians in My Eyes" with Detroit proto-punk band
Death and the crowdfunding campaign was started by fellow musician Drew
Schultz, who worked with him on the recording.
Melvin Lincoln Davis was born on 29 Aug 1942 in Georgia but moved to
Detroit with his family when he was 3. He was inspired by hearing Little
Richard perform at a juke joint on one of his regular visits to his
grandparent's farm in Georgia and also by gospel in his family’s Baptist
church that brought in groups like the Soul Stirrers which featured Sam
Cooke, and Nashville radio station WLAC radio which transmitted the
latest R&B hits.
When 17 he joined the Navy where, after having near drowning experience
in swimming lessons opted out and instead, learned to play the piano.
Upon discharge he set about writing and recoding his first song "I
Don’t Want You" / "About Love" (which has a garage come R&B sound) and was released by the Jack Pot label in 1961. He was
assisted on the recording by Joe Peal, a guitar player he grew up
with. Peal had connections in Detroit’s music scene and began
introducing Davis to various names, including Richard 'Popcorn' Wylie of
Popcorn and the Mohawks. Wylie was a well-connected piano player and
producer who, in turn, shared his expertise and knowledge of the music
industry.
After the single on Jack Pot his next single was "I Won’t Be Your
Fool" / "Playboy" on Fortune where he was also a member of The Nite
Sounds who released three singles for the label in 1962-63. He
released another six singles in the 60s on Ke Ke, Wheel City,
Groovesville, two on Mala and one on Golden State.
In the early 70s he was a member of 100 Proof (Aged In Soul) / The 8th Day
(who's members included Clyde Wilson aka Steve Mancha) who
recorded for Holland, Dozier, Holland's new Invictus label
were he also released two solo singles ("I'm Worried" / "Just As Long" and "You Made Me Over" / "I'm Worried"). 100 Proof (Aged In Soul) had a
hit with "Somebody's Been Sleeping in My Bed" and radio stations began
playing another song by them "She's Not Just Another Woman". HDH
didn't want the new song hindering the success of the previous single
so released it as The 8th Day, so they were in fact the same group. They hit with a follow up single "You've Got to Crawl (Before You
Walk)" so HDH formed a new group using the name.
Davis set up his own label Rock Mill Record in 1976 where he released
further singles through the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. All but two
were his own singles, but there was one by a group called Charisma
which was formed out of former members of The Contours and one by Liz
Taylor.
In 2010 Davis released a compilation of many of his 60s songs titled "The Detroit Soul Ambassador" which includes "I Must Love You", "Find A Quiet Place", "Chains Of Love" (recorded by J.J. Barnes on Groovesville), "Still In My Heart" and "I Need My Baby" amongst several others (included below).
Here's a clip of him from April 2018 after receiving a lifetime
achievement award and performing his song "I Must Love You" released
on Don Davis' Groovesville label in 1966.
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2 comments:
Detroit Soul at its peak. Also listen to "I Need My Baby" and "Nothing's Too Good For You" with his son Bryan.
Yves
Also worth a listen "You Made Me Over" from his time at Invictus
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