The latest release from Alan Kitchener's respected Soul Direction label
consists of two previously unreleased songs, "Got No Time" (a storming Northern Soul pounder) and "I Want My Loving From You" (a slightly more sedate mid pacer), by 60s soul singer Timmy Carr aka Timothy Carstaphen. They
were originally found on an Impact Recordings Sound Studio tape (and may have found their way onto a Virtue acetate).
Both sides were co-written by Howard Ravitsky and Phil Hurtt (a key Philly writer who wrote/co-wrote many hit songs most notably The Spinners "I'll Be Around" with Thom Bell).
The single is set for release on 11 Jun '23 with pre-orders being taken by Soul Direction from 28 May '23. Please note that the single is not posted on the website as yet, probably on Sunday (28th).
This has become rather a long post as it is always fascinating following
the threads for reissues of obscure recordings.
The songs have featured on a few CD compilations "The Ben-Lee Philadelphia Story" (1999) "The Best Of Lash Records" (2009 which also includes an instrumental version of "Got No Time")
and an earlier compilation (see below). However, this is the first time they
have appeared on 45 and the recording of "Got No Time" featured on the
Soul Direction release is the extended studio master with the engineer
count in and unedited run out.
Carr was initially a member of two groups,
Timmy & The Empires and
Timmy & The Persianettes. The latter released two singles, the first on Olympia, ("Timmy Boy" /
"There Comes A Time") (spelt as Persianetts) in 1963 and "I Could Never Stop Cryin' Over You" / "Only Now And Then" as Timmy Carr And His Persianettes in 1964 on Guyden played by Ady
Croasdel at The 100 Club (which is not listed anywhere and may be a
promo only).
Goldmine Soul supply issued a
white label promo
/ test pressing of "Got No Time" and "I Want My Loving From You" in 1996. The A side billed as Timmy & The Empires with B
side credited to Timmy & The Persianettes.
However, according to Ravistsky, Carr was backed by
The Cooperettes not The Persianettes on these recordings. The
Cooperettes were a family group from Philadelphia comprising of sisters
Janette, Debbie, Tina and Angie Cooper managed by their mother Ethyl.
They are best known in rare soul circles for a couple of 60s recordings
for Brunswick "Shing-A-Ling" (1967) and "Everything's Wrong" (1966). They released another single on Brunswick before and three
singles on other labels afterwards. Two released on ABC and one on I-D-B which have had
lesser exposure i.e. "Satisfaction" (I-D-B 1969 c/w a good mid-pacer "Win All Your Love") and "Trouble" (ABC which had two releases, first paired with "Peace Maker" in Nov 1968 and then with "Spiral Road" Mar 1969). A couple of previously unreleased songs by them (along
with the two sides released on I-D-B) are featured on a compilation "Best of Danny O Productions" i.e. "Spilt Milk" and "Guess I'll Never". Everything they recorded
was pretty good but after 1969 they disappeared, perhaps some member got
married and then left to bring up families?
We digress, but before leaving The Cooperettes discussion it's worth
noting that the backing track for "Shing-A-Ling" was utilised on "You Need Love" by Irma & The Fascinators which was found on a
studio tape in the early 80's. However, when asked, lead singer Irma
Jackson stated that it was not her voice on the recording but suggested
that it may have been Vivian Gilreath(Gilrith)/McDougal (married to
Weldon McDougal of Harthon Productions) who replaced her in The Larks
(The Four Larks/ Irma & The Larks).
Goldmine Soul Supply
released it as a single in 1996 and it is also listed on a
Harthon
(reissue/bootleg?) and a
Virtue acetate.
The Persianettes released a couple of singles without Carr afterwards, a Northern soul double-sider "Call On Me" / "It Happens Every Day" (Strata 1965 / reissued on Open 1969 and bootlegged on O.O.T.P in the 70s) "What Good Is It?" (Part I & Part II) (Swan 1966 promo only). Another previously unreleased recording surfaced "Run Run" which was issued with The Sapphires' "Slow Fizz" on HipShakin some time between 2012-16.
We found another couple of, presumably unreleased, tracks by Timmy &
The Empires which were released on a 1997 CD compilation ("The Intruders & Friends Philly Soul Rarities Volume 1" released by Collectibles) which includes both sides of this Soul Direction 45
release along with "Do The Yo-Yo" and "Do It Like You Mean It".
Carr released three known/listed solo singles in the 60s. The first "Workin’" / "I'm Not Lyin'" on Kee which is not dated (sounds early/mid 60s
perhaps 64-66?) and, with the sparse label design, looks like it may
have been a private press which, needless to say, is a hard one to find, as
none have sold on Discogs and only one was found on Popsike selling
for just over $2,500 in 2004.
The other two were released as Timothy Carr on The Hot Biscuit Disc Company in 1968. The
first a deep soul cut "Let's Start All Over Again" paired with an uptempo song "A Stop Along The Way". The other is "Gone" (which sounds like a song Ray Charles could have recorded) flipped
with "Love My Love" (which was later recorded by blue-eyed Philly doo-wop group The 4-J's feat. Jr. Pope
on Congress in 1969 who were previously known as The Fabulous Four ..
wonder why they changed their name .. could it have been because of The
Beatles).
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
1 comment:
Remarkable article and painstaking work to provide us with all these explanations.
Congratulations on your knowledge.
Yves
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