What an absolute joy to come across this reissue of one of our all time
favourite albums "With Love From The Lovelites" from The Lovelites which has been released digitally
today.
It's their only official album which was released on Uni in 1970 although
three compilations of their music have been released. An original vinyl
copy would set you back at least a couple of hundred notes (one has even
sold for as much as £500 on Discogs).
The album has been released by Japanese label P-Vine who also released it
on limited edition CD and vinyl in Jan this year.
We did a
Lovelites Profile
last year so, rather than regurgitate it here, visit that page for more
information. There is also a good article about the group on
Chicago Reader
site.
They are yet another act so criminally neglected by the mainstream and
achieved only two R&B chart entries with "How Can I Tell Mom & Dad" (#15 R&B / #60 Hot 100 in 1969) and "My Conscience" (#36 1971 video included below). Only the former is included on the
album as the latter came afterwards).
Their last single, "Get It Off My Conscience" in 1975, was a departure from their mid-tempo sweet soul offerings and
was a monster record in the mid 70s on Northern Soul dancefloors and was
reissued in the UK by Grapevine in 1978.
Deniece 'Niecy' Williams was a short-term member who left in 1970 to join
Stevie Wonder's Wonderlove.
The song "I Love You Yes I Do" was also recorded by twin sisters Pat & Pam (Cordell who were the daughters of WVON DJ/singer Lucky Cordell) on Our Own in 1971 as well as a sax led instrumental version by their producer Johnny Cameron & The Camerons on Lock Central in 1969 which got picked up by Atlantic. There is another more jazz instrumental on Atlantic from 1973 by Rahsaan Roland Kirk which is almost unrecognisable as the same song.
Eugene Record (Chi-Lites) wrote "A Certain Kind Of Lover" which was recorded by Diane Cunningham on Fontana in 1968 which included "You've Hurt Me Now" on the flip which was also recorded by Sunday Williams in 1970 on Red Balloon, all rather incestuous.
If you have not yet had the pleasure of hearing The Lovelites then we
think you may be blown away. We aren't even going to direct you to any
particular track as the album is so full of gems. Timeless soul music of
the highest quality which comes highly recommended! If you don't like this
then there is no hope for you lol!
This group 'should' have been massive, their tight harmonies are
delicious but, as is so often the case, groups with more style than
substance got the limelight. The fact that this little known group's music
is still appreciated more than 50 years later speaks volumes.
We found a recording from 2019? of Patti Hamilton singing their biggest hit. She looks younger than expected but they where school kids when it was released it in 50 years earlier 1969 so would perhaps be in her mid 60s then?
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
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| Rating: | 9.5 |
| Explicit: | N |
| Genre/Style: | Classic Soul / Sweet Soul / Crossover |
| Format: | Album |
| Media: | Digital |
| Label: | P-Vine |
| Cat No: | None |
| Date: | 19/07/2023 |
| Price: | £7.99 |
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1 comment:
Magnificent girl group and great LP that I bought when it was released. If you don't like it, don't go any further!!! Pure soul.
Yves
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