VA [2024] - Thom Bell, Didn't I Blow Your Mind? (The Sound Of Philadelphia Soul 1969 - 1983) [CDTOP 522] (Full Album)

The word 'legend' is bandied around far too often, but Thom Bell's contribution to soul music in the late 60s and 70s and even into the 80s is undeniable. As a member of the Philadelphia 'holy trinity', Mighty Three Music with Gamble & Huff, he helped change the landscape of soul music.

Bell, along with his long-time writing partner Linda Creed, penned as well as arranged and produced so many songs now regarded as soul classics. We won't wax lyrical any further as we did a tribute to him when he passed in Dec 2022 aged 79 along with a 40 track playlist of his compositions, arrangements, productions.

Ace Records are releasing the sequel to their first acclaimed compilation of Bell’s productions and arrangements, "Ready Or Not - Thom Bell's Philly Soul Arrangements & Productions 1965-1978", with "Thom Bell, Didn't I Blow Your Mind? The Sound Of Philadelphia Soul 1969 - 1983". It's due for release on 31 May and available to pre-order now from Ace Records on CD only.

As is the case with many Kent releases, it comes with a 16 page glossy booklet with loads of colour photos, details about the tracks and sleeve notes from Bob Stanley (Saint Etienne) with quotes from an interview with Bell in 2020.

Many of the 20 songs will need no introduction but there may be several lesser know ones that may surprise you.

A few of our highlights include: Eloise Laws "Got You Into My Life", Nancy Wilson "Joe",  Phyllis Hyman "Let Somebody Love Me" and Dee Dee Bridgewater "One In a Million (Guy)".

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

01 - The Delfonics - Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)

02 - The Chargers - You Gotta Be A Lady

03 - Spinners - The Rubberband Man

04 - Eloise Laws - Got You Into My Life

05 - The Stylistics - You Are Everything

06 - Ronnie Dyson - Give In To Love

07 - Elton John - Nice And Slow

08 - New York City - Take My Hand

09 - Deniece Williams - Silly

10 - Dionne Warwick & Spinners - Then Came You

11 - Lou Rawls - Will You Kiss Me One More Time

12 - Little Anthony & The Imperials - Lazy Susan

13 - The Stylistics - Betcha By Golly, Wow

14 - Nancy Wilson - Joe

15 - Johnny Mathis - Loving You, Losing You

16 - Jerry Butler - Walking Around In Teardrops

17 - Bell & James - Nobody Knows It

18 - Phyllis Hyman - Let Somebody Love Me

19 - Dee Dee Bridgewater - One In a Million (Guy)

20 - The O'Jays - Brandy

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sweet Soul / 70s Soul / 80s Soul
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	CD
Label:	Kent
Cat No:	CDTOP 522
Date:	31/05/2024
Price:	£14.11

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Stevie Wonder 74 Today

Stevie Wonder celebrates his 74th birthday today. What can we say that hasn't already been said about the musical genius? 

So here are 20 songs from the 60s whilst still a teenager including some favourites and lesser known sides. 

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

VA [2024] - Holland-Dozier-Holland 'Detroit': 1969 - 1977 [Demon Music Group] (Full Album)

We hope you're sitting comfortably, as this new compilation of 68 tracks has a running time of 3 hrs and 30 mins. As it states in the title, it covers the music of "Holland-Dozier-Holland 'Detroit': 1969 - 1977", Most will need no introduction kicking off with Freda Payne's UK #1 pop hit "Band Of Gold" (which stayed at #1 for six consecutive weeks from Sep-Oct 1970 and was 'probably' instrumental in our own baptism to soul music at an influential age but is now regarded as an overplayed wedding song!) and closing with Chairmen Of The Board's "Skin I'm In".

Although we haven't checked rigorously, it will undoubtedly include all the hits released on their Invictus, Hot Wax and Music Merchant labels over an eight year period after they split from Motown. 

The compilation is also available on vinyl (but with only 55 tracks) and CD with comprehensive sleeve notes from Stuart Cosgrove, the author of a trilogy of soul history books "Detroit 67: the Year That Changed Soul" (2015), "Memphis 68: The Tragedy of Southern Soul" (2018) and "Harlem 69: the Future of Soul" (2019).

Some songs worth highlighting include a few modern soul favourites: the sublime Satisfaction Unlimited "Let's Change The Subject", Silent Majority "Something New About You", H-D-H "Why Can't We Be Lovers" and "New Breed Kinda Woman", New York Port Authority "I Got It", Tyrone Edwards "Can't Get Enough of You". A couple of popular Northern Soul tunes, Eloise Laws "Love Factory" and Just Brothers "Sliced Tomatoes" as well as Freda Payne "Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right" and "We've Got to Find a Way Back to Love" along with Brian Holland "I'm So Glad" and so many others.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	60s/70s Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Demon Music Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Price:	£31.96

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Sharisma [2024] - Trouble Trouble // Something Wonderful / Love Is The Way [Soul Direction #SD021]

The latest vinyl release from Soul Direction consists of three songs by Sharisma that were released digitally for the first time in Aug '22 on a compilation "Emandolynn Music Presents: Rare Soul, Vol. 3".

The compilation had nine tracks with three of them from Sharisma who were a 2 male, 2 female quartet from Wilmington, Delaware. They met Emandolynn's Manny Campbell (Soulville Productions) at a show in 1969 and then travelled to Philadelphia to record with him in the hope of completing an album. They started recording an album in 1969-70 at the famed Sigma Sounds studios but before it was completed the group disbanded because some members were drafted for the Vietnam War. 

The first two songs, “Love Is The Way" and "Something Wonderful” , were recorded as demos at Upper Darby Studios in 1969 with the last "My Son Trouble Trouble" recorded at Sigma Sound Studios in 1970 and was intended to be the group's debut single. It was engineered by Sigma's Joe Tarsia and included musicians who would later become members of The Trammps.

The single will be available to pre-order from Soul Direction on 29 Apr for release on 7 May.

The lead side, "Trouble Trouble" is a mid tempo Northern Soul / Crossover sound with "Something Wonderful" sounding like something that The 5th Dimension / Friends Of Distinction may have recorded at the turn of the decade. The ballad "Love Is The Way" having more appeal to the Lowriders and sweet soul lovers.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Sweet Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Direction
Cat No:	None
Date:	07/05/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/123 / 4A/88 / 9B/86
Price:	£15

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Dickie Wonder [2024] - Nobody Knows [Sound Of Soul]

A couple of weeks ago a 1966 recording on Sound Of Soul by Little Tommy was reissued. Today we have another by Dickie Wonder (Richard L. Jackson). Both sides have been reissued separately i.e. "Nobody Knows" and "Story Of My Love" but we're only posting the former as the latter is quite a dreary doo-wop style ballad.

"Nobody Knows" is a 'proper', archetypal Northern Soul stomper. There were two versions of the song released:  a slightly shorter version which has female backing vocals (SS 5002) and this one which has no female backing (SS 217672).

We've also posted the version with female vocals from YouTube below which was reissued on a single sided 7" by Sonic Wax in 2020. Which camp are you in as some prefer the early raw version and others the sweetened version with backing vocals (we're in the latter camp)?

The digitally reissued version is the first release. The song was later re-recorded with female backing when Cameo Parkway picked up a distribution deal for it. It was then reissued on Golden Triangle (possibly around 1976) billed as Dickie (Sweet Sugar) Wonder which, even though a reissue, commands high prices.

Like the Little Tommy song, this track also featured on the "Free Angela" compilation released by Golden Triangle in 1971 so perhaps the 45 was released around the same period? A comment on 45Cat states that the A side ("All My Friends Call Me A Fool") was registered in 1976 but perhaps he may be confusing it with Larry Saunders' version on his 1976 album "Stranger"?

Whilst digging around BMI we noticed that August Moon Music now seems to be managed by Secret Stash, so these digital reissues are probably from Secret Stash. We headed over to their website to confirm this and it transpires that August Moon (the owner of Sound Of Soul and Golden Triangle) passed in Jul 2023 and a tribute page was posted if you wish to learn more about the music scene in Norfolk, VA, in the 60s and 70s.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / Reissue
Label:	Sound Of Soul
Cat No:	None
Date:	15/03/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/143
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Little Tommy [2024] - Baby Can't You See [Sound Of Soul]

A hugely in-demand record on the Northern Soul scene, which commands over four figures if you manage to track one, down as only one has ever sold on Discogs but there are plenty of sales listed on Popsike, has been reissued digitally today.

The song in question is "Baby Can't You See", the B side of Little Tommy's second, and last, release on August Moon's (aka Alexander Randolph) Richmond, VA, based Sound Of Soul label in 1965. 

The song also featured on the "Free Angela" compilation released by Golden Triangle in 1971. The compilation was produced by Moon under another alias, Dickie Diamond, along with Larry Saunders (the estranged father of Ledisi) and was released to raise money for political activist Angela Davis' legal defence.

Little Tommy is William Tyrone Thomas, also from Richmond, VA, who later recorded a self-titled album, and two singles from it, as Wolfmoon on Fungus in the early 70s produced by Jerry Williams Jr. aka Swamp Dogg.  We've always had a bit of a soft spot for "God Bless" which was written by Jerry Williams Jr.

He then went on to become the band leader of another Richmond, VA, group, The Whole Darn Family, who recorded an album and four singles all on Moon's Sound International label in 1976. The group released a version of his first single, a deep soul song, "I'm Hurt" as a flip side on two of the singles. The group also recorded a 12" instrumental, "Seven Minutes Of Funk", which has been sampled by many (no fewer than 50+) hip-hop artists including Grandmaster Flash on "Superappin'". More recently by Busta Rhymes on "Luxury Life" on "Blockbusta" in Nov last year.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single / Reissue
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sound Of Soul
Cat No:	None
Date:	29/02/2024
Key/BPM:	7A/129
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Paul Smith [2024] - I'll Run / Only Once In A Lifetime // Ain't That Something [Hit And Run #HR 1556]

The second Hit And Run vinyl reissue today comes from Chicago's Paul Smith. Very little seems to be known about Smith (and a Google search with such a name would prove futile). What is know is that he released two singles on Chicago label Jacklyn in 1966, the label's first release "I'll Run" /  "Ain't That Something" which he followed with a pairing of  "Ain't That Something" and "Only Once In A Lifetime"  on the label's fourth release.

The label was owned by Johnny Haygood and named after one of his daughters. He was also the stepfather of one Darrow Fletcher and set up the label as a vehicle for 15 yr old Fletcher after being disillusioned by the royalties received from Fletcher's first four singles leased to NY's Groovy label.

Jacklyn ran for only two years between 1966-68 and released just ten singles.(whether or not Jacklyn 1007 was ever released is a mystery as it is not listed anywhere). Whilst Haygood set up the label primarily for his stepson, Fletcher only released three of the ten singles.

The label's first release by Smith is probably the most sought after and is an in-demander on the rare soul scene, sufficiently for it to be bootlegged. Only one original is for sale on Discogs so they are very hard to come by but now you don't have to settle for a bootleg (apparently quite a convincing counterfeit identified by the running time of 2:30 vs 2:20 on original) as you can now buy an official reissue.

For his only other known single he reused the first's flipside along with "Only Once In A Lifetime", so this reissue consists of all his known recordings. Smith is on writing credits for two of the three songs  We wonder what happened to him as all three songs are top quality, with "I'll Run" being a firm favourite for many years and "Ain't That Something" being very much in the Darrow Fletcher vein.

Available now to order by sending £15.00 each + £3.00 UK postage (good for 1-3 records) via Paypal (friends & family) to hitandrunsoul45@gmail.com

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Hit And Run
Cat No:	NR 1556
Date:	06/02/2024
Price:	£15

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Harvey Scales & The 7 Sounds [2024] - Don't You Ever Let It End / The Sound Of Soul [Numero Group #NUM4419]

Numero Group reissue another single from Harvey Scales & The 7 Sounds (last May they reissued "Welcome Home" / "Trackdown"). Both singles were originally released in 1969 on Milwaukee based Magic Touch label owned by Lennie LaCour.

The group was from Milwaukee founded in 1961. The reissue is of the superb deep soul cut "Don't You Ever Let It End" written by Scales and LaCour flipped with a Northern Soul style instrumental "The Sound Of Soul" penned by Scales and band co-founder Albert Vance.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Deep Soul / Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	22/01/2024
Key/BPM:	6B/80 / 8B/143
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Cam Cameron [2024] - They Say / I'm A Lonely Man [Soul Junction #SJ554]

A record acquired from one of those, now legendary, Soul Bowl soul packs from the mid 70s now gets a first ever reissue by Soul Junction.

It's price has risen in more recent years (it has a price tag of around £250 now on Discogs) as it has become more appreciated after being overlooked in the heyday because it wasn't deemed fast enough! It must have sold well enough locally in Chicago as there are at least three different pressings on the Capri label. It was the Scott Brothers' label's first release on the label which 45Cat lists as 1968 (copyright for both songs were registered 29 Jan 1968). Soul Junction is releasing it exactly 56 years later on 29 Jan 2024.

Soul Junction's Dave Welding has drawn somewhat of a blank trying to source information about Cam Cameron except that his real name was the A side song's writer, Alvin Cameron. He doesn't appear to have released any further material. BMI lists "They Say" along with another song "Merriam" (sung by George Spice which we can find no trace of) under another Alvin Cameron who may or may not be the same person (we think not).

Whilst "They Say" is more uptempo to "I'm A Lonely Man", the latter (written by the Scott Brothers) is also now getting attention. They were both arranged by Johnny Cameron who worked on many Chicago recordings embraced by the rare soul scene, most notably "I Really Love You" recorded by Jimmy Burns and Bobby James and also versions by The Mystics and Brand New Faces, all of which we featured in 2020.

He also worked with the likes of The Esquires, Syl Johnson, Betty Everett, Garland Green, Denise Chandler (aka Deneice Williams), The Lovelites and many others.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Crossover
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Junction
Cat No:	None
Date:	29/01/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

The Caressors / Sir Joe [2023] - I Can’t Stay Away / Every Day (I’ll Be Needing You) [Soul Direction Origins #SDO1008]

Alan Kitchener set up Soul Direction in 2020 and has to date released around 20 singles on the main label. A subsidiary imprint called Origins was created to focus on particularly rare records and has it's eighth release due tomorrow (12 Oct).

It consists of two rarities from Baltimore's Ru-Jac label set up by Rufus Mitchell and Jack Bennet in 1963 and ran until 1974, although one further release materialised in 1980. The label released between 40-50 singles whilst in existence. In 2018 four compilations of the label's output "The Ru-Jac Records Story" Vol's 1-4" were released by Omnivore, from whom these tracks have been licensed. We noticed only last week that they re-emerged on Amazon's new releases, so assume that they are either being re-issued or re-marketed.

The two recordings being paired for Origins 1008 are The Caressors "I Can't Stay Away" and Sir Joe "Every Day (I'll Be Needing You)".

No one at the label recalls anything about The Caressors who recorded two sides for Ru-Jac in 1968. The song is credited to co-owner Rufus Mitchell and George Charles Brown. It has never sold on Discogs and only a handful are listed on Popsike (selling for around the £1,000 mark) along with a few bootlegs on Soulwax (which isn't listed on Discogs). 

Sir Joe is Joe Quarterman from Washington D.C. possibly best known for his only hit single, the funky "(I Got) So Much Trouble in My Mind" as Joe Quarterman & Fee Soul on GSF in 1972.

He met Eddie Best (Gene & Eddie) and Don Downing and became lead singer with The Knights. After several of the members were drafted into the military he formed formed Sir Joe & The Maidens, later joining El Corols Band & Show who released a single "You Must Be An Angel" / "Chick, Chick" on Tiny in 1968. The single was also one of very few (3/4 listed) releases on Tommy Rouse's Washington D.C. Rouser label  billed as just The El Corols in 1971 which sells for big bucks. 45Cat lists another release with an alternate title of "Ain't No Bragg" for "Chick, Chick" with a different cat. no. (but no label scan). All Rouser releases sell for well into four figures.

Quarterman wrote and recorded "Every Day (I'll Be Needing You)" in 1970 for Ru-Jac which was the official B side to "Baby, I'd Drop Every Thing". It is not even listed on 45Cat and we found only one listing for it on Popsike which sold for £348 in Nov 2012.

He had one other earlier release on Ru-Jac in 1967 both sides of which were released as the second Origins release (1002). Soul Direction tell us that "Nobody Beats My Love" along with an unreleased song "A Guy For You" were recorded using spare studio time at Edgewood Studios after the recording of The El Corals single. The flip, "If You Give Up Your Love”, was recorded later at Virtue. 

The single is available now from Soul Direction website. 

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Direction Origins
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/10/2023
Price:	£15

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Deon Jackson [2023] - Happily Ever After / (You've Got) The Power Of Love [Hayley #HR034]

A couple of releases of previously unissued Detroit recordings announced in June, which seem to have been delayed, are now available.

The first consists of two sides from Deon Jackson. "Happily Ever After" was originally recorded by Len Barry on Decca in 1966, but found its way to Detroit and producer Ollie McLoughlin and arranger Mike Terry in the mid 1960s.

The flip "(You've Got) The Power Of Love" was written by Richard McDougall (a member of the Capitols but they never recorded the song). The Esquires released it under a shortened tittle "You Got The Power" via Wand in 1968 and it found it's way onto a CD compilation "The Esquires – Get On Up ... And Get Away With The Esquires" in 1998 by Westside compiled by Tony Rounce, as well as a couple of others.

Available now from Rob Moss' Hayley Records.

Hayley released another couple of unissued Deon Jackson songs which we posted on a Deon Jackson Profile in Jan '23 (on his posthumous birthday) which included a superb new digital compilation of his music.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Hayley Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/10/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£15

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Carl Henderson [2023] - You're All I Need b/w That Girl [Numero Group #NUM4480]

Numero Group continue to reissue singles from Anthony Renfro's 60s/70s L.A. based label supporting his name. Renfro was a young grocery clerk eager to make it in the music business but was advised to focus on production by both Sam Cooke and James Brown, who told him bluntly that he couldn't sing, so he set about creating his own label which, although had little commercial success, has left a legacy of many records played 'up North'.

We posted Morris Chestnut last week and this time out it's Carl Henderson with both sides of his 1966 outing on the label "You're All I Need" b/w "That Girl". The top side a deep soul ballad with flip being a one time in demand Northern Soul stomper. Both sides were also recorded earlier on the label by The Sequins on two separate releases. Their version of "That Girl",  retitled "That Boy" is a tough one to find (their versions are also included below). You may recall from earlier posts for them that, The Sequins were sisters Brenda & Patrice Holloway and Pat Hunt.

It was Henderson's third of five singles for the label. His first, "Sharing You", sold well enough to be picked up by A&M and released on their Omen imprint. The song was also recorded by Mitty Collier on Chess who had her biggest hit with it reaching #10 R&B and scraping into the Hot 100 at #97 in Feb 1966. His next single,  two self-written songs, was released only on Omen.

Henderson had released a single earlier in 1962 with The Dell Kings on Texas label Renco. Prior to that he was a member of Texas doo-wop group The Lyrics who released two singles on San Antonio's Harlem label in 1959. He wrote three of the six sides.

Seven of his Renfro sides can be found on Numero Group's Eccentric series "Eccentric Soul: The Renfro Label" released in 2020, three of them (including "That Girl") are also included on Kent's "Renfro Soul Story: Priceless Los Angeles Northern Soul" (2004).

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Deep Soul // Northern Soul
Format:	Single / Reissue
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group
Cat No:	NUM4480
Date:	04/10/2023
Key/BPM:	8B/85 / 4B/146
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Morris Chestnut [2023] - Too Darn Soulful / You Don't Love Me Anymore [Numero Group #2600]

We're not sure exactly when this was digitally re-issued but it came up on our Spotify feed after listening to Frankie Karl & The Chevrons just posted. It's appropriate as it's another Northern Soul classic (broken at Blackpool Mecca) with a great flip by Morris Chestnut with "Too Darn Soulful" / "You Don't Love Me Anymore". 

In actual fact the titles were reversed for the original release on Bell's Amy imprint in 1967 as "You Don't Love Me Anymore" was the official A side. It was later bootlegged owing to popularity on a look-a-like Renfro label which may seem odd until your appreciate that it was published by Renfro. This is possibly why Numero Group has used the Renfro and not the Amy label facsimile. We believe that renown bootlegger Simon Soussan may have been behind the bootleg and would have opted for Renfro as many other popular sounds were also on the label. It was legally reissued by John Anderson's Grapevine label in 1979 and again by Kent in 2007 and has featured on umpteen compilations over the years.

Numero Group featured both sides on their 2020, 30 track, "Eccentric Soul: The Renfro Label" compilation and "Too Darn Soulful" earlier this year in July on "Eccentric Northern Soul". 

Chestnut was a member of The Vows (with his cousin Ralph Chestnut who was earlier a member of The Cheerios) who released a handful of a singles in the early 60s including one on Motown's V.I.P. imprint in 1965 and then The Sound-Masters and The Attractions all of whom have had records played on the scene. He recorded a doo-wop single as James Washington Lee in 1962 on L&M both sides of which he wrote and The Vows were the backing group. This appears to be his only solo recording as Morris Chestnut. In the 70s he joined up with ex members of The Marvellos and formed Street Corner Symphony who released an album "Harmony Grits" and a couple of singles on Bang which gained them a deal with ABC where they released a further two albums but just one single, "Funk Machine" the title track of the first album "Little Funk Machine".

You 'may' recognise the name as his son, Morris Chestnut Jr, is an actor who made his movie debut the role of Ricky in "Boyz In The Hood" in 1991 along with another singer's son, Cuba Gooding Jr., the son of The Main Ingredient lead singer in the 70s. Morris Chestnut Jr now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as of 2022. It is believed that Chestnut himself did some parts in movies, such as Shaft.

Chestnut was not aware that many of his recordings, both solo and as a member of groups, were popular on the scene until the early 2000s as he had put the music business in his rear view mirror tired of being ripped off, same old story! He didn't even know that "Too Darn Soulful" had been released as he recorded it at Renfro who didn't release it but they must have leased or sold it to Bell for release without his knowledge. He was booked to appear at Prestatyn weekender in 2007, sadly he had a stroke not long before coming over but still came and performed.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group
Cat No:	2600
Date:	?
Key/BPM:	3A/133 / 8A/109
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Frankie Karl & The Chevrons [2023] - You Should'o Held On (Just A Little Tighter) / Boy Next Door [CAZIO]

Perhaps a coincidence that this has been reissued on 1 Sep with the Wigan Casino 50th anniversary looming, or not, but Frankie Karl & The Chevrons "You Should'o Held On" was a 'monster' sound there in the late 70s broken by Searling. He covered it up as The Showmen which was a good cover up as they have a similar sound. However, don't overlook the flip "Boy Next Door" which is probably the preferred tune for these day's tastes which we'd describe as a 'floater'.

It was also released as a white promo as The 7th Avenue Aviators on Congress in Dec 1965 but the the Philtown issue of Frankie Karl & The Chevrons was the original thought to be Sep 1965. The recordings are similar but not identical as the Philltown issue has a different intro and mix. Presumably a different mix was farmed out but no idea why the group name was changed? We'll post both and see if you can 'spot the difference' as it's not obvious. 

Both fetch four figures (£2k-£3k) but the Philltown release (which has several label variants) is probably the harder one to find with the red issue possibly the rarest. There isn't even a label scan for it on Discogs or 45Cat, but we found a couple, one with a stamped promo on it and another autographed, apparently their is another alternate red label design. Note the difference in the title: "You Should Have Held On" rather than "You Should'o Held On".

Frankie C. (Carl?) Springs was born in 1945 and formed a gospel choir COGIC Singers, with Gloria Jones and Billy Preston as well as Edna Wright (aka Sandy Wynns the sister of Darlene Love), Andrae Crouch and Sandra 'Blinky' Williams. This release was his first recording. He was a member of The Tripps who released just one single on Victoria in 1967. In 1968 he cut a disc on Gene Dozier's D.C. Sound "Don't Be Afraid (Do As I Say)" as Frankie Karl & The Dreams, a lowrider favourite. It was reasonably successful and was picked up by Bell for distribution. He released a few more solo singles, one on In'Sight (which 45Cat dates as Sep 1967 but two of the other four listed are 1970), one for Liberty in 1970 and, what appears to be is final release on, Gordy in 1976.

Karl helped form The Chevrons along with Richard Prince (aka LaLa), Kenneth Calvert and Herbert 'Herbie' Holmes whilst serving in the US Air Force after which he returned to L.A. and was a member of the cast of Hair in the late 60s. He died in 2008 aged 63.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Lowrider
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	CAZIO
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/09/2023
Key/BPM:	2B/131 / 7B/119
Price:	£1.29

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved