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Showing posts with label Linda Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Linda Jones. Show all posts

Wednesday, 14 December 2022

Linda Jones - A Profile


Today (14 Dec) would have been Linda Jones' 78th birthday had she not tragically died of a diabetic coma aged only 27 on 14 Mar 1972 whilst she was at her artistic peak.
She was born in Newark, NJ on 14 Dec 1944 and began singing aged six in her family's gospel group, the Jones Singers. Her first recording was under the pseudonym Linda Lane which was a cover of the Jackie Wilson's 1958 hit "Lonely Teardrops" on Cub Records in 1963. Another two singles were released on Atco in 1965 and Blue Cat in 1966 produced by George Kerr which also failed to make any impact.  

Kerr took her to Russ Regan's Loma label (a Warner Bros. subsidiary) in 1967. Her first recording for the label became her biggest hit and the label's best selling record "Hypnotized" reaching #4 R&B #21 Hot 100. The flip side "I Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby" would later be picked up on by the UK Northern Soul scene, as would several other of her Loma recordings such as "My Heart Needs A Break" and "I Just Can't Live My Life (Without You Babe)" in particular but there were others.  

She released seven singles and an album titled "Hypnotized" on Loma before moving to Gamble & Huff's Neptune label for two singles in 1969-70 and then on to Sylvia Robinson's Turbo label in 1971 for four singles in 1971-72 before switching to another Robinson label Stang for a one-off with The Whatnauts before reverting back to Turbo for her last two. The last five singles were released posthumously. Turbo also released three albums by her in 1972,  "Your Precious Love" with the last two "Let It Be Me" and "A Portrait Of" being released posthumously.

Her catalogue has been fairly extensively covered in several compilations.

Albums

1967 - Hypnotized [Loma #LS 5907] 

Full Album HERE
Hypnotized (2:38)
I Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby (2:03)
Give My Love A Try (2:30)
You Can't Take It (2:20)
What've I Done (To Make You Mad) (2:20)
I Can't Stand It (2:20)
The Things I've Been Through (Loving You) (3:10)
If Only (We Had Met Sooner) (2:38)
Make Me Surrender (Baby, Baby Please) (2:34)
A Last Minute Miracle (2:31)
Seeing Is Believing (3:14)
1972 - Your Precious Love [Turbo #TU-7007]

Full Album HERE
Your Precious Love
Don't Go (I Can't Bear To Be Alone)
Behold
Stay With Me Forever
Not On The Outside
Dancing In The Street
Let It Be Me
I Can't Make It Alone
Doggin Me Around
1972 - Let It Be Me [Turbo #TU 7008]

Full Album HERE
Fugitive From Love (3:20)
Things I've Been Through (3:25)
Let It Be Me (3:50)
Hypnotized (3:15)
I'm So Glad I Found You (3:15)
If Only We Had Met Sooner (3:25)
When Hurt Comes Back (3:55)
I Do (3:26)

1972 - A Portrait Of Linda Jones [Turbo #TU-7004]

All but two of these tracks appear in albums above.
When The Hurt Comes Back (2:35)
Hypnotized (3:10)
Don't Go (I Can't Bear To Be Alone) (3:00)
If Only We Had Met Sooner 93:35)
Behold (2:40)
Stay With Me Forever (3:20)
I Can't Make It Alone (3:12)

Singles

NB All from Spotify except 5 prefixed '*' from YouTube

1966/07 - Fugitive From Love / You Hit Me Like T.N.T. [Blue Cat #BC 128]

Loma
1967/05 - Hypnotized / I Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby [Loma #2070]
1967?? - You Can't Take It / I Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby [Warner Bros (FR) #WV 5080]
1967/12 - Give My Love A Try / I Can't Stand It [Loma #2085]
1968/06 - What Can I Do (Without You) / Yesterday [Loma #2099]

Neptune
1970/05 - Ooh Baby You Move Me / *Can You Blame Me? [Neptune #N-26]

Turbo

Stang
1972/06 - Linda Jones & Whatnauts - I'm So Glad I Found You / Whatnauts - World Solution [Stang #ST-5039]

Turbo

Here's a couple of playlists highlighting most of her best recordings, split into deep soul and Northern Soul in no particular order other than chronological. There are two different versions of "If Only (We Had Met Sooner)" in the Northern Soul sides playlist.

The Deep Sides


The Northern Soul Sides



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Tuesday, 14 December 2021

Linda Jones - A Profile of...


Thanks to Gary Van den Bussche for highlighting that today would have been Linda Jones' birthday and, like Willie Hutch (posted on Sunday), would have been 77 had she not tragically died of  a diabetic coma aged only 27 on 14 Mar1972 whilst she was at her artistic peak.
She was was born in Newark, NJ on 14 Dec 1944 and began singing aged six in her family's gospel group, the Jones Singers. Her first recording was under the pseudonym Linda Lane which was a cover of the Jackie Wilson's 1958 hit "Lonely Teardrops" on Cub Records in 1963. Another two singes were released on Atco in 1965 and Blue Cat in 1966 produced by George Kerr which also failed to make any impact.  

Kerr took her to Russ Regan's Loma label (a Warner Bros. subsidiary) in 1967. Her first recording for the label became her biggest hit and the label's best selling record "Hypnotized" reaching #4 R&B #21 Hot 100. The flip side "I Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby" would later be picked up on by the UK Northern Soul scene, as would several other of her Loma recordings "My Heart Needs A Break" and "I Just Can't Live My Life (Without You Babe)" in particular but there were others.  

She released seven singles and an album titled "Hypnotized" on Loma before moving to Gamble & Huff's Neptune label for two singles in 1969-70 and then on to Sylvia Robinson's Turbo label in 1971 for four singles in 1971-72 before switching to another Robinson label Stang for a one with The Whatnauts before reverting back to Turbo for her last two. The last five singles were released posthumously. Turbo also released three albums by her in 1972,  "Your Precious Love" with the last two "Let It Be Me" and "A Portrait Of" being released posthumously.

Her catalogue has been fairly extensively covered in several compilations.

Albums

1967 - Hypnotized [Loma #LS 5907] 

Full Album HERE
Hypnotized (2:38)
I Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby (2:03)
Give My Love A Try (2:30)
You Can't Take It (2:20)
What've I Done (To Make You Mad) (2:20)
I Can't Stand It (2:20)
The Things I've Been Through (Loving You) (3:10)
If Only (We Had Met Sooner) (2:38)
Make Me Surrender (Baby, Baby Please) (2:34)
A Last Minute Miracle (2:31)
Seeing Is Believing (3:14)
1972 - Your Precious Love [Turbo #TU-7007]

Full Album HERE
Your Precious Love
Don't Go (I Can't Bear To Be Alone)
Behold
Stay With Me Forever
Not On The Outside
Dancing In The Street
Let It Be Me
I Can't Make It Alone
Doggin Me Around
1972 - Let It Be Me [Turbo #TU 7008]

Full Album HERE
Fugitive From Love (3:20)
Things I've Been Through (3:25)
Let It Be Me (3:50)
Hypnotized (3:15)
I'm So Glad I Found You (3:15)
If Only We Had Met Sooner (3:25)
When Hurt Comes Back (3:55)
I Do (3:26)

1972 - A Portrait Of Linda Jones [Turbo #TU-7004]

All but two of these tracks appear in albums above.
When The Hurt Comes Back (2:35)
Hypnotized (3:10)
Don't Go (I Can't Bear To Be Alone) (3:00)
If Only We Had Met Sooner 93:35)
Behold (2:40)
Stay With Me Forever (3:20)
I Can't Make It Alone (3:12)
Singles

NB All from Spotify except 5 prefixed '*' from YouTube


Loma
1967?? - You Can't Take It / I Can't Stop Lovin' My Baby [Warner Bros (FR) #WV 5080]

Neptune
1970/05 - Ooh Baby You Move Me / *Can You Blame Me? [Neptune #N-26]

Turbo

Stang
1972/06 - Linda Jones & Whatnauts - I'm So Glad I Found You / Whatnauts - World Solution [Stang #ST-5039]

Turbo

Here's a couple of playlists highlighting most of her best recordings, split into deep soul and Northern Soul in no particular order other than chronological. There are two different version of "If Only (We Had Met Sooner)" in the Northern Soul sides playlist.
The Deep Sides


The Northern Soul Sides



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Friday, 16 April 2021

Brenda Jones [1970] - My Heart Needs A Break / No More Hurt Or Pain [S.S.I. #1003]


This song was written by Sammy Turner who also recorded a version, with a slightly different title 'Give My Heart A Break', but it was never released but surfaced in 1993 on a Goldmine Soul Supply compilation CD 'Detroit Soul From The Vaults Vol. 1' GSCD 19.

Sammy (who's real name was Samuel Black) was working with George Kerr in the late sixties, who was producing Linda Jones at the time, and she released the 'definitive' version on Loma [2091] in 1968 as 'My Heart Needs A Break'.

In 1970 Brenda Jones (who I wonder may be the same singer as Brenda Lee Jones (of Dean & Jean) as the voice does sound similar) released an inferior version on S.S.I. Sammy Turner released a 45 on the label (same cat. no. in fact 1002) the same year. He, along with Robert Banks who co-produced Jones' version with George Kerr, was also involved in writing and/or production of four of the five known releases on the label, so I wonder if it was his label? This would explain why she recorded this tune.




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Monday, 4 May 2020

George Scott [1971] - Find Someone To Love [Maple M-6008] - Full Album ... Plus


Mentioned in the last post (Vivian Copeland Discography) was the only recording from George Scott, his album "Find Someone To Love" released on Maple.  

The album was produced by Johnny Brantley and the majority of the songs were written by Eddie & James Lewis (who were twin brothers) and Marion Framer.  Nearly all Maple releases involved Johnny Brantley so I wonder if he had a stake in the label.  The main acts on the label included Jimi Hendrix & Lonnie Youngblood, The Chosen Few, Gloria Barnes and Lee Moses.  All other Maple releases were between 1970-73 yet Discogs states the date of release as 1966 which I would question as the prev Cat. No. 6007 and 6006 are 1971.

To explain the background to these recordings there's a good read at EarlyHendrix as many of the backing tracks were recorded by Jimi Hendrix and Lonnie Youngblood with various Johnny Brantley produced releases with different vocals/lyrics dubbed over the backing tracks.  A lot of info on this album was gleaned from InDangerousRhythms.


George Scott - Family Tree

Northern Soul tune originally recorded by the composer Jimmy Norman on Mercury in 1967

Jimmy Norman [1967] - Family Tree [Mercury 72658]

Jimmy Norman's original version.  Note Johnny Brantley as producer.


George Scott - Let The Past Be The Past

You'll probably recognise this tune as Linda jones "Give My Love A Try". Written by the Poindexter Brothers and Ray Lewis, the latter released it on Fairmount in Sep 1966, a year before Linda Jones's version on Loma in Dec 1967.


Ray Lewis [1966] - Give My Love A Try [Fairmount F-1013]

 Co-writer Ray Lewis' original version. (Johnny Brantley producer)


Linda Jones [1967] - Give My Love A Try [Loma 2085]

Gloria Jones version - the best known version produced by legendary George Kerr and arrange by Richard Tee.  Somehow? Ray Lewis' composer credit replaced by Charles Harper.


George Scott - My Neighborhood

Later covered by Ohio Players on their 1972 album First Impressions


The Ohio Players [1972] - My Neigbors [Trip TRL 8029]


George Scott - This Aching Heart

'Gotta Gotta' music - 60s R&B/Funk reminds me a bit of Papa's Got A  A Brand New Bag groove.


George Scott - Oh Baby (I Love You)

Cover of Fred Hughes - Oo Wee, Baby I Love You


Fred Hughes [1965] - Oo Wee Baby, I Love You [Vee Jay VJ 684]


George Scott - Find Someone To Love

 Assuming that this album was released around 1971 and not 1966 then this would be a cover version of Ohio Player 1969 track.


The Ohio Players [1969] - Find Someone To Love [Capitol 2523]
An early 45 from The Ohio Players, once again produced by Johnny Brantley for Vidalia Productions which lists many of the artists on this post i.e. Jimmy Norman, Ohio Players, Ray Lewis, Hermon Hitson, Jimi Hendrix, Lonnie Youngblood and The Icemen as well as Lee Moses, The Adventurers.  So it would seem that all these artist were linked by Brantley.


George Scott - Why Is It Taking So Long


Nate Adams [1967] - Why Is It Taking So Long [Atlantic 45-2466]

Low sound quality
Again, assuming that the album was released 1971 then this would be a cover of a song written by Lewis, Lewis, Farmer and produced by Johnny Brantley recorded by Nate Adams.


Hermon Hitson [2005] - Why Is It taking So Long [Soul-Tay-Shus CD STS 6352]

Previously unreleased until it appeared on Soul-Tay-Shus compilation CD.


George Scott - Sweetthang

It is alleged that Jimi Hendrix is playing guitar on this track with Lonnie Youngblood on horns.  It is believed that the backing track was recorded in 1966 and George Scott dubbed the vocals later.


Lenny Howard [1966] - Keep The Faith, Baby [Real George 501]

Uses Sweet Thang backing track. A Vidalia production (Johnny Brantley).


Jimi Hendrix & Lonnie Youngblood [1971] - Wipe The Sweat [Maple M-6004]

An instrumental version of Sweet Thang retitled Wipe The Sweat.  Another Vidalia production, although it is suggested on EarlyHendrix that Hendrix may not be playing on all these tracks.

 Part of an interview with Lonnie Youngblood
“And then these companies started to put the shit out and didn’t even put my name on it. They would say it was Jimi Hendrix singing, without my name on it - so many lies, man. The stuff that came out on that album called Two Great Experiences Together! - what happened with that, one company took that and tried to doctor it up to make it have more Hendrix activity. See Hendrix is more or less just backing me up. The companies wanted to say they had a little more activity by Hendrix, so they found some Hendrix wannabees and they put them on the tracks. And what they really did was they messed the tracks up with the overdubs."


Billy LaMont [1968] - Sweet Thang [20th Century Fox 45-6707]

A 30 second low quality clip of Billy LaMont's version.


Jimi Hendrix [1974] - Sweet Thang [Trip TRL 9523]

I 'believe' that the first release of this track was on The Genius Of Jimi Hendrix' on Trip in 1974.  It was recorded at Abtone Recording Studios, NY in 1966. Vocals may be Jimi Hendrix and/or Lonnie Youngblood.  Another Jonny Brantley production.


George Scott - I'm A Fool For You

Also known as 'It's Gonna Take A Lot To Bring Me Back' or just 'It's Gonna Take A Lot'.  It has the same backing track but different lyrics.


The Manhattans [1967] - It's Gonna Take A Lot  To Bring Me Back [De-Luxe 45-115]

There seems to be several connections to songs composed by Poindexters and Lewis, Farmer, Lewis as this is the same song with different composer credits.


The Icemen [1967] - It's Gonna Take A Lot [Ole-9 1007]

James Marshall Hendrix (aka Jimi Hendrix) played on The Icemen's first release My Girl (She's A Fox).  The Icemen were James Sokes & Gino Armstrong from New Jersey. They released 4 /5 45s and 3 of them featured at least one side with a Poindexter song.


Jimi Hendrix (Gloria Barnes) [1974] - Gonna Take A Lot [Trip TRL 9523]

This one is on a 1974 Jimi Hendrix compilation The Genius Of Jimi Hendrix on Trip believed to have been recorded in 1966 at Abtone Recording Studios New York. Some believe the singer to be Rosa Lee Brooks as Hendrix played on her 1965 release My Diary/Utee on Revis 1013.  However, Rosa Lee Brooks was from LA and claims to have had a relationship with Hendrix during his stay there but the album was recorded in NY.  Others claim it may be Gloria (Towanda) Barnes who recorded with the Ohio Players which seems more likely as she had connections with Johnny Brantley and the Lewis twins Eddie & James and Marion Farmer who wrote songs on her Maple album Uptown and also Ohio Players recorded for Trip.
It is claimed by Robert Poindexter that this is a male falsetto voice not female and recalls the vocalist was nicknamed 'Peanut' but can't recall his real name.


George Scott - Nobody Can Save Me


The Chosen Few [1971] - Nobody Can Save Me [Maple LP 6000]




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