Ruby Andrews [2021] - It Takes Me Away / You're My Life [MD #112]

Two previously unreleased tracks from Ruby Andrews have been issued by MD Records.

"It Takes Me Away" is the first song that Ruby Andrews recorded at Zodiac (written by Bridges, Knight & Easton), probably around 1967,  but it wasn't considered good enough at the time to release. MD are issuing it for historical reasons and have stated that the sound quality isn't up to their normal standards. The flip side was selected by Andrews herself as one of her more modern unreleased tracks.

The YT clip contains 90 second samples of both songs.

Details

Rating:	7.8
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Previously Unreleased
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	MD
Cat No:	112
Year:	05/2021
Key/BPM:	N/A
Value:	£12

MD Records - 3 New releases: Ruby Andrews, Bottom & Co. & Mary Gresham

Three new releases have been announced by MD Records which Mark Merry has been playing over the last few weeks on his SoulSermonMixUp on Starpoint Radio. Two are previously unreleased and the other consists of two album tracks released on CD only in 2008, available on vinyl for the first time.

They were available as test pressings (limited to 20 each) which have now all sold out. I'm awaiting confirmation of if and when they will be available as standard pressings.

NB - No sound files available but if you click on images below it will take you to MD website where sound samples are available. If you want to hear them in full then check out Mark Merry's podcasts.

Ruby Andrews - It Takes Me Away  / You're My Life [MD #112]

This is the first song that Ruby Andrews recorded at Zodiac (written by Bridges, Knight & Easton), probably around 1967,  but it wasn't considered good enough at the time to release. MD are issuing it for historical reasons and have stated that the sound quality isn't up to their normal standards. The flip side was selected by Andrews herself as one of her more modern unreleased tracks.

Bottom And Company - You're Messing Up A Good Thing / I'm Sorry [MD #113]

Two previously unreleased tracks from Bottom & Co. found on a reel tape by Jordan Wilson. The tape comes from Wishbone production company which was a company and studio owned by Terry Woodford and Clayton Ivey who worked at Muscle Shoals before being signed as writers/producers for Motown. Bottom & Co released four singles on Motown in 1974-75 and an album on Gordy in 1976. Their 1974 B side 'Gonna Find A True Love' has been a modern/Northern soul favourite for years and was written by Terry Woodford and produced and arranged by him and Clayton Ivey for Wishbone Inc..

The A side is a 70s/modern version of 'You're Messing With A Good Thing', a track also recorded by several others including John Edwards in 1973 on 'John Edwards' (and 1996 on 'Careful Man'),  Bobby Womack in 1974 on 'Lookin' For A Love Again', Heywood Cash in 1976 on Epic 45 and Bobby Sheen in 2010 on 'Too Many To Fight: The Wishbone Sessions From Muscle Shoals' released on CD by Soulscape. 

It is thought that Bottom & Co.'s version may actually be the first recording of the song. The flip 'I'm Sorry' is a soulful group harmony track written by John J. (J.J.) Boyce who was a member of Bags.                                  

Mary Gresham - Use Me / Nobody's Gonna Turn Me Against You [MD #114]  

Mary Gresham first became known via a 2008 CD 'Voices From The Shadows' released on Garry Cape's Soulscape label. Both sides are from that album and were originally recorded in 1973. It's the first time they have been issued on vinyl. 'Use Me' is a sister funk cover of the Bill Wither's song (also recently released by Joy Denalane), whilst 'Nobody's Gonna Turn Me Against You' is an upbeat southern soul dancer.

Ruby Andrews [1968] - Just Loving You [Zodia #Z-1010]

An anthemic tune which I'm sure I first heard played by ex Twisted Wheel DJ Brian Rae in 1975 and it was an oldie then (I believe that it may have been originally played at the Wheel, but happy to be corrected on that if anyone knows otherwise)! It seems to have been around forever and is still a floor packer when the needle is dropped on it 45+ years later, and quite rightly so.

Ruby Andrews (real name Stackhouse) debuted in 1965 with a single on Kellmac. She was a member of The Vondells (which included Lowrell 'Mellow Mellow' Simon and Jesse Dean who  both later were in The Lost Generation and Glenn Murdoch who later formed Mother's Finest with Joyce Kennedy) and apparently the record was actually by The Vondells but credited to Andrews. 

She then became the main artist on Ric Wiliams' Zodiac label from 1967 until its demise in 1973 (releasing around 14 of its 30 odd singles and both of it's only two albums) whereupon she moved to ABC in 1976 where she released 3 singles and an album. Releases after that were sporadic on different labels. Her biggest hit is 'Casonova (You're Playing Days Are Over)' in 1967 (R&B #9 Hot 100 #51) covered by Loleatta Holloway in 1975 and Coffee in 1980. 

'Just Loving You' was the flip side to 'The Love I Need' which was her next R&B chart entry reaching #48 in 1968. It was written (as were many of her other songs) by Fred Bridges, Robert Eaton and Richard Knight (aka The Brothers Of Soul). Knight was also one half of The Knight Brothers who recorded Temptation 'Bout To Get Me in 1965.

Another superb track by Ruby Andrews, again written by Bridges, Eaton & Knight and released just before 'Just Loving You' in 1968, is 'Wonderful Nite' also on Zodiac and was recorded a year later on Aquarius by 'Candace Love'.