Sam E Solo A Biography

Sam E. Solo Biography by Dave Welding

Sam E. Solo was born Samuel Flournoy Jr on the 13th of July 1942 in Shreveport Louisiana, to parents Samuel and Ona Lee Flournoy. While still a babe in arms Sam's family moved to Flint Michigan. As many other southern families had done prior to and after them seeking a better life in the more industrial cities of the north. Sam's grandfather Isaac Epps a carpenter by trade and an ordained minister had moved north a year earlier taking up residence in Flint and it was he who the family first lived with until Sam's father found work at General Motors.From the age of 8 until he was 16 Sam honed his voice at his grandfather's church.But like most teenagers he became more intrigued with secular music eventually joining an R &B group known as the "Royal Lovers".

The Royal Lovers became a popular act around their local neighbourhood and this was to lead to a potential lucky break for Sam. When big band leader Big Jay McNeely who was in town visiting his Sister heard the group perform. McNeely persuaded Sam to join his band with the promise of a recording contract and a performing tour of Texas. So Sam headed south to live with his half sister Mary Lee Forest in Houston, Texas. Mary Lee would act as Sam's chaperone due to him being under age of 21.

While in Houston Sam did get to audition for Don Robey's Peacock label but no recording deal ever materialised. Though Robey was suitably impressed enough to sign Sam as the opening act for several of his revue's which featured acts such as Bobby (Blue) Bland, Lowell Fulsom, Little Junior Parker and Etta James amongst others.

Upon reaching the age of 18 Sam decided to return to Flint where he rejoined the "Royal Lovers". The next significant figure in Sam's career was Al Bennett

Bennett offered to manage Sam and it he who introduced Sam to radio DJ Fred Garrett, who later arranged a recording session for Sam at the One-derful studios in Chicago. Although three tracks were recorded none were ever thought to have gained a release. Sam remembers the title of one of the tracks as being "Hey, Hey Pretty Baby ".

Bennett did eventually get Sam a recording contract with a local Flint label owner, by the name of James Wheeler. Sam recorded a solitary release for Wheeler records under the name of Little Sammy & The Wheelettes "Tell The Truth Jackie/Goodbye My Love"

This too was to be short lived affair when one of the Wheelettes an all girl threesome became emotionally involved with a local pimp who during an argument shot her dead.

Sam's next return to the recording studio came in 1966 when Al Bennett introduced him to Bob Schwartz the owner of Ruby Records.It was During his time with Ruby that Sam cut his best remembered release, the excellent double sided "Tears Keep Falling/Love Is Not A Game" (Ruby 5075).

Recorded under the tutelage of the Pied Piper Production team and featuring the all girl group, The Wonderettes of "I Feel Strange", fame on backing vocals. This would be the first and last time that Sam would meet the girls. Incidentally Sam was blissfully unaware that "Tears keep Falling" had gained a release on the major United Artists distributed Imperial label, (that was until I mentioned it 44 years later). The deal with UA/ Imperial was most probably arranged through Bob Schwartz who operated as a record distributorship at the time.

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Sam's follow up release was a cover version of a Amos Milburn song,"Bad, Bad Whisky/Baby, Baby (Ruby 5090).This time under the stage name of Sammy Soulo. The Rudy label eventually closed down and with it so did Sam's recording career for the foreseeable future.

Sam continued to perform on the supper club and chitlin circuit with several different groups the likes of Jim Taylor's Flipside. At one point he replaced Bobby Taylor (of the Vancouver's) as the front man for Good Rockin' Brown and the Soul Brothers on a tour of Alaska and Las Vegas. Sam also appeared on the local Detroit TV show "Club1270" and later went up to Canada to perform on the "Swingtime" show.

As the 70's dawned although still continuing to perform Sam took a day job as a truck driver, an occupation he continued on a full time basis until his 65th birthday, he still gets behind the wheel of a truck today but only to help out on a part time basis at a friend's haulage company, Walker Transport.

In 2008 Sam joined the Ministry and now goes under the title of the Reverend Sam E. Solo. Together with his old friends, brothers Eddie and Reggie Garland formerly of the local Detroit groups, the 21st Generation and the Perfections (Ultra and Tri-city respectively) they collaborated on the "Peace Angel" Gospel cd album project.

The album contains four tracks recorded by Sammy "Through Me" ( a recent popular play with radio jocks in the Carolina's), A Place Called Calvary", Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus" and I'll Never Let You Down". The remainder of the cd features songs by the Garland Brothers and Betty Maker.

David Welding

With acknowledgments to the Reverend Sam E. Solo.

Photographs courtesy of the Reverend Sam E. Solo.

links

listen to Little Sammy and the Wheelettes

http://pops88.blog8....tegory15-1.html

http://soultdog.fc2web.com/best026.ram

Listen and Buy "Peace Angel" Gospel cd

http://www.amazon.co...l/dp/B003WA7K6C

sam e solo - tears keep falling - ruby

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