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The Ebonys and AVIS Records

a story of perseverance

By Brewerytownbeats in Soul Music News
Published 22 Oct 2024

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The Ebonys and AVIS Records magazine cover

This is a story of perseverance. This is a story of how a bandleader and aspiring singer from Philadelphia discovered a young group from Camden NJ, wrote and produced their first single, and then  watched the group’s career take off in someone else's stable. There were many lessons learned the hard way; the most poignant was finding out the record business in Philly during the 1960’s and 70's was a hard nut to crack, especially when you're an unknown in the R&B world.

Post Barbara Mason (Yes I'm Ready, 1965) and just before The Ebonys (You're The Reason Why, 1971) there was a little known Philadelphia singer, songwriter, and producer named Raymond Waterhouse. Ray was never given his due for discovering one of the biggest groups to come out of the Philadelphia International Records (PIR) roster. We will be discussing his group, The Soul Set - Gary Volpe (drums), Jerry Marlo (bass & vocals), Tommy Davidge (guitar & vocals), and Denny Collett (Hammond B-3 organ) as well as the group whose career he launched - The Ebonys, (Clarence Vaughan, David Beasley, James "Bootie" Tuten, Jennifer Holmes)

Hailing from Bristol Township, outside of Philly, PA, Ray (known as Ray Sharp while performing) and The Soul Set played every small club from Philadelphia, PA to Somers Point, NJ and up and down the coast from Washington DC to New York. Week in and week out, they played mostly covers of the day, some James Brown and local groups like Chubby Checker, and the mighty Delfonics. 

The Soul Set was a rough and tumble crew, clean-cut looking, but vicious instrumentalists. After three singles on B.B Records (a subsidiary of Swan) and years of playing around Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, some industry folk started to take notice. In 1968, Ray Sharp and The Soul Set signed a singles deal on the small label Sock & Soul Record Corp. run by Nat Segall & Howard Michaels (respectively producer & manager of the Soul Survivors).

Earthquake B/W She Needs Love (H-104) was released in late 1968 and soon gained traction locally. The Soul Set had a hit on their hands. Ray knew he needed a follow-up, and quick. He formed his own label with co-songwriter Paul Prospero and financier Avis S. Joy (Avis Records) and immediately signed The Ebonys.

Avis would see two releases in total, a Ray Sharp solo record (AVIS-1002) but more relative to our story, The Ebonys - Back In My Arms B/W I Can't Help But Love You (AVIS-1001). Recorded in 1968 and released in 1969 the record failed to chart, or maybe get radio play at all. This was the very first release for Clarence, David, James, and Jennifer as The Ebonys. Written and produced by Ray and arranged by the late, great Roland Chambers, the single seems to have long been forgotten. Perhaps it was overlooked, or overshadowed by the very successful career The Ebonys would go on to have at PIR, under Gamble & Huff. In 1971 The Ebonys single You're The Reason Why was in the ten on the U.S. R&B Charts, a first for PIR.

Fifty-five years later, after a seemingly endless effort by Raymond Waterhouse to relive some of that late 1960’s glory with later bands like Waterhouse, Live A Little, Profit, The Four Accents, The Ebonys original reel to reel master tapes from the Avis label sessions have been found and remastered and sound as good today as they did back in 1969. In that original session for Ray at Sigma Sound Studios with Joe Tarsia doing the mix, there were three songs done in total, all of which will finally see a proper release on a 7" / 45rpm for the first time in half a decade.



Listen: Sample #1

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Brewerytownbeats
5 minutes ago, Thinksmart said:

Excellent reading and listening, thank you

Thank you, it's been a long time coming for Ray and the best part is getting to see his children discover another side of their dad, one they were to young to enjoy the first time around.

Some other amazing finds in the collection.

RaySharp(TVGUIDE).thumb.jpg.52a0dd42c169f0c813e61f1da4ee9831.jpgTheSoulSet22BBRecords22.jpg.6cb50aaeb3945f27e1e558c03d487587.jpgSockSoul-HowardMitchell.thumb.jpg.20ca772f7da6d60069d1ceaf7692f425.jpg

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Joel E Turner

Max, this is some outstanding stuff. Will be looking for these records - maybe you can post a link re where to buy etc.

Thanks for keeping the Philly sound alive!

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Brewerytownbeats
1 hour ago, Joel E Turner said:

Max, this is some outstanding stuff. Will be looking for these records - maybe you can post a link re where to buy etc.

Thanks for keeping the Philly sound alive!

Thank you Joel, pre-sale starts Nov. 1st - records will be shipped late Dec or early Jan. 2025 - I will certainly add / repost with link to purchase once the pre-sale goes LIVE.

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Mike
8 hours ago, Brewerytownbeats said:

PRE-SALE link is up and running. These are for the Limited to 250 colored vinyl with double sided insert version - https://www.brewerytownbeats.com/product-page/the-ebonys-back-in-my-arms-b-w-i-won-t-try-no-more

 

Here's the link for the standard UNLIMITED version - https://www.juno.co.uk/products/the-ebonys-back-in-my-arms-vinyl/1054032-01/

 @Brewerytownbeats 

There were a lot of problems the last couple of times you offered our members similar pre-sales on here, have you refunded them all?

Also what steps have you taken this time to prevent similar happening?

 

 

Edited by Mike
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Brewerytownbeats

Thanks Mike for asking,

 

I've had two issues with Pre-Orders all having to do with situations I did not have full control of, the Nu-Ron's were from a new pressing plant (I have since returned to my original plant) that was long delayed and ultimately came destroyed, 2000 copies... and the book were I was led to believe I could keep selling because there were enough to fulfill the the numbers I had been told, and ultimately the supplier couldn't do so.  I believe in most (if not all) cases things have been settled, and if not, I am here and willing to settle up. I would like to point out that I have been releasing records since 2018 and had little more than the occasional hiccup on all of them, Honey And The Bees, The Ambassadors, Winfield Parker, Les Tre Femme, Magnum, The Thompsons, The Ultimates, Power Of Attorney, Sounds Of Liberation, Frankie Beverly's Raw Soul, and more recently 1984.. I pride myself on finding these artists, and working with them directly to bring their music to the world, I spend a LOT of time and effort (and money) to make sure the artists get some recognition and attention they deserve for every record they do.  For instance I drove to Lexington Kentucky from Philadelphia twice to get the full story of Ray Sharp and The Ebonys single I am releasing now. Ray's story deserves to be told correctly, and working with his family, for them to get to see that somebody cares about what their dad did means the world to them and me.  Not everything I have done is perfect, I have dropped the ball a few times but my intentions are always true, and I love your platform here and the community here even if I come off a bit protective at times. I understand some members may have some reservations about my releases, and that's fine. The record is in the press, and I have been given a return date of "late december, early January". For those few who don't want to put their trust in me, they can order directly from Juno who will be getting the records from my distributor, just not the Limited Editions promo with the alternate flip-side.

I'm here and am willing to answer questions or concerns. Thanks again Mike

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