Musicians On James Carr Records

[Guest]

Does anyone know who plays the guitar on James Carr's Goldwax singles? In particular on "Dark End Of The Street."

[Guest]

Reggie Young I think.

[Chalky]

Does anyone know who plays the guitar on James Carr's Goldwax singles?  In particular on "Dark End Of The Street."

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Dunoo who the musicians were but Goldwax used most of the studios in Memphis according to sleeve notes on the Goldwax story, Hi, Sam Philips, American and Lyn-Lou, also Fame. Presume they were any Memphis musician available to the particular studio at the time.

Dark End Of the Street one of my fave soul singles and one of the greatest ever IMO, up there with Sam Cook's A Change Is Gonna Come.

[Guest]

Hi

It was Reggie Young on Dark End Of The Street and it was the only James Carr track recorded at the Royal Recording Studios. Reggie did do most of the guitar work on James's recordings though another guy called Clarence Nelson did do some of the stuff recorded at Sam Phillips's studio on Madison in Memphis.

You can find the full story of the recording in my sleevenotes for Kent CD A Man Needs A Woman and is based on interviews with Quinton Claunch, Dan Greer etc.

Also included in the sleevenotes is a breakdown of where all the James Carr recordings were made based on Quinton Claunch's files.

Cheers

Colin Dilnot

[Guest]

I interviewed Dan Penn on Monday for an interview going into the next issue of manifesto. He remembers the "Dark End Of The Street" recoding session very well and says he and Chips Moman intended to record it at Chips' studio - American - but the board was being repaired so instead they cut it at Hi, putting the music down plus some vocals from James.

The a couple of weeks later they took James into American and overdubbed some lead vocals from him, with Dan adding background vocals and mixed the end result there. He remembers James as a wonderful singer he ane Chips loved working with but someone who retreated into himself with tragic results.

On a Northern Soul songs he wrote tip, Dan remembers enginering "Keep On Talking" - James Barnet at Fame and recalls the Jimmy Hughes version of "Slippin' Around" but has forgotten all about the Art Freeman version.

His stories about working with Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin are amazing...and his new production on Bobby Purify aka Ben Moore using a lot of Southern Soul's finest musicans - Spooner Oldham David Hood, Jimmie Johnson, Reggie Young, Wayne Jackson and Carson Whitsett - is great.

Cheers,

Neil Rushton

[Guest]

Hi Neil

Look forward to reading the interview with Dan.

They were running late that night and decided not to cut any further tracks - they actually did 3 takes and used the second which as you said was mixed over at the American Studios on Madison/Thomas.

I first heard the story from Dan Greer but Quinton Claunch told me the most detail and Willie Mitchell also recalled opening up the studios for them.

Quinton told me that Chips did the horn over dubs in Nashville and that he used the Anita Kerr Singers on backing vocals - also dubbed in Nashville.

I have spoken to both Quinton, Roosevelt Jamieson and Dan Greer trying to get in touch with the enigma that was James Carr - this material will see the light one day!!!!

Best wishes

Colin Dilnot

[Chalky]

Hi

It was Reggie Young on Dark End Of The Street and it was the only James Carr track recorded at the Royal Recording Studios. Reggie did do most of the guitar work on James's recordings though another guy called Clarence Nelson did do some of the stuff recorded at Sam Phillips's studio on Madison in Memphis.

You can find the full story of the recording in my sleevenotes for Kent CD A Man Needs A Woman and is based on interviews with Quinton Claunch, Dan Greer etc.

Also included in the sleevenotes is a breakdown of where all the James Carr recordings were made based on Quinton Claunch's files.

Cheers

Colin Dilnot

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Just added that cd to my wants Colin, surprised I've not got that one already

[Guest]

Just added that cd to my wants Colin, surprised I've not got that one already

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You'll enjoy it - the music speaks for itself!!!! Writing the notes however was a headache because I had to follow Dave Godin and Barney Hoskyns who did Vol 1 & 2 - I decided the story of the song was well worth telling and Kent let me run with it!!

Don't forget that there is a 4th Volume in the series called My Soul Is Satisfied and tidies up all the James Carr unissued tracks etc and is another fine release from Kent.

Ace also released James's 90's CDs as well - Soul Survivor and Take Me To The Limit which were both recorded in Memphis with Quinton Claunch - this was during the time when James came over to the UK and Porretta and was even interviewed by the BBC - by Andy Kershaw.

James did do some gigs back in the States as well - the Butanes the band I worked with for the Willie Walker CD which we released last year - backed James's on a number of gigs. Unfortunately, James didn't hold it together.

Probably the best thing on the BBC's Soul Deep was the unearthing of James singing live in the 60's.

Best wishes

Colin Dilnot