Bobby Bland

[Wilxy]

Could anyone enlighten me as to the tracks Bobby Bland recorded in Detroit, and would I be right in saying that, Shoes, YumYum tree, and These hands small but mighty, were indeed three of such actually done in the Motor City?

Thanks in advance.....wilxy

[Kev Moore]

Could anyone enlighten me as to the tracks Bobby Bland recorded in Detroit, and would I be right in saying that, Shoes, YumYum tree, and These hands small but mighty, were indeed three of such actually done in the Motor City?

Thanks in advance.....wilxy

I have a copy of Keep on loving me..same as Steve Mancha....maybe a Detroit link there.

Regards

Kev

[Wilxy]

I have a copy of Keep on loving me..same as Steve Mancha....maybe a Detroit link there.

Regards

Kev

Cheers Kev, but I'm led to believe he recorded an entire session there and several 45's were the result?

[Dave Rimmer]

I have some vague memory of it being the 'Touch Of The Blues' album that was recorded in Detroit

[Guest Dave Turner]

Supposedly at least two tracks on the "Soul Of The Man" album (Duke DLPS -79 --- 1966) were Detroit recordings.

Too Late For Tears

Playgirl

Edited March 15, 2011 by Dave Turner

[Mike Lofthouse]

I have some vague memory of it being the 'Touch Of The Blues' album that was recorded in Detroit

Me too - didn't you use to play 'Sweet Lips Of Joy' of that album Dave?

[Dave Rimmer]

Me too - didn't you use to play 'Sweet Lips Of Joy' of that album Dave?

Still do occasionally, that's why I know some of that album was recorded in Detroit

[Funky 4 Corners]

Bobby Bland recorded all over the place; Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, LA, Nashville, Chicago, NYC, Muscle Shoals, Detroit......

He went to Detroit 28th April 1965 and recorded at United Sound and seven tracks were issued from the session(s) - `These Hands (small but mighty) Duke385.

`I Ain't Myself Anymore`, Duke 412. The remainder were LP tracks; `Too Late for Tears`, `Play Girl`, `Let's Get Together` and `Dear Bobby (the note)` were all on Duke LP #79, `The Soul of the Man` and `Sweet Lips of Joy` was on his `Touch of the Blues` LP that came out over here on Island 974.

In my view, none of these tracks have little if any trace of a recognisable Detroit house style, by that I refer to a`Solid Hitbound` sort of sound. The only thing that links them is a girl backing, one of whom was Vi Campbell.

Duke boss Don Robey had a habit of buying songs out right and putting various writing credits to them, mainly his own or his alias Don Malone. He was secretive in general and so some other sessions may have been held in Detroit but I doubt it. `Keep on Loving Me` the Groovesville song for example was recorded in Muscle Shoals in August 1970 the time when Groovesville owner Don Davis was in Memphis, so who knows what type of hybrid it is, probably a Detroit track with dubbed vocals and produced by Don. Other uptempo tracks such as `Shoes` and `Yum Yum Tree` were recorded in Chicago, the former late Nov - early Dec '66 and the latter produced by Andre Williams on 28th Feb '69.

Robey has other Detroit connections that I cover in Groovesville USA.

[Guest Dante]

Bobby Bland recorded all over the place; Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, LA, Nashville, Chicago, NYC, Muscle Shoals, Detroit......

He went to Detroit 28th April 1965 and recorded at United Sound and seven tracks were issued from the session(s) - `These Hands (small but mighty) Duke385.

`I Ain't Myself Anymore`, Duke 412. The remainder were LP tracks; `Too Late for Tears`, `Play Girl`, `Let's Get Together` and `Dear Bobby (the note)` were all on Duke LP #79, `The Soul of the Man` and `Sweet Lips of Joy` was on his `Touch of the Blues` LP that came out over here on Island 974.

In my view, none of these tracks have little if any trace of a recognisable Detroit house style, by that I refer to a`Solid Hitbound` sort of sound. The only thing that links them is a girl backing, one of whom was Vi Campbell.

Duke boss Don Robey had a habit of buying songs out right and putting various writing credits to them, mainly his own or his alias Don Malone. He was secretive in general and so some other sessions may have been held in Detroit but I doubt it. `Keep on Loving Me` the Groovesville song for example was recorded in Muscle Shoals in August 1970 the time when Groovesville owner Don Davis was in Memphis, so who knows what type of hybrid it is, probably a Detroit track with dubbed vocals and produced by Don. Other uptempo tracks such as `Shoes` and `Yum Yum Tree` were recorded in Chicago, the former late Nov - early Dec '66 and the latter produced by Andre Williams on 28th Feb '69.

Robey has other Detroit connections that I cover in Groovesville USA.

Great info!

[Garethx]

Great information Keith. I think there is a pronounced Detroit sound in these tracks and they share a lot of similarities in the rhythm section (particularly the drum sound) to Bobby Williams' Sure Shot sessions.

It's interesting to read anthologists generally pronouncing these tracks to be among the weakest of Bland's Duke recordings. That may well be the case (after all they had a lot to live up to!) but I'm still a fan of a lot of these sides: "These Hands" is possibly his best Northern dance track and the duet with Vi Campbell, "Dear Bobby", is a potentially wonderful ender for 'real soul' deejay sets.

[Wilxy]

Bobby Bland recorded all over the place; Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, LA, Nashville, Chicago, NYC, Muscle Shoals, Detroit......

He went to Detroit 28th April 1965 and recorded at United Sound and seven tracks were issued from the session(s) - `These Hands (small but mighty) Duke385.

`I Ain't Myself Anymore`, Duke 412. The remainder were LP tracks; `Too Late for Tears`, `Play Girl`, `Let's Get Together` and `Dear Bobby (the note)` were all on Duke LP #79, `The Soul of the Man` and `Sweet Lips of Joy` was on his `Touch of the Blues` LP that came out over here on Island 974.

In my view, none of these tracks have little if any trace of a recognisable Detroit house style, by that I refer to a`Solid Hitbound` sort of sound. The only thing that links them is a girl backing, one of whom was Vi Campbell.

Duke boss Don Robey had a habit of buying songs out right and putting various writing credits to them, mainly his own or his alias Don Malone. He was secretive in general and so some other sessions may have been held in Detroit but I doubt it. `Keep on Loving Me` the Groovesville song for example was recorded in Muscle Shoals in August 1970 the time when Groovesville owner Don Davis was in Memphis, so who knows what type of hybrid it is, probably a Detroit track with dubbed vocals and produced by Don. Other uptempo tracks such as `Shoes` and `Yum Yum Tree` were recorded in Chicago, the former late Nov - early Dec '66 and the latter produced by Andre Williams on 28th Feb '69.

Robey has other Detroit connections that I cover in Groovesville USA.

Thanx for the detail Keith, am currently re-reading Groovesville USA to glean more detail than my first "scan", and the above information does put some more "meat on the bone" so to speak.....Perhaps you could muster up a "follow up" addenda covering non Detroit artist(e)s who recorded in the Motor City with detail such as above

[Wilxy]

Sincere thanx also for the other responses greatfully acknowledged

[Funky 4 Corners]

Here's the Little Jr Parker Detroit session details -

At United Sound Studios on 8th July 1965 with Wayne Bennett on guitar.

`These Kind of Blues 1 & 2` Duke 384.

`Why do You Make me Cry` / `Get Away Blues` Duke 406

I would have thought that there would have been more than just these four but if it were just a one day session then four is about right.

The Sure Shot sessions are a bit more tricky but I'll post some details when I dig them out.

Keith