Gloria Shannon

[tracey shaw]

Would just like to hear your views and comments regarding Gloria Shannon's-Tears(a gift from heaven), My understanding is that this masterpiece was never issued until its release on 'Real Side', ive always been tempted to play this record when I DJ, however feel this would be frowned upon playing it on 'Real Side'!!,

Question; Would my street cred( : ) ) remain intact or would i be sneered at for not playing an 'original'!!,

[Eddie Hubbard]

I always play it out Tracey, Realside is it's original release , plus it's one of the true great Soul records IMO ......

[Sutty]

it is an original release and its been played out all over the place and should continue to be as it's one of the best new finds in the vaults in the last 10 years. anyone complaining, tell them to get over themselves lol

cheers Sutty

[Sutty]

Eddie - snap!

[Chalky]

If it is unreleased and gets a legit release, as in this case, play it out.

[Guest jb000]

Great record, should be played more and hope you play it at Bridlington!?

[tracey shaw]

I always play it out Tracey, Realside is it's original release , plus it's one of the true great Soul records IMO ......

mine is coming out the box..love it !

[Steve Plumb]

Has become a true classic and rightly so!

The Real Side 45 the only way to actually play it out on vinyl!

There were 6 carvers/acetates cut a few years ago but that was from the Real Side chaps themselves to pre-promote the forthcoming 45

Think they did 300 white demos, then about 500 black label issues

Talking to Francis last week, he's down to his last couple of copies of both the black & white labels with no plans to repress

Cheers

Steve

[Chalky]

Is it actually Gloria Shannon? I've seen a comment that no one actually knows who it is? Might have been on a you tube clip.

[Rob Moss]

Ed Wolfrum played me some backing tracks that Berry Gordy produced at United in the early 1970s for a film soundtrack he was working on. The Funk Brothers were the musicians and Mike Terry arranged all the tracks. One of them was the backing track to the 'Gloria Shannon' song. No idea who the vocalist was ...but it is definitely a Motown track. Apparently the Universal vault keepers are aware of it too which is amazing. Surprised they haven't gone after Realside ...but then they probably aren't even aware that it came out!

[Guest jb000]

Has become a true classic and rightly so!

The Real Side 45 the only way to actually play it out on vinyl!

There were 6 carvers/acetates cut a few years ago but that was from the Real Side chaps themselves to pre-promote the forthcoming 45

Think they did 300 white demos, then about 500 black label issues

Talking to Francis last week, he's down to his last couple of copies of both the black & white labels with no plans to repress

Cheers

Steve

Ive got one of the carver's Steve, true classic

[tracey shaw]

Gloria must be played more up North then dowm South, I have never heard this played out! Well that was until NOW !!! I love this record and the words that are sung are so beautiful and should be shared!

[TOAD]

so its an illegal release then ?

[Garethx]

Ed Wolfrum played me some backing tracks that Berry Gordy produced at United in the early 1970s for a film soundtrack he was working on. The Funk Brothers were the musicians and Mike Terry arranged all the tracks. One of them was the backing track to the 'Gloria Shannon' song. No idea who the vocalist was ...but it is definitely a Motown track. Apparently the Universal vault keepers are aware of it too which is amazing. Surprised they haven't gone after Realside ...but then they probably aren't even aware that it came out!

Interesting. So are there any theories as to the identity of the vocalist if it's not Gloria Shannon?

[Marc Forrest]

Has become a true classic and rightly so!

The Real Side 45 the only way to actually play it out on vinyl!

There were 6 carvers/acetates cut a few years ago but that was from the Real Side chaps themselves to pre-promote the forthcoming 45

Think they did 300 white demos, then about 500 black label issues

Talking to Francis last week, he's down to his last couple of copies of both the black & white labels with no plans to repress

Cheers

Steve

long before that there were a handful of 10" acetates on Houston Express. still have it and would have to pull it out for further information, but seem to remember it had Dallas , Texas and the date 1970 on it.

[Chalky]

long before that there were a handful of 10" acetates on Houston Express. still have it and would have to pull it out for further information, but seem to remember it had Dallas , Texas and the date 1970 on it.

The Houston Express acetates are the acetates Steve is referring to Marc.

here is the info from the Real Side website....

Imagine our surprise when, after listening to what felt like hours of run-of-the-mill rock 'n' roll and country music, we heard the opening bars of this magnificent mid tempo Northern Soul gem!

Nothing is known about this sublime masterpiece other than it was recorded a circa 1970 and has been collecting dust ever since. The master tape box gives little away, other than a Dallas, Texas address and it is unlikely that, after more than three decades, the mystery will ever be solved.

In 2004 Real Side Records cut 10 collectors acetates and the record picked up plays around the country courtesy of top DJs Tim Brown, Ginger Taylor and Roger Banks. Since being in circulation rumours have been rife about the song and it hs been suggested that the mysterious Gloria is in fact Gladys Knight?

Let's just enjoy it for what it is - the best undiscovered Soul record in decades!

If the real Side guys have paid their dues to the relevant concerns then it can't be illegal. It will be up to a third party to prove otherwise. I'm not sure what Motown would be doing down in Dallas?

[Marc Forrest]

The Houston Express acetates are the acetates Steve is referring to Marc.

thats clears it up chalky, I bought it off tim who at the time told me he sold another to Ginger.

[Andy Rix]

All I can add is that there is no record of this in the Motown database up to 1972.

That doesn't mean it isn't a Motown connected track but almost certainly not a project of theirs prior to '72

I don't recognise the vocal at all so can't suggest a Motown artist who it could possibly be. That of course adds nothing as Motown recorded a number of artists who never saw a commercial release

Andy

[tracey shaw]

thanks for all the feedback regarding this record guys its really apprecriated, I will be playing this when guesting on Adrians Corbins Northern Radio Show Uckfield FM (internet) so tune in and hear this great record.

Regards

Tracey

[Dolly13]

my mate Dave rivers brought this for me about 5 yrs ago, I've played it out several times... LOVE IT...

[Steve Plumb]

The Houston Express acetates are the acetates Steve is referring to Marc.

here is the info from the Real Side website....

Imagine our surprise when, after listening to what felt like hours of run-of-the-mill rock 'n' roll and country music, we heard the opening bars of this magnificent mid tempo Northern Soul gem!

Nothing is known about this sublime masterpiece other than it was recorded a circa 1970 and has been collecting dust ever since. The master tape box gives little away, other than a Dallas, Texas address and it is unlikely that, after more than three decades, the mystery will ever be solved.

In 2004 Real Side Records cut 10 collectors acetates and the record picked up plays around the country courtesy of top DJs Tim Brown, Ginger Taylor and Roger Banks. Since being in circulation rumours have been rife about the song and it hs been suggested that the mysterious Gloria is in fact Gladys Knight?

Let's just enjoy it for what it is - the best undiscovered Soul record in decades!

If the real Side guys have paid their dues to the relevant concerns then it can't be illegal. It will be up to a third party to prove otherwise. I'm not sure what Motown would be doing down in Dallas?

Thanks Chalky, yes that's what I was on about but was working from memory, hence thinking there were 6 instead of 10

Would i be right in saying that it didn't get as much Northern exposure from those acetates as they'd have liked? Did it get much exposure at niters at the time or would it have been deemed too slow?

I know i've spoken to a couple of the recipients who couldn't do owt with it at the time?

IMHO It was only when the initial batch of those white demos were pressed a few years later that it really kicked on. I know that's when the 70's/Crossover scene picked it up and it became really popular on that scene for sure!

Cheers

Steve

[Guest ardvaark]

Play it and stuff em its a great track and it blew me away when I first heard it.  That voice and words are worthy of being played on any label.

All the best

 

[kevinsoulman]

was rumoured to be gladys knight but who knows ,just brilliant .  The backing track was from an album of tracks intended for a film score that Berry Gordy commissioned to be recorded at United Sound Systems in Detroit around 1972/73. Mike Terry arranged them and the Funks with DSO performed them. Who and how the vocal got to added I know not. Apparently Motown (Universal) have got the album in their vaults but, as is normal with them, refuse to release or even disclose its existence. Pity ,this was on youtube .

kev

[Robbk]

There's NO WAY that the voice on "Tears" is Gladys Knight.  I've never heard that voice before.  And it doesn't sound at all like the so-called "Gloria Shannon on "Shining My Lovelight".  Also, the backing track on "Tears" seems awfully weak for a 1970 Motown recording, arranged by Mike Terry, and played by The Funk Brothers, albeit being recorded at United Sound rather than The Snakepit or Golden World.  Recordings made by Motown at United Sound usually sounded better to me.  Why would Berry have hired Mike Terry to run a session for him in 1970?  Wasn't he angry at Terry for leaving him altogether in early 1965?  Why didn't he just have his people recorded it for him at one of his 2 studios?  It makes no sense to me, at all.  If it had so low a priority to record, that it couldn't be fit into Motown's 2 studios schedules, why did it have enough priority to use The Funk Brothers in recording it at United Sound?  And who was recording in The Snakepit then?  Why would they bring in 3rd -string session players to record normal Motown product in The Snakepit, to take The Funk Brothers to an outside studio to record a LOWER priority project???

[Andy Rix]

The connection to Motown and/or Detroit might be because the only song with this title registered at BMI is a Edwenna Edwards & Randy Diamond composition .... but it has no publisher listed .. if it was a Motown song I do not believe that would have happened .... Edwenna co-wrote 'Honey Bee', recorded by the Supremes, and Randy wrote 'No Part Time Love For Me', recorded by Martha Star.

As I said in 2012 there is no record of this in the Motown database

So unless somebody can connect Edwenna or Randy to Dallas then I think we can discount the Motown / Detroit  connection and just assume it's a coincidence on the song title

But having said all that we have the account from Rob Moss which blows my view out of the water

A mystery indeed

Andy 

[Robbk]

I've known about Gloria Shannon, who is a Chicago "Barrelhouse" Blues singer ('20s & '30s style).  I've listened to several of her Blues songs back-to-back with her 2 Real Side cuts, and I've come to the conclusion that SHE is the same Gloria Shannon who sang on the Real Side cuts.  The background track on "Tears" doesn't sound like Detroit, but, it DOES sound like it could have been recorded in 1970-72.  The Real Side record states that the song was recorded in Houston ca. 1970.  I can believe that the backgrounds could have been recorded there, back then.  I can also believe that Gloria Shannon could have recorded that vocal as early as the early 1970s, given that her latest Internet Photos make her appear to be in her 60s.  My guess is that she recorded the 2 vocals some time in the 1970s, or any time later, to be placed over the newly-found unreleased background track of "Tears".  Maybe they recorded the backgrounds for the "B" side, also at that later time.  It doesn't sound so old as "Tears".  Those backgrounds could possibly have been recorded in Houston, as stated on the record.

Edited March 19, 2016 by RobbK

[Peter99]

Wow! Never heard this before - super, super record.

Peter

How much could I get one of these for - anyone have one for sale?

Edited March 19, 2016 by Peter99

[The Yank]

There's a promo copy on e-bay that ends on Thursday.

[Peter99]

12 hours ago, the yank said:

There's a promo copy on e-bay that ends on Thursday.

Thank you. I'll have a look.

Got one now thanks.

Peter

Edited March 20, 2016 by Peter99

[Blackpoolsoul]

On 19/03/2016 at 23:06, Robbk said:

I've known about Gloria Shannon, who is a Chicago "Barrelhouse" Blues singer ('20s & '30s style).  I've listened to several of her Blues songs back-to-back with her 2 Real Side cuts, and I've come to the conclusion that SHE is the same Gloria Shannon who sang on the Real Side cuts.  The background track on "Tears" doesn't sound like Detroit, but, it DOES sound like it could have been recorded in 1970-72.  The Real Side record states that the song was recorded in Houston ca. 1970.  I can believe that the backgrounds could have been recorded there, back then.  I can also believe that Gloria Shannon could have recorded that vocal as early as the early 1970s, given that her latest Internet Photos make her appear to be in her 60s.  My guess is that she recorded the 2 vocals some time in the 1970s, or any time later, to be placed over the newly-found unreleased background track of "Tears".  Maybe they recorded the backgrounds for the "B" side, also at that later time.  It doesn't sound so old as "Tears".  Those backgrounds could possibly have been recorded in Houston, as stated on the record.

There is a nice photo of Gloria singing here

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VZufy6sKmN0C&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=Gloria+Shannon+BLUES+SINGER&source=bl&ots=IBaxAPzuH1&sig=ACfU3U0b45C3xv7_OXPOVsALXh-nMuFswg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjm8NmO2pXpAhUsUBUIHSMXCpgQ6AEwCXoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Gloria Shannon BLUES SINGER&f=false

Edited May 2, 2020 by Blackpoolsoul

[Rick Cooper]

On 19/03/2016 at 23:06, Robbk said:

I've known about Gloria Shannon, who is a Chicago "Barrelhouse" Blues singer ('20s & '30s style).  I've listened to several of her Blues songs back-to-back with her 2 Real Side cuts, and I've come to the conclusion that SHE is the same Gloria Shannon who sang on the Real Side cuts.  The background track on "Tears" doesn't sound like Detroit, but, it DOES sound like it could have been recorded in 1970-72.  The Real Side record states that the song was recorded in Houston ca. 1970.  I can believe that the backgrounds could have been recorded there, back then.  I can also believe that Gloria Shannon could have recorded that vocal as early as the early 1970s, given that her latest Internet Photos make her appear to be in her 60s.  My guess is that she recorded the 2 vocals some time in the 1970s, or any time later, to be placed over the newly-found unreleased background track of "Tears".  Maybe they recorded the backgrounds for the "B" side, also at that later time.  It doesn't sound so old as "Tears".  Those backgrounds could possibly have been recorded in Houston, as stated on the record.

Robb

The late Terry Francis Thomas was one of the people behind Real Side Records and finding the track on the studio tape. As there was no artist name on the tape box he made up the name ,Gloria Shannon, but only found out about the real Gloria Shannon much later. So there is no connection to any singer (or anyone else) named Gloria Shannon. He never told me any more about who the vocalist could be as no one who they leased the record from could shed any more light on who was the singer. I don't think we'll ever know for sure but feel free to put forward your theories.

[Robbk]

Okay then....  So the singer on this record is NOT the Chicago Blues belter, Gloria Shannon!   Then, I have no idea who it is.  The voice is not really distinct enough to recognise.

[Tomangoes]

I'd love the real singer to come forward and claim the glory....

Similar story to 'Tobi Legend'

It really is a ruthless business.

Ed