Donnie Elbert

[Roburt]

There's a current thread about Donnie Elbert's version of "Come See About Me" which may have come out on a rare Avco 45 or may just be one of quite a few 'previously unreleased' tracks Donnie cut for All Platinum that have escaped on CD over recent years (the last 10 I guess).
Born in New Orleans, his family moved to Buffalo and he grew up there. After starting out in a group (the Vibraharps) & then going solo in 1957, he was cutting original material back in the late 50's & early 60's (having a couple of US hits -- "What Can I Do" & "Little Piece of Leather"). He was involved, back up in Buffalo in the early stages of Darrell Bank's career but fell out of favor himself (recording wise) until around 1970 when he teamed up with Sylvia Robinson at All Platinum.
After that he recorded a lot of covers of Motown & soul songs that had earlier been hits for other artists. Over in the UK, his 'new' versions of 60's Motown dance tunes was just right to tie in with the NS scene and he had a lot of success here. Three of his 1972 45 releases made the pop Top 30 here and he got to appear on Top of the Pops. He lived in the UK for a while but back in the US, his career also re- blossomed in the 70's (probably coz his UK hits were getting radio plays back in the States). He enjoyed 8 further US R&B chart entries between 1970 & 1977. Eventually, he gave up recording and moved to Canada to help run a record company. He finally passed away in 1989.

His 45 releases were all over the place in the 1970's, with numerous 45's escaping in both the UK & US on a number of different labels (lots of his tracks appearing more than once on releases for different labels. Since lots of his old tracks have more recently escaped on CD, even more (previously unreleased) cuts have seen the 'light of day'.
In addition to all the 45 releases he enjoyed, he had stuff included on compilation albums in the UK, US and as far afield as Brazil even (an example of one such UK LP being 'Black Inc' -- Ember SE8022).
.......... But sides worth checking out on 45 include ..
"If I Can't Have You" -- the B side to "Liitle Piece of Leather" on UK London -- the A side was a UK Pop hit.
"If I Can't Have You / Can't Get Over Losing You" escaped in the US on a All Platinum 45
whilst "Can't Get Over Losing You" was coupled with "Sweet Baby" on another All Platinum 45
"Can't Get Over Losing You" also came out on Elbert, Rare Bullet & Law-ton. On Law-ton it was a 12" release (with the instro version on the B side). The other two releases were on 7" and were coupled with " I Got To Get Myself Together".
His take on "Don't Leave Me This Way" was included on 2 All Platinum LP's (... did it ever escape anywhere on 7"?)
His "Are You Ready (Willing And Able)" only escaped in the UK on a UK Echo label 45.
"Without You / Baby Please Come Home" came out on UK Deram as a 45.
"Along Came Pride" has its fans & this escaped as the B side to "Get Ready" on UK CBS and also as the B side of the UK RCA 45 that has "Time Hangs On My Mind" as its A side.

People either love or hate Donnie's versions of songs (many sung falsetto which doesn't appeal to lots of soul fans).
...... Any other tracks by him that are worth a mention ?

Edited June 20, 2013 by 45cellar
Artist Tag

[Roburt]

"That's If You Love Me" ... the B side to "Where Did Our Love Go" on UK London is a nice little track.

[Guest Dave Turner]

I'm not a great lover of falsetto but must admit Elbert does it for me on his slower balladic material.

"Can't Get Over Losing You" also got a release on Trip

Interesting bit in Dave Rimmer's discog

Avco 4598 - Ooh Baby Baby* / Tell Her For Me - 1972 *also recorded in 1965 by The Miracles on Tamla 54113. (this 45 was released without approval from Donnie Elbert --- while at AvcoDonnie Elbert was arguing with Hugo and Luigi about the cost of finishing his album for the label, plus his choice of material for the album as it had nine Motown covers - he refused to finish the album without the extra money, so Avco sold the unfinished album to Trip to recoup their money. Donnie Elbert reluctantly went back to All Platinum)

https://www.soulwalki...nie Elbert.html

As I'm more into the slower stuff then that's obviously influencing the clips.

"What Can I Do" same as the Bobby Marchan, Marvin L Sims etc etc

Edited July 1, 2012 by Dave Turner

[Guest Dave Turner]

"Everything To Me" on Checker

Interview ...

[media=]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J70h-6TmtAA

I've been told Phillip Mitchell rated him highly

Edited July 1, 2012 by Dave Turner

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

There's a current thread about Donnie Elbert's version of "Come See About Me" which may have come out on a rare Avco 45

No 'may have' about it - both Dennis Haw (Denbo on here) and I have owned UK copies of 'Ooh Baby Baby' with 'Come See About Me' mispressed as the A side. Mine was stolen from a club I worked in back in 1972, I've never owned another one since.

Brian Peters, a collector friend of mine who's not on here, also has a copy. We bought ours in the same shop on the same day as a new release.

[Guest]

His 45 releases were all over the place in the 1970's, with numerous 45's escaping in both the UK & US on a number of different labels...

...

snip

...

In addition to all the 45 releases he enjoyed, he had stuff included on compilation albums in the UK, US and as far afield as Brazil even

...and on the London and Avco labels in Japan.

[Kris Holmes]

yeah there's a common budget label soul comp from the late 60s/early 70s from here in NZ which has Elbert tracks on it.

I admit his falsetto never really does it for me. I must have owned most of his All Plat & Avco 45s at some stage but find myself keeping not a lot filed.

This one on All Platinum is one I've kept

also this one-off ska 45 on Deram

[Denbo]

No 'may have' about it - both Dennis Haw (Denbo on here) and I have owned UK copies of 'Ooh Baby Baby' with 'Come See About Me' mispressed as the A side. Mine was stolen from a club I worked in back in 1972, I've never owned another one since.

Brian Peters, a collector friend of mine who's not on here, also has a copy. We bought ours in the same shop on the same day as a new release.

Yep, I've still got mine.

[Roburt]

Yep, I've still got mine.

Can you post up a label scan.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Can you post up a label scan.

...It woun't make a lot of difference if Dennis does, the label says 'Ooh Baby Baby" and looks like the thousands of other copies of the record that actually do play OBB!

[Roburt]

CHEERS.

[Denbo]

...It woun't make a lot of difference if Dennis does, the label says 'Ooh Baby Baby" and looks like the thousands of other copies of the record that actually do play OBB!

Tony's completely correct I'm afraid Roburt.

By the way Tony, do you remember if your 'nicked' copy played the correct record on the B-side?

Mine does. I just wondered if all these freak releases did also.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Tony's completely correct I'm afraid Roburt.

By the way Tony, do you remember if your 'nicked' copy played the correct record on the B-side?

Mine does. I just wondered if all these freak releases did also.

Yes, Den, it played 'Tell Her For Me', same as the regular copies of 'Ooh Baby Baby' do...

There's an easy way to tell at a glance which copies play CSAM and which play OBB but I'm not going to reveal it on here as I'm still hopeful that one day I'll find another copy...

[Roburt]

Tony, can't hold your decision to 'hang onto' the info (about how to spot the rare version of the OBB 45) against you ....

... but I will (from now on) be picking up ALL cheap copies of the OBB 45 I come across .... just in case.

[Denbo]

Tony, can't hold your decision to 'hang onto' the info (about how to spot the rare version of the OBB 45) against you ....

... but I will (from now on) be picking up ALL cheap copies of the OBB 45 I come across .... just in case.

That could cost you a few bob in the process, without any guarantee of success. But I wish you well.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Donnie is and always will be one of my great R&B heroes. One of the most memroable gigs that I ever attended was when I saw him at Bailey's in Watford, around the time that 'I Can't help Myself' was in the charts.

He completely ignored most of his then-recent Motown cover hits and sang primarily things like "What Can I Do", 'Will You Ever Be Mine', 'Get Myself Together' etc.

He did love Motown, though, and he loved to nick lyrics from other Motown records to put into his own songs. e.g.

Without You ("There's A Haunting Melody That Follows Me Constantly, It's The Same Old Song...")

Lilly Lou ("What's Hard For One Is So Easy for Two, So Come On Baby, Me And You")

Baby Please Come Home ("Gather Round Me, Swingers And Friends, Help Me Forget My Hurt Again")

He also wasn't averse to nicking a whole Motown tune if he thought he could get away with it. If you play "One Thousand Nine Hundred And Seventy Years" from Donnie's All Platinum album you'll find that not only can you sing 'Someday We'll Be Together' along with it, in its entirety, you can even hear his ghost vocal for SWBT bleeding through distantly in places.

Perhaps it was some kind of retaliation for Holland-Dozier-Holland pinching the riff for the Elgins' 'Darliing Baby' from 'What Can I Do'....

I don't think I'd've numbered him among my dearest friends as a person if what others have told me about him is even vaguely true, but I'll always be in awe of the very best of his music.

Edited July 2, 2012 by TONY ROUNCE

[Roburt]

Denbo, the most relevant words in my statement above are .... cheap copies ...

.... and I'm a Yorkshireman, so cheap really does mean cheap.

Luckily for me, you can pick up Donnie's 1970's 45's for next to nothing in the right places .... and ...

.. I can always look closely at a normal OBB 45 label / run out groove area & then check other copies to see if there is a variance.

AND I may make clocks out of a few of the 45's I get that actually do have OBB on the A side (the Avco label should look quite good behind clock hands).

Edited July 2, 2012 by Roburt

[Denbo]

I don't think I'd've numbered him among my dearest friends as a person if what others have told me about him is even vaguely true, but I'll always be in awe of the very best of his music.

I love using contractions wherever I can, but a double contraction like the above, I'll admit I've never used, or even ever seen before.

[Sjclement]

I WOULD HAVE?

[Guest s0ul45]

Donnie is and always will be one of my great R&B heroes. One of the most memroable gigs that I ever attended was when I saw him at Bailey's in Watford, around the time that 'I Can't help Myself' was in the charts.

He completely ignored most of his then-recent Motown cover hits and sang primarily things like "What Can I Do", 'Will You Ever Be Mine', 'Get Myself Together' etc.

He did love Motown, though, and he loved to nick lyrics from other Motown records to put into his own songs. e.g.

Without You ("There's A Haunting Melody That Follows Me Constantly, It's The Same Old Song...")

Lilly Lou ("What's Hard For One Is So Easy for Two, So Come On Baby, Me And You")

Baby Please Come Home ("Gather Round Me, Swingers And Friends, Help Me Forget My Hurt Again")

He also wasn't averse to nicking a whole Motown tune if he thought he could get away with it. If you play "One Thousand Nine Hundred And Seventy Years" from Donnie's All Platinum album you'll find that not only can you sing 'Someday We'll Be Together' along with it, in its entirety, you can even hear his ghost vocal for SWBT bleeding through distantly in places.

Perhaps it was some kind of retaliation for Holland-Dozier-Holland pinching the riff for the Elgins' 'Darliing Baby' from 'What Can I Do'....

I don't think I'd've numbered him among my dearest friends as a person if what others have told me about him is even vaguely true, but I'll always be in awe of the very best of his music.

Talking about theft Tony, what was the score with Donnie's 'You're Gonna Cry When I'm Gone' supposedly written by himself, and Shirley & Co's 'Cry Cry Cry' written by Sylvia Robinson. Sound remarkably similar to me!!

Chris

[Stay Loose]

Paul "Smiler" Anderson along with Acid Jazz Records have unearthed a couple of gems from Dionne.

You Can Here One Here: https://acidjazz.bandcamp.com/track/a-love-i-believe-in-the-donnie-elbert-band

From The LP Rare MOD vol2

There is also an accompanying EP with a version of "This Old Heart Of Mine"

All UK Projects I believe!

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Talking about theft Tony, what was the score with Donnie's 'You're Gonna Cry When I'm Gone' supposedly written by himself, and Shirley & Co's 'Cry Cry Cry' written by Sylvia Robinson. Sound remarkably similar to me!!

Chris

If you listen closely to the Shirley & Co record you will hear, in the passages that are double tracked, she's actually singing along with Donnie's original vocal, as heard on the UK-only Bradley's 45. I had the multitrack out from the vaults some years ago and was able to deduce Shirley's backing track is also the same as Donnie's with some additional overdubs.

I certainly don't believe that Donnie wrote 100% of everything that he claimed to have written - I certainly don't believe he wrote 'Open The Door To Your Heart', for instance - but I do believe that he wrote 100% of 'Cry Cry Cry'/'You're Gonna Cry When I'm Gone' (as he did its precursor, 'Shame Shame Shame'). I think that his version was probably recorded at the same session as his take on 'Love Is Strange' and overdubbed by Shirley Pixley Goodman after he'd had one of his periodic falling outs with Sylvia and Joe Robinson...

BTW it was always rumoured that Donnie recorded 'Shame Shame Shame' first, but if he ever did his voice was definitely wiped, from what was only a four track master, to accomodate Shirley and her previous '& co.', Jesus Alvarez.

Edited July 2, 2012 by TONY ROUNCE

[KevH]

[media=]

Why did i sell this?

Edited July 2, 2012 by KevH

[Swifty]

[media=]

Why did i sell this?

Just got a new copy of this meself Kev , loveley track imho .

Swifty

[Roburt]

Donnie's Bradleys 45 was released in Europe on Ariola .........

[45cellar]

Not sure how many, but first Issues of "I CAN'T HELP MYSELF" were on AVCO EMBASSY later AVCO same release Number.

I guess the first batch used old Label Blanks.

[Guest]

A couple more to ruminate and cogitate about:

Edited July 15, 2012 by Flynny

[Jim G]

For me "What Can I Do" is simply brilliant

[Smudger]

This is not Donnie is it! I was told it was Chris bartley Anyone ?

[Smudger]

ROBURT AND I may make clocks out of a few of the 45's I get that actually do have OBB on the A side (the Avco label should look quite good behind clock hands).

Saddo!!!!!!!

[Roburt]

Clocks made out of 45's, 78's & LP's look great on a record room wall .............. so don't think I do qualify as a saddo.

How do you tell the time in your record room ??

I can sell you a great UK Fontana 45 clock !!!