Little Jimmy Gandy-Roulette 7047-Was It Released First On Lock Records?

[Robbk]

Little Jimmy Gandy-Roulette 7047-Was it released first on Chicago indie, Lock Records? It mentions it as a Lock Records production. Does anyone know who was the male group behind him? It was produced by Johnny Cameron. So-it may have been one of the Key-Lock or Master Key-related groups. Good late '60s Chicago "kiddie" Soul sound.

Bob A.- anything you can tell us about this and Little Jimmy? Was he a South Sider or a West Sider? Or from the suburbs? Was he a regular group member at any time? I remember the name remotely. I never saw him nor the Roulette record when it was out. But then, I was only in Chicago during Summers, starting in 1967, attending university in L.A. I remember that Roulette had an office in Chicago for a very short period, and THAT's when theHenry Ford & Yhe Gifts records came out. But that was quite a bit earlier than this one. I think that office had closed down long before this came out.

[boba]

This was a hit in Chicago. It was written by Chris Bernard Allen. He was an original member of the Shades of Brown (he left before they recorded) and was from Altgeld gardens, which is the housing at the southern border of the city, like 130th and cottage grove. I always assumed Gandy was from there but I don't know for sure. I doubt it had a local release before Roulette (although there are some very rare Lock related records so I guess there's a tiny possibility it got pressed but I doubt it). I talked to someone once who said they produced a Jimmy Gandy record in the '70s but never released it.

There is a cover of this song on the B-side of the North South East West single on 20th century. There was a previously unreleased version by the lovelites that clarence put on the CD he released a while back.

[boba]

I don't think Gandy was in a group btw.

[Robbk]

Thanks. Yeah, i know where Altgeld Gardens is, a little southwest of Lake Calumet. I used to live in Homewood, after moving from South Chicago, it's not all that far from there. That group behind Gandy on the Roulette record is pretty good. Any idea who they might have been? I guess they were probably a group that Clarence Johnson and Johnny Cameron recorded and used often for backgrounds. Yes, I know Chris Bernard. I have a couple records by him on small labels (on is McVoutie).

[boba]

Altgeld is within the city limits btw, it's not in a suburb. I have no idea who the group was. There were a ton of different groups that clarence had that didn't record or that recorded but never released material. Why do you keep referring to Johnny Cameron as a producer? I think he was just an arranger. I don't think he was an owner in Lock.

Lock was owned by -- Lucky Cordell, Ed O'Kelley, Clarence Johnson, Kenny Wells.

Kenny's main artist was Lee Sain. Lucky Cordell was a silent partner. Ed O'Kelly was the guy who previously owned Teako.

[Blake H]

It was also allocated a release number on UK Roulette but sadly never saw the light of day.

[boba]

It was also allocated a release number on UK Roulette but sadly never saw the light of day.

interesting