Soul Singing Sportsmen

[Roburt]

Just thought I'd ask if people could add to the list of sportsmen who took up soul singing.

I guess the most famous ones are Rosey Grier, Cassius Clay & Joe Frazier though the likes of Maury Wills, Will Chamberlain, Don Drysdale, Eddie 'Too Tall' Jones, Justin Fashanu & Freddie Trueman (well maybe not the last one) also tried their hand at both games.

[Roburt]

Maury Wills; baseball player for the LA Dodgers ................

[Denbo]

Jackie Wilson (ex professional Boxer)

[Roburt]

Rosey Grier in his American Football playing days ..............

[Haydn]

Lee Dorsey....boxer also, although his and Jackies nose give the game away

[Amsterdam Russ]

Brenton Wood - although was an athlete only at college level

[Roburt]

Dodgers Baseball player Don Drysdale (NOT a soul singer) signs with Reprise back in 63 ..........

[Roburt]

Justin Fashanu .............. it was his UK 12" that landed Roundelet Records (of Mansfield Woodhouse) their licensing deal with NY's Half Moon Records (Cliff Dawson, Eddie Hooper, Lou Thom, Rainbows Valley, etc)

[Haydn]

Roosevelt (Rosey) Grier.....New York Giants!forget that.....i am too slow on phone with these sausage fingers lol

Edited November 29, 2012 by Haydn

[Gene-r]

Ernie Wheelwright, who recorded "In Your Arms" on Gaye, was an American footballer before he took over ownership of a nightclub and ended up rubbing shoulders with the Mafia.

[Roburt]

Sprinter Carl Lewis also made a record -- "Break It Up".

[Davenpete]

You gotta have Cheer Me Up by the Harlem Globetrotters - and sort of - Larry Wedgeworth - No More Games which was the promo song for the Boston Celtics.

Dx

[Garethx]

Thomas Hearns recorded a 45 with The Dramatics.

[Godzilla]

Maybe not quite a direct link, but Gil Scott Heron's dad, Gil Heron played football for Celtic FC

[clarky22]

jjohn conteh

THE BOXER/DANCE THE BOXER Release Date: 1/1/75

famous Liverpool boxer... and was the light-heavyweight champion of the world... Prior to that bout Paul and Linda had sent the 23-year-old fighter a telegram that read: "You made me Number One. Now YOU be Number One!"This was a reference to Conteh's appearance on the Band On The Run sleeve.

[Roburt]

In November 1951, Marie Knight cut a track in association with world boxing champ 'Jersey Joe' Walcott .......

................. mind you, I have never heard it so don't know if JJW sang on it or just talked.

[pikeys dog]

Arthur Lee Maye was a Baseball player .

https://www.electricearl.com/dws/ALmaye.html

[Guest Dave Turner]

Bobby Moore --- footballer

[Chalky]

Jackie Wilson (ex professional Boxer)

He was a boxer but only at golden gloves (amateur) level, not very good either if I remember rightly.

[Tony Smith]

Ernie Terrell, Jean Terrell's older brother and heavyweight boxer

and

"Smokiin;"Joe Frazier as well!

Forgot Jimmie Ellis was a bit handy too!

Edited November 29, 2012 by Tony Smith

[Guest Dave Turner]

Carl Weathers - pro US footballer

[Denbo]

He was a boxer but only at golden gloves (amateur) level, not very good either if I remember rightly.

I stand erected.

To be fair to myself, I think I'm correct in saying that he was on the verge of signing Pro papers but decided, at the very last minute, on a singing career instead.

[Chalky]

I stand erected.

To be fair to myself, I think I'm correct in saying that he was on the verge of signing Pro papers but decided, at the very last minute, on a singing career instead.

Read conflicting reports of his career, some say he won the golden gloves in Detroit, others say he didn't. However, justvlooked up his record and it was 2 and 8, dunno if that is 2 wins or 8 wins? Berry Gordy also laced the gloves on as well apparently. Remember Gilly telling the tale of James Lately giving Berry a good hiding at school, one reason he was never signed to Motown?

[Tfk]

Well his dad was and he could certainly sing!!!

Not sure if this counts but?

Gil Scott-Heron's father was the first black player at Celtic FC

ktf tfk

[Greg Belson]

Little Tiger or Lil' Tiger.....both names were used for each of his releases on Geodol.

aka Willie Jenkins, a semi-pro boxer from Monroe, Louisiana.

[Garethx]

There's a Sonny Liston single. Mentioned in passing in Nick Tosches' biography Night Train. Turned up on ebay from a Las Vegas seller in about 2006 and went for a reasonably large sum of money. I saved a scan of it at the time but seem to have lost it now.

Regarding the Golden Gloves: this is a strictly amateur tournament which a lot of no-hopers would have entered over the years, particularly in the days when professional boxing was seen as a realistic escape route from the dead end of the ghetto. Berry Gordy, Roy Hamilton and loads more future entertainers entered. It is several rungs beneath even the type of amateur level needed to qualify for any kind of international bout leading to, for example, Olympic qualification, so calling these people 'boxers' is a bit like equating regular karaoke performers with professional entertainers.

[Diddy Morgan]

just a stab in the dark this.... roy dawson-over the top..........this wasnt an ex nfl player making a song with a pun ........or just a vivid imagination!!

[Dave Pinch]

emile griffith the boxer and lillo thomas sprinter made records i believe

[pikeys dog]

Off topic posts deleted.

[Denbo]

Regarding the Golden Gloves: this is a strictly amateur tournament which a lot of no-hopers would have entered over the years, particularly in the days when professional boxing was seen as a realistic escape route from the dead end of the ghetto. Berry Gordy, Roy Hamilton and loads more future entertainers entered. It is several rungs beneath even the type of amateur level needed to qualify for any kind of international bout leading to, for example, Olympic qualification, so calling these people 'boxers' is a bit like equating regular karaoke performers with professional entertainers.

Hmmm? That's not what I remember reading. But hey, who's to say the author knew what he was talking about. And before you ask, I don't remember who the author was.

Edited November 30, 2012 by denbo

[Ian Parker]

BABE RUTH .................

someone had to

[KevH]

Justin Fashanu .............. it was his UK 12" that landed Roundelet Records (of Mansfield Woodhouse) their licensing deal with NY's Half Moon Records (Cliff Dawson, Eddie Hooper, Lou Thom, Rainbows Valley, etc)

Roundelet the punk label.In Mansfield.?

[Guest in town Mikey]

https://www.chicagodefender.com/index.php/entertainment/14894-former-nfl-player-drops-the-football-and-picks-up-the-mic

This guy, Marcus McClinton, played at Wembley a couple of years ago for the Patriots. Now he is trying to make his way singing in a Chicago Group called Harmonious Dynasty. I've not heard any of their stuff, but I do know there are a lot of Chicago collectors on here. Anyone know if they are any good?

[Garethx]

Hmmm? That's not what I remember reading. But hey, who's to say the author knew what he was talking about. And before you ask, I don't remember who the author was.

That's not to say that good fighters didn't also enter the Gloves tournaments. Even in the 70s and 80s future world champs like Michael Spinks, Thomas Hearns and Mike Tyson became National GG winners on the way to turning pro. My point is that in the early rounds it was possible for relatively untrained novices to also take part alongside the cream.

[Guest MBarrett]

Freddie Mack - Mr Superbad

https://en.wikipedia....iki/Freddy_Mack

Saw him live back in the 60's in one of the incarnations of the soul band that he fronted in that period.

They were another of those great British soul bands of that period - along the lines of the Ram Jam Band & Jimmy James & the Vagabonds.

But they also had a couple of gorgeous female backing singers/dancers.

Brilliant!!

Edited November 30, 2012 by MBarrett

[Roburt]

Roundelet the punk label.In Mansfield.?

Yep, the self same label.

They struck a deal with New York based Half Moon Records (958 Atlantic Ave Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238) and put out about a dozen soul 7" / 12" singles. Many of them found favour with UK MS fans & RSearling played a number of them when he had his soul show on Sheffield's Radio Hallam (1981). I visited the guys house to pick up a few copies of each of their soul releases. He wasn't long back from the Far East & had an Asian wife. He had no idea how to promote his soul releases, so I got him to send a copy of each to RS @ Radio Hallam. Richard spun them on his radio show & sales levels picked up instantly.

The only mistake he made was putting the same Rainbows Valley track on both sides of the UK 12" (voc + inst) instead of releasing the tuva side of the group's US single.

Edited November 30, 2012 by Roburt

[KevH]

Yep, the self same label.

They struck a deal with New York based Half Moon Records (958 Atlantic Ave Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238) and put out about a dozen soul 7" / 12" singles. Many of them found favour with UK MS fans & RSearling played a number of them when he had his soul show on Sheffield's Radio Hallam (1981). I visited the guys house to pick up a few copies of each of their soul releases. He wasn't long back from the Far East & had an Asian wife. He had no idea how to promote his soul releases, so I got him to send a copy of each to RS @ Radio Hallam. Richard spun them on his radio show & sales levels picked up instantly.

The only mistake he made was putting the same Rainbows Valley track on both sides of the UK 12" (voc + inst) instead of releasing the tuva side of the group's US single.

Dave Kettle? Or with the punk connection Bob White?.I seem to remember he had a recording studio for a while in Mansfield.

Edited November 30, 2012 by KevH

[Roburt]

Dave Kettle? Or with the punk connection Bob White?.I seem to remember he had a recording studio for a while in Mansfield.

Over 30 years ago now & the memory's faded. Can't recall his name but he was around 30 years old (& a nice guy).

His house was up a side street, straight off the main Worksop to Mansfield main road in Mansfield Woodhouse (Marples Ave).

[Simsy]

Johnny Mathis ...

Johnny Mathis was also a star athlete at George Washington High School in San Francisco. He was a high jumper and a hurdler.. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Mathis

[Paul R]

BABE RUTH .................

someone had to

Any attempt at humour not allowed apparently. Serious suggestions only

Paul