Ruth McFadden

[Roburt]

Did a search on here & it seems that little (or nothing) has been posted about this lady on the site. She was heavily involved in the music biz for around 20 years so this seems strange to me. She cut for a number of good labels; Old Town, Capitol, Duke / Peacock, Huff Puff, Gamble, etc. and her early studio work is loved by doo-wop fans as she was backed up on her sessions by outfits such as the Harptones & Royaltones (both in 1955). She then went on the cut for Capitol ("Stop Playing That Song") and by the late 60's was cutting in Philly with Gamble & Huff. She played many high profile live shows right through to the 70's and stayed with Gamble & Huff for at least 4 years ("Ghetto Woman" escaping in 1972).  Anyone here know much more about her life / career ?? ...........

[Roburt]

Ruth cut  "Darling Listen To The Words Of This Song” (Old Town45 n 1956: see above) with a group called the Supremes and I believe she also recorded with the Moonglows in that period. I believe she also cut for Apt and Recona. "It Could Be Sweet Again" was recorded in New York. When she was signed to Duke / Peacock, her 45’s escaped on Sure Shot ("Do It up Right", "I'll Cry"). . Bobby Eli recalls working on her Huff Puff / Gamble sides. He said that Ruth was the artist involved on the very first series of sessions Gamble / Huff ran at Sigma, in August of 1968 when she cut “Rover, Rover”. The studio version of her later Gamble outing “Ghetto Woman” ran over 6 minutes in length. She always played lots of benefit shows due to personal family reasons. She did a bit of TV as well, appearing on the 'Merv Griffin Show' & lots of televised benefits. She did a big televised show in New Jersey in 1969 and another in Wilmington, NC in March 72. She was still performing (though only locally in the NY area) in 2004. Not sure of her current status / whereabouts.

 

Edited February 26, 2016 by Roburt

[Roburt]

BTW, the publicity for her 1972 show (shown on WWAY TV in Wilmington) stated that she had started (!?!?!) recording. I guess she didn't want the people interviewing her to know she had actually been recording for 17 years even back then.

[Roburt]

Her Recona track "It Could Be Sweet Again" was released in May 64 and this cut was originally the B side of the single. It seems to have been I.P.G. related (weren't some early Motown linked tracks put out by this outfit ?) ..........

 

Edited February 26, 2016 by Roburt

[The Yank]

I've never heard about Ruth recording with the Moonglows- I know she worked with the Solitaires on Old Town.

[Roburt]

Ruth was touring in 1960 on a bill topped by Jackie Wilson. She played the Regal Theatre in Chicago in June that year ......

 

[Roburt]

A 1972 chart .........

 

[Roburt]

A bit more info on Ruth's work with Karl Holmes & the Commanders in 1966/67 ......

In July 66, Ruth + Karl Holmes & the Commanders undertook a big gig in Paris. By all accounts, Ruth was knocking audiences out with her performances. After Paris, the ensemble headed off to Italy for additional gigs. They were packing them in @ Club Bussola di Bernardini near Viareggio where Ruth was the darling of the Italian Riviera at the time. In 1967, the ensemble were back in the US and jumping between regular bookings at the Cheetah Clubs in New York & Chicago.

It seems that Karl & the guys had an EP released (by Barclays) in France after their gigs (with Ruth) in the country -- I don't believe Ruth appeared on any of the tracks on the record though .....

[Roburt]

Karl Holmes French EP cover  (a Barclays label release) .......

 

[Roburt]

A picture of Ruth fronting Carl Holmes & the Commanders (around 67) .....

 

Edited March 3, 2016 by Roburt

[Roburt]

So Ruth was playing live gigs with Karl Holmes & the Commanders at the time that she was signed to Gamble (Huff Puff) and the group were signed to Verve (after Karl & the guys had been with Cameo Parkway). No wonder they never recorded together.

Were the tracks included on the French EP (see above) released on Parkway in the US ??   .... OR ..... was the deal to cut & release those 4 tracks a 'France only' thing (were the tracks recorded in France) ?

 

Edited March 3, 2016 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Another Carl Holmes French EP release ....... he has one cut (Mashed Potatoes) on this Atlantic VA release from 62 .........

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Ruth + Carl Holmes & the Commanders played repeated gigs @ the New York Cheetah Club in 67 ...........

... above is footage of the Fania guys playing the venue in 1971. 

 

[Roburt]

Cheetah's was a famous discotheque located in Manhattan, New York. The place opened on May 28, 1966 and closed in the 1970s. The club was located on Broadway @ 53rd St. It is said to have been (at that time) the most elaborate of discotheques; where three thousand colored light bulbs dimmed, flickered and popped into an infinity of patterns all reflecting off shiny aluminum surfaces. Cheetahs held two thousand people and offered not only dancing but a library, a movie room, and colour TV. The musical Hair was first performed at Cheetahs before becoming a major production on Broadway. In addition, the Cheetah Club is widely cited as the birthplace of salsa music (the style of pan-Latin music being created in NY back then). On August 26, 1971, the Fania All-Stars headlined the club and drew an overflowing crowd that was later captured on film as 'Our Latin Thing'.

Broadway @ 53rd St is just south of Central Pk and very close to where Charles & Beau Huggins based their Hush & Orpheous Productions set up around 2000 when I visited their premises to chat with the guys. If I'd known the site of Cheetahs was just yards away, I'd have gone looking for the building. Today the Broadway Theatre stands here but so do 2 giant skyscraper office blocks, so perhaps the original building has been demolished.

Back in 1967, the live residency at the Cheetah Club was held by Ruth McFadden + Karl Holmes & the Commanders.

With the 2pm opening time on Sundays, looks like they were holding soul alldayers there as early as 1967 (just when I attended my first soul alldayer  -- King Mojo Club: 16th July 67: Drifters (really Invitations I think) ... those were the days my friend, I thought they'd never end... ). 

Edited March 10, 2016 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Another ad for Cheetahs when Ruth was appearing there (October 67) ..........

.... Sunday matinee sessions didn't kick off till 4pm by October ...........

 

Edited March 14, 2016 by Roburt