Jean Banks - Detroit Soul Singer - Need Info

[Robbk]

All the Detroit Soul experts whose comments I have seen on Jean Banks, know nothing about her, other than the facts that she had one single 45 released on Carmen Murphy's Soul Records in mid 1963, produced and nominally arranged by Dino Courreay (Mrs. Murphy's A&R man and chief producer during 1963).  In addition to her Soul 45, I seem to remember her name associated with an early to mid '60s Detroit girls group, and also seen her name on a few Detroit 45 credits.  But, unfortunately, I cannot remember the group name, nor the labels involved. 

I have sent e-mails to Louvain Demps and Ms. Banks' great grandson, Christian Parkman, asking if they can tell us something about Ms. Banks.  Meanwhile, I'm hoping that someone on this forum will ask any Detroit Soul performers or producers with whom they have contact (Lor Chandler, Clay MacMurray, Spyder Turner, Ronnie McNier, Frances Nero,etc.) if they knew her.  And, of course we welcome hearing what anyone on this forum knows about her, already.  I've already placed this query on Soulful Detroit Forum.

Here are the sides of her Soul 1001  45 release:

 

Edited May 31, 2017 by RobbK

[Rob Moss]

Frances Nero died in 2014.

[Premium Stuff]

"so-called Detroit Soul experts"? - But you seem to know little if anything yourself Robb - and you're a self-proclaimed "Detroit Soul expert" - Lack of tact will get you nowhere my friend 

[Robbk]

3 hours ago, Premium Stuff said:

"so-called Detroit Soul experts"? - But you seem to know little if anything yourself Robb - and you're a self-proclaimed "Detroit Soul expert" - Lack of tact will get you nowhere my friend 

Sorry, I should have left the "so-called ' portion out.  I was certainly including myself in the group of collectors/historians who know very little about her, and we are hoping there ARE some posters on this forum who DO know more about her, or who still have contact with Detroiters who were around in the '60s who might have known her.

[Robbk]

7 hours ago, Rob Moss said:

Frances Nero died in 2014.

Yes.  Now I remember reading the posts here about that.   It seems like only a few months ago.

[Premium Stuff]

8 hours ago, RobbK said:

Sorry, I should have left the "so-called ' portion out.  I was certainly including myself in the group of collectors/historians who know very little about her, and we are hoping there ARE some posters on this forum who DO know more about her, or who still have contact with Detroiters who were around in the '60s who might have known her.

Consider your leg well and truly pulled 

[Robbk]

6 hours ago, Premium Stuff said:

Consider your leg well and truly pulled 

Thanks.  And at my age, and with my recent laziness in my training, leg-pulling can cause serious injury!  

You'd think a professed comedy writer like me would have a sense of humour.  One of my most loved stories involved a dimwitted, uncouth, boor joining a "leg-pullers club".  They compete against their town's rival "practical jokers' club" seeing which team can cause the most chaos by fooling a high-level celebrity into embarrassing him or herself publicly.  They give points for successful outragious practical jokes, and a tally sheet of points for each leg-puller.  It was such a well-received story, that it not only got the usual publshing in Europe, but actually got published in USA as well (where I have had very little published).

[Robbk]

So far, no reply from Louvain or Parkman.  I hope they are just very busy now, and will reply eventually.

[Robbk]

Louvain did not remember any additional details about Jean Banks more than I did, and unfortunately, Banks' Grandson, Christian Parkman, never answered my message.