Carol Anderson....What Happened ?

[Blackpoolsoul]

Please let me say sorry if this story has been covered and perhaps someone will direct me to any previous thread

No doubt a lot of us have danced to or owned a copy of "Sad Girl" at some stage and of course Carol made a number of classy recordings

I have noted her passing in 1984 and have tried to find out more about her and her family

They ran Mid-Town records

I spotted some comments on Amazon that were made about her family and it appears something happened including her mother Essie

"Reading the liner notes took me back down memory lane. My family owned a record store next door to a boutique the Anderson's opened in 1979 or '80 on Jefferson Avenue on the east side of Detroit, Essie's Boutique. It was located in a block long stretch of black owned businesses who were all doing well. They were like royalty pulling up every day well dressed in a long gray Lincoln Continental, driven by Carol's brother George, with her mother Essie as the matriarch. Cheryl, Carol's daughter, completed the quartet. I was a preteen and friends with Cheryl, who at that time was a regular on The Scene, a locally produced and televised dance show. A poor man's Soul Train if you will. The family was tight knit and respectful. They were always together. Always. So I found the comment of Cheryl being a "wild child" in the liner notes a little off-putting. I'm not sure where that came from but I knew her, and she was anything but that. She once shared with me that Carol was not her real mother. If that was the case then it would certainly explain why she was never heard from again after Essie's and Carol's unfortunate deaths. In any event, I appreciate that the author put together this incredible CD. Carol may not have hit the big one in the music industry, but she touched many people. Anyone who can say that had a good life."

This "looks" like a sad story (perhaps Ironic too with the title of her most famous record) and I would like, hopefully, for help in finding out what happened please.

 

Edited May 26, 2019 by Blackpoolsoul
Typo

[Chalky]

Great photo of the lady that John Anderson posted on facebook at one time...

[Windlesoul]

There’s a live / sync’d version of her singing Sad Girl maybe from Soultrain / similar on youtube 

. Had a quick look but been removed now since I last watched it. 

Edited May 26, 2019 by Windlesoul

[Chalky]

@Venus I think posted the video, maybe she can help.  Carol's daughter was on backing.

[Joesoap]

Why do we need to know what happened in her family? Feels rather creepy and intrusive and nothing to do with us.

 

[Blackpoolsoul]

6 hours ago, JoeSoap said:

Why do we need to know what happened in her family? Feels rather creepy and intrusive and nothing to do with us.

 

That's an interesting point, more bothered to know about Carol and her life (which would be connected I guess to her family), I believe they call it a bio , surely most folks would "like", if they knew, her story, like other artists.

Edited May 29, 2019 by Blackpoolsoul

[Joesoap]

Personally, I feel it is not really relevant. If there is some story of wider interest that will bring her records to wider attention then go for it. Otherwise it sounds like an intrusive and pointless project.

[Mickey Finn]

Dave Welding wrote extensive notes for the cd collection on Grapevine released in 2004. A few copies of this are still available, cheaper than a new 7.

Carol's family is particularly relevant due to her mother's key role as financial backer, music publisher and record company owner (Mid Town). According to Dave's liner notes tragedy struck in 1983 when Carol's mother died of cancer on Christmas Day. Carol herself died of cancer a few months later. Her brother George, a photographer by profession and also a financial backer of Carol's career, died later of the same disease.

It was Al Perkins who teamed up Carol with Ernest Kelley, following some heavy lobbying from Carol's mother Essie. Kelley was the owner of the Soul O Sonic label which released a few singles on Carol. Pat Lewis was a long standing family friend, and Carol was the godmother of both Pat's sons.

Perhaps Dave would have more info but it's worth digging out the cd for the unedited version.

[Blackpoolsoul]

28 minutes ago, Mickey Finn said:

Dave Welding wrote extensive notes for the cd collection on Grapevine released in 2004. A few copies of this are still available, cheaper than a new 7.

Carol's family is particularly relevant due to her mother's key role as financial backer, music publisher and record company owner (Mid Town). According to Dave's liner notes tragedy struck in 1983 when Carol's mother died of cancer on Christmas Day. Carol herself died of cancer a few months later. Her brother George, a photographer by profession and also a financial backer of Carol's career, died later of the same disease.

It was Al Perkins who teamed up Carol with Ernest Kelley, following some heavy lobbying from Carol's mother Essie. Kelley was the owner of the Soul O Sonic label which released a few singles on Carol. Pat Lewis was a long standing family friend, and Carol was the godmother of both Pat's sons.

Perhaps Dave would have more info but it's worth digging out the cd for the unedited version.

Thanks so much for that and what a "Sad" story it turned out to be, was Ernest Kelly (if you know) the same Ernest Kelly who owned Lake records (I think he was from Carolina so I might have the wrong guy)

I knew of the 2 releases on Mid-Town, interestingly (I think) was this release as well (completely off-tangent)

Edited June 5, 2019 by Blackpoolsoul
Updated

[Chalky]

This topic made me go and dig the cd out only to find I didn’t have it.  I ordered one for about £7. Not read the notes yet but it is an excellent compilation of Carol’s work. 

[Mickey Finn]

48 minutes ago, Blackpoolsoul said:

Thanks so much for that and what a "Sad" story it turned out to be, was Ernest Kelly (if you know) the same Ernest Kelly who owned Lake records (I think he was from Carolina so I might have the wrong guy)

I knew of the 2 releases on Mid-Town, interestingly (I think) was this release as well (completely off-tangent)

According to his bio on Discogs, this is indeed the same Ernest Kelley as owned Lake Records. He moved to Detroit from NY in 1968 to work with Motown for 4 years. He stayed in Detroit when Motown upped sticks and his Soul O Sonic label was issuing output in 1973/4. Apart from Carol's 2 singles, this one above by Ruby seems to be the only other release on Mid Town. The producer is Carol's brother and the Garling Publishing Company was owned by mother Essie.

For more info on Ernest Kelley, Dave Welding is once again your man, as he wrote the liner notes to this Grapevine comp, also cheaper than a new 7:

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Mickey Finn

[Guest Tee]

This story has a lot of false information. Cheryl Is Carols daughter. She left traumatized because she had just lost the two most important people in her life her mom and grandma within three months. She was a teenager at the time. She’s still alive and well. Essie died from diabetes and George didn’t die from cancer. 

[Blackpoolsoul]

7 hours ago, Tee said:

This story has a lot of false information. Cheryl Is Carols daughter. She left traumatized because she had just lost the two most important people in her life her mom and grandma within three months. She was a teenager at the time. She’s still alive and well. Essie died from diabetes and George didn’t die from cancer. 

I guess stories do get miswritten over the years and thanks for letting us know