25 Years Ago -- US SOUL TRIP 1998

[Roburt]

As 25 years have passed since this event took place, thought I'd post up about it. The trip was planned via the net & an old (long gone) soul fan group that included Brits, Yanks & assorted others. It took quite a bit of planning, some negotiations with the airline agents (we initially talked with Virgin Atlantic who were planning to start a London - Vegas service but that proposal fell through), regular contact with Lou Ragland in Vegas (to organise a live show / venue there), lots of work by Nancy Yahiro (re the live show in LA & coach booking to get us there), much input from Bernie O'Brien and lots of help / encouragement from Greg Tormo.

It all came off, albeit with a few hitches along the way ... but I believe everyone involved had a great time.   

I documented events as we went along (much to the annoyance of my wife, who's sleep patterns were interrupted by my nightly scribblings) and had it published in SKM (#34) on our return. I didn't return to the UK straight away. We visited our son & his wife in Hoboken on leaving Vegas. That gave Greg T the chance to take me along to a NT record fair, while again was most enjoyable.  Enough waffle, here are the details of the trip ... glad I documented it at the time as down the 25 years, much of the detail has slipped from my memory ...

Edited August 31, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

I put all the above in at a decent resolution, no idea (apart from downloading them) how to view them full size ...

Here's an extract from page 1 ... same resolution ... 

[Roburt]

Some pics to go with the text ...

[Roburt]

Some more pics ... mostly from the LA show ... 

[Roburt]

Yet more pics (just scans of old photo prints, so not the greatest quality reproductions ...

[Goldsoul]

This was not the first official SoultripUSA. The one described above did not trade as such. The poster headlines his topic Soultripusa, that brand is one created by us! The first time that  was used to describe the series was 2004 in Los Angeles..   350 Attended followed by more in New Jersey/Philadelphia then Chicago/Detroit, followed by Orlando/Miami concluding in Las Vegas 2018. 
The events were promoted by Goldsoul in conjunction with specialists Travelbag. 
Over 500 artists, producers, songwriters were attracted with more than 60 Live performances.  

Edited August 31, 2023 by Goldsoul

[Roburt]

And yet more ... 

[Roburt]

The Inciters, who backed up Brenda Holloway at the LA show, are still around (though no doubt with an evolved line-up).

In fact, this weekend they are doing a show with Ruby Andrews ... 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Roburt

[Rob1159]

I remember the soul nights we used to do at the Foothill on Cherry Ave in Long Beach, Gabby my mate used to organize all the soul nights around LA, think we started off first at some place in East LA, moved all over the LA and the Valley area over the years starting around the mid 90s to early 2000s, after Kev's do here in LA in 2004 we really didn't continue on with any more local soul events here in LA which was a shame. Gabby is still out there finding records; I haven't opened my record boxes in the past 20 plus years. Not even sure if there are any Northern soul events around LA anymore, there used to be quite a good crowd 20 plus years ago. 

[Neil Austin]

On 31/08/2023 at 02:04, Roburt said:

Some more pics ... mostly from the LA show ... 

Looks brilliant  

Just now, Neil Austin said:

Looks brilliant  

Bet you had a great time , wow 

[Roburt]

3 hours ago, Neil Austin said:

Looks brilliant  

Bet you had a great time , wow 

We did have a great time. Got in trouble with the wife though as she was hoping for at least a couple of nights when I would take just her to a decent restaurant. As it was, the other soulies kept saying ... you know XXXX, get in touch & see if he's  / his group is doing a show. If so, you can take us along !!! So that's what kept happening, instead of a quiet meal for two. PLUS, I kept getting in trouble for writing out the days events after we'd returned to the hotel each night, had to do my scribblings in the room's bathroom in the end, so the light would be off in the bed area.

Met some great folk on the trip & made a few friends for life. Best Brit guys among the throng; Bernie O'Brien who helped organise things, Dave 'Snapper' Needham (his illness had kicked in & he kept saying I'll slow you all down, coz I'm feeling weak, but ne never did. The other lads played tricks on him though; at the Motown Cafe he bought loads of stuff ... returned to show us it all .. another lad said ... did you get the Brit's discount (there wasn't one) & off he went back into their shop to claim a refund. The Motown Cafe was struggling a bit (numbers wise), so when I'd made contact with them to say a whole bunch of Brits will be in next week, they laid out the red carpet. We got an extensive backstage tour, were introduced to the places male & female groups and then allowed up on stage with them (as dancers / backing singers). Donny's own John Phillips (& Carol) were also fine folk.

One of the other top guys was Glen Hunter (Macce Lad .. R.I.P.) ... we had arranged for tickets in the front row for the Isley Bros show. Angela Winbush was with an Isley at the time & also performing on the show. On a romantic number, she crouched down on the edge of the stage, took Glen's hand & sang the whole song to him. Needless to say, next morning I had to take him to the nearest CD shop so he could buy a copy of her album. Glen was also a massive Star Trek fan, so he sneaked off one day to go to the Star Trek Experience @ the Hilton Hotel. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

Way Out's Joan Bias also sang for us @ our Vegas soul nite (Lou looked her up; she was living in a trailer park outside Vegas) ...