Ben Crosby interview - nightclub owner in Detroit

[G F]

I've just uploaded on YouTube an interview with Ben, who opened a couple of nightclubs in Detroit...

 

 

[Tom Creeden]

hi graham, another good insight into detroit music  -- also did you ever find anything about  darlene huff ?  i remember you asked on soulful site many years ago   hopefully youll get round to doing more  files please   tom

[G F]

I've not found any 45s by her but maybe she sang background. She also performed at the Chit Chat.

She certainly looked the part. 

[Robbk]

On 11/12/2024 at 03:17, Tom Creeden said:

hi graham, another good insight into detroit music  -- also did you ever find anything about  darlene huff ?  i remember you asked on soulful site many years ago   hopefully youll get round to doing more  files please   tom

The name Darlene Huff is definitely a name I've seen several times,  and it rings a bell that it was connected to Detroit.  And I think I saw it on records, too (but maybe just a writing credit?)  I can't remember any solo records by her offhand. Maybe I saw her name listed as a group member? 

Edited December 14 by Robbk

[Mike]

6 hours ago, Robbk said:

The name Darlene Huff is definitely a name I've seen several times,  and it rings a bell that it was connected to Detroit.  And I think I saw it on records, too (but maybe just a writing credit?)  I can't remember any solo records by her offhand. Maybe I saw her name listed as a group member? 

There's a photo of a Darlene Huff performing here

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/african-american-composer-pianist-bandleader-and-jazz-news-photo/513565381

African-American composer, pianist, bandleader and Jazz musician Duke Ellington, Tony Watkins and Darlene Huff singing on stage, Washington DC, July 21, 1969. (Photo by Afro American Newspapers/Gado/Getty Images)

which leads to 

Darlene Huff – had a short stay with Ellington, from mid June thru July 1969. In the discographies she is mentioned only once with a performance of “Solitude” on 21st July 1969 from a so called “dance date”. However, this recording was never released. Otherwise nothing is known to us about this vocalist.

https://ellingtongalaxy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/dess_2011-4_bulletin.pdf

[G F]

9 hours ago, Robbk said:

The name Darlene Huff is definitely a name I've seen several times,  and it rings a bell that it was connected to Detroit.  And I think I saw it on records, too (but maybe just a writing credit?)  I can't remember any solo records by her offhand. Maybe I saw her name listed as a group member? 

I'm not sure if I have posted this clipping here before. It's from 1967... 

Edited December 14 by G F
typo

[G F]

55 minutes ago, Mike said:

There's a photo of a Darlene Huff performing here...

Thanks for that.

She was singing for a while, as this gig at the Peter Pan Lounge with Jimmy 'Soul' Clark was in August 1967. 

 

55 minutes ago, Mike said:

There's a photo of a Darlene Huff performing here...

Thanks for that.

She was singing for a while, as this gig at the Peter Pan Lounge with Jimmy 'Soul' Clark was in August 1967. 

 

[G F]

The photo of Darlene Huff is one of a few I have of her that were taken at the same gig. Also appearing that night were Shorty Long, Johnnie Mae Matthews and Ortheia Barnes.

I got the photos from an old photographer - they were up in his attic with loads of wedding snaps etc.  The envelope they were in is marked 'Blues' and also has her name written on. This may mean they were taken at a club called Blues Unlimited, which was at 11003 Kercheval - further up from Ben's High Chaparral.