Johnny Earl - Motown track from the vaults

[Owd Codger]

On the recently issued "More Motown Guys" CD, a track by "Johnny Earl" titles"Stop and think about love" is featured. It's noted as an "Audition", but it sounds too polished for an "Audition" to me. I thought it might be Tommy Good ( maybe forgotten/mislaid   ...possibly an attempt to try again at Motown , with only one flop 45 issued. ("Baby I miss you".) It sounds very similar to Tommy IMO.

Compiler Paul Nixon has since contacted Tommy Good, who confirms that the track is NOT him.

Does anybody know of any "Johnny Earl" around 1966 who might have "Auditioned" for Motown?

 

[Owd Codger]

I Hope this works 

 

 

 

Edited April 6 by Source Team
mp3 dropped as per terms of use

[Robbk]

Can someone tell me where I can hear at least a snippet of The Johnny Earl song? Maybe I'll be able to identify the voice. And yes, there were tapes and acetates of "tryout sessions". That's likely what the Skip Cunningham recordingis. I doubt that he had ever been given a Motown Records singing artist contract.  I'd love to hear "We Call It Fun" by The Hit Pack, as well.

I WILL get a copy of the entire CD, but, until I get it, i'd like to hear snippets of all its songs

[Mike]

3 minutes ago, Robbk said:

Can someone tell me where I can hear at least a snippet of The Johnny Earl song? Maybe I'll be able to identify the voice. And yes, there were tapes and acetates of "tryout sessions". That's likely what the Skip Cunningham recordingis. I doubt that he had ever been given a Motown Records singing artist contract.  I'd love to hear "We Call It Fun" by The Hit Pack, as well.

I WILL get a copy of the entire CD, but, until I get it, i'd like to hear snippets of all its songs

the mp3 dropped earlier appeared to a full mp3 rip

 

kent/ace have clips of most of their releases on their site

you can find it here

https://www.acerecords.co.uk/hit-run-more-motown-guys

 

[Chalky]

Should be able to copy the link at Ace..

https://www.acerecords.co.uk/docs/CDTOP_531/CDTOP_531-1-5.mp3

[Robbk]

Thanks! I listened to the Johnny Earl cut.  He is DEFINITELY  NOT Tommy Good.  I can't imagine why a poster would think this singer was Tommy.  The 2 voices sound NOTHING like each other.  I'd like to listen to the "Other" Motown cut by a Johnny Earl, who a poster has heard is NOT the same Motown "Johnny Earl" as sang on this CD.  Why would they have 2 different Johnny Earls recording for them within only a few years of each other, and not insist that they differentiate their names in some way???  That doesn't make sense.  That occurring with songwriting credits (2 different Frank Wilsons at the same time) is bad enough (should have made one or both use a middle name initial); but for a singer, they should have insisted on having the 2nd (later - signed) singer, use a middle initial. 

I didn't like most of the songs on the snippets.  To my taste, the unreleased material is getting into the dregs now.  No spectacular find on this one.  It was interesting to hear Marv Johnson sing in his normal (non-falsetto) voice.  I have now heard a Serenaders' song I don't like (first one out of 20+ from 1957 to now).  The version of "Baby Hit and Run" sounds like Billy Gordon's put on (not natural) gravelly voice.  I assume it must have been an unused first take, as the other take I've heard with him on lead was much better, although I like William Weatherspoon's version best (even better than Dennis Edwards' (although all 3 are good, and much better than this one).  I was also verey disappointed in Jimmy Ruffin's version of "I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love Again", which I had hoped would be much better, like The Fantastic Four's version, which is my favourite song by them.

 

Edited Thursday at 06:17 by Robbk

[Owd Codger]

Robb

I was the poster who suggested that the Johnny Earl track MIGHT be Tommy Good.

I thought it sounded like him  and the name " Johnny Earl" , who apparently had an audition at Motown, failed, and then was never heard of again, seemed unlikely to me.

I then thought that the track may have been overlooked, mislaid etc. Possibly, somebody at Motown applied a ficticous name to it.

Alternatively, I thought  that it could  have been an attempt to re-brand Tommy Good  , but the plan was shelved.

I now accept that these ideas were incorrect, and Johhny Earl remains an unknown artist who recorded this track.

There is no suggestion that there are 2 Johnny Earls in relation to Motown.Another poster found a 1960 Rock and Roll 45 on Johnny Earl, and suggested it was him, which I very much doubt.