Which Was First Ambitions Or Executive Suite

[Dave Thorley]

So who can tell me which was released first the Ambitions on Firefly, slightly more uptempo version or the Executive Suite on Babylon. Great record and two good versions.

[boba]

So who can tell me which was released first the Ambitions on Firefly, slightly more uptempo version or the Executive Suite on Babylon. Great record and two good versions.

I think the executive suite version was first. It was the hit version. I always assumed the amibtions was a cover. I also think the ambitions are not a philly group but I could be wrong. Soul harmony singles book lists both records as 1974 but I think it lists the executive suite as 1/1974

[Dave Thorley]

I think the executive suite version was first. It was the hit version. I always assumed the amibtions was a cover. I also think the ambitions are not a philly group but I could be wrong. Soul harmony singles book lists both records as 1974 but I think it lists the executive suite as 1/1974

Hi Mate

Thanks for that.

I think The Ambitions are from New Jersey, as were Executive Suite, Camden, New Jersey. But as you know lots of lower New Jersey groups get given the Philly tag, as they are just the other side of the river. Funny the Ambitions version sound earlier.

[Dave Thorley]

Just found this nice biog on the Executive Suite. Didn't now that they were The Millionairs. Unfornunatly leaves me non the wise about The Ambitions.

The Philly Sound Via Camden, NJ

The lead vocalist of Executive Suite was Vince Unto who recently got in touch with DiscoMusic.com to discuss his music career. While he is now living in California, Vince was born in the Philadelphia suburb of Camden, New Jersey on August 24th, 1949 of German and Filipino extract. The Philly sound had a profound effect on Vince with him wanting to learn to play the drums and later the trumpet. Things really took off when he joined the glee club during junior high and realized he liked to sing. Vince explains, "I got more interested in singing I guess because one of my sisters played all this Motown music, The Impressions, Curtis Mayfield. That kind of music really grabbed me. Also groups like The Drifters with "Stand By Me" and "There Goes My Baby," which was stuff they were playing on WIBG. Groups like the Flamingos-all them nice harmonies and smooth tenors. That really influenced me. I just kept trying and trying and I started imitating people and that�s how I actually learned how to sing." Vince goes on to say that he used to do a great Smokey Robinson and Curtis Mayfield imitation.

Vince Unto would later join a high school band called the Italics consisting of eleven members. Vince describes the Italics sound as being, "So tight. We rehearsed everyday." The Italics would do shows in and around the Philadelphia area and it was during one of these shows that Gamble and Huff took notice. In 1968 when Vince Unto graduated, the group split up with one of the singers, Jimmy Williams, picking up the bass and using Winnie Whinfield as his role model. Williams went on to play with the O'Jays and appeared on countless Philly productions. Whinfield was the bass player for Kenny Gamble and the Romeos. According to Vince, "We were influenced a lot by Kenny Gamble and the Romeos because they took us under their wings since they saw talent in this group (The Italics). I guess that if we had stayed together we would have ended up being one of their first groups other than the Intruders."

From High School To Millionaires

It is Jimmy Williams who in 1969 connected Vince with a group of guys who would become the Millionaires. The Millionaires consisted of Henry Tuton, Charles Coniers, Billy Tyler and Vince Unto. One of the members had a brother who was with another group called The Ebonies-and they too were connected with Gamble and Huff. When asked if the Millionaires had any hits Vince replies, "No, we were doing nightclubs in Philadelphia when a guy named Sherman Marshall, who was connected to Johnny Madera and Harry Chippetz of Sigma Sound, told us to come on over to the Shubert Theatre. We did and we got to meet Johnny Madera and Harry Chippetz and we sang and signed a recording contract!" Sherman was also Barbara Ingram's (one of the Sweethearts of Sigma) boyfriend.

The Shubert was home to many others such as Bobby Eli who was the guitarist of the Vibrations and Daryl Hall who was a song writer for a group called Hall Oates (not Hall and Oates as it would later become).

Millionaires Become Executives

Bobby Eli and Daryl Hall appreciated the new talent so much that they each would write a song for Vince and the group. It is in fact Daryl Hall who insisted that The Millionaires change their names to Executive Suite. Once The Millionaires became Executive Suite, Bobby Eli wrote a song for them called, "I'm A Winner Now," which was released on the Jubilee label and garnered some airplay, but promptly disappeared due to some interference. Vince recalls, "Gamble and Huff had it banned from the air. I don't know what exactly happened between Gamble & Huff and Johnny Madera, but there was some problem between them. We did get played for about a week, but because of that it didn't go anywhere."

Around 1970-71 Executive Suite would have a ballad written for them called "Christine" by Daryl Hall, which later appeared in a Hall and Oates album. It was along the lines of The Delfonics or Stylistics in sound. On the day that the song was to be recorded, fellow band member Billy Tyler couldn�t leave work on time so Daryl Hall sang natural tenor along with Vince Unto doing high tenor on the track. The song received a little airplay, but not much.

When the Fuel Runs Out

"Your Love Is Paradise" was written by Bunny Sigler and came very close to hitting it very big since it was popular in regional markets such as Chicago and Detroit. Nonetheless, it wasn't until 1973 when Executive Suite would have their claim to fame, the classic song called "When the Fuel Runs Out" written by the premiere team of Norman Harris, Alan Felder and Bunny Sigler. This was released on Babylon Records out of New York in the US and Cloud Nine Records in the UK.

The interesting part is when Vince explains, "I didn�t really want to sing that song because it was actually written for Henry Tuton who had more of a Teddy Pendergrass type of voice. When we got into the studio Henry just could not sing it the way they wanted him to. Bunny Sigler came in and said, 'sing this song cause we're running out of time.' I didn't feel as though I was prepared since I didn't rehearse well enough to sing it. At the time I never expected to sing that type of a song. To tell you the truth, I didn't like Disco. I always felt I was a guy who could do ballads. "

The next single, which also was Disco oriented, was entitled, "You Believed In Me" on Polydor Records and produced by Scribbles who also arranged the song with Patrick Adams of P & P Records and Musique fame. Vince doesn't recall much else from this session. This is the last song that Vince sang on for Executive Suite. Vince finally left the group in 1976 to pursue a regular line of work since he claims they weren't making any money despite all the hard work and he needed to support a wife and two children.

Vince got a job in construction, but did sing part-time with a Philly group called the Intrigues and later did backup with a singer called David Simmons who then changed his name to Abu Bakar. The group that was with Simmons/Bakar became known as the Neo Experience and one of the female singers according to Vince sounded like Chaka Khan and she went on to front the Ritchie Family. Her name was Vera Brown.

Stevie Wonder

In 1982 Vince Unto was offered a chance to work with a group that would be produced by Stevie Wonder. The group was called Myx, but things never materialized and in due time Vince ended up staying in California and worked in construction. "MYX" did perform background vocals on Neil Diamond's album "Headed For the Future" along with Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock on the song "Lost In Hollywood" and Vince appeared in the Stevie Wonder video "Overjoyed." Currently, Vince still resides in California working a normal 9-5 and is happy with his participation in the 1970s Disco music scene. Big thanks to Vince for getting in touch with DiscoMusic.com and taking time to speak on the phone about his music career.

The End

Edited December 4, 2008 by Dave Thorley

[boba]

Hi Mate

Thanks for that.

I think The Ambitions are from New Jersey, as were Executive Suite, Camden, New Jersey. But as you know lots of lower New Jersey groups get given the Philly tag, as they are just the other side of the river. Funny the Ambitions version sound earlier.

it's not just philly sounding, though, it's written and produced by philly people though ... obviously the same is true for executive suite. I'm sure you know this, I'm just noting it.

[Sunnysoul]

Just found this nice biog on the Executive Suite. Didn't now that they were The Millionairs. Unfornunatly leaves me non the wise about The Ambitions.

Dave,

The Millionaires to which you refer to are not the same group as The Millionaires of Philips (Never For Me) and Speciality (And the Rains Came) fame (and who were all Afro-American).

[Cheltsoulnights]

New one to me

Like it lots

Anyone got a spare etc

PM me

Thanks in advance

[Steve Edgar]

Just found this nice biog on the Executive Suite. Didn't now that they were The Millionairs. Unfornunatly leaves me non the wise about The Ambitions.

interesting info Dave, thanx for posting,

Always thought the Jubilee outfit was a different group and an early colaboration of Hall and Oates after Temptones and The Masters. and didnt know "Im A Winner Now" came out on Jubilee before North Bay. An interesting write up as I say.

just a pedantic note... the UK release label was Cloud One, not Cloud Nine as the biog states.

steve