Heikki

Hi Tommy! Nice to hear from you... and from Oslo! It would be quite a task to scan all those pages. Altogether the articles would make a small book, because there are interviews of all the members, who ever were part of the group. Arto Ahonen is now in charge of all the printed issues we have left. Please email him - arto.ahonen@dnainternet.net - and ask about the four Dramatics issues plus two updates. I'm glad that you're interested in the Dramatics. Best regards Heikki

Of the album, The Dramatic Experience, Ron Banks: "In the streets they loved those songs, and that's what made the album sell. Lyric content was on time for the kids in the street. Even the ones, who used drugs, liked the songs ( - -). Tony Hester was genius with the lyrics. It was hard-core, but it was straight to the point. // Willie Ford: "I think the whole album was dedicated to the drug problem, including the songs 'Beautiful People' and 'Get Off My Mountain.'" // Don Davis: "Drugs and booze and death. When I met him, he was a very clean-cut guy, very meticulous, had a style of playing, a gifted lyric, but got drugs in his life, and from '71-'72 on, it was a constant fight with drugs." // L.J. Reynolds: "All that album was Tony. That was Tony Hester talking through that album." // Lenny Mayes: "In my opinion Tony Hester was a genius. When he passed away, it was a great loss - not only to the Dramatics, but to the music world. Period. He really made you feel nice and relaxed, when you went into the studio to record with him." Larry Demps: "I think the album was his cry for help." (Soul Express, from the 4-part Dramatics Story; part 2 - 1970-74)

My review of this informative book: Deep Soul July 2021 | Soul Express

Carlton's complete bio in his own words: Carlton J. Smith Interview 2018 Best regards Heikki

I had the pleasure of interviewing her a few years ago: https://www.soulexpress.net/mittycollier_part1.htm Best regards Heikki

Hi! Please find my interview with the members a few years ago: https://www.soulexpress.net/masqueraders_story.htm R.I.P. David. Best regards Heikki

R.I.P. Bobby! A short bio (until 2004, my first interview with him) - https://www.soulexpress.net/bobbyjonz.htm Best regards Heikki

Hi! Please find my feature on Willie's career upo to 2015 here. I've updated it yearly later. https://www.soulexpress.net/williewalker_interview.htm He was a kind person, ans I miss him much. Best regards Heikki

Hi! Already as many as six albums under her belt, she's a beautiful and talented lady: https://www.soulexpress.net/lacee_interview.htm Best regards Heikki

Hi! Please read my interview with this talented Memphis soul & blues singer with a recording career spanning over 25 years: https://www.soulexpress.net/bookerbrown_interview.htm Best regards Heikki

Hi! George Curtis talks about the new Ace retrospective CD by the Spinners, "While the City Sleeps", and I've also added earlier comments on those songs from the other members of the group, at https://www.soulexpress.net/spinners_whilethecitysleeps.htm Best regards Heikki

A new link: https://www.soulexpress.net/terrieodabi_interview.htm

Sorry, we had a server problem, but it should be solved now.

Hi! I try again: https://www.soulexpress.net/terrieodabi.htm Heikki

The terrific Terrie is featured at https://www.soulexpress.net/terrieodabi.htm Best regards Heikki

... and then Mickey McGill's: Actor Michael Wright & Marvin Junior became good friends ..... Just ask Michael, because he's real, and will tell the truth about The 5 Heartbeats themightydells3 päivää sitten Really? The Making of The 5 Heartbeats, and omitting THE DELLS, who's life story was the SCRIPT for this great movie. Well it's a little late for that Robert Townsend, because the Genie is already 'Out of the Jug' and Everyone knows that The Mighty Dells were the Template for this movie. Maybe You should review, some of the Award Shows, where you presented The Dells with Awards for The 5 Heartbeats. Maybe you should tell The World, how The Dells performed "Oh What A Nite" and "Stay In My Corner" in the Movie, that you left on the Cutting Room Floor. Maybe you should stop lying. Lisätietoja ............................ VASTAA

Hi! To make it easier, I copied out comments on here (first mine): Hi! Just a few sentences from my interview with the members of the Dells in the late 1990s: Chuck Barksdale: "This was not supposed to be a story about the Dells from the beginning. This was supposed to be a story about a stand-up vocal group, black, that was gonna be a comedy. Robert Townsend, the director, was brought to our dressing room by a young lady by the name of Kitty Sears, because he wanted to come and ask us, if it would be okay for him to use "Stay In My Corner" and "Oh What A Nite" in this up-coming comedy. When he mentioned 'comedy', Marvin Junior chimed in and said 'hey, wait a minute, ain't nothing funny about being a black stand-up vocal group. It's a major struggle, and the struggle continues today.' Robert said 'well, tell me more', and asked 'wait a minute, are you guys on tour now?' We said 'yes, we're on tour for the next six weeks.' He said 'do you mind, if I travel around with you. I like what I'm hearing so far.'" He travelled with us for the next six weeks. He watched our comradery, he heard us argue, saw us work on stage, riding on a bus, have dinner together. He took that and literally changed the script." Marvin Junior: "That was 85 % our story. When it was in the theatres, it was not that successful, but then they put it on video and on television, then it became very popular. The company didn't know how to handle that. They were so busy with the black movies with the killing and drugs and the whole bit - and here came a movie about entertainers, and they didn't quite know how to handle that." Michael McGill: "Don't ever let any other group or anybody else tell you that the movie was about them. Robert Townsend travelled with the Dells. Marvin told Robert things, and he was taking it all in --- so the story came from the Dells. Best regards/Heikki (Soul Express) Näytä vähemmän VASTAA

Hi, still... You have to google - Robert Townsend "Making the Five Heartbeats" - to go on YouTube and read our comments. Best regards Heikki

Hi! I wanted to bring this subject to this forum, too. It's about Robert Townsend's movie The Five Heartbeats. Please watch his interview and Mickey McGill's and my comments below.

Hi! Please read Willie's and Quinton Claunch's comments on the new CD & also Billy Price talks about his latest CD, at https://www.soulexpress.net/deep3_2018.htm Best regards Heikki

Hi! Please read my short report and my small chat with Wee Willie Walker. More features on artists will be published later. https://www.soulexpress.net/porrettasoul2018_report.htm Best regards Heikki

Hi! Peggy talks about her latest CD release. Furthermore, there are two excellent books released on our music https://www.soulexpress.net/deep2_2018.htm Best regards Heikki

RIP Eugene Pitt! https://www.soulexpress.net/jivefive.htm Best regards Heikki

Thank you, shufflin! I didn't know - or just don't remember - that he's been discussed here earlier.

Once again: https://www.soulexpress.net/carltonjsmith_interview.htm