Roburt

By 1970 Chris Calloway had moved on from her recording career. She was appearing across the US in a touring version of the musical stage show, 'Hello Dolly' (not many soulful numbers in that production). It did present her with a soul-filled night out though as Berry Gordy hosted the cast at the Gordy Manor on Boston Boulevard in Detroit. Present that night ; Chris & her dad Cab, Berry G, various other Gordys, Smokey, Edwin Starr, Martha Reeves, Levi, Duke & Obie of the 4 Tops, Stevie W, all of the Originals, Bobby Robinson (Miracles), Marvin Gaye, David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards & Melvin Franklin. Guess Berry was thinking he could win friends & influence 'show' people and get some of Motown's singers into such shows. Would loved to have been in attendance that April evening.

RE: Did this LP get a release in US before Move YEP, but only very limited press so its as hard to find on US as rocking horse sh**. Had a totally different cover (front picture / sleeve notes, etc) to the Move version.

LP's ........... https://www.bsnpubs.com/atlantic/index.html

www.globaldogproductions.info https://www.soulfulki...scographies.htm Different site for LP's

RE: the inclinations were pretty much the same group as the optimistics, and one of them was in Beverly and the Del Capris ........ speaking of Beverly and the Del Capris .......... Look who was at No.17 back in September 1964 .........

All the info on her 45 releases is here .............. https://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/pwoods.htm

This one (from 65) was still quite R&B'y ...........

Found a bit more on her myself ............ She was recording for Dot in the mid 50's, so that must be why she was such an established figure on the NY R&B scene by 1959. She was still recording (a 45 on Mala) in 1965, but by 1966 she had been signed up by Duke / Peacock to head their Eastern Division Production & Promotion set-up (based in NY I assume). Her songs were soon being cut by the likes of Bobby Bland, so seems Duke were getting their full moneys worth out of her. Are her post 1962 outings as R&B'y as her early 60's stuff ?

Pearl Woods was around on the New York music scene in the late 50's & early 60's. She helped Horace Ott get started on the NY R&B scene by encouraging him to travel into Manhattan to work on demo recordings. From there, he went on to work with the Shirelles (he arranged their hit "Tonight's The Night" in 1960), Chuck Jackson, Gladys K & the Pips, Hank Ballard, Jackie Wilson, Doris Troy, Nina Simone, Jive Five, Helena Ferguson ("Where Is The Party"), Sam Cooke, Aretha, Don Covay, Johnnie Taylor, right through to the Softones (& including many more along the way). Anyway, back to Lillie Pearl Woods ....... She wrote songs herself, cut demos, set up sessions, etc, etc. In 1960 / 1961 / 1962 she was even getting 45 releases herself ....... BUT ... what became of her after the early 60's, anyone know ??

Steve, ......... RE: Yes already packed in the box. Didn't know it was from 1969 though..... Freddie's version of the song isn't from 69 (it was cut in the late 70's I believe) .. BUT the song was originally written in 69 (or so it says; I not know nowt bout it mesen).

... & their "Live" Japanese album (there are copies on Gemm) ....

The Softones Japanese booking agents back in time ........

The Baltimore guys name IS Billy Butler ..... My ??? was because I was unsure if the W. Butler who wrote for & co-produced / arranged for the Inclinations was even a Billy Butler, never mind the same Balto Billy Butler. I got my Billy Butler's mixed up in the past as Balto's Kenny Hamber told me that he knew Billy Butler well and I assumed he meant the Baltimore Billy Butler. He didn't, he knew the New Jersey Billy Butler (jazz guitarist) who co-wrote a big Bill Doggett tune ("Honky Tonk") back in the mid 50's. BTW, Kenny H also slightly knew Jerry Butler's brother Billy. ................ It all gets very confusing.

I guess that the W. (Billy?) Butler who worked with the Inclinations is the same Baltmore guy who also worked with Allan Harris & Perpetual Motion on Exact Change.

CHEERS Bob

OR ......... even better, this one ....... Both tracks were of course included on his UK released LP ........ https://www.discogs.com/Freddie-Waters-Just-Enough-To-Get-Me-Cool/release/2536261

Hope you're gonna include this track on your radio show, Steve ......... https://souldennis.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/freddie-waters-im-gonna-walk-right-out.html

I like records, books and magazines about soul music better than the electronic equivalents. ... Got to agree with you there.

Marvin Brown was in the Tones in the early to mid 80's, but had gone solo by the late 80's. It seems certain (to me at least) that the New Softones (on Exact Change) became 'THE NEW' because Marvin was no longer in the group (as it had been his lead vocals that had been the group's identifiable sound). I'd guess that the 'new' group was made up of Elton Lynch together with one of either Byron Summerville or Steve Jackson plus a new lead singer. Will have to go on the Softones Myspace page & see if I can get them to answer a question about who was in the Exact Change version of the group. ......... Here's the 3 main guys on a gig with the Dells back in better days for them (1980) .........

YEP & YEP.

The Tones (Criminal Records) were just the Softones under a revised name (maybe Avco / H&L retained rights to the group's name) -- the trio still comprised of Marvin, Steve & Elton. Towards the end of the group's period with H & L (1977) they toured Japan & the Far East as support act for the Miracles. Some of the shows were recorded & an LP 'Softones Live In Japan' was released out there (anyone here got a copy ?). As the Tones, they cut a full album in Baltimore at Sheffield Recording Studios (1983) -- 'Here's To You' and this also escaped on Criminal Records. They also appeared in the 1982 movie 'Dinner' which was shot in Baltimore.

Done some more checkin & Marvin Brown was pushing himself as a solo singer back in the mid to late 80's. He had a12" single + an album out on B-More Records (the 12" & LP main track was his cover of "La La Means I Love You (Deifonics hit). ........... So I think he was a natural choice when they were looking for someone more recently to front a Delfonics tribute group. When the LP was being cut & after it was 1st released, he played quite a few live gigs around Baltimore with an 'interesting' female backing group . This group comprised Pamela Brockington, Carol Green & Karen Chambers.

The Fonics have had quite a high profile (as a Delfonics tribute act) for the last 5 / 6 years, so I'd think they got together 6 to 9 years back. They play loads of live gigs around DC & Baltimore plus have played a big soul show in Jamaica with the Manhattans & Billy Ocean.

Seems that ex Softone members Marvin Brown & Steve Jackson are now 2/3 of another Baltimore based group, the Fonics (the 3rd member DC's Johnnie Johnson was in the Delfonics in 79 & thru the 80's) ....... so I guess their name is derived from the Del-FONICS. Not established yet when the Fonics were formed but would say it was in the last 10 to 15 years. A lady called Angie Walker works with the group on their shows. She is also in DC based group Framewerk. Angie plays keyboards with Framewerk plus for PowerGlide and the Fonics. She is also musical director for the Intruders, the MD's, Blue Magic and Force MD's (busy lady).

Thanks for that. I guess it was Marvin Brown's absence that prompted the group to become the 'New' Softones then back in the late 80's. The group always had strong ties back in Baltimore, even when they were signed to 'out of town' labels in the 70's. Local outfit, A & D acted as their agents back then .......