Roburt

One of Jimmy's fellow members of the Realistics was John Cheatdom. Before the Realistics he was in the Velours & the Fantastics. Jimmy himself was a short term member of the Fantastics around 1976. Good to see that he's still in good health.

With later studio multitrack recorders, one guy could sing all the parts on a cut (& even play all the instruments), laying down each in turn on a different track on the master tape (these went from 2 track, 6 track, 12 track, 32 track, etc as the equipment improved) ... BUT .. Edwin was talking about getting the start to his singing career (back in Cleveland) in the late 50's / early 60's. At that time he wasn't a solo lead singer but a member of his first harmony group (the Futuretones ... name inspired by that of Sonny's group, the Metrotones) . He gave me the same info when I interviewed him at the Jazz Café many years ago & also credited Sonny Turner for 'schooling' him & his fellow group members. He was talking about the period before he went into the army. At that time even the best most modern of studios only had 2 track machines. Of course you could 'overdub' on the same track, but you lost much of the strength (volume) of earlier efforts each time you went back & taped on top of the previous work. My article on Edwin's Cleveland Years was published in a fanzine at the time but it has since been added on here. Just do a search of the Soul Articles section to see it all ... EDWIN STARR'S CLEVELAND YEARS.

You've got your facts a bit wrong. Edwin (when a young guy in Cleveland) was taught how to sing in harmony (with 2 other guys from his then group) by Sonny Turner (originally from Cleveland & a local group there) who was recruited to sing lead with the Platters in the 60's (all the Musicor tracks). I interviewed Edwin about his time in Cleveland many years ago & he credited Sonny T with helping get his singing career started.

Resurrecting this thread ... The Prolifics “The Judge” -- Hep' Me 103 .... this was a 1971 release that is collected for the B side ("Guts") .... BUT ... is the A side song "The Judge" really just a reworking of the old Bull & the Matadors 1968 hit "Funky Judge" ???? ... ..... both songs have the same writers listed (Andre Williams & Leo Hutton).

I guess you'd have to come to a deal with a localish hotel (say the Twin Oaks next to the M1). I think (as this is a few miles from the venue), transport to & from hotel may also be necessary ... these factors would probably mean holding it on the bank holiday weekend (& getting good rates & a big allocation of rooms) would be very difficult. Shirebrook Stn is within walking distance of venue, any decent hotels close to Mansfield stn ?? (trains to & fro from Mansfield might just work if there is).

The latest post on his Facebook page .... a few days ago ... see below ... THEN one of his later tracks ........

Guess it ain't a HAPPY DAY ... as gospel giant Edwin Hawkins has passed ... https://www.soultracks.com/story-edwin-hawkins-dies

Wouldn't mind a copy of the M-S promo 45 picture sleeve that came with some early copies of Lonette McKee's "Stop" in early summer 68. Her M-S 45 was released in Canada on Goodgroove ... did this label have it's own company sleeve ?? Many good company sleeves show here ... https://www.45rpmrecords.com/ms/index_list.php

Danny singing live ...

It seems that Danny Woods, solo singer & Chairman of the Board, died yesterday ...announcements made on Facebook ... Tap to view this Soul Source News/Article in full

Motown printed up many many different 45 sleeves back in the day & many are now sought after. I remember Tall Pimple (Paul T) visiting our house many moons ago & him taking away all the more unusual US Motown 45 sleeves I had (I didn't really value them at the time as WHAT WAS IN THE GROOVES seemed more important) ... seems I made a bad decision.

Can't beat this group's output from the 70's, my fave LP by them is also STREET CORNER SYMPHONY .... used to play this track on my Prestatyn Weekender radio show & folk would always ask who's version it was.

A bit more info here ... THOUGH ... tickets for the show seem to be very expensive. https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8093136/otis-redding-an-evening-of-respect-apollo-theater-honors

An Otis Redding tribute show to be staged at the Apollo in Harlem in late January ...

Details of her services ............ Memorial Service: Thursday 11th January 2018 -- Christ Missionary Baptist Church 494 S Parkway E Memphis Tennessee ... from 4:00-7:00 Funeral: Saturday 13th January 2018-- 11 am; Liberty Hill High School in Jackson Tennessee .. Visitation 9:00-11:00

Not bad timing for the musical .... COZ ... another big Stax related event this year is ...........

Hope this comes to London eventually ... https://backstagebaltimore.wordpress.com/2017/12/20/press-release-baltimore-center-stage-to-present-the-world-premiere-of-soul-the-stax-musical-may-3-june-10-2018/

Rita started out (in her time associated with Ray Charles) as a Raelette in 68. She told me (@ Prestatyn) that he strung her along about recording her as a solo artist for a fair while (they were touring none stop at the time). He then did the album project on her but put it out without any promotion at all. She had been promised a better effort & so confronted him. This resulted in a big row & so she quit his entourage & left the record company in 69. With the bad blood between the two, I can't see any reason at all why Ray would put any tracks by her out around 4 years later ... so 'the story' of it possibly being a legit 45 doesn't have any legs at all.

One of my faves from her ....

The newspaper article reporting her leg amputation .... https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/news/2017/10/16/denise-lasalle-hospital-recovering-leg-amputation/768628001/

It's all over the net & Facebook that Denise LaSalle has died. Tap to view this Soul Source News/Article in full

Picked up numerous UK 7" copies of this for a few pence each back in 1992. Seemed not too many folk wanted copies back then. Probably still got some spares up in the loft even today.

Bought this 45 as a UK new release way back in June 69 ...