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Joe Hunter mentioned 'I'm Too Far Gone - To Turn Around' when I interviewed him, but the label does not credit him as the arranger. Joe said he enjoyed working with Don Robey - it was less stressful than at Motown. Here's another Duke one from Detroit...

Yes... James was closely involved with Johnnie Mae on her early recordings and you sometimes see his name as a co-writer..

But, Ida Bennett, who led on the Bon/Reel Ambassadors' cuts may have been J.P. Bennett (JMM's business partner)' daughter. Ida could be a wife or sister - her voice is certainly powerful on those Bon recordings.

It's easily done, Robb. I'm not sure if there's a family connection between Frank and Sam.

Yes, Sam was one of those old-fashioned hustlers and the interview gives a taste of what he was like.

Below is a message from Elsie (I don't think her email about Tony - her husband and one of The Holidays - ever got to me). I plan to edit my interview with Tony soon and put it on YouTube. We did see the interview it was wonderful. I did sent you an email to tell you Tony passed away on June 17th from Alzheimer’s. It was so sad but I’m doing okay so I will look to see if I can find anything on the Holiday’s to send to you. As always it so nice to hear from you, stay safe and I will keep in touch.

Yes, that's the Sam I interviewed - born in Alabama and moved to Detroit in 1955 (he would have been 19 years old then). I did do an online search for an obit before posting that YouTube video, but nothing popped up. I had assumed Sam had passed away. Here's what that obit' states: Samuel Lewis Motley was born on March 6, 1936 in Autaugaville, Alabama to Mimmie and Clabe Motley. Samuel Lewis Motley accepted Christ at a early age. Samuel Lewis Motley attended the Autaugaville Training School from grades one through twelve. At age 19, he moved to Detroit, Michigan to carry out his passion for music. He was self employed as a body and paint mechanic. He also enjoyed America's favorite pastime , baseball. Samuel was preceded in death by his brothers Robert Motley, WIllie James and Winston; two sisters Mary Ann (Leonard and Selister; and one brother-in-law James. Those left to cherish his memory include his daughters, Angela (Richard) and Marie, two grandchildren, Dean Overton and Damonae Thomas; two siusters Elouise (Formas) Carswell and Bertha Thompson; special friend (girlfriend); and a special stepson Mark Chestnut and three very special nieces and one nephew.

Here's a pic of The Ivies. I had a 45 of theirs on Willow - see below - that the group did for Johnnie Mae Matthews. It's probably the same guy who was in The Ambassadors that recorded for Johnnie Mae on Bon. I'm sure there are other 45s I've seen with Yancie on.

This is not something I am aware of. Where did you get the details from, Robb? Have you confused him with someone else? I don't think Sam could actually play an instrument.

This discography has it as the same guy. Apparently he was also in The Midnighters... https://www.discogs.com/artist/510674-Cal-Green

Thanks for the positive feedback. It took me quite a while to edit the audio files -- around 100 hours to come up with that video. I tried to get it in some sort of chronological order, but our actual conversations would inevitably jump around from topic/year to topic/year. Joe was prolific and the interview scratches the surface of what he was involved in. I've just listened to another interview I did with a guy called A.J. and he said that he and some teenage friends were the Hit Men backing Lee Jennings, and that Joe was the main man on those sessions. I imagine Joe was behind those Dotty's and Star Track etc sessions for label owner Sonny Marshall. (BTW - Sonny's wife was called Dorothy). Ady --re Boom Boom: it sounds to me like Joe had finished recording a song - with Dave Hamilton, Big Bubbles and Jamerson - and John Lee Hooker was there listening as they ran it down. The riff was something that his manager picked up on and they then recorded it as Boom Boom. Do the session notes credit Joe and Jamerson, and names United Sound?

Joe's interview in now on YouTube....

I know Kingfish wrote the song, but I just wondered who wrote that sheet, as he told me he had a problem reading music.

That's a great piece of ephemera! I wonder who actually wrote it?...I don't think it was Fish.

Thanks to all for the positive feedback. I've just realized there are two recordings involving The Sterophonics (spelling varies) and The Debonaires that didn't get mentioned: Timmy Shaw's 'I'm a Lonely Guy' (Audrey and Wand) has The Sternphones backing and this is possibly the group that Charles Stokes was managing. I did track down the lead singer, who married Charles when she was just 16, but her memory was vague. Charles died a long time ago in a house fire. The other 45 is also a Johnnie Mae Matthews production - Spencer Sterling's 'Tell Me Right Now' / 'I Wish You Were Mine' (also on Audrey), which has The Debanaires (sp) backing. I'm sure I asked Elsie about this, but it must have been during a different interview to the one used for the YouTube video. I'll have to dig it out to hear what she said.

I've just uploaded another Detroit File to YouTube - this time there are two interviewees combined into one video...

"Put a smile on my face is just wonderful - was he the lead singer." No, E.J of the Echoes (see their photo) sang that song. I did ask Fish about John Perry - another writer/producer - but he couldn't recall much about him, which surprised me. Kingfish did said he thought John Perry did some stuff at Motown, but I don't think so. I'm glad you enjoyed hearing the interview, and, yes, Kingfish's 'I Won't Hurt You Anymore' is a gem.

I can imagine David Ruffin singing that Chuck Jackson song.

Sorry about the quality, Robb. It's a shame it's not very clear as I would have liked to include more of his personal details that he shared with me in that first interview. Kingfish was heavily involved at Riley's at the start, but left in 1968 and got a job in Chrysler's. It was Hazel Coleman who got him in the Gold Room at the 20 Grand - but he was already playing there with Levi Mann in the house band. That included Lefty Edwards (sax), Pistol on drums and Levi Mann on organ - no bass player. Martha Jean began the Monday Night Swing event there in 1964 and she was generally involved in promoting Thelma acts elsewhere. Imagine being in the Gold Room with all those live acts and a crowd of 1200!.. And for just 50 cents!! Thelma Gordy/Coleman went to see her ex-husband and he complained about certain Thelma songs being too close to his Motown hits - by Marvin Gaye and The Four Tops. As you know, Thelma Records got bought up by Berry about a year or two later. Kingfish went from Thelma Records to Golden World (for Solid Hitbound Productions working with Melvin Davis and Steve Mancha) then worked at Riley's - all in the mid-sixties. Before all that, Kingfish had been with Motown, but it was Andre Williams who took him there. Kingfish was basically ignored there and was earmarked to go on a 50-night tour, but he couldn't read music and Sonny Sanders rejected him. The tour was with Hattie Littles and The Vandellas - so I guess it was around 1961. Kingfish then got a release and did that recording for Check-Mate. I don't think he played much else, if anything, for Billy Davis because that was the last 45 on the label. Hopefully that gives you and others here some clarification.

It's a shame the first interview has such poor sound quality -- not sure why is sounds so muddy. He told a good story. The second interview has better sound quality, so is easier to understand, and I would have had two 15-minute videos if that first recording was better. In the first interview, he talked about living in Highland Park and going to school there - it was a white area at that time. He became a pro boxer for a while, and told me about his early touring experiences. He was born on Feb 25th, 1938. Anyway, hopefully you learned something.

Glad you like it. I should get another one done pretty soon.

I've uploaded an interview with Joey - the sound quality is iffy for a few minutes, but it gets better. He had an interesting life and worked at Thelma and Riley's...

Me neither, Robb... it was predominantly mid-sixties stuff that I bought. It was also good to learn about the late fifties and during the research I got more into that early soul sound.

Here's part 2:

Thanks, Robb. I'll upload Part 2 soon and hopefully you enjoy hearing about the move to LA and joining Motown.