BIRMINGHAM RECORD COLLECTORS
DEDICATED TO THE COLLECTING OF MUSIC, ITS PRESERVATION, AND LASTING FRIENDSHIP
MONTHLY MEETING THIS SUNDAY, JANUARY 10th, 2016
2:00 PM HOMEWOOD LIBRARY – 1721 OXMOOR ROAD 35209
NEXT MEETING SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14th, 2016 THE SECOND SUNDAY
THIS MONTH’S MEETING
David Bryan will be playing some offerings at this month’s meeting that are called ‘cross overs’. Come and see who he has that recorded in more than the one genre that we remember them by. Time permitting he will also have covers that will be of interest to you. Be sure an be there this Sunday. Our first meeting of the new year – 2016. Snacks and refreshments are being brought this month by Clyde.
BRC NEWS
It’s official now. Here are the officers for the 2016 year. Be sure and thank these guys for taking the positions they have. Now, they need you. We’ll need everyone to offer to help one of them as they work their magic this year. We’ll go over each position and the job description each requires. Please help. Our new president, Jack Wilson would like for everyone to know he looks forward to the challenge of the position and will work hard to continue the success that BRC has had over the years.
President – Jack Wilson
VP Advertising – Don Campbell
VP Dealer Relations – Joe Reddick
VP Technology – Charles Cayley
VP Monthly Programs – John McGuirk
VP Membership – Charlie Bailey
VP Hall of Fame – Ray Edwards
Treasurer – Charles Cayley
CONDOLENCES
Many of you know long time dealers, Walter and Peggy Lloyd. Peggy had been suffering with a lung disease and just recently passed away. Peggy always was with Walter at our shows and she will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Walter and his family.
THE B TEAM
Looking through an magazine a while back I read an interesting article entitled Beaten To The Punch. The author listed 10 acts that he called Motown’s second division that may well have been just as talented as the top hit makers of the time but for whatever reason were never put out front as the others were. You’ll recognize most all the names, and some of them even had a minor Motown hit but their full catalog of recordings were never played for the radio listeners – and some of those recordings were well worth radio air play. And that was the authors’ point, why weren’t more material from these acts released?
First we have Jimmy Ruffin. Yes, Jimmy had a big hit with ‘What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted’ and you may remember his, ‘I’ve Passed This Way Before’, but some of the others that need to be heard include ‘Shake Hands With A Dreamer’, “As Long As There Is L-O-V-E Love’, ‘Don’t Feel Sorry For Me’. The latter being a 1961 release which reminds us that Jimmy was an early Motown signee.
Kim Weston was also more than the duet partner for Marvin Gaye. “Love Me All The Way’, a release that made the charts at # 88 in 1963 was excellent but with all the other Motown material that was charting at the time probably didn’t get its due. Give it another, or maybe your first, listen soon. For a more soulful sound you can listen to her ‘Just Loving You’. She did the original version of ‘It Should Have Been Me’ which Gladys Knight and the Pips charted with in 1968.
Brenda Holloway is best known for ‘Every Little Bit Hurts’ but it’s too bad we didn’t get to hear more from her. Songs such as ‘I’ll Always Love You’, ‘Together Till The End Of Time’, ‘You Can Cry On My Shoulder’, ‘When I’m Gone’, ‘Operator’, and ‘I’ve Been Good To You’. All are well worth the time if you can find them.
Of course many record collectors know many of the Marv Johnson releases. His ‘Come To Me’ was Tamla 101, Berry Gordy’s first release. It was later released on United Artists. The author of the article also said that ‘You Got What It Takes’ and ‘I’m Coming Home’ were Motown recordings but were sold for release to UA as well. Other Johnson recordings for Motown were ‘I’ll Pick A Rose For My Rose’ and ‘Sleep (Little One)’, and his version of ‘Bad Girl’. Sadly Marv never became one of Motown’s highlighters and wound up working in the purchasing department.
The Vandellas were fronted by Sandra Mallet before Martha Reeves came along. Together they released ‘Camel Walk’ b/w ‘It’s Gonna Be Hard Tines’ in 1962. Sandra was later teamed up with 3 members of group signed by Motown called The Downbeats. That quartet would become known as the Elgins and did some fine recording for Motown. Another excellent song that, although charted (#77) but at a time when Motown’s top acts were given much more air time was ‘Darling Baby’. Ditto to ‘Heaven Must Have Sent You (# 50). They are just as good as any of the top hits from Motown at the time – 1966. And if you can them, listen to ‘Stay In My Lonely Arms’ and ‘It’s Been A Long Long Time’ – WOW.
Barbara McNair was nothing like the other Motown acts at the time. She had more of a classy vocalist sound that fit better on stage with the likes Tony Martin, the Gorme’s etc. But she did some excellent recordings for Motown. “Counting On You Babe’, “Baby A Go-Go’, ‘Oh Be My Love’, ‘Nothing But Trouble’, and ‘I Know Better’.
Chuck Jackson had many records chart but only 2 that made the Top 40 Pop Chart. After the hits slowed down at Scepter he looked for something new and he took an offer from his friend, Smokey Robinson and went to Motown. He did the first version of ‘Honey Come Back’ and had some excellent cuts with ‘Let Somebody Love Me’, ‘Is There Anything Love Can’t Do’, and covers of “Rainy Night In Georgia’, and ‘The Thrill is Gone’.
The Monitors had only one song that charted but don’t forget to flip it. ‘Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)’ made it # 100 and that was it but the group did some very good material that deserves to be listened to. The flip mentioned is ‘Number One In Your Heart’. ‘Say You’ was their first release. Later came ‘Since I Lost You Girl’, ‘Time Is Passin’ By’, and ‘Bring back The Love’.
Billy Eckstine, again another name you know but did you know he recorded for Motown? He was 51 years old when he signed with Gordy. He did 3 LP’s between 1965-68. His first Motown single was “Down To Earth’. Definitely a different sound for Motown. Other sounds worthy of listening to include a cover of ‘Ask The Lonely’, ‘Together Til The End Of Time, and what I think is his best, ‘I Wonder Why’.
And last but not least, The Velvettes. This girl group was offered a chance to record ‘Where Did Our Love Go’ before being given to The Supremes. They had that fun girl group sound but never got out from under all the others already there. Charted songs include ‘Needle In A Haystack’ and ‘He Was Really Saying Something’. If you know those then try these, ‘These Things Will Keep Me Loving You’, ‘There He Goes’, ‘Lonely Lonely Girl Am I’, ‘Stop Beating Around The Bush’, and ‘Think Of The Times’.
How about you? Do you have a collection of music from a major label’s ‘second division’ – those that didn’t get the push and air play you think they deserved. I’ve put a few of the above songs below for your listening pleasure. The article I read appeared in a magazine called Record Collector. I would like to give credit to their staff compiling the info used above.
BRC RADIO – HEART AND SOUL OF ROCK AND ROLL
Don’t forget to check out the radio shows the club offers on our website. We now have 74 shows with over 1200 different songs. Check it out at birminghamrecord.com – Tell a friend!
HEY! HAVE YOU HEARD THESE?
The Elgins – ‘It’s Been A Long Time’
Kim Weston – ‘Love Me All The Way’
Billy Eckstine – ‘I Wonder Why’
See ya,
Charlie