Rob Jones reviews soul records from his vinyl collection.
R B Hudman - Yo-Yo (1968)
A belting version of the 1966 Billy Joe Royal classic on Columbia (or CBS here in the UK) and it's certainly worth checking out if you don't have it. Robert Hudman (real name Hudmon) would have been about 14 when he recorded this version, but sadly his career was cut short when he died in 1995 at the age of just 41.
Roosevelt Grier - Slow Drag (1967)
Now that's what I call old school! It's quite likely that you won't remember or perhaps have never heard of this one, but this tune always transports me back to the days when records such as this were appreciated for the superb pieces of laid-back soul they were - and it can be picked for a song today, going to prove you can still put a decent vinyl collection together on a budget if you know what to look out for. Personally speaking, my collection would feel as if it had something missing without the presence of this one, but let's take a quick look at Roosevelt Grier's rather colourful career.
Roosevelt 'Rosey' Grier was born in Cuthbert, Georgia in July 1932 and released his first single 'Sincerely' c/w 'Why Don't You Do Right' on the 'a' Records label (A-105) back in 1959, a small independent label originating in New Jersey and distributed by Calico, not to be confused with the major ARC (American Record Corporation). Perhaps Rosey's most memorable release for rare soul fans though was 'In My Tenement' which he recorded on RIC in 1964. Following a sports career during which he'd been a professional football player for the New York Giants and the Los Angeles Rams (having played in the NFL Pro Bowl twice), Rosey went on to become a bodyguard for Robert Kennedy during the 1968 presidential campaign. He was guarding the senator's wife Ethel at the time of the assassination and although he was unable to prevent the killing of Robert Kennedy, Rosey managed to subdue the shooter and take control of the gun, ensuring the safety of everyone else present. He hosted his own Los Angeles TV show and made around 70 guest appearances on various other shows including the Man From U.N.C.L.E., I Dream of Jeannie, Kojak and CHiPS to name but a few during the 1960s and 1970s, before becoming an ordained Christian minister in 1983 and founding 'American Neighborhood Enterprises', a non-profit organisation dedicated to serving inner-city youth. He also guest starred as himself in a 1999 episode of the Simpsons.
Coming back to the record, Rosey wrote and recorded 'Slow Drag' during a major transitional phase of his life - 1967 being the year he retired from professional football and was looking toward a full-time career in entertainment industry. Unfortunately, MGM Records rarely documented individual musician credits in the 1960s, but because 'Slow Drag' was cut under the direction of the legendary production team of Chips Moman and Dan Penn, we can safely assume that the backing music was driven by the 827 Thomas Street Studio Band - more famously known as the Memphis Boys, a legendary group of session musicians who provided the rhythm section for hundreds of hits in that era. The stellar line-up consisted of Reggie Young (lead guitar), Tommy Cogbill (bass), Gene Chrisman (drums), Bobby Emmons (organ) and Bobby Wood (piano).
Fans will be pleased to know Roosevelt Grier is still doing well at the age of 94.
Royalettes - River of Tears (1967)
Hailing from Baltimore, the Royalettes were a four piece girl band consisting of sisters Sheila and Anita Ross alongside Veronica Brown and Terry Jones. The group formed while the girls were still in high school and their name came from Baltimore's historic Royal Theatre on Pennsylvania Avenue, which was a major venue on the Chitlin' Circuit at the time. While they never achieved the commercial success they deserved, the quartet were certainly one of the finest sweet soul girl groups of the 1960s.
'River of Tears' was originally written by Barbara Banks and Gary Knight and was released on Veep 1247 (a subsidiary of United Artists Records) in 1966 by Barbara Banks as the B side of 'Living in the Past', a single which has since become a highly prized collectable among rare soul fans. Gary Knight also co-wrote 'Breakout' with 'River of Tears' arranger Herb Bernstein, another 1966 release by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels on Bob Crewe's New Voice label.
Sheila Ross had worked briefly as a backup singer for the Three Degrees during their Swan Records era and later went on to spend six years working as a Playboy Bunny in the 1970s. Anita Ross relocated to Florida and built a long-term corporate career as an administrative secretary for the CSX Railroad. Veronica "Roni" Brown remained in Baltimore, where she built a career working as a legal secretary. Terry Jones relocated to San Francisco and entered the medical field.
Although the Royalettes officially disbanded in 1969 after a brief stint with Roulette Records, all four original members reunited for a final performance at the All-Star Classic Reunion at the 5th Regiment Armory in Baltimore in 2003. The song also saw a UK release on the Big T label.
Sam and Bill - Come On Show Me (1971)
Sam Davis (who'd replaced Sam Gary by this point) and Bill Johnson's 'Come On Show Me' is one of those great old tunes which unfortunately seems to have slipped into obscurity over the years.
A highly recommended and essential addition to any soul vinyl collection which won't break the bank.
Sounds Four - Keep On Lovin' (1968)
This superb and often overlooked uptempo tune with great harmonies was released twice on Oscar Washington's short-lived local Saintmo label out of St Louis, Missouri and is still a record which resides within the realm of affordability. I've always preferred the 203 release of this one which has the brilliant 'Hey Girl' on the flip side. The band also recorded as the Fabulous Four and far as I know, the list below was the extent of the Saintmo label's output. As you can see it wouldn't be particularly difficult to complete this label for your collection, although Saintmo 300 can be a bit pricey depending on where you find it.
The Sounds Four - A Memory Best Forgotten c/w Love Together (Saintmo 201)
The Sounds Four - Keep On Lovin' c/w A Memory Best Forgotten (Saintmo 202)
The Sounds Four - Keep On Lovin' c/w Hey Girl (Saintmo 203)
The Fabulous Four - If I Knew c/w Everybody's Got to Have a Heart (Saintmo 300)