Fred Towles - Too Much Monkey Business pt1 (Way Out 1002a) '68

Update

received this comment last Januari on my post from Jan 2008:
Barbara said

This mystery guy is from Cleveland, Ohio; graduated from East Tech; served in the Air Force; recorded Too Much Monkey Business with Way Out after he came home from the Air Force. Fred Towles wrote the lyrics. He is alive and well; still composing, singing and recording.
Fred's Mom.

after my blog responce Mr. Fred Towles himself sent me the following email

hello mr. balladeer,

my name is fred towles. i now go by the name freddee t.. some one brought it to my attention that i was the mysterious missing person. well i'm alive and kicking still writing, singing, and recording music. my web site is freddeet.com. myspace.com/freddeet. how did you get this record? i had no idea they were still around. it seems they are all over the place. please get in touch and bring me up to date on all this stuff.

Freddee T.

Follow his links and get an update from the man himself.

Jan 2008



This man seems to be a mystery guy (from what I could find on him). There's not much info on him.
He sang lead on a song by Jacksonians "Hook It To The Mule" also on Way Out.

"Too Much Monkey Business" can be found on Vol 2 of "Deep Soul Discoveries" all 4 volumes are a must have for deep soul lovers. Deep Soul Discoveries Vol. 1-4

Get The Song By Fred Towles Here

Linda Carr - Jackie,Bobby,Sonny,Billy_Sar153b '64

Sorry for not having posted for the past 3 weeks but work,household and giving the kids some "quality time" is killing me.
Hope you like this one, enjoy!!

Linda Carr – Jackie Bobby Sonny Billy_Sar153b ’64

The Vonns - Leave Us Alone King 5793b '63

This great ballad can be found on the Ace CD Queens of King, the Cd is loaded with great deep ballads, so if you like this one, get it.

The booklet has lots of great info.

The Vonns – Leave Us Alone

Earl Paradise - You're All I Need Atco 6326a '64

An other great performer I could not find any information on.
Probably his only release.
To me something totally different then you'll aspect from a Atco 45 soul ballad, just a sniff of horns and great violins creating a soulish atmosphere combined with the backing, a great ballad and a great performer.

Earl Paradise – You're All I Need_Atco 6326a ‘64

Glen Ricks aka Glen Ricketts - I Found A Love

Glen Ricks aka Ricketts is a Jamaican born.
He moved to Canada with his parents, to come back to Jamaica and return back to Canada later. In the 70's he recorded "I found a love" a Wilson Pickett cover. After he went back to Canada he recorded the song again in 1989 on the Scorpio label.
His latest recordings where done on Jamaica again.

I'll put in both versions, the earlier version can be found on the Reggae Lasting Love Songs Vol 2 CD

Glen Ricks aka Ricketts 2 versions I Found A Love

The Saints - Brown Eyes (Gay Feet & High Note) '66

Don't know much about this group. They released about 15 singles ( I have only this ones) on many (10) labels, there UK (5) releases not including . I only could find info on mentioned labels but I'm almost sure there are more.

This is a beautiful Jamaican ballad, with the guitar going in a slow ska rhythm. I've loved this song from the first time I heard it back in the sixties.
I love the combination of the vocals, with the backing vocal just a click later then the lead singer, to me it makes the beauty of the song and that's what creates the atmosphere of the song.
Makes you want to hold and squeeze your brown eyed girl real close and dance away into the tropical night.

The Saints – Brown Eyes (Gay Feet & High Note) ‘66

Charlie Hodges - I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Calla 176) '70 mono & stereo side

Charles Hodges recorded on Alto and Calla. After his first 2 releases on Calla he started using the name Charlie Hodges.

I could not find info on possible other labels he recorded on, nor could I find any info on himself. I love his voice especially in this song.

I did find indications of on a organ player by the same name but I don't know if it's him.

Charlie Hodges – I’ll Never Fall In Love Again

Eddie Holloway - I Am The One('78 and '91 version)

Sorry for neglecting you the past few weeks, but I'm in the middle of reorganizing my music and it's taking longer then I had expected.
Before I turn in (it's 2 am) I want to at least put in a link for you to download a song or two, I'll put in a scan tomorrow. If you don't mind.

Todays song is among my favorites (the'78 version). My kids always complain when I play this song, cause for about 4 minutes and a few seconds I'm alone in this world and I pump up the volume.
What a great deep soul ballad.
Eddie has redone the song in 1991, I'll put both versions in a nice zip for you.

Holloway also was a member of the "Soul Pleasers" who released "I Found A Love" on the Living Legend Label. Sir Shambling was so kind to send me a copy of that song (still looking for the 45). Thanks again John.

Eddie Holloway – I Am The One (2 versions ZIP)

The Keystoners - You're All I Want For Christmas (Starbound 514b)'91

The Keystoners where originally formed in the late 40's and recorded from the mid 50's until 1961. They recorded on Epic, G&M and Riff.

After their brake up they started singing again in 1983.
Todays songs is on the Clifton CD 3004 (Christmas In Harmony).
It's a nice soulish doowop ballad.

Keystoners – Your All I Want For Christmas

James Brown - Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year ( Polydor PLG527988)'95

James Brown talking and screaming about Christmas, like only he could.

Strong background vocals.

James Brown – Let’s Make Christmas Mean Something This Year

This CD is a must have, if you ever doubted if James Brown could really sing and only screamed, get it!!!!!!!!

Desmond Dekker & The Aces - Christmas Day (Beverleys)'68

Desmond Dekker (Desmond Adolphus Dacres) is a well known reggae performer and song writer.
He also had some beautiful ballads. Like this deep Christmas ballad, done in a very low pace.
This song is part of a 3cd Box from the Trojan Label.

TROJAN RECORDS SITE

In 1962 Desmond was first rejected by Studio One (Coxsone Dodd) and Treasure Isle (Duke Reid) both did not see much in the singer. But over at Beverley's Records he was signed, but he had to wait until the next year 1963 before he recorded his first song called "Honour Your Father and Mother".
Dekker recruited four brothers, Carl, Patrick, Clive and Barry who became his backing band, The Four Aces, this was somewhere around 1965 possible after his fourth recording. When more members joined the band the name became "The Aces"

Video Clip from a later version of Israelites


In the end of this song Desmond Dekker sends Christmas wishes to all listening on behave of himself and Beverley's Records.

Desmond Dekker & The Aces – Christmas Day

Lloyd Williams With Chores & The Tommy McCook Band - Sad Sad World (Dutchess 104a)'66

YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT

This one is a real deepie.

Could not find anything about the singer but lots of info on Tommy McCook. What a band and the chores really gives this deep ballad an extra dimension (with the small contribution they have, you wished they did more)
It does not get more soulful then this one and Lloyd really does it, a real deep soul ballad in the Jamaica way.


"Tommy played on the tenor saxophone and flute with the Skatalites and the Supersonics, who were the Duke Reid session band at Treasure Isle recording studios. Tommy lead the band and was also the musical arranger, he helped to develop Rock Steady and Reggae. Born in 1927 he attended Alpha Boys School in Kingston Jamaica, a breeding ground for great musicians. He emigrated to the Bahamas in 1954 where he developed his musical skills, which were jazz influenced. Came back to Jamaica in 1962, in 1964 he joined the Skatalites who broke up in late 1965."

Read the whole story from the man himself

Lloyd Williams – Sad Sad World

Here's a link where you can hear an other song by Lloyd Williams. You can also download them all.

Reggae Soul Video & Podcasts About Studio One

Hank Mullen - Listen (Audel 362b)

This is a song, which I don't have as an original, it's a real deepie.
Many soul ballads during the 70's where put on boot albums my the Suriname Soul Collectors. These albums where mostly made in Belgium.

The "original" single is now being sold. If you're interested here's the link:

A 45 for sale of this Hank Mullen song

Listen by Hank Mullen GET IT HERE

Randy Hobbs - Signs Of Love (APT 25059b)

Today I have a very obscure & rare record. I think so because it took me a very long time to find this 45 again after I let it go and non of the collectors I know knew of the singer or the song.

The singer sounds a bit like the great "Clyde McPhatter".

I found this 45 some 20 years a go on a record fair in Utrecht (the Netherlands).
It was only 50 cents and I thought I'd give it a try, it being on the APT label which had some superb releases I had in my collection. I could not listen to the record so I had to wait till I got home.

When I fist played the song I was amazed by the voice and played it over and over again, it's still one of my favorites and now on the want list of many Suriname collectors.

A year after I found this 45 I made a trade which included this record, I believed at that time I was gonna find it again soon, but I was wrong. I just received the record in the mail yesterday, I've been looking for it for almost 19 years now. Found it once but someone beat me to it.

So enough talking, download it and give it a "spin".

Signs Of Love – Randy Hobbs Download

I could not find any information on the singer, so if any of you have some I'd be glad if you would share it with me.

Alton Ellis & The Flames - Nothing Sweeter (Dutches 1596-1) '66

Alton Ellis is an other Jamaican balladeer. He started singing in the sixties as a duo with Eddie Perkins. They had a huge hit with "Muriel". He also made some recordings with his sister Hortense. There most beautiful ballad to me is "I love you" which was released on the "Treasure Isle" label.


In 1965 after Perkins left for the US, Alton went solo and formed a backing group called "the Flames" consisting of three.
Now a days Alton is mostly known for his reggae releases.

On this song Alton & the Flames are accompanied by the

Oswald "Baba" Brooks &

Lynn Tait's (who is from Barbados) band.

On of the better Jamaican bands of that time.

DOWNLOAD: Alton Ellis & the Flames with the Babba Brooks & Lynn Taitt Band

Jimmy Taylor - My Woman(Pompeii 6674a)

I don't know much about this Soul Singer and the Label this song was released on. Except it was an Atlantic sub, and distributed by Atco. There where 10 albums released and some 39 singles

Pompeii Album Discography

This songs is a deep ballad and it's sung very intense.
Don't you just love the guitars.

Get the song here: MY WOMAN

The Sparks - Help Me (Village-AMS746b)'73

An other unknown group from the Caribbean, the beautiful Island of Barbados, "The Sparks". There's not much known about this group. From what I know they had only two 45's released. This one is a great typical "Caribbean" aka "West Indies" ballad.

This song is a good example of the dance tunes that where really hot and still are. When these tunes started at parties there was always a run on the girls, nobody wanted the miss songs like these.

Other releases "Village" Barbados Record Label

DOWNLOAD THE SONG HERE!!!!!!

Have a Nice Weekend All

Toots Hibbert - Love Attack (Mango)

A Jamaican - US connection

Today a song that's deep as deep can be. A song from the 1988 album "Toots In Memphis".
Toots pulls out the best he has, what a voice.
Toots (Frederick Hibbert) one of the 3 Maytals, started singing at an early age. He tried to record as a solo artist, so where his 2 later partners, but they where kicked out of every recording studio when they auditioned. But after these three guys joined up, they where to hot to handle. There first release the religious orientated "Hallelujah' was a smash ska hit.Toots sang many emotional deep ballads with the Maytals in there early days, but on this one his voice, to me is the best.
One of those early ballads was "Daddy" which became world known in 1972, but it's original Jamaican release was in 1964.

Info Toots In Memphis CD

Check Out The Rest Of The Songs

Follow above links to discover who the contributing musicians where on this release (some big names) or listen to sound clips of the rest of the album.

Get it here: Love Attack :-)
Maytals

Brook Benton - Give Me A Sign (Epic Lp) '59

Brook Benton (Benjamin Franklin Peay) Has A Long Musical History

I love this guys voice. His nick name back home was;
"The Man With The God Given Voice".
I don't know if this name came over from the US but that's how he was called. Listening to this song you'll understand why, right from the start. Brook, to me, is among the greatest voice that ever recorded. This song is from his Epic album "At His Best" from 1959.
The album and some extra songs are on this CD Only_1_Cent

His first solo recordings where in 1955. The story goes that Brook Benton recorded over 500 demo's for songwriters and recordings studio's (many of them for Clyde Otis) before he himself made it as a singer.
I've always wondered which songs he did and which singers recorded those demo's eventually. I hope someday these demo's will be found and put on a cd for all to hear.
In my search on information I found the following:

An Interesting Essay On Brook Benton by Dr. Herwig Gradischnig, this is a great essay. I can say I feel the same way about Brook Benton his voice and his songs. I could have written this :-). When you open this link, all the orange links at the top of the page, give you other interesting info on Brook Benton

The Song: Give Me A Sign by The Man With The God Given Voice

A Clip from the Movie Mr Rock & Roll

If Only I Had Known (Vik)

Ken Boothe-Strait Of Gibraltar (Studio One)'68

Ken_Boothe_Site_Discography & General_Information


Ken Boothe started recording in 1963 at the age of 12 as a duo. He had already been in the "business" before that.

Ken is still active and has gone into gospel to.




Many Caribbean/South American artist did not make it outside there own musical region. Of the few that made it Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jimmy James and Laurel Aitken are the best known.

One of my coming posts will be on Jimmy James and the original Jamaican version of "Come To Me Softly" released in 1963 long before the US version hit the market.

AN OTHER DEEPIE - Strait Of Gibraltar

from the Studio One 1968 album