Janis Joplin Genesis Book

and more scribblings Nov 21,2020

The Scrapbook
Janis Joplin: Days & Summers
‘We’ve had Janis’s scrapbook for a long time. It was really important to her. Scrapbooks may sound quaint and old-fashioned today, but by sitting down, cutting these things out, sticking them in place and annotating them, Janis has given us a unique record of the period.’ – Michael Joplin
In her handmade scrapbook Janis Joplin created a personal record of her meteoric rise to fame and the flowering of Sixties counterculture in which she was to play a lead role. From the singer’s earliest intimate blues gigs in local coffee houses, to her first appearances with Big Brother and the Holding Company, to the band’s breakthrough performance at Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, Janis’s story is remarkable. Throughout it all, she collected posters, souvenirs, press clippings, photographs and records, and annotated them with her comments.

More than 50 years later, Janis’s scrapbook is revealed for the first time. Featured alongside are previously unpublished items from her personal archive, including letters she wrote home to her family and a preceding scrapbook from her senior high school years, 1956-59. Collectively, they offer a brand new perspective on the Port Arthur girl that transformed into a rock goddess, setting the world on fire with her talent. https://www.genesis-publications.com/book/9781905662654/janis-joplin-days-summers

Rob Benson Airplay Under the Whispering Tree

AIRPLAY on Only Rock Radio, Cator Web Radio, Activate Media/Boston, Banks Radio, Australia, Sweet Sunday Soul, Valley985FM, interview soon on BTDRadio, Plastic_EP Australia. Shipped to 105 Media Outlets, more airplay pending. Publicity Joe Viglione Media

October 1 Valley FM 89.5 @Valley895FM
Sep 29 @RobBenson1102 Under The Whispering Tree as played on
@BanksRadioAU
@SweetSundaySou1, thanks to @JoeViglione
Eastern time: 7:15 pm October 20, 2020 on Only Rock Radio

Restoring Old Photographs History of NE Music Scene

You are invited to help us restore the old photographs that I post here and on Facebook. varchives{@}varulven.com The Varulven Archives.

Rock star as roadie back in the day! The band Susan hired me and my company van to drive them to a college gig sometime in the 1970s. All I wrote on the back of the photo “college gig.” Oh well… Pre-Ricky Bird Band Members Charles Leland – Vocals,bass, John Kalishes– guitar, Tom Dickie – guitar,vocals, Mick Leland – drums,vocals https://melodic-hardrock.com/susan-falling-in-love-again-1979/ Photo Joe Viglione (C)2020 Joe V’s History of New England Music Photo enhancement Carolyn Sharp Heggarty 10-18-2020

https://melodic-hardrock.com/susan-falling-in-love-again-1979/

From YouTube:

Recorded live at The Rat – Boston – 1976.
In 2001 the legendary building that housed Boston’s infamous Rat was demolished, but this recording (catalog #528, same as the address for the establishment on Commonwealth Avenue in the heart of Boston) remains as evidence of what transpired in that “cellar full of noise.” Inspired by Hilly Kristal’s Live at CBGB’s, this is truly the companion double LP to that disc on Atlantic, though the Boston compilation came close but failed to obtain major-label release. Recorded September 27, 28, and 29th, 1976, at the dawn of the “new wave,” important and historic live recordings of some of the scenemakers live on within these grooves. Long out of print, it is considered to be the Holy Grail of Boston rock and roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijtSE4MRccw Nat White 1 year agoCan somebody give me information about this band?Al Desimone 1 year agoThis was a Boston based band with the exception of the lead guitarist, Ricky Byrd, who went on ot perform with Ian Hunter, SouthSide Johnny, Roger Daltry and ultimately Joan Jett. Ricky hails from Flushing NY, though born in the Bronx. I was in a very early band with Ricky when he was at ther tender ages from 15-17. The lead singer and bass player, Charles LeLand passed away recently. You can hear their one and only studio LP here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwp_RBYP8gg&t=400s

The John Kalishes SUSAN photo was reversed with this program https://www.resizepixel.com/ I have no idea how my photo reversed itself in the past almost 50 years, but it did. Anyone who wants to improve the photo, have at it! It’s appreciated as we chronicle the history of the New England History of New England Music, rare photo I snapped at the Rat of the band SUSAN! Keep in mind, the photo somehow reversed itself in the 50 years or so since it was taken, thus, as a commentor notes, John Kalishes is actually a right handed guitarist More stuff here: http://joeviglione.com/?p=1927
Around 10:45 pm 10-17-2020 I did the mirror image routine!
The John Kalishes SUSAN photo was reversed with this program https://www.resizepixel.com/ I have no idea how my photo reversed itself in the past almost 50 years, but it did. Anyone who wants to improve the photo, have at it! It’s appreciated as we chronicle the history of the New England music scene.http://joeviglione.com/?p=1935
You are invited to help us restore the old photographs that I post here and on Facebook. varchives{@}varulven.com The Varulven Archives.for my eventual book on the scene that we are building chapter by chapter. Chapter 21 is the new Boston Rock and Roll Anthology. Photographs enhanced and chosen will be credited to the image re-builder in our booklets. (C)2020 History of New England Music by Joe Viglione music scene

Below is the image as found in my archives at the bottom of a box on
Thursday, October 15, 2020…somehow it reversed itself over the years.
how does THAT happen?

History of New England Rock

Joe Viglione on Australian TV show Plastic EP October 15, 2020 7 PM

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?extid=0&v=348426889908648&ref=watch_permalink

The late John Kalishes and Susan at the Rat some 45 years or so ago…what happened to this photo? Looks like another photo of the same gig superimposed on it? Notice RAT backwards! (Photo credit Joe Viglione) Here’s a Facebook comment from Tom McGee,
Susan soundman: ” My band, I would have been mixing sound, John Kalishes with his 1965 white Strat, Mick Leland on drums, and Tom Dickie on vocals. Charles Leland on bass would have been on the right of John. John died young in 2000 and was best man at my wedding in 1977 – still married 43 years later! “
Voyager at Boston recording studio across the street from WBCN May 16, 1987
recording for the Massachusetts Hard Rock Heavy Metal Anthology
Photo: Joe Viglione Archives

Interview with As It Is Director Jaylie Jo Wayling



Jaylie Jo Wayling
Director: AS IT IS  video

 
 
The first official video from the new booklet/CD Boston Rock and Roll Anthology Chapter #21 is “As It Is” from the duo Karmacar, Track #3 on the new compilation.
 
We interviewed the filmmaker on her production of “As It Is” as we launch an online video compilation of the album.
 
 Q: How did you choose “As It Is” with all the songs Karmacar has in its repertoire?

A: “As It Is” was the newest addition to the upcoming album and we felt it was the best song to capture the essence of Karmacar.


Q: What theme did you want to convey with your camera?

A: I wanted to create a theme surrounding nature as Heidi and Nic enjoy walking through London parks and taking in the surroundings. We thought it was important to display a spur of the moment adventure.

Q: What equipment did you choose for taping/filming and then editing?

A: For filming we had a basic set up in order to be able to move location quickly. I used my personal DSLR: Canon 1300D and it was later edited by Nic.


Q: Who chose the location?

A: Golders hill park was a place we were all fond of and we collectively decided that it would be a perfect place to create a beautiful vibe for the music video.

Q: Were there discussions on wardrobe and makeup?

A: Heidi and Nic chose their own outfits which they felt reflected them best.

Q:I love the intro where singer Heidi-Jo is wearing something matching with the flowers, and the make a wish dandelion.  Was there a storyboard written?

A: Everything filmed was spur of the moment, as I like to let the location inspire each shot I take and let my imagination run wild. When walking, we found a patch of dandelions and instantly wanted to find a way to incorporate them!

Q: The music and lyrics are by Nico Barchiesi & Heidi Jo Hines. Recorded and mixed by Nico Barchiesi & Heidi Jo Hines at home using a Yamaha AW16G audio recording workstation.  How did you match up the audio to the video?

A: Nic managed to match up the audio using a software on his computer.  





Q:The camera work is amazingly steady.  Is it all hand-held or did you use a tripod?

A: Most of it was filmed handheld! It was difficult to find smooth ground in order to place the tripod but we made it work.

Q: You are the granddaughter of Jo Jo Laine and Denny Laine. I know Jo Jo would be so proud of you for such quality work.  What are your future video plans?

A: Aw I appreciate that, I hope she would be! I hope to create more music videos with Heidi and Nic as I am excited to explore the narrative behind some of their songs. I am also currently working on creating some short films. I’m really enjoying experimenting and building my skills.

Q: Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

A: If you want to listen to some beautifully serene and vibey music during these difficult times make sure to check out Karmacar on Youtube and Facebook and your stresses will melt away. Sending love to you all! 

 
Karmacar site:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5aiseZ0n3XNU_H5jWdL6Ug 
 

Track 3 “As It Is”  Karmacar
https://tinyurl.com/karmacarvideo

Track 1    3d   “Everything But Peace”
https://youtu.be/L0W1oA0hhs4

Track #2  Pamela Ruby Russell   “Space and Time”
https://youtu.be/Mnq8MPUruWI

Track #3  Karmacar  “As It Is”
https://youtu.be/v60ddB_saIM

Track 4  The Complaints “Downtime”
https://youtu.be/sa4Lbbhe0XI

Track 5   Phil DaRosa   “Faraday”
https://youtu.be/Q8myMpgodXA

Track 6  Kitoto Sunshine Love “Proud Soul Heritage”
https://youtu.be/emjP5mQn-Lw

Track #7  Slapback “Guardian Angel”
Here’s “What You Should Know” by Slapback  https://youtu.be/znVGvsMhwjc

Track #8  Empty County Band  “Until The End”
https://youtu.be/g-gcNYlF6L4

Track #9  Blackenstein Instrumental
https://youtu.be/onIui8VH4vg

Track 10  Tom Mich “Table Scraps”
https://youtu.be/uaNBh6GRLZ4

Track #12 Mad Painter  LETTER
https://youtu.be/8XfW0q9aHLg

Mad Painter: Letter Live on WMFO
https://youtu.be/B25GqCOZBRw

13)Joe Black  Monster
https://youtu.be/Aa_Rdqp1cMo

14)Empty County Band    “Skeptical”
https://youtu.be/mOrjE1REJFA

15)Pamela Ruby Russell  “Walk Thru Fire”
https://youtu.be/z-evmV0JT2A

Walk Thru Fire LIVE  1999
https://youtu.be/05zbFD4Cfg4

Greg Walsh’s New Ghosts  June Gloom
https://youtu.be/lOwR24pl0sE    Counting Down to Zero (from 1) is the track on the disc

Track #16  Love You  Kitoto Sunshine Love
https://youtu.be/RHCIwEzj1UU

Peter Calo, guitar
Steve Holley – drums
Dave Maxwell  Piano
Thomas Hebb  Bass

Track #17  Karmacar  “Who’s Foolin Who?”
https://youtu.be/EwgNX2EomTI

Track #18  Joe Viglione “I Thought About You”
https://youtu.be/9JdVK9SW0r4

Track #19  Dalia Davis “Eleven and a Half”
Spotify – no video  https://open.spotify.com/artist/1OPZo9r4feyUb227h4RhXD

Dalia Davis on Plastic EP Melbourne Australia
https://youtu.be/bxzwh3NReyM

Track #20  Fire in the Field  “Bossman” Live by Mike Moore
https://youtu.be/UCpKIyV-erE

Track #21  The Ballad of a Rock Star – Matty O’

LISTEN TO  BALLAD OF A ROCK STAR on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOh8pHjJK3A

The Story of Ballad of a Rock Star
http://tinyurl.com/storyofrockstar

Mastered by the legendary Rob Fraboni, Grammy winner with Keith Richards

Rob Fraboni has recorded sound for over 40 years. He’s consulted and worked with many of rock’s pre-eminent artists.
Names like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, The Band, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, The Beach Boys, Bonnie Raitt, Hubert Sumlin, and many more.
In his best selling autobiography, Life, Keith Richards says about Rob, “His knowledge and his ability to record in the most unusual places are breathtaking. He worked as a producer on “The Last Waltz”; he remastered all the Bob Marley stuff. He’s one of the best sound engineers you can ever meet.”

Matty O Lyrics are here:
http://mattolyrics.blogspot.com/

YouTube THE BALLAD OF A ROCK STAR
https://youtu.be/PNoNit5bc4Y

Keith 98.6 Produced By JERRY ROSS

AllMusic Review by Joe Viglione  [-]

Sublime is the only way to describe Keith’s biggest hit, the top 10 “98.6” and the almost as wonderful Top 40 hit which preceded it two months before, “Ain’t Gonna Lie”. This twelve song album is resplendent in Kal Rudman’s obtuse, exaggerated liner notes which years later read like so much unnecessary nonsense and hyperbole. The artist deserved a more classy approach. All three albums by Keith are highly listenable adventures, and though one tune here, “White Lightin’, would have been better left on the cutting room floor, there’s a real nugget in the cover of “Tell Me To My Face”, written by Graham Nash, Allan Clarke and Tony Hicks from The Hollies Stop! Stop! Stop! album. That’s the disc where those three Hollies wrote all the tunes on their own, and it’s a wonderful find. In fact, the Alice Cooper group lifted their melody for “Billion Dollar Babies” right from this composition, almost note for note. The rendition here has Arabian nights instrumentation, clever, classy and memorable. For the most part the album is solid material, Fischoff, Powers, producer Jerry Ross and arranger Joe Renzetti dominating the album with adult pop, a stunning amalgam of Chris Montez meets Tony Hatch. Ross, Renzetti, Fischoff and Powers have the perfect voice/vehicle for their smartly crafted melodies and the singer is always in tune with very appealing vocal chords. It sounds like they modeled this material after what Burt Bacharach and Hal David were doing for Dionne Warwick and the pity here is that Keith didn’t get the chance as Dionne did to send songs like “Our Love Started All Over Again” way up the charts. You can hear hints of Gene Pitney, elements that combine and make for a refreshing sixties moment that got away. Such a shame, for the brilliance of “98.6” was no fluke, Keith was the real thing. Maybe it was Kal Rudman’s incessant gushing that held this creative collection of melodies back? Still, “98.6” remains as a truly special pop moment, a song as monumental as Al Anderson’s “No Good To Cry” and, thankfully, not as obscure.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/986-aint-gonna-lie-mw0000873530

AllMusic Review by Joe Viglione  [-]

“Sugar Man” leads off Keith‘s follow-up to his debut album. Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Rendell, producer Jerry Ross seems to be pulling out all the stops. Out of Crank is a good Keith record, but not as strong as the album that preceded it, nor as listenable as his highly experimental The Adventures of Keith that followed this release. “Candy” feels like his hit “98.6” with a bit of show tune flavor. “Easy As Pie” also has that “98.6” vibe, producer Ross knowing a good thing and clearly trying to capitalize on earlier success. The cover of Spanky & Our Gang’s “Making Every Minute Count” doesn’t have the strength of the hit version, also on Mercury. Keith has a radio-friendly voice for pop, and he had enough edge to keep him from falling into the Brian Hyland/Tommy Roe zone of teeny bop. The Renzetti/Ross “There’s Always Tomorrow” is one of the highlights, as is “Daylight Savin’ Time,” Ross knowing how to write a good hook. The verses are distinct enough but the chorus is pure “98.6.” When you talk about typecasting, this album is a perfect example. Still, the sequel to Keith‘s biggest hit is great, albeit blatant. “Times Gone By” is a pleasant departure, co-written by Ross/Gamble, the team that composed Bobby Hebb‘s “You Don’t Know What You Got Until You Lose It.” Keith‘s own “Happy Walking Around” is his first original to show up on either this or the earlier recording, and it is the most innovative thing on this disc, a good indication of the substantial path he would set out on. “Be My Girl” by Spector/Sands is in the same style as the rest of this album, very pop, and nothing to be ashamed of.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/out-of-crank-mw0000923993

AllMusic Review by Joe Viglione  [-]

“Alone on the Shore” opens the third album by Keith, the one name handle for James Barry Keefer. The shimmering pop that was created by Bobby Hebb producer Jerry Ross and arranger Joe Renzetti on the first two Mercury discs is replaced by original compositions and the arrangement of the meticulous Larry Fallon. Fallon is credited for arranging The Looking Glass hit “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl,” however, he is the actual producer on that disc. He is one of the industry’s underrated talents, and he allows Keith‘s band of David Jiminez (guitar), Joe Coyle (ryhthm guitar), Dave Fiebert (bass), and Rick Fox (drums) to experiment in ways that are admirable. This LP plays more like latter day Donovan, another one-name pop maestro. “Alone on the Shore” and “Trixon’s Election” are heady pop tunes, maybe too deep for Top 40 at the time. Even Buffalo Springfield knew enough to temper their politics with radio friendly music. The sounds here are an intriguing mixture of ’60s garage rock with British pop, flavors of The BeatlesThe Small FacesKaleidoscope UK, and other psychedelic rockers. The production by Ted Daryll allows this group to stretch out. “Waiting to Be” is five minutes and thirty eight seconds of psychedelic jam. Keith wrote only one song on his second album, none on his first, so RCA Records showed some kind of faith in the artist allowing him to compose/co-write all ten titles on The Adventures of Keith. These are adventurous tunes, and worth listening to. It’s a natural progression from the second album’s Jimmy “Wiz” Wisner‘s (yes, the one and the same from Tommy James & the Shondells sessions), arrangement of the Spanky & Our Gang hit “Making Every Minute Count” to the short one minute and fifty six second “Melody,” which begins like a track from one of the first two Keith albums, diving into the progressive nature of this recording, and back to the pop sensibilities of the first two LPs. “The Problem,” which is the last song on side one, was issued as a single with the excellent “Marstrand,” the first track of side two. “Elea-Elea” is another five minute plus track, and one of the album’s standouts. Great melody and all the indications that Keith should have been a major, major pop star. Where Donovan had Led Zeppelin performing on “Hurdy Gurdy Man” and the Jeff Beck Group behind him on “Goo Goo Barabajagal” helping churn out the hits, Keith and his band crafted an album perfect for FM radio, perhaps a bit ahead of its time for an artist known for covering the Hollies. But Keith‘s musical direction here is impressive and reiterates how clever his three Top 40 hits prior to this release really were.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-adventures-of-odd-keith-mw0000796076

Roscoe Shelton

Roscoe Shelton Biography Artist Biography by Joe ViglioneRoscoe Shelton is a pivotal and influential voice who paved the way for other soul artists as the blues and rock genres were finding some common ground in the world of pop music. His latter-day producer, Fred James, noted that Roscoe was one of the few blues/R&B singers of the ’50s to make the transition to soul.
Eighteen years after his birth on August 22, 1931, in Lynchburg, TN, Roscoe joined the legendary Fairfield Four, a gospel quartet from the ’30s and ’40s. It is important to note here that Shelton’s friend Bobby Hebb also played guitar in the Fairfield Four, though not while Shelton was with the act. After singing lead for that group Roscoe spent four years in the military. Upon his release from military duty he joined a spinoff of the Fairfield Four, which became known as the Skylarks. Between 1956 and 1957 the Skylarks recorded for Nashboro Records, a gospel label owned by Excello Records proprietor Ernie Young. After his gig with the Skylarks, Shelton performed live with his childhood friends DeFord Bailey, Jr. and Bobby Hebb. Hebb noted that Shelton sang spirituals before he went into the blues.
It was never a problem for the singer and guitarist to get together. They would see each other in the neighborhood quite often. And it was the same with DeFord Bailey, Jr., son of the legend he was named after, who lived only two or three houses away from the Hebbs when Bobby and DeFord were children. Bobby Hebb was a sideman with DeFord Bailey, Jr. — considered the first electric bass player in Tennessee — and they had a variety of singers including Roscoe Shelton. Roland Grisham would perform on guitar when Hebb had other commitments. They traveled regionally — a variety of places including Clarksville, Fedville, and Tullahoma, TN, where Hebb’s father was from.
Roscoe Shelton SingsAccording to writer Bill Dahl in the CD liner notes to Roscoe Shelton Sings, Roscoe recorded at Excello Records between October of 1958 to February 1961, the material showing up on his album debut, 1961’s Roscoe Shelton Sings. Bobby Hebb played guitar on some of the original Excello sides, including a minor hit, “Something’s Wrong,” written by Shelton/Hall. Roscoe would cover only one composition from his friend and neighbor, the song-a-day man Bobby Hebb. That tune from circa 1959/1960 is entitled “My Best Friend,” with lyrics slightly altered from Hebb’s original. Forty-fives were being released on various labels after the debut album, Roscoe recording for Ted Jarrett’s Valdot label in 1962, those sides getting licensed to Battle Records. In 1964-1965 the work was issued on the Simms imprint, resulting in the hit “Strain on My Heart.” Simms was absorbed by Sound Stage Seven, a label operated by former DJ John Richbourg, aka John R of Rich Records fame. Sound Stage Seven released the singer’s music between 1965 and 1967, hitting with “Easy Going Fellow.” The SS7 material featured songwriting and production from Allen Orange, delivering the aforementioned hit “Strain on My Heart,” which went into the Top 25 on the R&B charts of Billboard magazine, followed by another hit, “Easy Going Fellow.” “Sea Cruise” author Huey “Piano” Smith contributed a couple of tunes as well, recordings that were issued along with over a half-dozen singles at one point in time, collected on the 1966 album Soul in His Music, Music in His Soul. And consider that was a five-year delay between long-players for the gifted singer — too long a span of time for someone who contributed so much to the changing times. Ten years older than Otis Redding and the fellow born six months before Otis, Wilson Pickett, there’s no doubt that Shelton’s pioneering work impacted the styles of both legends. Redding and Shelton eventually performed at the Apollo Theater on the same bill. Just listen to the Wilson Pickett growls and the Otis Redding inflections to see where they got some of their classic vocal moves.Though music was made for Ted Jarrett’s Ref-O-Ree imprint between 1958 and 1969 along with one 45 for Jarrett’s T-Jaye label in the ’70s and another in the ’80s, Shelton left the music business for the private sector in 1970, becoming the dorm administrator for Meharry Medical College in Nashville. The gap is huge between the work on Sound Stage 7 in 1966 and the 1994 release of material by Shelton, Earl Gaines, and Clifford Curry under the title of the Excello Legends. This was actually recorded for what was to be a reactivated Excello Records, but the company sold out to AVI, the disc getting licensed to Magnum and finding re-release in 1998 on Ripete.
Let It ShineFred James produced many of Shelton’s recordings in the ’90s and the new millennium, touring the U.S. and Europe with the singer several times. Those records include Let It Shine and She’s the One from 1996, and the Earl Gaines and Roscoe Shelton 1998 recordings entitled Let’s Work Together. A 1996 duet with Mary-Ann Brandon (wife of producer Fred James) found release on Road Records’ Matches from Motel Rendezvous album in 2003. Several more CDs were released up to the singer’s passing in July of 2002. In 2004 the Grammy-winning Night Train to Nashville collection included “Say You Really Care” from Rosco Shelton Sings, bringing this singer’s work additional appreciation and a new audience. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/roscoe-shelton-mn0000342226/biography

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/roscoe-shelton-mn0000342226/biography

AllMusic Review by Joe Viglione  [-]
Soul in His Music, Music in His Soul features sublime vocalist Roscoe Shelton interpreting a dozen tracks by songwriters Huey “Piano” SmithAllen Julian OrangeBobby Hebb, and others. Recorded by DJ/producer John Richbourg aka “John R” of Rich Records and Cape Ann Music publishing, the material eventually emerged on the Sound Stage 7 label as this collection. A total of 11 of these 12 titles were released over seven separate 45 rpm records – that’s almost the entire album issued as singles to radio and the public years before Cyndi LauperTina TurnerHeart, and Fleetwood Mac would make multiple releases from an LP the norm. When Shelton left Excello Records circa 1961, he released a song written by his guitarist from the early Excello sessions, Bobby Hebb, coincidentally on Battle Records, the same label Hebb released a 45 on. Battle #45913 had Ted Jarrett‘s “Worry” on the B-side with “My Best Friend” as the featured track. Written by Bobby Hebb in 1959 or 1960, Shelton changed the lyrics slightly in the middle-eight, making this unique from the songwriter’s original version. The double-sided single “Love Comes and Goes” b/w “Mastermind” was released on John R‘s Sims imprint, Sims 190 to be exact, written by Huey “Piano” Smith of “Sea Cruise” and “Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu” fame. “Strain on My Heart” was issued as Sims #217 and became an R&B hit in 1965. “Keep Your Mind on Me” came out as Sims #240, while “The Fire Still Burns” was issued on Sims 245. Amazingly, the singles kept finding release with “I Know Your Heart Has Been Broken” on Sound Plus #2122 while another R&B hit, “Easy Going Fellow, found fame in 1966 on Sound Stage #2555. “Who Walks In (When I Walk Out)” b/w “You’re Living Too Fast” got issued on Sound Plus #2114/ Sound Stage 7 #2563 — staggering when one thinks of the outreach to radio this important artist received. From the strings of “You’re Living Too Fast” to the R&B groove of “Who Walks In (When I Walk Out)” the seven compositions from the pen of Allen Orange most likely had his guiding presence to help them along in the recording studio. Though all the tracks here got scattered across the Deep in My Soul CD collection about 40 years after this initial release; the tracking on Soul in His Music, Music in His Soul works wonderfully and is worth a listen if just for the superb original context.

Roscoe Shelton Sings

Roscoe Shelton Sings! AllMusic Review by Joe Viglione [-]In 1995, AVI/Atomic Beat expanded Roscoe Shelton Sings to 25 tracks, reissuing the music on the logo where it was originally found, the majestic Excello Records imprint. Bill Dahl does an excellent job in his five pages of liner notes, chronicling the material Shelton recorded for Excello during the three-year period from the first session, October 3, 1958, up to the last Excello date Shelton taped for the label on February 2, 1961. In those 28 months something very special was captured, and the reissue wisely keeps the tracking in its original order before adding the bonus tracks. Dahl mentions that Shelton was “reasonably sure” that “Sunny” author Bobby Hebb performed on the first sessions. The musicians were neighbors and it is indeed the lead guitarist who appeared on the Dave “Baby” Cortez Top Ten hit “Rinky Dink” in 1962 who plays on the exquisite “Something’s Wrong,” a minor hit for Shelton. With regard to “Crazy Over You,” “Why Didn’t You Tell Me,” and other tracks, Hebb said, “It sounds like something I might have done at that time. I was playing that particular style — within four frets’ reach.” Shelton’s grasp of mood and nuance is tremendous, the band setting the table perfectly on “Think It Over,” giving Roscoe a perpetual groove to ride. He provides different shades of pain on “A Fool Wrapped Up in Love,” the song titles posing questions or making statements on the various romantic states the singer explores with his dynamic and underexposed voice. The packaging is tremendous, complementing these sounds from the succinct but important initial phase of Shelton’s equally small but vital catalog. You can feel bits of Nat King Cole as well as Sam Cooke on “Are You Sure” and Jackie Wilson’s dancehall verve on “Lonely Heartaches,” but these are merely flavors as Roscoe Shelton delivers his own unique impressions on these early and essential sides. https://www.allmusic.com/album/roscoe-shelton-sings-mw0000005553

https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-in-his-music-music-in-his-soul-mw0001442922