A BLACK HISTORY show for the Valentine's weekend featuring many talented Black artists. These singers and musicians enriched our civilization with their unforgettable recordings which we are featuring here today.
| THE FIRST TIME I EVER SAW YOUR FACE ROBERTA FLACK - FIRST TAKE (LP) - ATLANTIC |
| YOU'RE IN MY ARMS AGAIN ISAAC HAYES - THE SOUND OF BLAXPLOITATION (LP) - PLASTIC |
| GUESS WHO I SAW TODAY LAURA LEE - SLIPPING AROUND (LP) - HDH |
| ME AND MRS. JONES BILLY PAUL - 12" - PETER'S OLDIES TRAX |
| THE COLDEST DAYS OF MY LIFE THE CHI-LITES - 7" - BRUNSWICK |
| YOU ARE EVERYTHING THE STYLISTICS - 7" - AVCO |
| THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED TO ME GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS - IMAGINATION (LP) - BUDDAH |
| YOU MAKE ME FEEL BRAND NEW THE STYLISTICS - ROCKIN' ROLL BABY (LP) - AVCO |
| KISS & SAY GOODBYE THE MANHATTANS - THE MANHATTANS (LP) - COLUMBIA |
| (LOVE IS LIKE A) BASEBALL GAME THE INTRUDERS - COWBOYS TO GIRLS (LP) - GAMBLE |
| I CRIED ALL THE WAY HOME RON BANKS & THE DRAMATICS - 7" - ABC |
| THE LOVE I LOST HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES - THE BEST OF HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (LP) - PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL |
| WHEN LOVE IS NEW ARTHUR PRYSOCK - 12" - OLD TOWN |
| YOU'LL NEVER FIND ANOTHER LOVE LIKE ME LOU RAWLS - 12" - PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL |
| YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE CANDI STATON - YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE (LP) - WARNER BROS. |
| USE TO BE MY GIRL THE O'JAYS - SO FULL OF LOVE (LP) - PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL |
| DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES - WAKE UP EVERYBODY (LP) - PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL |
| HEAVEN MUST BE MISSING AN ANGEL TAVARES - SKY HIGH! (LP) - CAPITOL |
| JESSICA WILLIAMS
Hailing from Tyler, Texas. JESSICA WILLIAMS worked with Motown songwriter-producer Hal Davis doing backup vocals for artists like MARVIN GAYE, SMOKEY ROBINSON, and THE JACKSON FIVE. Some of the gems she contributed backup vocals to include "Love Hangover" by DIANA ROSS and THELMA HOUSTON's wildly popular cover-version of "Don’t Leave Me This Way". The original version of which we just played! Eventually JESSICA WILLIAMS would record classic AMERICAN DISCO with acts like ARPEGGIO, ROMANCE and THE SIMON ORCHESTRA. Her performance as the lead vocalist in those acts were strong and outstanding! A stunning solo album came out in 1979 called 'Queen Of Fools'. The title track of which was heavily programmed in discos throughout Europe and the Americas. Even her performance as the singer in THE SIMON ORCHESTRA lp 'Mr. Big Shot' became legendary. Her singing in the wildly popular title track helped propel it internationally! Ironically another track on the 'Mr. Big Shot' album has become truly legendary, It was the powerful love song "I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten" and JESSICA WILLIAMS' vocals were endearing and emotionally rich. That stunning love song remains very popular to this day. It was released again on the legendary Passion label in England in 1983. RCA Victor released it again in Mexico in 1984. Dj's in England, Italy and Mexico continued spinning it in the 1980's and 1990's. |
| I CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNT TO TEN THE SIMON ORCHESTRA - MR. BIG SHOT (LP) - POLYDOR |
| LINDA LEWIS
One of the most underrated of the original 1960's SOUL artists, the late LINDA LEWIS would embrace disco dancefloors with her bubbly and funky 1975 cover version of Betty Everett's "The Shoop Shoop Song". Called "It's In His Kiss", it has become one of the essential and timeless examples of the early British Disco sound that certain better dj's still insist upon spinning. In 1984, "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", was used for the opening credits in the U.S. print of the film 'Desperately Seeking Susan'. There is something terribly romantic and enchanting about the beginning of 'Desperately Seeking Susan' with that version of the song! In 1990, the song had a cover version in the film 'Mermaids' for the end credits, and was recorded by the star of the film, CHER. That version was wildly popular, reaching No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. More information about LINDA LEWIS is available in our special about her. Here is a link to that playlist: https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/131/60895.html. |
| IT'S IN HIS KISS LINDA LEWIS - 7" - ARISTA |
| BAND OF GOLD FREDA PAYNE - 7" - INVICTUS |
| YOU TO ME ARE EVERYTHING REAL THING - REAL THING (LP) - UNITED ARTISTS |
| ONE IN A MILLION YOU LARRY GRAHAM - ONE IN A MILLION YOU (LP) - WARNER BROS. |
| YOU ARE MY LADY FREDDIE JACKSON - 7" - CAPITOL |
| NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE STEPHANIE MILLS - SWEET SENSATION (LP) - 20TH CENTURY FOX |
| SOLID ASHFORD & SIMPSON - 12" - OLD GOLD |
| DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY THELMA HOUSON - ANY WAY YOU LIKE IT (LP) - MOTOWN |
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Don't know all of these songs. Those I know are wicked.
7:58 PM, February 14th, 2025