THE 86th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 86th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Musicology, there's some classic Soul Music on here from Mid 60's to Early 70's, Its called, Soulnaissance Volume 2!.....  Volume 1 has been featured previously, and Volume 3 coming up next week!                      

Its features Delfonics, Stylistics, Chi-Lites, The Moments and The Originals to name but a Few!

Check Out WebPage For Track Listing and Download.

TOUR DE FRANCE & LARRY GRAHAM

After working a couple of Months in the Town Center Co-op Butchery in Mid 1982, I was offered another Position in the company, it was being a Relief- Butcher, i.e going around the other Branches of the Co-op in my area, this I had done before when I worked for Dewhurst's Butchers, anyway I jumped at the chance, as I did not like my Butchery Manager too much!


After a couple of weeks, I was asked to work in a near by Town Butcher's, the Town was called Caister, I said "Yes" but when I thought about it, as I was still Biking to work, I thought I would get the Bus to work, this turned out to be a Nightmare, we were Living in the far end of Gorleston and Caister was about 7/8 Miles away!


As I started work at 8am in the Morning, I left home about 7am, firstly I had to get to Yarmouth, then get another Bus to Caister, the first day at the New Place, I was Late, then after about an 9 hour shift, I had to do the Bus rides all again, if I remember correctly it was gone 7pm before I got home that first night!


I liked working at the New Shop, the Shop Manager was a Chap by the name of Derrick, he was about 50 years old, if I remember right, there was an Assistant Manager, I cant remember his name, but he was a few years younger than me, he was alright as well, & they had a Saturday Boy, he was Derricks son!


The following week I was asked to go to the Caister Shop again, I remembered the Bus Rides and thought Sod that!  my only other way of getting there was on my Bike, so I did, it used to take nearly 1 hour to get there, as I said it was about 7/8 miles away!

When I finally got Home that night, I thought I had done a Days ride in the Tour De France!


Little did I know then, in a few Weeks time, biking to Caister was going to become a Regular thing!


As for Music around this Period, I would like to go back a Couple of Years to 1980, and one of the Best Bass Players Ever  "Larry Graham" had a Great Single out, it was called "One In A million You" it was from his Debut Solo Album of the same name.


This was a change from his usual Music (check out the second Video), with "Sly & the Family Stone" and "Graham Central Station" this was a love Ballad written by Sam Dees, it made Number One in the US R&B Charts and Number 9 in US Pop Chart!


Larry Graham has a Great Voice and this was a Great song. I remember Buying the Single and the Album, and of course I have the Cd now!







Listen to "One in a Million You" by Larry Graham. 

Love had played its games on me so long
I started to believe I'd never find anyone
Doubt had tried to convince me to give in
Said you can't win

But one day the sun it came shinin' through
The rain had stopped and the skies were blue
And oh, what a revelation to see
Someone was saying "I love you" to me

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me a stroke of love called you
A one in a million you

I was a lonely man with empty arms to fill
Then I found a piece of happiness to call my own
And life is worth living, again
For to love you, to me, is to live

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me, a stroke of love, called you
A one in a million you

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life, showed compassion
And sent to me, a stroke of love called you
A one in a million you, a one in a million you

 ONE IN A MILLION YOU LYRICS  BY SAM DEES

THE 85th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 85th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by HeavySoulBrutha, there's some classic  Jazz /Jazz Funk Music Tracks on here, Its called, Groove Merchant!                       

Its features Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Grover Washington Jr and Eddie Henderson to name but a Few!

Check Out WebPage For Track Listing and Download.

Groove Merchant! by Heavysoulbrutha on Mixcloud

THE BEST SOUL BANDS / ARTISTS OF THE ALL-TIME # 1 THE CHI-LITES

This Series of Post's concerns in my Opinion The Best Bands/Artists of all time.


I will write a Short Bio including  the Band Members/ Artist, some Facts and figures, their Histories,  Links, Videos, The Tracks they made Famous, Links to Download etc etc

I will start with Probably the Best Soul Vocal Band Ever...The Chi-Lites, led by the Great Eugene Record on Lead Tenor vocals,  I brought my First Chi-Lites Album in 1975, "Half a Love" this incidentally was their Last Album for Brunswick Records.
By this time they had already had plenty of Success and Hit records, but after hearing this Album I soon made it my mission to Purchase all the stuff that went before!


Another interesting fact concerning this particular Album, The Chi-Lites Record Label "Brunswick" were in serious Financial trouble around the period of the Album release, so out of the 10 Tracks on the Album, only 6 were New, the other 4, had been Released previously!

The Chi-Lites were Formed in 1959, but originally they were called The Hi-Lites. They had 5 Original Members: Marshall Thompson, Creadel "Red" Jones, Eugene Record, Robert Lester and finally Clarence Johnson.


They Released several Singles on Local Record Labels, then in 1964 they had a Name Change, this time it was Marshall Thompson and The Chi-Lites, they added a "C" in Honour of where they came from "Chicago"


By the end of 1964 Clarence Johnson had left the Band and another name change had happened, they were now called  just "The Chi-Lites"


By 1968 The Chi-Lites had joined "Brunswick Records" and Eugene Record has emerged as the Lead Singer, Song Writer and Producer!

By 1969 the First Hit Record happened "Give It Away" it reached Number 10 in the US R&B Chart, the follow up Single "Let Me Be The Man, My Daddy Was" was only moderately Successful.


They had to wait until 1971 until the next big Hit, "Are You My Woman" was a US R&B Top 10 Record, then after that it was Hit after Hit!

The first Crossover Hit came with 
"For Gods Sake Give More Power To The People" then there were 2 Number 1's in the US R&B Charts with "Have You Seen Her" and "Oh Girl" incidentally "Oh Girl" was also a  Number 1 Pop Hit in the US in the Spring of 1972!


After about another 6 other Single releases, all getting into both US Pop and R&B Charts, the Single "Stoned Out Of My Mind" was released in 1973, it reached Number 2 in US R&B Chart, but this marked the time when several Line-up changes happened!

By the middle of 1974 the Hits were still coming with "Homely Girl" Toby and so on, more Hits followed in 1975, but it was around this period when as I said earlier "Brunswick" were in Financial Trouble, and by 1976 The Chi-lites had left "Brunswick" and Eugene Record had left The Chi-Lites!


During this period The Chi-Lites signed for "Mercury Records"  and had a moderate time by their standards, but by 1980 the Original Members (minus Clarence Johnson) had Reformed and signed to Carl Davis's Record Label "Chi-Sound"


The Re-union did not last long though, by 1982, "Creadel Jones" left again, followed by Eugene Record in 1988!

Over the years their were several member changes and a few minor Hits, but nothing like the early 70's.


Their last Biggest Hit Record was "Bottoms Up" in 1983, it reached Number 7 in US R&B Chart.


My Favorite All-Time Chi-Lites Track is  "Yes I'm Ready (if I dont get to go)  A CLASSIC!


In 2000 The Chi-Lites were Inducted into "R&B The Hall Of Fame" 


For a more In-depth Story (including all the Music, bio's, Chart positions, Awards etc)  of The Chi-Lites....PRESS HERE



The only living Member of the Original Band is "Marshall Thompson" who is still Performing, and one of his current Projects is Joint-Owner of "Mar-ance Records" with Michael Jackson's Father, Joseph.


Press Here to view/hear the Chi-lites Greatest Hits!

Below are the Tracks from the 2006 Album Released on Music Club, 36 Tracks in total, Volume 1 and 2, either just Play the tracks or Download!

THE 84th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 84th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its the Final Mix of the Series! Its been Mixed by Funk Zone (Michael Onas), there's some classic Funk/Soul Music Tracks on here from 80's and 90's, Its called, Funk & Old School Mix Disc 3!


Its features Keith Sweat, Roger and Zapp, George Clinton, Cameo, Prince and Tony Toni Tone to name but a Few!


Check Out WebPage For Track Listing and Download.