THE GREATEST SOUL SINGER OF ALL TIME....FRANKIE BEVERLY

In this Series of Posts, I will writing about the Artist's who are in My "Greatest Ever Soul Singer of All-Time" Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Month's now, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their 20 Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on each Artist in Order of "Top to Bottom" of the Poll!

ARTIST NUMBER 10..............FRANKIE BEVERLY

Frankie Beverly was Born on 6th December 1946 in the US City of Philadelphia PA.

As a Young Boy he Sung Gospel Music in his Local Church, and by the time he Reached his Teenage Years, He had Formed a Doo-Wop Group by the Name of "The Blenders"

The Group did not Last too long and by 1963, Frankie Beverly had Formed another Band by the name of "The Butlers"

During the Latter part of the 60's the Band caught the Attention of Kenny Gamble, and went on to Record with Gamble.

But during 1970 another Name Change Happened, this time they Changed it to "Raw Soul"

By 1971 it was Decided that the "Raw Soul" Sound didn't Suit the "Philly Sound" so Frankie Beverly and the Band Re-Located to California, where the Music was more Laid Back! 

As the 70's went by, the Band were soon Discovered by the Sister-in-law of Marvin Gaye, and soon after Marvin Gaye was using "Raw Soul" as his Opening Act while on the Road. 

Marvin Gaye Loved the band but did not Like their Name, so he Persuaded Frankie Beverly to have another Name Change, and this time it Worked and by 1976 "Maze" had Signed for Capitol Records!

By 1977, Maze Released their Debut Album on "Capitol Records" called Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, it was to Start a Run of Success that had 8 Studio Albums Released over about a 16 Year Period, and all of them Attained "Gold Status"

The Album had 2 Single Releases that were "While I'm Alone" which Reached Number 89 on the US Pop Chart and Number 21 on the US R&B Chart and followed by "Lady of Magic" which Reached Number 108 on US Pop Chart and Number 13 on the US R&B Chart.

Over their Period of Success, Maze only had 2 Number One's on the US R&B Chart, and they were "Back in Stride" in 1985 and "Cant Get Over You" in 1989.

My Favorite 2 Album's by "Maze & Frankie Beverly" were "We Are One" in 1983 and "Cant Stop The Love" from 1985.

Maze were not a Big Recording Band, in fact they only ever Released 10 Albums and 2 of them were Live Recordings!
but they were by Far one of the Best Loved Bands, Especially in the U.K!

MAZE DISCOGRAPHY

8... STUDIO ALBUMS                             

2... LIVE ALBUMS

5... COMPILATIONS

30... SINGLES

For a More In-Depth look into Frankie Beverly & Maze Check out these Previous Posts, in 5 Parts: Starting Here

Checkout The Best of Frankie Beverly & MazE

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THE 157th MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 157th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Stevie G, its called Music is the Answer, there's some Classic Funk and Dance Tracks on here, Featuring amongst others: Dayton, The Blackbyrds, Shannon, Benny Golson, Colonel Abrams, D Train, and Bohannon.



For Full Track Listing's and Mixes Go Here!

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DEATH IN THE FAMILY and JACKIE WILSON

So in a few Days (around the 2nd week in June of 1987) were Back Home in Great Yarmouth, in the same House we left about 3 Month's earlier, and with the "Old Boy" still ill in Hospital.

We didn't really know How Bad he was, as I said previously my Mother did not tell us that much, about his illness, we Learned more from the Hospital staff as time went by!

As time Passed, I began to Wonder whether He would ever get any Better, He was saying Strange things to the Hospital Staff, I Remember one time He was saying things about one of the Nurses, being Black, and Saying they were doing things to him, He also Refused to see his Youngest Sister, when She Visited!

I found out Later when my Wife "Susan" Worked in the very same Hospital, that a lot of times, people who are Too ill are just brought back to Life, virtually for the Family too Say Goodbye to them!

This as it turned out was the case for my Family and Father.

I did a couple of things for my "Old Boy" I had never done before in that Last Week of his Life, I Talked to Him, he had never been a Big Talker to me (before) I used take to the Hospital Window , so he could look out, over the Car Park and I actually Shaved him a Couple of Times!

This Week was a Very Busy time for us, as you could imagine, we had just Moved House, so when we was not Sorting the Kids out, we were either Sorting the House out (unpacking all our stuff) or We were up the Hospital.

As it happened my "Old Boy" Lasted Exactly a Week before He Died on Saturday 22nd June 1987 at 15.50pm, and I Remember the Sun was Shining Brightly!

I must Admit his Death Hit me Quite Hard, this was Very Surprising as I Never Really got on with him that Well, as I said previously, He never really Spoke to me that Much, and it Always seemed I had to try to Hard to make him Happy!

As I was the only Son with 3 Sister's, you may have thought I would Get on Better with Him than my Sister's did, this Was Not the case, he seemed to favour all of Them Better than me, and his Particular favorite was my Youngest Sister!

I have always Wondered what my other 2 Sister's thought of this Favoritism, it was never Hidden!

====================================================================

As for some Music, has I have been posting about my Father this Week, One particular thing I remember about my Father and Music Happened over 40 years Ago, I have posted about this Subject  previously, but its worth another Mention, Under the Circumstances!

Its Nothing to do with Tom Jones, I Remember my Father liking Him as a Singer, the "Old Boy" used to say "that Tom Jones Sounds just a  Black Singer"

Anyway I Remember the Day, back in 1972, the "Old Boy" gave me a 50p Coin and said to me "get the Bus up to Town and go in "Wooly's and get me that Record by "Jackie Wilson" its Called "I Get The Sweetest Feeling"

I got a Copy of that Record and Played Hundreds of Times on the Family's Twin Speaker Record Player, I suppose there was 2 things that got me into Soul Music back then, this was one of them and the other was a Boy who I sometimes went around with, had an Older Brother, who always had Motown playing in his House, whenever I went round his! 

So perhaps my "Old Boy" did do something for me, after all!

Incidentally I still have the Single in my Loft, just like the Record to the Left!

A little bit about the Track, It was Written by Van McCoy and originally Released 4 Years earlier in 1968 across in the USA.
It was Produced by Carl Davis.

The Record was on the "MCA Label (in the UK)" and Reached number 9 on the Uk Pop Charts.

THE 156TH MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 156th Mix Selection for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by DJ BartBreak, its called Best of Funk Mix Tape # 6, there's some Classic Funk & Dance Tracks on here, Featuring amongst others: Atlantic Star, Colonel Abrams, Oliver Cheatham, Rene & Angela, Paul Hardcastle and Sos Band.

Play List: Best Of Funk # 6

01.	Imagination - Last Days Of Summer
02.	Pure Energy - Love Game
03.	Atlantic Starr - One Lover At A Time
04.	Oliver Cheatham - Sos
05.	Colonel Abrams - Do you know what i mean
06.	Colonel Abrams - Trapped
07.	Midnight Star - Engine No 9
08.	Paul Hardcastle - You're The One For Me
09.	Pure Energy - One Hot Night
10.	DeBarge - Rhythm Of The Night
11.	Rene & Angela - Free & Easy
12.	Rene & Angela - Drive My Love
13.	SOS Band - No One's Gonna Love You

Checkout DJ Bartbreak's Website and Download Mix

                                         HERE

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THE GREATEST SOUL SINGER OF ALL TIME....RONALD ISLEY

In this Series of Posts, I will writing about the Artist's who are in My "Greatest Ever Soul Singer of All-Time" Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Few Month's now, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their 20 Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on each Artist in Order of "Top to Bottom" of the Poll!

ARTIST NUMBER 9..............RONALD ISLEY

Ronald Isley was Born on May 21st 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, he was the 3rd of 6 Brothers Born to Sallye and O'Kelly Isley Sr.

By the Age of 3 Ronald Isley was Singing in his Local Church, with his Older Brothers, and by the Age of 7 he was Singing on Stage with Dinah Washington.

In 1957, Ronald (at 16 Years Old) and his 2 Elder Brothers (Kelly and Rudy)  Formed "The Isley Brothers" and Moved to New York to Sing Doo-Wop for Local Record Labels, they Released a few Singles, without any Chart Success.

Then in the Summer of '59 The Isley Brothers Wrote and Released their First Hit Record, it was Named "Shout" it was around this Period that All The Isley Family Moved to New Jersey.

During the 1960's The Isleys Recorded several Cover Versions of other Artists Songs, around 1964 the Record Label "T-Neck" was First formed by The Isley Brothers.

By the late 60's the Isleys were on the Tamla Motown Record Label, they had some Notable Success, with "This Old Heart Of Mine" this Track Reached Number 11 on the US Top 100 and Number 6 in the US R&B Chart, it also Charted in the UK at Number 3.

In 1969, The Isleys Released the Single "Its Your Thing" and this Turned out to be their Big Breakthrough on the US Pop Chart, it Reached Number 2, and Number 1 on the US R&B Chart, it also Charted in Uk at Number 30.

During the Early 1970's The Isley's had further Chart Success, and then in 1973 Epic Records started to Distribute the Isley Record's through their Own Record Label "T-Neck Records" 

They had Formed the "T-Neck" to have more Control of their Music and Produce Themselves.

With the Move (of Record Dists)  they also Changed their Style and Added 3 Younger Members to the Band (2 More Brothers and a Cousin, Chris Jasper), they Released their Next Album, which Turned out to be One of their Best Ever "3+3"  

This Album Started a Run of either Gold or Platinum Status Albums for Nearly the Next 10 Years.

During His Career, Ronald Isley has Suffered some Highs and Lows,  He has had Heart and Kidney Problems, He was Imprisoned for Tax Evasion in 2006 and released in 2010, He has been Married Twice, First to Angela Winbush in 1993 and Divorced in 2002, and then to a Backing Singer Kandy Johnson in 2005, but this caused a Storm as He was 35 years Older then her!

Ronald Isley is a Singer, Songwriter, Composer and Producer and he Play's the Piano and Keyboards.

THE ISLEY BROTHERS DISCOGRAPHY

 Studio Albums.................31

Live Albums....................3

Compilations...................15

  Singles.............................111 

My Favorite Isley Brothers Albums and the Best Tracks on the Album's are as Follows:

1973  3+3....What It Comes Down To &Highways Of My Life

!975  The Heat Is On.... For The Love Of You

1976  Harvest For The World....Same & You Are Love

1977  Go For Your Guns....Footsteps & Voyage To Atlantis

1981  Inside You....Inside You

1982  Real Deal....Stone Cold Lover

1983  Between the Sheets....Same & Choosey Lover

1985  Masterpiece....Colder Are my Nights

THE ISLEY BROTHERS GREATEST SONGS

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