Birth Of Soul: Special Detroit Edition 1961-1964 Birth Of Soul: Special Detroit Edition 1961-1964 CD

UK collection. Detroit gave the world soul music through the success of Motown Records, who were scoring hits from 1959 onwards. That sound would be studied and aped by hundreds of acts around the city. Our Birth Of Soul - Detroit Special Edition has many Motown connections, including a previously unheard early Martha & the Vandellas track from their Del-Phis years - one of the songs was co-written by Berry Gordy's first wife Thelma. Influential writer, producer and early Motown artist Richard "Popcorn" Wylie features on two tracks and Funk Brother Joe Hunter co-wrote another pair. Detroit soul heroes J. J. Barnes with 'Just One More Time', Gino Washington's 'I'm Comin' Home' and Melvin Davis with 'Wedding Bells' represent the city's evergreen stars who sang there right through the soul years. There are unissued gems from Norman Whitfield's group the Sonnettes, Tony Clarke, who would go on to success at Chess, and Leon Peterson. Mike Hanks and Dave Hamilton's stables of acts are represented through James Lately, La Wanda William, Geraldine Hunt, the Penn-etts and others. More successful was Barbara Lewis, whose glorious 'Think A Little Sugar' featured on the flip of her 'Hello Stranger' hit. Timmy Shaw's 'I'm A Lonely Guy' also sold well as the flip to his hit 'Gonna Send You Back To Georgia'. The Falcons and Volumes were big male vocal group acts in the city; the Pyramids less so. Like Melvin Davis, Betty Lavett was there at the start and performs to this day. The Donays' 'Devil In His Heart' earned international fame when the Beatles included it on their second LP. It was produced by the Correc-Tone stable that also provides brilliant early soul from Marva Josie and Laura Johnson.

1. I Cried for My Last Time - the Sonnettes 2. Think a Little Sugar - Barbara Lewis 3. Come Back to Me - la Wanda William 4. I'm a Lonely Guy - Timmy Shaw ; the Sternphones 5. Just One More Time - J J Barnes 6. Everything's Gonna Be Alright - Leon Peterson 7. You Lied - Marva Josie 8. Here I Am - Betty Lavett 9. My Letter - Priscilla Page 10. I Know How It Feels - Laura Johnson 11. Oh Baby - the Falcons 12. Tears Running and Falling from My Eyes - James Lately 13. Wedding Bells - Melvin Davis 14. End of Time - Gino Washington 15. Shakin' Fit - the Pyramids 16. It's Easy - Tony Clarke 17. That's No Way to Spend My Time - the Penn-Etts 18. Devil in His Heart - the Donays 19. Don't You Know (How You Thrilled Me) - Charmaine 20. Why - the Volumes 21. It Never Happened Before - Geraldine Hunt 22. Can't We Get Together (One More Time) - Harry Reid 23. Answer Me - Vivian Collins 24. Nosey Folk - the Del-Phis