Chicago Soul
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This Day in Chicago Radio History
This week in 1967, at WBEE 1570-AM (out of Harvey), this was the Number One record on their BEE Line-up Chart. It’s the Radiants (on local Chess Records) with “(Don’t it make you) Feel Kind of Bad”. Also on the charts that week: 2. The Whole World is a Stage — Fantastic Four 3. The…
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Love is a Merry-Go-Round: Ginji James and “that thing”
I wanted to share this record with you….because I love it. From the 1971 (Chicago born-and-bred) album, “Love is a Merry-Go-Round”: it’s Ginji James with “Love Had Come to Stay”. It’s sitting-in-the-park music from Brunswick Records (recorded on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago). Sitting-in-the-Park music is that music you hear in your head when you’re…
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Perfect Angel: minnie riperton stayed in love.
Minnie Riperton, native Chicagoan and Hyde Park High School alum, started her singing career as a receptionist for Chess Records (at 2120 South Michigan Avenue). There, Riperton recorded in a girl group called the Gems, and a Rock/Soul outfit called Rotary Connection (for the story of how, while in Rotary Connection, Minnie came to accept…
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Captain Sky on Soul Train
Captain Sky, also known as mild-mannered Chicago bass player Daryl Cameron, stated on the back of his first album (Adventures of Captain Sky): “Oh, by the way, if you’re wondering, Daryl Cameron somehow entered the phonebooth of his mind and emerged as Captain Sky. Tune in again”…. REALLY? (this might be unrelated, but I personally…
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We the People (Who are Darker than Blue)
Curtis Mayfield performing “We the People” and “Gimme Your Love”, plus archival tape of folks vibin’ in various Chicago parks back-in-the-day. From the classic film “Save the Children” (1972). The film chronicled PUSH Expo ’72 (at the International Amphitheatre** in Chicago), touted as the biggest gathering of black business in history. When black power was…
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This Love’s For Real
This is a Local Chicago record also recorded by The Impressions (and written by Leroy Hutson). Very obscure. Very Lincoln-Continental-with-the-suicide-doors Gangster. Enjoy.
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Danger, She’s a Stranger!
The Five can’t-say-too-much-good-stuff-about-them Stairsteps recorded this petite cherie in 1967.
