Unsung Heroes

There are always examples of artists with great talent who never achieved the prominence of performers with less natural ability. Sometimes there are good reasons for talent failing to blossom (personal difficulties, bad business advice, a refusal to compromise etc.), but for others there is no good logical explanation. Here are a few exceptional talents who on class and ability alone could easily have achieved massive commercial success - that they didn't is the mainstream's loss! Just about everyone of these artists probably deserves a place in the main Artists section of this site - and there's every chance over time that's exactly what will happen, so watch this space. 

Mitty Collier
Collier recorded a series of great singles for Chess from 1962 onwards - none really took off and she was dropped from the label in 1968. There was (maybe still is!) a Chess compilation called "Shades Of A Genius" which included gems such as 'No Faith, No Love', 'Got To Get Away' and the absolutely superb 'I Had A Talk With My Man'.
Held in high esteem by R&B fans, including me, she never repeated even the limited success of her Chess recordings.

Lorraine Ellison
Ellison started to record as a solo artist in 1964, teaming up with Jerry Ragovoy in 1966 to record the classic 'Stay With Me Baby'. This seminal recording proved to be a blueprint for soul singers to try and emulate and yet it never got higher than #64 in the US charts - it nonetheless remains a recording of incredible intensity. It did however tend to overshadow the rest of Ellison's career but many of her albums are worth seeking out, especially those she recorded with Ragovoy at the helm. Ellison was also a writer of no little quality and has had songs recorded by the likes of Howard Tate and Garnett Mimms among others.

The Gems
Another Chicago based lost "treasure", the Gems were responsible for the classic 1960s Chess soul release 'I Can't Help Myself'. Another release which never made the national charts, it nonetheless got picked up by many of the local stations. The Gems are also noteworthy because their last release ('Happy New Love') was fronted by one Minnie Ripperton. Minnie recorded solo immediately after The Gems disbanded, releasing the excellent 'Lonely Girl' under the recording name Angela Davis

Betty Harris
Another underrated songstress, her vocals are undeniably rooted in the gospel tradition. She had her first hit in 1963 with an interpretation of Bert Bern's 'Cry To Me', after which she teamed up with Allen Toussaint in New Orleans, releasing such gems as 'Ride Your Pony' and 'Nearer To You'. She also teamed up with Lee Dorsey for a number of duets. In the late 60s she recorded some fine country soul but since then, as far as I know, she has concentrated on working the club circuit in New Orleans.

James Hunter
Very much an artist of today, a British singer / guitarist (previously known as Howlin' Wilf!), the album on Ace Records called "Believe What I Say" first attracted the Shades site to this fine vocalist (and guitarist). A CD of consummate professionalism, he is one of a rare breed, a British artist who truly understands the R&B form.
Lots of self penned material with a few standards thrown in, guest appearances from Van Morrison and Doris Troy and great arrangements - some might argue it veers towards pastiche but I just say, if that's true, give me more pastiche. If you're a fan of Bobby Bland, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles etc. give this excellent vocalist / guitarist a listen - prevent another unsung hero biting the dust!
The very fine 2006 release "People Gonna Talk" can be found on Rounder Records.

Theola Kilgore
Theola came from a background rooted in gospel and she brought gospel fire and conviction to everything she recorded. She will probably best be remembered for the superb 'The Love Of My Man' - this was actually a bona fide hit single (#21) in the USA and yet, inexplicably, was not released in the UK at the time
She also recorded, amongst others, 'The Sound Of My Man', which was an answer record to Sam Cooke's 'Chain Gang'. Part of a vogue for answer records at the time, this has the distinction of being somewhat grittier than the original! After a few more secular releases, Theola became uncomfortable with pop and returned to her first love - gospel music.

Alexis Korner
Korner was a vital catalyst for British R&B and an inspirational figure on the British music scene generally. He recorded from the late 50s until his death in 1984 but he was just as important as a club owner and broadcaster. Korner offered advice and encouragement to numerous up and coming British talent, many of whom went on to much greater commercial success than he himself ever achieved. Those who passed through his group Blues Incorporated or were associated with Korner included Charlie Watts, Jack Bruce, Long John Baldry, Ginger Baker, Mick Jagger and Paul Jones. He even enjoyed some commercial success himself with the not particularly representative pop group CCS, who had hits such as 'Tap Turns On The Water' and 'Whole Lotta Love'.
His stature as a stalwart and catalyst of the British R&B scene is however assured.

Latimore
For a while, Benny Latimore appeared to be a real soul star in the making. When he secured a deal with the Glades label, he proceeded to generate solid gold hits with the "Latimore" and "Let's Straighten It Out" albums, as well as a number of hit singles including 'Straighten It Out' and 'Keep The Home Fire Burnin'.
In 1976 he assumed a lower profile with the move to the Malaco label, recording a string of albums, all of which are worth a listen. He has also written for other Malaco artists including Little Milton, Shirley Brown and Johnnie Taylor

Dan Penn
His songs are probably better known than he is. Along with fellow writers Spooner Oldham and Chips Moman, he is responsible for such classics as 'I'm Your Puppet', 'Dark End Of The Street' and 'Do Right Woman, Do Right Man'.He has also recorded two albums in his own right - "Nobody's Fool", initially recorded in 1973 and now re-released and the superb 1994 album "Do Right Man" which offered his own extremely soulful versions of some of his best known material. He even did a one off concert with Spooner Oldham in London that got superlative reviews - and I missed it!!!!

James Phelps
One time lead singer with the famous gospel group The Soul Stirrers, Phelps eventually entered the secular market, following in the footsteps of previous Soul Stirrer leads Sam Cooke and Johnnie Taylor. He recorded for the Argo label and produced a range of high quality, bluesy and soulful releases.
If you can find them (and probably only available on soul compilations unfortunately) try 'Love Is A 5-Letter Word' and 'La De Da, I'm A Fool In Love'. Primarily local (Chicago) hits, his recordings are well worth seeking out.

Freddy Robinson
Known to soul fans (if known at all) for his 1970 national hit 'Black Fox', Robinson had been recording locally for many years before then. In 1966 he recorded the bluesy 'The Creeper', which also showcased his capable guitar playing. Prior to that, Robinson had spent many years paying his dues backing Chicago blues and soul greats throughout the 1950s with little or no recognition - his time in the spotlight was fleeting, to say the least!

Gil Scott-Heron
Describes himself as an interpreter of the black experience and I suppose in truth I would have difficulty describing his music as anything like straight R&B. He does however include strong elements of jazz and blues in his own unique musical style - this, along with his articulate 'polemics' against apartheid, poverty and other critical issues around the human condition make him worthy of inclusion here.
His collaborations with Brian Jackson produced some great material, Scott-Heron's words set against Jackson's innovative musical arrangements. Much of his material is worth investigating with albums such as "Bridges" and "Reflections" perhaps the most commercial and therefore the easiest with which to start