By CORNBREAD (66.185.84.74) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 08:50 am:

I just read the liner notes for the vinyl album "Melody of life" by Gwen McCrae.

This album was produced by Betty Wright and arranged by Betty & Eternity.

Who is Eternity ?

Betty signed the liner note as Betty Wright-McCray. Is McCray a husband's surname ? I thought she was married to King Sporty (Noel Williams).

By Tony Russi (68.18.235.158) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 09:03 am:

Hey Cornbread, how old is this LP?What label?Thanks for the info.

By Eva (130.237.187.15) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 09:32 am:

Hi Tony,

Gwen McRae's "Melody of Life" has been re-issued on CD, together with "Something So Right". If you scroll down the following site you'll find it:

http://www.soulmusic.com/MA-MC.htm

Both are very good albums!

These albums were originally released by Cat, a sublabel to Henry Stone's family of record labels T.K., Miami, Florida.

All the best, Eva

By Tony Russi (68.18.235.158) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 09:48 am:

Thanks Eva, I have the old LP "Something So Right" so I'll get the CD.I always thought Gwen McCrae was/is a great artist.

By Randy Russi (169.139.180.100) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 09:53 am:

Perhaps at the time of the lp Betty was not married to King Sporty, but to someone else.
I think on one of her lps she wrote something
to her husband Jerome.

By Phil (213.36.136.14) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 11:59 am:

Hi Tony, "Melody of life" is her last LP on Cat, from 1979.I've bought it recently on vinyl from dustygroove, they sell all the reeditions (vinyl) for less than $ 10.00 !

By Reese (204.152.13.84) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 02:07 pm:

I think Eternity was the name of Betty's band at one time.

By Wonder B (217.128.156.37) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 03:12 pm:

Yes it's better to buy that Melody of Life as a reedition because the original is one of the rarest soul LP's there is... I guess it came out at the same time CAT was closing, which must be the reason why only a few copies remained...
Another very rare CAT LP is by a Band called TRAMA let by one Donna Allen (who might be the same D.Allen who later did some solo albums in the 80's and a minor hit 'Serious')

Wonder B

By CORNBREAD (66.185.84.74) on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 08:16 pm:

Hey Everybody: I've had the "Melody of life" album since it was released. I was just going through some of my albums this morning with the aim of finding some interesting topics to start a new thread on SD.

I seldom play this album because the only track that moves me is the ballad "Ease the pain". I know the rare groovers go crazy for "All this love that I'm givin'".

I had another read of the liner notes and note under "Thanks" ... To Jerome, my music takes so much of your time. I'll make it up to you (you know I will). I guess this is probably Jerome McCray her then husband.

Gwen McCrae and Betty Wright deserve a lot more attention.

By Spookey (198.81.26.103) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 02:01 am:

Did anyone buy that 2-CD of TK that was out last year? The cd had a great soul song by a girl but I don't know the title or the singer; does anyone?

By Tony Russi (68.18.228.45) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 09:27 am:

My faves from Gwen McCrae are "Move Me Baby" and "Damn Right Its Good".From Betty Wright "Secretary" & "Where is The Love". Its too bad that TK had such spotty promotion as there was a lot of talent there.TK was one of the last great independent record companys and as a Native Floridian we were very proud of them.

By CORNBREAD (66.185.84.74) on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 09:48 am:

Gwen has a truck load of tasty cuts. Love her "Love without sex", "For your love", "Rocking chair", "Starting all over again", "Funky sensation", "Keep the fire burning".

By Rodmann (12.223.170.105) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 07:52 pm:

Eternity was Betty's backing band in the late 70's. If I'm not mistaken I think that they even made some recordings by themselves.

I'm with you Cornbread, the best song on the LP is Gwen's 'Ease The Pain'. That's a bad assed slow jam ain't it? Whew! 'All This Love I'm Giving' is also a great tune that's considered a classic in Rare Groove circles in Europe. Gwen had SO MANY good tunes! My favorites include:

FOR YOUR LOVE
LET THEM TALK
HE KEEPS SOMETHING GROOVY GOING ON
LOVE WITHOUT SEX
ROCKING CHAIR
DAMN RIGHT IT'S GOOD
FUNKY SENSATION
KEEP THE FIRE BURNING
HAVE A GOOD TIME

And the list goes on and on and on! I couldn't possibly name all of her good tunes. This woman is bad! I love Betty Wright to death but Gwen was the REAL QUEEN of TK if you ask me.