By Rodmann (12.223.170.105) on Monday, March 29, 2004 - 07:08 pm:

Does anyone out there know the real Patti Drew story? She had one of the sexiest voices in Soul music in the 60's (she was also one of the sexiest women in Soul music in the 60's! ) and gave us classics like 'Tell Him', 'Working On A Groovy Thing' (the definitive version), 'Hard To Handle' (the definitive version), 'He's The One I Love', 'Fever' and many more in addition to the great songs she recorded with her sisters The Drew-Vels. Allmusic.com writes that Patti's producer pulled the plug on her career because she got mixed up with drugs. I've also read that Patti pulled the plug on her own career in 1971 to get married and start a family. I'm not sure what the truth is but I don't know how one producer could stop the career of an established star. Whatever the case is it's a damn shame! Patti was a drop dead gorgeous woman with a style all her own! I think she would have gotten even more famous in the early and mid 70's. Does anyone out there know the truth? Is Patti still living and/or singing? What went wrong? Thanks in advance.

By Frankie B. (65.35.203.15) on Monday, March 29, 2004 - 11:16 pm:

There is a really good story on Patti Drew in a book called "Chicago Soul" by Robert Pruter. As you say, she did get into the drug scene as a lot of folks did in the late 60's/early 70's. She says herself in the interview that she had gotten kind of burned out careerwise at that time due to management troubles and other pressures. I think she is still alive and well in the Chicago area. The only thing better than the '67 version of "Tell Him" is the '63 original by the Drew-vels. Carlton Black (her brother-in-law)does the bass intro on both tunes.

By RD (65.54.97.142) on Monday, March 29, 2004 - 11:23 pm:

This has been discussed on this forum before. Check the archives. She basically got involved with drugs while living in Los Angeles and her manager in Chicago pulled the carpet on her career as he had promised Patti's parents he would do if she ever went astray.

By Juicefree20 (151.205.187.47) on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 12:50 am:

Hey Rodd, check out this link:425145%2C00.html?artist=Patti+Drew,http://ubl.artistdirect.com/music/artist/bio/0,,425145,00.html?artist=Patti+Drew

Hopefully, it may help.

Juice

By Rodmann (12.223.170.105) on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 04:41 am:

Thanks RD and Juice. RD, I should have looked in the archives in the first place. I thought that there would be too many subjects with Patti Drew to search through and I wouldn't be able to find what I wanted. I just looked in them and I see that there weren't too many at all. There are about 4 different topics all about Patti where people were wanting to know the same thing I was. RD, I see that you were there every time to set them straight and tell them that all they had to do was look in the archives! LOL. Sorry.

Frankie B., I've never heard of that book before I'll definitely look into it. Is there a whole chapter on Patti?

Ok folks, I've got a few more questions that I don't think anyone's asked. The first is about an mp3 I found by The Drew-Vels called 'Everybody Knows'. It's an excellent early 60's Girl-Group track about a college boy who keeps his nose in his books. Does anyone have any info on this song? I tried all of the search engines and had no luck.

I also was wondering about Patti's 'The Love That A Woman Should Give To A Man' (Capitol 2473). I've been wanting to hear this one for years but it keeps slipping through my fingers. I already have versions by Phyllis Dillon and Spanky Wilson. Spanky's take on it is OK but Miss Dillon's version is excellent! I remember seeing yet another version by someone but I don't remember who. Maybe it was Lyn Roman? I'm not sure. It's odd because out of all of these different records Patti Drew was the only one to have a hit with the song (#38 R&B in 1969) but her record has been the hardest to find. Go figure! They didn't even bother to put it on that Golden Classics greastes hits colection that came out some years back. Is there anyone out there who has heard Patti's version and would be kind enough to give me a review of it? Thanks in advance.

By Juicefree20 (151.205.187.47) on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 04:47 am:

What's up Rodd? Regarding Chicago Soul, it doesn't have a whole chapter dedicated to Ms Drew. Basically a couple of pages about her & her sisters. It's a great book nevertheless.

By Rodmann (12.223.170.105) on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 05:04 am:

What's up Juice. It sounds like a great read. I'll keep my eyes peeled.

By Robb_K (66.81.202.244) on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 08:19 pm:

Rodmann:

"Everybody Knows" was issued as Capitol 5145 in 1964; written by Carlton Black, and like all other Drew-Vels songs, was backed up by Don Caron's Orchestra. The other side was "It's My Time"-also written by Black. Both are typical of the Drew-vels early sound.

I'm interested to hear their earlier cuts on Quill records. I have 2 of their records on Quill, I know of a third I don't have, and there may have been one more. I'd like to know, also, if there were any unleased recordings from those sessions.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to find my copy of Patti's Capitol 2473. When I return to The Netherlands in 2 months, I'll see if it's among my records there. But, I'm sure someone will give you a review of it on this thread, long before.

By Rodmann (12.223.170.105) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 07:22 pm:

Thanks Robb for filling me in about 'Everybody Knows'. I have 'It's My Time' on an old cassette tape somewhere and it's a great tune too. I like 'Everybody Knows' just a little better though and I think that it should have been promoted as the A side.

I can't wait until I get that review on 'The Love That A Woman Should Give To A Man'. Hopefully I'll have a copy of it in my hands soon. Like I said before, Phyllis Dillon's version is excellent and I'm curious to see what Patti did with it. Thanks again Robb.