By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 09:41 am:

For US fans who get fed up seeing vintage Detroit music only available in the UK here's some good news.

The Tuff City label which specialises in rare
funk have recently issued compilations by
Lee Rogers, the Fabulous Peps and Andre Williams
and are set to issue a Dee Edwards compilation.

The label has a website - check it out
at www.tuffcity.com/soul_tay_shus/index/htm

These haven't turned up yet in the UK but
look like they'd be worth getting.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.7) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 10:06 am:

Looks good - though the albums appear to be on vinyl only.
Correct link:
http://www.tuffcity.com/soul_tay_shus/index.htm

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.45) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 10:33 am:

All look okeh,
but the Lee Rogers and The
Fabulous peps stand out for me.
Some really good tracks on both of them.
Like to see the Dee Edwards when it comes.
MEL.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.45) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 10:41 am:

p.s.
regards the
LITTLE CHARLES
and The Sidewinders
A few more good obscurities I know of could have been on there although all said and done,
those unreleased tracks look really interesting!
MEL.

By STUBASS (206.135.204.2) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 11:51 am:

MEL; TOP 'O' THE MORNING TO YOU. A LITTLE LEE ROGERS STORY. ABOUT 1967...I WAS LEADING A BAND FOR A GROUP AS A FAVOR FOR A PERFORMANCE EITHER IN DETROIT OR WINDSOR, ONTARIO. LEE ROGERS WAS THE HEADLINER. I HAD HEARD OF HIM, BUT HAD NEVER MET HIM. AT THE TIME, HE HAD A SONG OUT CALLED "LOVE FOR LOVE" I BELIEVE. I REMEMBER THAT THE MUSICIANS WERE REALLY "COOKIN" THAT NIGHT AND I WAS AT THE TOP OF MY GAME. AFTER THE SHOW, LEE CAME UP TO ME IN THE DRESSING ROOM AND REALLY COMPLIMENTED MY PLAYING AND BANDLEADING SKILLS. REALLY NICE GUY...AND HE ASKED ME TO JOIN HIM ON THE ROAD TO LEAD HIS BAND. HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD A GIG BOOKED IN TORONTO THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND COULD I START IMMEDIATLY? SOMEWHAT SHEEPISHLY, I HAD TO INFORM HIM THAT I COULDN'T TAKE THE GIG...I HAD TO BE IN SCHOOL ON MONDAY MORNING...STU

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.81) on Saturday, November 16, 2002 - 12:15 pm:

Stu,
stories like that are worth there weight in gold
and as usual
youve totally blown me away.
your good friend
MEL.

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66) on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 03:01 am:

How did they get permssion to release this D-Town material?
Graham

By Ritchie (62.254.0.7) on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 03:10 am:

I don't know about the US label discussed here, but the Goldmine CD - Dancin' In D-Town, which includes much of the same material, has the following acknowledgement: "licensed from Donald Hanks"... (a family member?) A clue there perhaps?

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 11:51 am:

Hey Gang..KevGo here.

FYI - I'm a representative of the Tuff City Music Group, the label that reissued the Fabulous Peps, Lee Rogers and (soon) the Dee Edwards LPs under our "Motor City Soul Soldiers" banner as well as the Andre Williams & Little Charles LPs.

All D-Town recordings Tuff City are reissuing is the result of our partnership with Donald Hanks, who is the son of the late Mike Hanks. The Goldmine recordings was a separate & now defunct agreement between them and Hanks.

We are in the process of creating CD counterparts to the D-Town LP releases (the Andre Williams recordings are available on CD and LP)that will have additional tracks, extensive liner notes and rare photos.

We were distributed by a company called Timewarp in the UK but you can order the LPs (and CDs when they are available)directly from Tuff City (log onto http://www.tuffcity.com for pricing and methods of payment; then email mail@tuffcity.com to send your order). If there are any UK/European distributors you can recommend, let us know or send an email to Tuff City (mail@tuffcity.com).

Thanks so much for all of your inquiries.

Regards
Kevin L. Goins
"KevGo"

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.99) on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 12:25 pm:

Areal nice job done by
yourself and everyone else that was involved
in the project Kev.
Mel.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.7) on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 03:21 pm:

Hi Kev - thanks for the info. They sure look good! PS - the fact that the Goldmine deal has now expired might explain why a certain other Kev has been selling the remaining stocks of his D-Town comp off cheap this year ;o)

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 04:21 pm:

Ritchie & Mel:
Thanks for the compliments. I'll keep you all posted on new developments.
Regards,
KevGo

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66) on Monday, November 18, 2002 - 10:00 pm:

KevGo
Yes, Donald is the son of the late Mike Hanks - but his widow Gracie is the legal owner of his catalogue/estate. If you check the BMI Web file you'll find her details listed.
Cheers, Graham

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 06:41 am:

KevGo,
Not Detroit related, but could you let me know who owned / ran the Botanic label (who issued Little Charles & Sidewinders cuts). I know Swamp Dogg (Jerry Williams) was involved on the production / arranging side of things but I think Don Gardner was involved in running the label. How many of the unissued cuts (on the CD) were cut for Botanic ??

BTW, (Little) Charles Walker is still active today & regularily tours UK (& I guess US) blues clubs. He has a newly recorded CD released in the UK next year.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 10:55 am:

JSmith:
About a half-dozen tracks on the Little Charles LP were unreleased recordings from the Botanic vault. As for who ran the label that deal was done prior to my tenure at Tuff City Records so I would have to look into it.

Charles Walker did communicate to us some time ago (around Summer 2000). We hope to interview him for the CD soon.

Graham:
We're fully aware of Gracie Hanks' involvement in her late husband's masters. Donald has been representing the estate on her behalf.

Best regards,
KevGo

By acooolcat (61.222.95.58) on Tuesday, November 19, 2002 - 10:51 pm:

Okay Kev -it's just that when I showed her a copy of Goldmine's D-Town CD a few years ago she didn't know anything about it.
Cheers, Graham

By bill (205.188.209.38) on Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 06:07 pm:

I have read this forum with great interest and pleasure almost since it started but have not made a posting 'til now. So bear with me if I don't get it right.

I've seen Charles Walker on stage twice this year and can thoroughly recommend his dynamic show. This guy works really hard and knows how to involve an audience.

Cheers,

Bill

By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Thursday, November 21, 2002 - 10:33 pm:

Bill,
Thanks for posting. You did just fine. Feel free to continue posting. Welcome to the forum.
Ralph