By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 08:32 pm:

I went to the concert at The Historic Scarab Club and witnessed the best performance of the year. RJ Spangler and the Detroit Rhythm Band is definitely the best "blues band" in the City. You know Joe Weaver, Kenny Martin, and Stanley Mitchell poured their hearts out with the blues. Gino Parks gave an outstanding show, and received a standing ovation. Andre Williams sang, and couldn't get over how great Paul, the guitarist played the blues. Andre certainly gave props to Paul as he left the stage. I am always in blues heaven as I listen to RJ's group. If you've not hear them, please treat yourself to one of their shows.

Great going RJ. I had a great time.

PHOTOS: Hope this link works.
http://motownsoul0.tripod.com/motownsoul/id1.html

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By Nish (216.148.244.38) on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 09:05 pm:

Great pictures, and what great same day service! :-) Andre Williams is coming mighty close to eclipsing his style idol Cab Calloway when it comes to sharp dressing! It's great to see those legends doing what they do best even now. Thanks.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 09:34 pm:

Thank you very much Nish.

By Nikki (24.46.200.124) on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 09:34 pm:

Wow - what a lineup!!! Cool web site layout!

Thanx for sharing the fotos!

Nikki

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 10:04 pm:

Actually Nikki, I need to buy a real camera. (LOL) The camera I used is an old digital.

By Doo Wop Doll (205.188.209.38) on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 10:33 pm:

I had a great time at the Scarab Club. Joe, Kenny and Stanley have such great talent and style. The band was fantastic. Baby,I love you so and I could have listened to all of these great artists all night long. Thanks for a great concert.

Nancy, the Doo Wop Doll

By RJ Spangler (152.163.188.68) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 08:29 pm:

Thanks Sis & Nancy. Great to see both of you. SR (Furry), Marilyn Bond, Willy Wilson & Ed Schenk from Soulful Detroit were all there too.
Geno is fantastic! I will bring him back for the Greektown Arts Fest in May. Joe, Kenny, Stanley all did a very fine job, as usual. I met Jay Johnson for the 1st time, very cool. I had'nt seen Andre in a few years and that was cool too. You Detroiters better get your butts out to see Geno next time he's in town!

By RJ Spangler (152.163.188.68) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 08:34 pm:

I LOVED the pics! By the way, my group is the Rhythm Rockers & Jay Johnson was at the show but did not sing (this time!). -RJ

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 08:46 pm:

Sorry RJ, I'll change it right away.

By Nikki (24.46.200.124) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 08:48 pm:

RJ,

I could kick myself that I was not at this show!! I would love to (some day hopefully) see & hear your band, along with all the other artists that were there. Jay not sing??????? That had to be tough for him --- he LOVES to sing: solo, with a group, with a band, with anyone anywhere at anytime!!! I should be chatting with him shortly and get the low-down from him too!

Nikki

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 08:57 pm:

RJ - Would you give me the full names of the individuals in the band again for each instrument? Thanks.

All I remember is "Paul", "Paul", "Paul." (LOL)

By Karyl (65.33.211.201) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 09:04 pm:

Sis, Great pictures as usual!

OMG! I can't believe you met Andre Williams, "Mr Bacon Fat", himself! If you ever meet him again, tell him he has a HUGE fan in Florida! LOL!!!

Thanks for sharing your memories with us, Sis.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 09:18 pm:

Nancy, we really did have a great time. We need to hang together more often. (lol)

Thank you Karyl. If I see him again, I sure will tell him. Someone said he was going to perform at Bakers last night. I never found out if in fact he did.

(Right now Fuddy is killing me with these old 60's jams. 92.3fm.)

By Karyl (65.33.211.201) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 09:24 pm:

Sis, so what's playingon the radio now?

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 09:38 pm:

Some 60's 70's 80,s. Intruders, Dramatics (early 70's) , Ruffin & Kendrick, Radiants, The Dells, The Drifters, The Spinners, The Four Tops, The Tempts (Soul to Soul), Unifics (Beginning of my end), Little Anthony, Enchantment, on and on and on.

By Karyl (65.33.211.201) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 09:48 pm:

So I guess that means THE BEAT GOES ON! lol!

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 10:40 pm:

LOL, Karyl you are so funny. Soul is forever.

By Nish (66.119.33.170) on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 11:34 pm:

Karyl! I didn't know you were an Andre Williams fan!!! MAN. He's just the personification of Rhythm n' Blues when it was EDGY. I love it. And he's just cooool, Black Godfather and all. :-)

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 12:53 pm:

Nish:
I had the honor of interviewing Andre back in 1999 for an interview. He was very gracious and warm-spirited. When I made my first visit to Chicago in over 20 years (two years ago), he invited me to his house for a home-cooked dinner and we watched our favorite Sunday night program "The Sopranos". Great man, great times.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Nish (216.148.246.134) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 02:36 pm:

Kev - see what I mean, cool people, he just exudes it.

General question hear that just jumped at me from nowhere. When Little Eddie Hurt was singing leads for the Five Dollars, was Andre Williams in the harmony? And what harmony part did he sing if he did?

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 03:24 pm:

Hi Sis

It's fantastic that you are able to share these wonderful photos so quickly.

I can't believe how close the front were to the performance.

I would love to see these guys in action!

Looking forward to page 2 of your site.

David

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 03:41 pm:

Nish:
From my recollection, Andre was more of a lead singer or lead voice than a harmony singer per se. Then again, I could be wrong.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Fury13 (209.69.165.10) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 04:55 pm:

It was a great afternoon. It was truly special to witness all of these awesome talents in one room. Geno was amazing!

By Sue (63.85.105.20) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 05:03 pm:

RJ,
Glad you'll be bringing Geno back for the Greektown festival in May. I couldn't make it Saturday because of a wedding ...

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 07:10 pm:

DMeikle - Thank you. I wish I was a true web master so I could get fancy, but photos of interesting memorable subjects or occasions are worth a thousand words.

Some venues don't allow photos. I remember back in the 60's, they had camera men walking around who charged to take your picture. But, the camera man was not allowed to take pictures of the entertainers. It was strictly a no, no. (I guess the studios wanted and still wants to dominate that also.) I was lucky to have the camera man take a picture of the Parliaments/Funkadelics on one occasion, I believe it was either at Ben's Hi-Chaperell (sp), or Mozombique (sp).

By RJ Spangler (205.188.209.38) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 07:10 pm:

I can call Chuck or Lonnie and ask about Andre and harmonies, but off the top of my head I would say Andre sang lead and Littel Eddie sang tenor obligotti around those leads, much like Geno did with Andre later. James Drayton & Lonnie did harmonies and Chuck was the bass. I don't see Andre as a harmony singer. -RJ

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 07:17 pm:

Is it "Geno" or "Gino?"

By Fury13 (209.69.165.10) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:00 pm:

Take your pick, Sis. His real name is Gene Purifoy, but it was first "Gino Purifoy" and then "Gino Parks" on the records. He uses "Geno" now; I would guess because it's closer to the spelling of Gene, his original name.

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:07 pm:

There were some Fortune sides recorded by Little Eddie and the Don Juans, notably "Calypso Beat"/"This Is A Miracle" (Fortune #836, 1957). Little Eddie (Hurt) was on lead and the Don Juans were the Five Dollars... but I would doubt that Andre was in the background on those recordings or even on them at all. I can't say for sure, though.

By Jim G (205.188.209.38) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:20 pm:

Fury,
I wonder if Geno is related to Henry Purifoy, the Detroit trumpeter who drowned in the winter of 1959?

By M.McLeanTech (66.159.217.115) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:29 pm:

I am listening to the Symphony No. 88, by Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) performed by the New Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Otto Klemperer, the Father of Wierner Klemperer, who played the part of Colonal Klink, on "Hogan's Heros" on TV.

I shot out of my chair as I looked at these fantastic pictures. I consider Andre Williams and Gino Parks to be on the same level with the Big Bopper, John Lee Hooker, Big Bill Broonsy, and Josh White, among others.

In 1961, when I met these fantastic artists (Andre and Gino), I was very impressionable. I still am! I can't get the fantastic artistry of these unique artists out of my mind.

Only one artist even suggested what these monsters had to offer: That comidian with a loud mouth who was killed in a head on collision in Nevada. What was his name? He was in a "Caddy Shack" film with Rodney Dangerfield. Oh well.

I will watch this thread with a passion. I am planning a trip to Detroit in May. If I can be advised of the date, I will build my trip around it!

I would do just about anything to stand with Andre and Gino once more, and feel that fantastic vibe!

Sincerely,

Mike McLean

By Brendeeva (205.188.209.38) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:32 pm:

Hey, Sis

What a FABULOUS REVIEW! I love Blues and Jazz, I've been trying to get this promoter friend of mine to promote both Blues and Jazz shows but he's kinda still stuck back in the 60's & 70's with the rest of us, LOL, LOL. Your photos were EXCELLENT. You certainly got a lot of good comments from the posters. I see my old friend Karyl has meandered over here to Soulful Detroit. She even beat me over here. Gee what a relief!! And she knows what I mean LOL, LOL, LOL.

Sis keep up that good work.

Brendeeva

By Sue (152.163.213.83) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:35 pm:

The pix are great, Sis!

Sis can do websites for any musicians out there who want them!

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:41 pm:

LOL - Sue don't put me on the spot like that. (lmao) My sites are just plain with no imagination or professionalism. (Although I've been asked by several "well known" artist.) However, I can refer you to a real web master who happens to be a female.

By Sue (152.163.213.83) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:44 pm:

Some just want a simple website! Simple is good.

By Brendeeva (205.188.209.38) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 09:50 pm:

SIS,

You are much too modest. You are a "COMPUTER WHIZ" as Willie calls you. You are most talented with those websites!!! We who know say so!!!

By Karyl (207.69.119.78) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 10:02 pm:

Brendeeva, yes I guess I did BEAT YOU TO THE PUNCH! LOL!!

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 10:06 pm:

Hello Brendeeva, how are you? Thank you for your compliments.

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 10:41 pm:

I noticed a Jay Johnson in one of the photos. Is he the the singer that had a release titled "Love is" on Dakar in the early 70's. It's a Chilites original.

By Jim_Dunn (24.46.200.124) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 10:42 pm:

Nikki has been coaxing me to particpate here ( I'm her other 1/2)so here goes. On the question of Andre Williams singing harmony with the Five Dollars, the answer is no. He is only heard on songs that he did the lead vocals on. Being a big Fortune fan, I did an article recently on the Five Dollars/Don Juans following conversations with Charles Evans. Jay Johnson, who sang with Andre in Andre Williams "New Group" also provided some info.

By Jim_Dunn (24.46.200.124) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 10:49 pm:

That must be a different Jay Johnson. Jay Johnson in the picture sang bass with Nolan Strong & Diablos, the Velvet Angels, and the Four Sonics. He also recorded with Nathaniel Mayer on "Village of Love", and with Andre Williams New Group on "Bacon Fat" and others.

By Karyl (207.69.119.78) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 11:07 pm:

Here is an interview with "Mr. Bacon Fat", a.k.a., Andre Williams...

http://www.furious.com/perfect/andrewilliams.html

By Nish (66.119.33.135) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 11:20 pm:

Thanks everyone for answering my inquiry, I was pretty sure that Mr. Williams didn't sing harmonies, he was more like a featured lead vocalist.

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 11:49 pm:

ANDRE!!!!!!! Boy oh boy, I have been laughing my AO. That Andre is something else. Straight to the point. Our first rapper.

Thank you Karyl for such a fantastic link to an "outstanding interview." When you take care of business, there is no stopping you. Great search.

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 12:20 am:

Awesome interview with Andre. I haven't laughed so hard and long in many a moons. I had to stop couple of times to wipe away happy tears. Andre gave it to you straight.

By RJ Spangler (152.163.213.197) on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 12:38 am:

Furry, as always, is 100% right. Bill Dahl (Living Blues Mag) hipped me to Geno spelling his name that way. Geno will be back in Detroit to do a date the weekend of May 16/17/18.
The exact date is not yet known. Jim G, Geno is from Alabama so I doubt he had family here prior to his Mom's arival in the 50's but I could be wrong. -RJ

By RJ Spangler (152.163.213.197) on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 12:44 am:

Sis, here are the Rhythm Rockers:
RJ Spangler (drums)
Paul Carey (guitar)
Joe Piccolo (sax)
Ben Luttermoser (basses)
Duncan McMillan (wurlitzer piano)
Duncan was filling in for Shawn McDonald.

By david, glasgow, scotland (213.122.70.52) on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 03:38 am:

Thanks to Karyl for that great link.

David

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 09:12 am:

MMCLEAN-TECH posted: "I shot out of my chair as I looked at these fantastic pictures."

I read that sentence to a friend three times. It was a pleasure. "Thank you Mike," I consider that a high compliment.

By M.McLeanTech (66.218.59.97) on Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 11:19 pm:

Dear SisDetroit:

What can I say? I am a total nut over Ardre and Gino.

I am going to be visiting Detroit this summer. I would love to take you out to dinner.

If you have a husband, he can pay for his part!

What's wrong with that?

One thing that I hate is all this silly stuff about petty feelings. If your husband dislikes your postings, he should slap you around until you stop making them. Naaaa!

If you are going to make postings, then I want to be able to offer you (but not him, that rat) a free lunch.

Naaaa!

But seriously, please read between the lines above. Only a moron could miss my meaning.

This is the world of woman's liberation. Piss on your husband! I want to buy you lunch!

Sorry about that, spouse! I really didn't mean any harm.

Naaaaa!

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 01:30 am:

Mike - I am laughing so hard. I am a divorcee because my ex thought he could slap me around. (LOL) I fooled his ask. (LOL) I have been liberated every since. As Sue once said, 1967 was a hot year. During the riots, I was running both ways, from my ex, and from the troops. (LOL) I would be happy to have lunch with you when you come to Detroit.

By David Meikle (81.135.32.74) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 09:41 am:

Is Mr McLean coming to the SoulfulDetroit party?

By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Thursday, February 27, 2003 - 10:15 am:

DMeikle - I wish Mr. McLean would come and escort all of us to Hitsville, so we can see this "MR. MCLEAN ALONGSIDE HIS MAGICAL TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT." Then we can all have lunch with him and enjoy his company.

By M.McLeanTech (66.218.60.93) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 08:37 pm:

Hello,

If you want to pull a deal like that, I will be in Detroit around May 12, 2003.

Little Mikie

This has nothing to do with anything that you have planned above.

I am simply trying to inform you of my plans so that if you have some desire to set up something, you will not be placed in a position where you are disapointed, bummed out, and sick to your tummy! Because you were not informed.

Sincerely,

Mike McLean

By David Meikle (213.122.124.7) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 04:23 am:

Mike

How long will you be in town.

I will be there May 21st for 5 days.
Hope you'll still be around then. I fancy a trip to that basement on Prest!

David