By Nish (66.119.33.170) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 01:22 am:

I am having a Chi-town soul nite as I outline, and one thing I notice is how so many of Mr. Mayfield's proteges phrase so much like him. He really left an imprint on all of the artists with whom he worked. I mean, when you listen to the Opals it sounds like the Impressions' sister group when it comes to phrasing. Same for the Radiants. When I listen to young Clarence Burke on some of those early Five Stairsteps leads, you REALLY hear Mr. Mayfield's style shining thru. His guitar is all over Chicago soul.

It's as though these artists with whom he worked just absorbed all his wisdom. Never have I witnessed a writer/producer have so much influence over his proteges. The world can never have too much Curtis Mayfield.

By soulie dave uk (62.254.64.5) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 02:52 am:

No doubt Curtis influenced a great many people. Ones that immediatley come to mind are.
Otis Leavill
Billy Butler
Major Lance
Tyrone Davis

Under the great Carl Davis at Brunswick/Dakkar these guys made some great records that had the Mayfield stamp all over them.

Otis Leavill once said that Curtis Mayfield was our Smokey Robinson. That says it all. Regards SDUK.

By STUBASS (64.12.97.7) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 03:42 am:

HEY NISH: WE'VE BEEN LIKE SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT LATELY...AND HERE YOU GO STARTING TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE AND MOST INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS OF ALL TIME...THE INCOMPARABLE CURTIS MAYFIELD!!!...HIS WORDS EXPRESSED WISDOM...HIS VOICE WAS PLEASING TO THE EAR...HIS TRACKS WERE CLEAN AND RELATIVELY SIMPLE...BUT THE PRODUCT THAT HE PRODUCED STANDS UP THERE WITH ANY CLASSICS EVER MADE!!!...I MET HIM BRIEFLY ONCE IN DETROIT...AND HE EXUDED A SENSE OF TOTAL COMFORT BEING WITHIN HIMSELF!!!...SO STUBASS FOR ONE WAS INFLUENCED BY HIS WORK...BUT I MAY BE ONE OF HIS LEAST SUCCESS STORIES!!!...STU

By RD (63.188.32.236) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 05:26 am:

When did Curtis Mayfield work with the Radiants? What songs?

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 06:55 am:

Curtis also wrote and co-produced Walter Jackson's "It's All Over" for Okeh. And then there was The Fascinations' "Girls Are Out To Get You" for his Mayfield label as well as the Bunny Sigler-Barbara Mason album for Curtom.

By MotownForever (152.163.188.68) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 08:41 am:

Curtis also did an outstanding production on "Give Me Your Love" for Barbara Mason. I can play that song over and over...

By Soulpuss (24.102.217.36) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 08:50 am:

An excellent example of the Curtis influence is Otis Leavill's "To be or not to be". Pretty song.

By R&B (138.238.41.128) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 09:31 am:

NO ONE OTHER THAN SMOKEY COULD TURN A PHRASE LIKE CURTIS,FROM THE HAPPINESS OF{BUT IT'S ALRIGHT]TO THE HEARTBREAKING BUT BEAUTIFUL[LITTLE BOY BLUE}TO THE SOCIAL MESSAGE OF[KEEP ON PUSHIN}CURTIS DID IT ALL,AND DON'T FORGET THAT HE WROTE THE THEME SONG FOR THE MISS BLACK AMERICA PAGENT.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 11:25 am:

Hey Folks:
Let's not forget the great tunes Curtis produced (and sometimes co-wrote) for the Five Stairsteps on both Windy C (1966-67) & Curtom (1968-69). Clarence Burke's lead vocals were definitely influenced by Curtis.

World of Fantasy
Come Back
You Waited Too Long
Danger! She's A Stranger!
Don't Waste Your Time
Behind Curtains
Don't Change Your Love
Madame Mary
Baby Make Me Feel So Good

Just to name a few.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 11:27 am:

Hey Nish:
I had to expand on your point regarding the Five Stairsteps & Clarence Burke!
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Nish (66.119.34.39) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 11:40 am:

RD - I'm not sure that the Radiants ever directly worked with Curtis Mayfield, but many of their songs have those Impressions-like high-flying harmonies and if in fact they never worked directly with Curtis, that even speaks to just how profound an effect he had on Chicago singers. Amazing.

Stu - amazing experiences, my friend. Thanks for sharing all your great stories.

Kevin - more exposition on the Five Stairsteps is ALWAYS copescetic with me.

By Eli (151.197.37.150) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 12:17 pm:

I have hed the pleasure of knowing Curtis personally and professionally.
I remember the day vividly back in'77 when I was writing some songs with an old writing partner, Jeff Prusan and there was a little Curtis influence so I said to him "hey Jeff, how would like to fly out to Chicago to show him these tunes personally?"
He thought that I was joking until there we were sitting on stools in the middle of Curtom studios, Curtis and I both with guitars in hand and Jeff singing to Curtis face to faceHe thought that he had died and went to heaven.
Pure magic at it's finest.

I have done various projects for Curtom including aaalbums by Gavin Christopher and Ava Cherry as well as playing on a lot of sessions including Linda Clifford, Leroy Hutson and Curtis.
I am just so ssorry that I was not near him in his last days.
God bless Curtis Mayfield!!!!

By meudsa9e (66.73.4.176) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 02:36 pm:

Curtis was also a writer of a lot of Gene Chandler recordings also.
If Uhaven't heard his last "NEW WORLD ORDER" and the "TRIBUTE TO CURTIS MAYFIELD" by various artist, U missed some very special music.

By MickD (217.44.216.79) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 03:28 pm:

Curtis Mayfiled also had a hand in the the "Voices of East Harlem's - Cashing In". A bit of a classic in the UK.

MickD

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, March 12, 2003 - 03:47 pm:

Gene Chandler/Curtis Mayfield recordings:
Man's Temptation
Just Be True
Rainbow (& it's successors...)
You Can't Hurt Me No More (also recorded by the Opals)
What Now?
(If You Can't Be True) Find A Part Time Love
Nothing Can Stop Me
(Gonna Be) Good Times
Think Nothing Of It

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 04:35 am:

Bobby,
RE: I have done various projects for Curtom including albums by Gavin Christopher...
Don't recall any Curtom related G Ch LP's. Guess this was stuff that came out on a different label (I love an early G Ch solo album, but can't recall it's title or even the label at present).

By RD (63.188.33.58) on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 06:27 am:

Curtom released a self titled album on Gavin Christopher in 1979. It was his debut LP and Ava Cherry sang background on some tracks. Cherry also had a solo release on Curtom/RSO.

By Tony Russi (68.18.230.25) on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 09:17 am:

I always loved the Curtis Mayfield composition and production of Jan Bradleys' "Mama Didn't Lie".His work with Major Lance was magical "Rythmn" & "Come See" being my faves...Sam & Freds(Impressions) backgrounds are great!I loved all the 5 Stairsteps records that Mr. Mayfield did. I Met him one time and what awonderful, humble man he seemed to be.

By Sly fan (67.119.52.222) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 07:50 pm:

Man I could go on about Chicago and Curtis for days...A really beautiful man that taught me the meaning of words...

I loved the work he did for Baby Huey, June Conquest, The 5 Stairsteps, discovering Donny Hathaway (another one I could talk about forever.

My favorite Curtis song would have to be:
Gene Chandler's "Rainbow".

By Michael/cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 03:11 pm:

I love Curtis's production and songs for the Aretha Franklin "Sparkle" album. Although there was controversy at the time because Aretha sang a soundtrack and Lonnette McKee and Irene Cara sang the song in the film, it is a great album. Aretha singing "I Get High" gives me the shivers. I also like his work with Gladys Knight and Pips on the soundtrack to Claudine. Truly a brilliant musician and performer who left us much too early.

By RonS (12.251.115.153) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 11:49 pm:

Don't forget his work with Jerry Butler. "I Need To Belong" is one of my favorites.