By RJ Spangler (152.163.188.68) on Monday, April 21, 2003 - 04:50 pm:

I have been told Geno Parks is the only artist to record for Fortune, Goldenworld AND Motown (Tamela). I am bringing Geno up from Atlanta (again) to work with my group, the Rhythm Rockers at the Greektown Arts Festival. This is the first outdoor event of the year and should be a lot of fun. Geno will also play at the Music Menu on May 16 and then at the Arts Fest the next evening. We will also have a limited supply of (3 song) CDs from Geno's appearance on the Willy Wilson Show (WDET), from last February. Geno is a VERY soulful cat -- he really delivers the goods. He is also quite a gentelman!

By M.McLeanTech (66.159.206.60) on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 09:22 pm:

I will be in Detroit from May 20 through 26. Is there any chance that Geno might be in Detroit at that time?

Oh baby! I would just love to see Geno again!

Mike McLean

By RJ Spangler (205.188.209.109) on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 12:49 am:

Sorry, he will be back in Atlanta by then. Thanks for your interest. So I will see you at the Cass Cafe? -RJ

By David Meikle (80.58.38.235) on Friday, May 02, 2003 - 08:22 am:

Mike will be there, RJ.

Hope to see you too.

David

By RJ Spangler (152.163.252.68) on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 02:33 am:

I wanted to remind you all the Geno is coming in this week. I hope to see many of you at the Menu and/or the Grektown Fest as Geno really is something else. I'll keep you all posted of any developments. -RJ

By Rj Spangler (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, May 15, 2003 - 11:30 pm:

Geno Parks
Music Menu Cafe on Friday, May 16 (9:30pm)
Greektown Arts & Music Fest, May 17 (8:30pm)

Geno Parks, the only singer to record for Fortune, Motown & Golden World, returns to Detroit for two nights. Now living in Atlanta, Georgia, Geno started at Fortune with Andre Williams back in the 1950's. This weekend Geno will celebrate the release of a CD on Detroit's Eastlawn label. This is the first new recording Geno has done in decades! Backing Mr. Parks will be RJ Spangler's Rhythm Rockers wsg James Simonson of the Brothers Groove on bass (He appears on the CD as well). Nathaniel Mayer, an old Fortune labelmate, is expected to stop the Menu on Friday.
The show at the Greektown Fest will be an R&B review, featuring Geno's old friend Joe Weaver and also Martin Simmons, a great soul singer & pianist from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Geno has also invited Motor City R&B Pioneers Kenny Martin and Stanley Mitchell to join in as well as Jay Johnson & Bobby Calhoun, his old buddies from Andre Williams New Group. If you dig real old school Detroit R&B and soul, this is the place to be!

Info: 313.964.MENU

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17) on Friday, May 16, 2003 - 06:26 pm:

bump...

By RJ Spangler (64.12.97.7) on Monday, May 19, 2003 - 05:38 pm:

Here are Sis Detroit's pics from the show. Thanks Sis. Geno was great, wish the weather was nicer! -RJ

http://motownsoul0.tripod.com/motownsoul/id12.html

By Sis (68.42.209.170) on Monday, May 19, 2003 - 08:00 pm:

RJ - I wish I had a tape of Geno singing "You're So Fine." He especially got down on that song. When you talk to him, would you thank him for me. I really enjoyed that show. The weather was fine. Just a little chilly. The crowd was really into it.

By RJ Spangler (64.12.97.7) on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 01:22 am:

I have to agree, that is a good song for him! I also like his "Thats No Lie," which he recorded for Tamela. He wants to add "Last Night I Cried," which he recorded for Fortune to the show. He wrote both of the those tunes by the way. "Last Night..." is a fav of SR's (Furry), who showed up Friday at the Music Menu with Nathaniel Mayer. Blues great Larry McCray sat in that night! The entire Greektown fest was a blast. Both Kenny Martin and Bobby Calhoun (Velvet Angels/Andre Williams New Group) both came out to show their support, which we really need. It was great to see Willy Wilson from WDET too. We had a great organ jazz gig at the Menu last night with Odessa Harris and then John Sinclair did his blues/jazz poerty thing later that night and I sat in with him. Feels like summer has started....

By Sis (68.42.209.170) on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 - 02:36 am:

Where were you when I was younger? :o) I used to make all of the rounds and never got tired. Your band is great. I guess you know I am partial to the guitar man. His guitar sings. That's not taking anything from that sax man. WOW. All of the crowd became as one, and we really grooved. Met many new friends of whom I will never know their names, nor will I ever see again.

Will you be there Friday at the Cass Cafe for sure?

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 01:39 am:

Geno was fantastic last Friday night. He is a class act on and off stage; his voice sounds just like it did in the early '60s -- soulful and dramatic. I know that Nathaniel was happy to see him again, too. He had nothing but praise for Geno and the topnotch musicians in the band.

RJ, I'm really enjoying the 3-song CD (especially "That's No Lie"), but you gotta get him back in the studio to make a full-length album! "Last Night I Cried" would be a great tune to include on a longer CD (hint, hint)!

By RJ Spangler (64.12.97.7) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 02:26 am:

Sis, yes, I plan on coming and I am hoping to bring Joe, Kenny & Stan, if thats okay. "Where was I when you were younger?"...I would guess I was with the Sun Messengers, a group I named and co-founded in 1980 with my dear friend Rick Steiger. I am glad you dig Paul-- as Jim G knows, Paul & I go back over 35 years! Joe is something on that sax too. Our guest that night, Martin Simmons (keys and flute), has recently joined my group! Martin has played with the Contours, the Platters, the Drifters, a Jr. Walker ghost band and he was Martha Reeves music director for four years. He brings a lot of experience, plus I have known him since 1974! My regular bassist, Ben, was at his sister's wedding, so I was thrilled to get Jim Simonson from the Brothers Groove to fill in. As it happened, Jim is on the CD that Furry (SR) refers to. "Last Night I Cried" IS a heck of a tune and I agree about "Thats No Lie" -- prob my fav on the disc too. I would LOVE to re-record many of his tunes. With Geno in Atlanta, this might take a while, so I got the 3 song CD out to fill the gap. It's already number 6 on WEMU (Ypsilanti). I will send it around to Atlanta to try and get some interest down there for him -- any ideas from my fellow forum members? -RJ

http://www.metrotimes.com/metropolis/sonic/artistprofile.asp?id=7205

By LG Nilsson (213.89.29.129) on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 - 06:45 pm:

I am just curious� On all records I have by Mr. Parks his first name is spelled with an �i� like Gino Parks. Everybody here spells his name like Geno. Has ha changed his name lately or is this another guy?



Lars

By RJ Spangler (152.163.252.68) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 04:20 am:

Its the same guy. I noticed in Bill Dahl's (excelent) book on Motown, Geno now prefers the spelling with am 'e', vs. the 'i'. His real name is Gene! Some of the Fortune sides use his real last name (Purifoy). He prefers Geno Parks, so cool with me. -RJ

By LG Nilsson (212.247.9.242) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 04:30 am:

Thanks RJ!

Lars

By MEL&THEN SOME (217.14.178.74) on Thursday, May 22, 2003 - 08:48 am:

Nerves of Steel.
what a sound.
mel.