By Joe Moorehouse (205.188.209.109) on Sunday, May 04, 2003 - 07:07 pm:

I found this record the other day and love it. The A-side is My Man (not the Johnnie Mae song), a way uptempo thing that I swear has backing by Jeff and the Atlantics at their most raucous--which would make sense given that it's a Gino Washington production. The B-side, Please Stay, is midtempo and sounds remarkably like Clydie King during her great Imperial period. I see that both sides have been comped on a brand new Gino CD from Norton.

I know that Pearl Jones was later in Glass House on Invictus with Scherrie Payne, Larry Mitchell, and Ty Hunter, but does anyone know what she was doing in the meantime? This W.I.G. single sounds like '65 or so to me, and the first Glass House record wasn't until '69. Not only is she a terrific singer, but she gets writer's credit on both sides and they are very strong songs.

Any info about this record and/or Pearl Jones would be appreciated (beyond the well-documented Gino-W.I.G.-Sidra ties).

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Monday, May 05, 2003 - 03:38 pm:

Hi Joe,

I'd have to check this but if I rememeber rightly before she auditioned for the Glass House she was
lead for the Embraceables and also did a stint as
the leader of the vocal group who backed up
Aretha Franklin on tours. The Aretha period would be from, I guess, mid -67 to 1969.

Davie

By Joe Moorehouse (205.188.209.109) on Monday, May 05, 2003 - 04:44 pm:

Thanks for the great info, Davie. It's been a long time since I heard the Embraceables record--I'll have to get it spun for me soon, as it should be pretty obvious whether it's the same voice.

'67 to '69 must have been a phenomenal time to tour with Aretha. I'll see if I can post a scan of the W.I.G. record tomorrow.

By Scratcher (65.132.78.51) on Monday, May 05, 2003 - 05:46 pm:

The Embraceables were a quartet their single came out on Sidra Records in 1967--"Let My Baby Go"/"Here I Go."

By Joe Moorehouse (152.163.188.68) on Monday, May 05, 2003 - 07:10 pm:

Hi Scratcher. I've seen and heard the Embraceables 45 several times over the years, but didn't know they were a quartet. Can you supply the members names, please?

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.85) on Monday, May 05, 2003 - 07:24 pm:

Hi guys,

Pearl Jones wrote both sides on the Embraceables Sidra 9010 single too. I have also listened to both singles right now... and I am quite sure that Pearl Jones is the lead singer on the Embraceables Sidra release too. Great voice! Thanks for the background. I have always liked "Glass House" since "Crumbs Of The Table".

Lars

By Scratcher (65.132.76.22) on Monday, May 05, 2003 - 08:00 pm:

The Embraceables: Pearl Jones, Wyline Ivy, Gladys Scott and Evelyn Green.

By LG Nilsson (213.89.30.85) on Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 03:51 pm:

Scans of the mentioned singles�





Lars

By David Meikle (62.252.128.6) on Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 06:16 pm:

Courtesy of DeAnne james

By Scratcher (65.133.219.143) on Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 06:31 pm:

Joe most early girl groups started out as quintets or quartets; some became trios after members dropped out and were not replaced.

The Shirelles, the Jewels, the Marvelettes, the Supremes, the Vells, the Chantels, The Velevelettes, the Gems, Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles, the Adorables all had four or five members at the beginning. There are more that I can't think of off the top of my head. Female quartet and quintets were more exciting live than trios, i.e. the early Marvelettes and the Jewels who harmonized like guys.

By Joe Moorehouse (205.188.209.109) on Tuesday, May 06, 2003 - 10:07 pm:

Wow, tons of great visuals and info on this thread. Thanks to everyone who's responded.

By acooolcat (61.58.181.126) on Wednesday, May 07, 2003 - 12:25 am:

Joe - not much I can add... all I know is Gino had a wig shop at the time, and named the label after his business.
Graham

By David Meikle (213.122.204.225) on Wednesday, May 07, 2003 - 03:39 am:

I think I noticed a wig shop near his offices on Grand River last year. True!

By acooolcat (61.58.181.126) on Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 08:21 am:

Joe, I've got a release date for The Embraceables' Sidra 45 as 2/1967.
Hope this helps.
Graham

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Thursday, May 08, 2003 - 10:31 am:

There must have been some real complicated guitar
parts on that Sidra single - from the photo it looks as if took two of them to play it.