By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Monday, October 08, 2001 - 07:28 pm:

Mike Theodore made me aware of this incredible site.David is doing a great job here. Anyone from the good old days in Detroit....e-mail me.

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Monday, October 08, 2001 - 08:22 pm:

ralph
thanks for posting on the forum.

anybody wondering, please refer to the tera shirma story.

ralph owned one of the most important studios in the city's history.

By E-Z (198.208.223.35 - 198.208.223.35) on Tuesday, October 09, 2001 - 08:08 pm:

David,

I saw an abandonned studio near Hamtramck, and I'm wondering if there is any Motown (et al) affiliation. As soon as I upload the pic into my computer I'll remember where it was (I hope.) I'll try to get an exact address.

Can pictures be posted here?

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Tuesday, October 09, 2001 - 08:40 pm:

good question!

i'd love to see this e-z.

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Friday, October 19, 2001 - 02:30 am:

Ralph,
Greetings from Taiwan!
I have a news clip of The Sunliners from 1962. It has a photo of a very young you, with your brother, and the other group members. If you want a copy I can scan it and send it to you.
How did you get hooked up with Ed Wingate and record "All Alone" on Golden World?
Best wishes, Graham

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Friday, October 19, 2001 - 06:34 pm:

Grahm,
I'd love to see the newspaper clip.Thank you. We initially went to GW to do some recording.Just renting the studio.John Rhys was going to produce us.We were without a record deal at the time and were looking to see what we could shake loose by recording some new matereial.John had a killer song.." Heart of the City " which we recorded.I believe " All Alone " was meant to be the B side.It was written by Pete Rivera, the singer and drummer. I think this is how it worked Grahm,unless to many years have clouded my memory.I do remember " All Alone " was a B side though
Thanks for writing.

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Friday, October 19, 2001 - 06:41 pm:

Sorry Grahm,
Didn't answer all your questions. In the process of doing the GW sessions, word kind of got around the studio that something good was happening in there.
Ed Wingate made us an offer we coudn't refuse.

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.252.128.4 - 62.252.128.4) on Friday, October 19, 2001 - 09:10 pm:

ralph
you've been telling me that ed wingate was a real character.

if only he would speak about his past - it must be so interesting.

david

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Saturday, October 20, 2001 - 03:31 am:

Yes David,it's to bad.Ed Wingate makes my top ten list of really great characters I have known in the business.A truly unique individual.

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Saturday, October 20, 2001 - 09:05 am:

Ralph
I don't see your email address here; I'll give you mine so that you can let me have yours off-list
acooolcat@yahoo.com
I'll gladly send you a copy of the clip.
The 2 sides of the Golden World 45 are "The Swingin' Kind" with the B side "All Alone"
It's the B side that is popular in Europe!
Can you remember the line-up of the group which recorded these sides?
TTYL, Graham

By Ralph terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Saturday, October 20, 2001 - 10:25 pm:

Grahm!! You are so right.All Alone was the B side to Swingin' Kind. I honestly had forgotten.I didn't realize it was popular there. At that time I played keboards,Russ Terrana on guitar,John Parrish on bass, Gil Bridges and Fred Saxon on saxes and Peter Rivera on drums.

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Sunday, October 21, 2001 - 02:58 pm:

Grahm,
I made a mistake.This forum is certainly a test for me in remembering facts of the past.At the time ofthese sessions,Fred Saxon had already left the group and was replaced by Steve Fisher, an incredible sax player.

By RalphTerrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Sunday, October 21, 2001 - 03:07 pm:

OOOPS again Grahm,
Since I now have been reminded that "All Alone" was the B side of " Swingin' Kind '
I gave you the wrong producer. The producer of these two sides was Sonny Saunders.An incrediby gifted producer.My apologies to Sonny on the faux paux.

By John Lester (213.122.191.170 - 213.122.191.170) on Sunday, October 21, 2001 - 08:10 pm:

I just checked the label credit for Golden World 31 which states that both sides were produced by (Sonny) Sanders & (Pete) Rivera although both sides were arranged solely by Sonny Sanders. "The Swingin' Kind" was composed by The Sunliners, "All Alone" by (Pete) Hoorelbeke.

By BeeBop-Fred (166.90.233.118 - 166.90.233.118) on Saturday, October 27, 2001 - 06:08 am:

I was fortunate enough to have played in one of the many thriving record studios in the 60's in Detroit. I played in a band that rehersed and played backup for groups under the management of Chuck Stokes. He had tried to start a recording studio on Twelth Street near Blaine (on the east side of the street). But it never did open. Chuck's brother, Michael Stokes, who was about 12 or thirteen at the time went on to become very successful writing and producing for the Enchantment as well as other artists. In fact he produced Smokey's latest CD. The band I was with was the Bell-Hops (yeah, that's right). We all started in high school (Curtis Sharp, Zachary, Howard, Rudy Thomas and me were the orginal members).

I remember going to the Twenty Grand on Sunday evenings. I remember seeing the Temps, Originals, Supremes, for sure. But I also remember the "not so famous" groups, the Deans, the Turbans, The Love Tones (weren't they the back up group for Mary Wells), Emmaule on guitar with the Counts, the Emmerals, Johnnie May Matthews, Spyder Turner, on and on.......

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Saturday, October 27, 2001 - 08:28 am:

Fred, welcome to the forum!
It's greaat that you've written in because I'm very interested in the recordings made by "Chuck," who I presume is Charles. I believe he had a business partnership with Ronald Holmes and the studio was on Joy Road (see this site!). I've spoken to Spider and one of the singers of The Stereophonics (Charles' e-wife, Charlotte) and think that you played on their sessions. Their 45s are called "Don't Leave Me" and "Run On Little Girl" - I think the other girls were Brenda and Marlene. Can you remember them?
Spider had a couple of releases too; "Callin Girls" is one that springs to mind.
I didn't know there was a studio on 12th. Charles used to live on Chicago and his sister (Casandra) was married to Eddie Kendricks I believe.
What can you remember about those days and what are the surnames of the other Bellhops Band members?
A couple of the other groups at Master were the 4 Hollidays (Holland and Barksdale brothers) and the Tridetts (no idea who they were).
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes from Taiwan !

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Saturday, October 27, 2001 - 08:43 am:

Fred, Did you also work for Diamond Jim Riley?
Best wishes, Graham

By BebopFred (63.212.149.123 - 63.212.149.123) on Friday, November 16, 2001 - 04:40 am:

Graham, I've had e-mail problems and was not able to log into mail. No, I never worked for Diamond Jim's, but I spent time there> His bar was on 7Mile and Greenfield. And Yes, we are talking about the same person (Charles Stokes). He lived on Chicago at the time. A huge home, corner house. We would sometimes reherse there. There was a couple guitarists (a guy named "rabitt" and another "charlie". Charlie went on to play with New Birth. One hell of a player! I do remember Charlotte (Charles wife). We backed up her group in the early studio days. I think the song was "Happy Story".

The surnames of some of the Bell Hop members were: Zachary Slater. David Ruffin stayed at there house off and on during that time. Rudy Thomsa, Howard Thompson and Curtis Sharpe. Others came in and out. We were all close friends with the members of the Precissions. We all lived within blocks of each other.

I remeber playing at a place called the Walled Lake Casino. It wasn't a gambling place, but just a large hall for teen dances. We were invited there a lot by Lee Allen "the horn" and Robin Seymore. It drew some good R&B groups. But this place was really outside of Detroit (the suburbs).

Anyone out there remember it?

Fred

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Friday, November 16, 2001 - 05:18 am:

Hi Fred, and thanks for the info'.
I think "Happy Story" is one of Spyder's songs. Maybe the guitarist you remember is "Little" Charlie Hearndon? He played with The Peps for a while.
I've never heard of the Walled Lake Casino - which suburb was it in?
Best wishes, Graham

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Friday, November 16, 2001 - 11:04 am:

Fred, Were you in the El-Domingos?
Graham

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17 - 12.2.196.17) on Friday, November 16, 2001 - 04:45 pm:

The Walled Lake Casino was in... Walled Lake! Walled Lake is a small town in northern Oakland County.

The Walled Lake Casino, as I understand it, was a real hot spot. A lot of famous artists/groups played there. It burned down years ago.

By corvax (199.29.22.28 - 199.29.22.28) on Friday, November 16, 2001 - 06:42 pm:

Fred, you mentioned the Counts...that jogged my memory of really loving some singles by a band called the Fabulous Counts. I can't even remember the songs' names....same band? if so, any info? thanks

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17 - 12.2.196.17) on Friday, November 16, 2001 - 08:16 pm:

Oops, sorry, Walled Lake is in southwest Oakland County. It is at the northwest edge of the Detroit metro area though!

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Saturday, November 17, 2001 - 12:54 am:

When I was in The Sunliners we played the Walled Lake Casino often. Even backed up Stevie Wonder once when he was Little Stevie Wonder. The casino was part of what was once an amusement park. Long after the park's existence the casino remained for teen dances usually sponsored by radio stations using there big name DJ's such as Lee Alan..Joel Sebastian and Robin Semour.
It was a great place to play.

By Fury13 (12.2.196.17 - 12.2.196.17) on Saturday, November 17, 2001 - 02:32 am:

I heard a story that Lee Allen wouldn't play any Nolan Strong/Diablos records anymore after Nolan was a no-show at a Walled Lake Casino gig. This was shortly after "Mind Over Matter" in '62. The way I heard it, it negatively affected Nolan's popularity because other DJs joined the boycott.

Anyone ever hear a story like that? I know that DJs like Lee Allen wielded a lot of power.

By John Lester (213.122.193.146 - 213.122.193.146) on Saturday, November 17, 2001 - 06:00 am:

Joel Sebastian recorded for Miracle..I didn't know he was a DJ....

Apparently, I heard that Tom Clay ("What the World Needs Now Is love") was also a DJ......

Hmmm, intersting

By Ralph Terrana (209.240.222.130 - 209.240.222.130) on Saturday, November 17, 2001 - 06:13 am:

John,
Tom Clay had his fifteen minutes of fame in Detroit as a top DJ. I was never aware that he recorded anything. I must say the same for Joel Sebastian also. Both these guys were great DJ's. I'm not sure about the Nolan Strong boycott, but I know it would have been un-wise to be a no-show to something they might have been expecting you for.

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Saturday, November 17, 2001 - 07:18 am:

Fred, Spyder mentioned that The Counts were his backing band. He recorded a song called Ride My 225 - for Fortune Records. Does that ring a bell?
Didn't The Fabulous Counts record a song called The Girl From Kenya? ...or was it Jan Jan ..or something like that!
Graham