Quote Originally Posted by robb_k View Post
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I thought those 3 Versatones' Motown cuts were written and produced by Smokey. I seem to remember his name on their 7-inch acetates. The music writing and lyrics sound like pure Smokey to me. And the style of singing sound like Smokey, with The Miracles. I think the group may have been The Versatones from Detroit, who recorded for Ernest Burt's Magic City Records in 1966 and '67 [[only 3 years gap between the Motown and Magic City recordings). Not likely there were different 2 Detroit groups with the same name that close in time. Their lead on "With A Broken Heart", also sang some falsetto, and I hear a single woman's voice in The Magic City cuts, just as I do in "Company Time", and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde".
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Here's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde":


Its only You-Tube videos have it labelled as recorded in 1956 by Richie Records, erroneously believing it was New York's earlier Versatones group. But, like "Company Time', it sounds like a 1959 or 1960 Tamla cut, written and produced by Smokey Robinson, rather than a 1963 Motown recording.
Paperwork shows that all 6 of the Versatones tracks were cut in July and August 1963 - Dr Jeckyl indeed being produced by Robert Gordy and written by Carl Gibson.
The common thread between all 6 cuts is Carl Gibson and Robert Gordy with Ron Wakefield's name appearing in connection with one or two of them on the writing side. Robert Gordy is named as producer on all 6 cuts. No mention of Smokey anywhere. All are Jobete.
This doesn't rule out an association with Richie Records although I cannot find any record on Cat 45 for a Richie release by the Vows of this title however the authorship of the one 45 I can track down here Will She Return/Hold Me Lover on Richie 451 [[1963) is also attributed to Gibson making it pretty likely these groups are one and the same.
It's harder to make a definite connection with the Magic City although the b side With A Broken Heart is in part written by Choker Campbell so there is a Motown connection of sorts.