Tag Archives: Earl Young

LOVE TRAIN – THE GAMBLE AND HUFF SONGBOOK.

Love Train – The Gamble and Huff Songbook. Label: Kent Soul. Format: CD. Release Date: 27th June 2025. Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff have been familiar faces on the Philly music scene since the early sixties. The pair first played on a session by Candy and The Kisses in October 1964. Gamble cowrote ‘The 81’ …

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THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-UP THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.

THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-UP THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. For Salsoul Records and The Salsoul Orchestra, Up The Yellow Brick Road would prove to be the end of an era.  Up The Yellow Brick Road proved to be last Salsoul Orchestra arranged, produced and featuring the sound of vibes virtuoso Vince Montana Jr. It also proved to …

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THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-STREET SENSE.

THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-STREET SENSE. 1978 was a landmark year for Salsoul Records.Vince Montana Jr, the man who created, conducted, arranged and produced many of The Salsoul Orchestra albums left the label. He’d been at The Salsoul Orchestra’s helm between their 1975 eponymous album and 1978s Up The Yellow Brick Road. When Vince left Salsoul, after a dispute with …

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LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-QUEEN OF THE NIGHT.

LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY-QUEEN OF THE NIGHT. Having signed Loleatta Holloway to Gold Mind Records in 1976, Loleatta’s producer and mentor Norman Harris set about giving Loleatta a makeover. He started transforming the Southern Soul singer in the a disco diva on her debut album Loleatta. After her Sasloul debut Loleatta was released, Loleatta Holloway’s makeover to …

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CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI.

CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI. Having been discovered by bandleader Xavier Cugat Maria del Rosario Mercedes Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza, or Charo as she became, went on to become one of the highest paid performers in America during the early seventies. Reputedly, actress, singer and guitarist Charo was paid as much as Rat Pack members …

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BAKER, HARRIS, YOUNG-B-H-Y.

BAKER, HARRIS, YOUNG-B-H-Y. By 1979 Ron Baker, Norman Harris and Earl Young were still the hardest working and most in-demand rhythm section in music. They were currently part of The Salsoul Orchestra and accompanying artists like the undisputed Queen of Disco, Loleatta Holloway, First Choice and Double Exposure. They’d done everything, from writing, arranging and …

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THE TRAMMPS-DISCO INFERNO.

THE TRAMMPS-DISCO INFERNO. Eight months after The Trammps released Where The Happy People Go in April 1976, they released their third studio album Disco Inferno In December 1976. A year after The Trammps released Disco Inferno, which was rereleased by WEA Japan on 30th April 2013, their career was totally transformed. This transformation took place …

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DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY.

DUKE WILLIAMS AND THE EXTREMES-MONKEY IN A SILK SUIT IS STILL A MONKEY. Last September, New York based record label, SpinSpinNYC, released a six track compilation entitled Nutritious Presents Duke Williams and The Extremes. SpinSpinNYC had rediscovered the music of Duke Williams and The Extremes. They wanted to share their love and belief in this …

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THE TRAMMPS-DISCO INFERNO.

THE TRAMMPS-DISCO INFERNO. Eight months after The Trammps released Where The Happy People Go in April 1976, they released their third studio album Disco Inferno In December 1976. A year later, The Trammps career was transformed, when the title-track featured on a movie soundtrack. This was a low-budget movie, produced by Robert Stigwood for $2.5 …

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THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-STREET SENSE.

THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-STREET SENSE. Recently, I’ve been documenting the Salsoul Records rise to becoming disco’s premier label and the changes the label went through after 1978. Indeed, 1978 was a landmark year for Salsoul.Vince Montana Jr, the man who created, conducted, arranged and produced many of The Salsoul Orchestra albums between their 1975 debut The …

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CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI.

CHARO AND THE SALSOUL ORCHESTRA-CUCHI-CUCHI. Having been discovered by bandleader Xavier Cugat Maria del Rosario Mercedes Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza, or Charo as she became, went on to become one of the highest paid performers in America during the early seventies. Reputedly, actress, singer and guitarist Charo was paid as much as Rat Pack members …

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