Soul brothers six biography meaning
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This work explores the racism and violence Ellison encountered and examines the relationship between these experiences and his songwriting.
In July 2013, a site near his childhood home in Landgraff, West Virginia was cleared by Boy Scouts and other volunteers, as part of a service project connected to the 2013 National Boy Scout Jamboree.
It's a hit!' So they took us in the studio the very next day." WHAT program director George Wilson brought the masters to Atlantic.
Some Kind Of Wonderful sounded so unabashedly sanctified that it only managed a #91 pop showing and inexplicably didn't crease the R&B hit parade at all. In 1972, he relocated to Canada and continues to perform and record.
- Bill Dahl -
Various - Sweet Soul Music
Various - Sweet Soul Music 30 Scorching Classics From 1967
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This lineup released two unsuccessful singles in 1965, "Stop Hurting Me" and "I Don't Want To Cry" before both Harry Armstrong and Gene Armstrong left the group, being replaced by Vonn Elle Benjamin and Lester Peleman.
It was this lineup that released the single "Don't Neglect Your Baby" before Sam Armstrong left the group to be replaced by Joe Johnson.
Ellison put together a new Soul Brothers Six and made five early '70s singles for Phil-L.A. "He heard this song 'Some Kind Of Wonderful.' And he said, 'Man, that's a great song! Their debut release was "Stop Hurting Me," which failed to chart.[16] This was followed by "I Don't Want to Cry" backed with "Move Girl," also on Fine Records and without commercial success.[16] These early tracks served as demos that caught the attention of Atlantic Records, though they were initially issued locally.[9]In 1966, the group signed with the small Lyndell Records imprint and released "Don't Neglect Your Baby," a soulful plea emphasizing family responsibilities, but it did not achieve national chart placement.[29]Their breakthrough came in 1967 after signing with Atlantic Records.
After seeing him, that was all I wanted to do."
In 1959, Ellison moved to Rochester, New York, forming the three-piece Continentals with guitarist Joe Beard. Sam Armstrong on drums, Charles Armstrong, he played tambourine and conga drums. He said he'd like to sign us up, because he really loved the sound we had."Ellison wrote both sides of their Lyndell 45 before authoring Some Kind Of Wonderful.
"I was dating this girl, and I just used a phrase-–I said, 'You know, you're some kind of wonderful!' And I told her, 'I'm gonna write a song about you,"says Ellison."In the car, between Rochester and Philadelphia, I wrote the song." Philly deejay Ernie Fields stopped by a rehearsal.
One such collection is the 1995 CD The Very Best Of John Ellison And The Soul Brothers Six, released by Forevermore Records, which gathers 20 tracks spanning the band's output and related solo efforts by frontman John Ellison.[35] Another key anthology, Funky Funky Way Of Makin' Love (2001, Jamie/Guyden Dist.
He was replaced by multi-instrumentalist Joe Johnson, who contributed to the band from 1966 until around 1969.[9]By the late 1960s, the lineup for their Atlantic recordings included John Ellison, Charles Armstrong, Vonell Benjamin (bass and vocals, 1965–1969), Lester Peleman (keyboards and vocals, 1965–1969), and Joe Johnson, reflecting a stabilization after the early exit of Sam.[6][9] However, the group's experience with Atlantic Records, marked by the 1967 hit "(She's) Some Kind of Wonderful" followed by underperforming singles, led to further shifts around 1969.
He is a regular performer at the Nice Jazz Festival in France, and also performs regularly throughout Europe, Asia and North America.
In November 2008, Ellison was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, and for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year, for Back at the Hamilton Music Awards in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1987, the book "Sweet Soul Music" named the Soul Brothers Six as a major influence on the sound of modern music.
"The Soul Brothers Six was originally called the Brothers Four, which was Sam and his three brothers. The group signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records.
Ellison was the lead guitarist, singer, and songwriter for the group; and while traveling to a recording session in Philadelphia in 1967, Ellison wrote "She's Some Kind of Wonderful." This original version reached number 91 on the US Billboard chart.
But The Fantastic Johnny C cut a sizzling cover on his '68 'Boogaloo Down Broadway' LP, and Grand Funk's thundering '74 remake was a #3 pop juggernaut. The original lineup consisted of Sam Armstrong on drums, Charles Armstrong providing vocals, Moses Armstrong on guitar, and Harry Armstrong on additional instrumentation.[1]Shortly after the group's formation, vocalist and guitarist John Ellison joined in 1965, along with bassist Vonell Benjamin and vocalist Lester Freeman, expanding the ensemble and prompting a name change to reflect the new six-member configuration.[1] This rebranding marked a pivotal shift, with Ellison emerging as a key creative force, contributing songwriting and lead vocals that would define the band's sound.The newly named Soul Brothers Six entered the studio that same year, releasing their debut singles "Stop Hurting Me" on Fine Records and "I Don't Want to Cry" on Lyndell Records, though neither achieved commercial success.[2][9] These early recordings represented the group's initial foray into soul music production, capturing their raw energy amid Rochester's emerging local scene.[6]
Career Trajectory
Breakthrough and Peak Success
In 1966, the Soul Brothers Six signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records after a Philadelphia DJ introduced the group to producer Jerry Wexler, impressed by their demo of guitarist John Ellison's composition "Some Kind of Wonderful."[9][10] This deal marked their transition from local independent labels to national distribution, allowing them to record at Atlantic's facilities in New York.[11]The group's breakthrough came in 1967 with the release of "Some Kind of Wonderful," written by Ellison during a trip to the recording session and featuring a soulful arrangement with tight harmonies, driving horns, and Ellison's passionate lead vocals.[12][9] The single peaked at No.91 on the Billboard Hot 100, providing modest national exposure and establishing their energetic R&B sound. Backed with "I'll Be Loving You," it marked their first national exposure.[30] Later that year, they issued "You Better Check Yourself" backed with "What Can You Do When You Ain't Got Nobody," the latter bubbling under at No.
107 on the extended Billboard chart.[31]From 1968 to 1969, the group continued releasing on Atlantic without further chart success. This lineup released six singles as John Ellison and The Soul Brothers Six (despite there only being five band members) during the 1970s before disbanding.
John Ellison continued on in the music business and released two solo albums Welcome Back in 1993 and Missing You in 2000.