Why no interest in the new Freda Payne CD?

[RobertZ]

I'm just curious - a talented lady from "our era" releases a great CD, sounds wonderful, and looks like a million bucks on the booklet - and no coverage on this site at all. Just wondering why - the singer? The fact that it's new music? It's great listening!

[woodward]

Robert: I wholeheartedly agree. I struggled to obtain a copy of it. Most people realize that she isn't singing the type of music that made her great, however, she is tops in my book. There was some coverage on the forum before about this before the CD was released, but if anyone had the problems I had to obtain a copy, it's no wonder it wasn't an overwhelming success.

[woodward]

Robert: Do a search at the top for Freda Payne. You might have to go onto the second page but there is a heading ---- Thread: Freda Payne Album Released 7/22/2014. I started the thread telling people where to obtain the CD. There were several responses to my initial posting.

[RobertZ]

In fact, it was most likely your post that led me to this wonderful CD! Thanks are owed!

[RobertZ]

A quick look - seems available on CD Universe and Amazon

[Guy]

I love the "Come Back To Me Love" CD. It was one of my favorites of last year. I saw Freda perform last fall at a Birthday/CD release event and she was wonderful.

[RobertZ]

I love the "Come Back To Me Love" CD. It was one of my favorites of last year. I saw Freda perform last fall at a Birthday/CD release event and she was wonderful.

Glad to hear it - I'm envious!

[rrussi]

I saw Freda last year on one of the judge TV shows where she was a witness for a record producer being sued for breach of contract, I think. She did look good. I also remember back in the '80s seeing her star in Sophisticated Ladies and how fabulous her voice was, especially on "In A Sentimental Mood". Is her CD available on her website?

[soulster]

First of all: it's a jazz album much in line with the music of Nancy Wilson and Lou Rawls in the 60s. Strike one.

Second: it's on an indie label. Those CDs are going to have more limited distribution and smaller runs, mostly because of the types of music it is. You can find it as a lossy download, though. Again, this points to the fact that CDs have reduced appeal. Strike two.

Third: People may remember the song "Band Of Gold" as an R&B hit from the 70s, and maybe "Bring The Boys Back Home" on a good day, but most people outside of a music fanatic will not know who sang it. She has almost zero name recognition with the general public. Strike three.

BTW, I like the new album. Thanks for calling it to my attention.

[Sotosound]

People may remember the song "Band Of Gold" as an R&B hit from the 70s, and maybe "Bring The Boys Back Home" on a good day, but most people outside of a music fanatic will not know who sang it. She has almost zero name recognition with the general public.

Sad, but true. Since her light only shone really brightly amongst us soul fans for around 3 years in the early 70s I would guess that most people under 50 won't know who she is.

Having lived on Earth for 60 years, I'm now one of the oldest people in my office and regularly interact with people half my age. I often, therefore, find that I have to tailor my conversation to ensure that the language I use and the cultural references that I use are either contemporary or at least universal. This means shedding so much from earlier times including many jokes and word plays that would simply draw blank stares.

Other casualties include most of my musical heritage apart from a select few artists such as Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, The Stones and The Four Seasons.

There are others but, sadly, Freda Payne gets shed along with all of her Invictus and Hot Wax colleagues, plus most of the classic Motown roster, most of the Stax and Philly rosters etc. etc.

Like Doctor Who, we are all time travellers, but travelling through time certainly exacts a price upon us mere mortals.

[RobertZ]

All valid points, especially the comparison to Nancy Wilson's excellent work. Anyone looking for a contemporary version would do well to look into the Freda Payne CD. Mostly I was wondering about the lack of interest on this type of forum, but I guess it is an audience that mostly lives in the past. To answer rrussi, yes, Ms. Payne has the CD on her website and it's also available from Amazon, CD Universe, and Barnes & Noble's BN.com. I'm glad, Soulster, you like the CD! I'm always interested to learn about similar new releases so let me know any that you discover!

[rrussi]

Long before Freda Payne was a hit pop/R&B sensation, she was a known jazz vocalist. I remember ads for her in Miami in the early 60s. She made lps on ABC Paramount and MGM. She was a night club entertainer and that's when supper clubs were classy and in every major city. She was like, or IS like Diahann Carroll and Leslie Uggums, and was always absolutely beautiful. I think it was HDH who convinced her to do pop and R&B. I am interested in her CD, but is she using real musicians or is it computerized or synthesized music? Again, she was FABULOUS when I saw her in Sophisticated Ladies.