Unsung if any - The Ebonys

[heikki]

Hi!

Please read the story of this classic Philly soul group at

http://www.soulexpress.net/ebonys_interview.htm

Best regards
Heikki

[splanky]

Really unsung, heikki!....I friggin' loved that group...Almost totally ignored in New York back
in the day but in the southern United States folks adored their sound. The definition of Philly
classic soul...Thanks for posting that...

[manny]

I never understand how one of the first Philly Intl. stars since the PIR label was created can be so relegated in a second plain. They were the first PIR artist to appears on the Billboard R & B charts and apart from this consideration, they were a talented vocal group. When I heard "Sexy Ways", the powerful baritone voice and the rest of the vocals are a "first range" vocal ensemble! I knows little after they recorded one Lp for Buddah disbanded and some members created the group Créme D'Cocoa who, for my taste, had nothing in common with The Ebonys: disco music in the pejorative sense! The last notice I have was the collaboration by Willie Howard with Vince Montana on "That's Love Does"...

Is so sad that some great vocal groups don't have had a better recognition and successful and longer career [[Ebonys, Kaleiodoskope, Futures,... to name a few only from The Philly area!)

[heikki]

Thank you, Splanky.
I couldn't agree with you more, Manny!

Best regards
Heikki

[manny]

Hi again, Heikki and all!

I made my previous comment before read the article... and I'm very hungry because there's ONE UNISSUED ALBUM BY THE EBONYS in the PIR vaults...! G & H treat us, the true Philly Soul Lovers so bad... Weldon A. McDougal [[RIP), the Philly Legend and honorific SDF member posted here many info about PIR and outside productions recorded at Sigma Sound by Spinners, Sharon Paige and a lot of artists but I ignored the case of The Ebony's album... Somebody got the "authority" to take G & H and convince them to re-edit the Neptune, Gamble, North Bay, Huff-Puff catalogue and the previously unissued material...? When I think on unissued stuff by Anthony White, Johnny Williams, Sharon Paige or The Ebonys...!!

[soulwally]

An excellent feature, as ever, Heikki. I always loved It's Forever, and I have the Collectables CD.
What always struck me as odd about the group was that they had a high tenor singer and also a woman in the line-up. Not sure how the harmonies would work...

[Bluebrock]

Love the Ebonys. Great philly soul, Brings back fond memories. Very much an unsung group if i ever heard one.

[heikki]

Thank you, Soulwally!
Bluerock, indeed especially that PIR album was great, wasn't it.
As far as I know, that non-original group will be sued soon.

Best regards
Heikki

[soulwally]

Thank you, Soulwally!
Bluerock, indeed especially that PIR album was great, wasn't it.
As far as I know, that non-original group will be sued soon.

Best regards
Heikki

Not sure who'd be in this line-up, but I sure like their rendition of You're The Reason Why

Watching again I did catch that William 'Smoke' Howard is on the right

[Motown Eddie]

Hi!

Please read the story of this classic Philly soul group at

http://www.soulexpress.net/ebonys_interview.htm

Best regards
Heikki

Great article, thanks for posting. And yes, The Ebony's are truly Unsung.

[heikki]

Thank you, Eddie!

[JimBagley]

Thank you Heikki for this wonderful interview and story on one of my hometown groups, The Ebonys. It's beyond a shame that they are almost forgotten today, as they helped get Philadelphia Int'l off the ground.

[heikki]

Thank you, Jim!
If you can find that new David Beasley's Ebonys CD, please grab it. It's very good.

Best regards
Heikki

[arr&bee]

Oh yeah one of the great seventies groups and one of the best ever.