Jean Banks

[heikki]

Hi!

On another music forum someone posed a question about Jean Banks, wondering if she was Jean Wells by another name.
I replied that hardly, because Jean Banks recorded one single - as far as I know in Detroit - on Soul 1001, a product of Soulsville, U.S.A.; arr. & conducted and co-written by Dino E. Courreay: Jailer / The Long Wait; I guess around 1963. You find the single on YouTube these days.
Jean Wells worked and recorded in the Philadelphia/New York areas.
However, that question still bothers me. Does anybody know, who is Jean Banks and what happened to her? I remember that briefly we discussed this Soul label [[not the Motown family one) a long time ago. Can you Robb shed some light on this one?

Best regards
Heikki

[jsmith]

As you will know Heikki, though Jean Wells worked and recorded in the Philadelphia/New York areas, she was actually from Florida & used to return their when not recording / performing.

[heikki]

Hi John!

I know that, because I conducted an interview with her, but it was as far back as in 1994.

But we still have to solve this Jean Banks mystery.

Best regards
Heikki

[jsmith]

Where was she living in 94 ? Had she moved back to Florida ?

[heikki]

John, at that point she was still living in Philadelphia.

Best regards
Heikki

[heikki]

Jean Banks? Anybody...

[robb_k]

12991
I really doubt very strongly that Jean Banks was AKA Jean Wells. Jean Banks' 1963 record was recorded in Detroit, as that particular Soul Records label was owned by Carmen Murphy, and was a subsidiary of her House of Beauty Records, run out of her legendary beauty shop at 111 Mack Ave. in Detroit. Dino Courreay was her 3rd Chief A&R man and head producer, after orchestra leader, Jack Surrell, and Mike Hanks. Soulsville USA was Courreay's production company. The record seems to have been pressed at Michigan's American Record Pressing plant, as it has their 7 number code. The cuts must have been recorded in Detroit, possibly United Sound Studios.

I suspect that Banks was a local Detroiter, as Mrs. Murphy didn't record any artists from out-of-state. Leon Peterson, originally from St. Louis, was living in Detroit at the time of his HOB release [[which was leased from Mickey Stevenson's Stepp Records, in any case). Mrs. Murphy folded up Soul Records in late 1963, along with her Starmaker Records, after she decided to get out of the secular music business. She kept only HOB Records operating, and from then on, it released only Gospel music. In 1964, she sold HOB to Florence Greenberg's Scepter-Wand Records. Near the end of 1963, Mrs. Murphy sold the Michigan rights to the business name, "Soul Records", to her former understudy, Berry Gordy, for a nominal $1, so he could start up a new Soul label.

[robb_k]

12993
Here are the sides in question:
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j56/Robb_K/JeanBanks2_zpsnmgvowup.png [[http://s77.photobucket.com/user/Robb_K/media/JeanBanks2_zpsnmgvowup.png.html)
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j56/Robb_K/JeanBanks1_zpsqsniqk7j.png [[http://s77.photobucket.com/user/Robb_K/media/JeanBanks1_zpsqsniqk7j.png.html)

[robb_k]

12996
The name Jean Banks rings a bell with me as being a Detroit name [[other than this Soul Record). I seem to remember her name being associated with a Detroit girls group [[she may have been a member of a known local group). But I can't remember for sure, or connect her with the group's name.

[robb_k]

12999
I have sent a note to Ms. Banks' great grandson, Christian Parkman, asking him if he can tell us anything about her career. I hope he will answer, and that he knows more than we know.

[heikki]

Thank you, Robb.

It'll be interesting to see if Christian can add something to the above, in terms of music anyway. I already assumed that Soul-1001 could be Jean's only record, but let's wait for a possible answer.

Best regards
Heikki

[splanky]

12991
I really doubt very strongly that Jean Banks was AKA Jean Wells. Jean Banks' 1963 record was recorded in Detroit, as that particular Soul Records label was owned by Carmen Murphy, and was a subsidiary of her House of Beauty Records, run out of her legendary beauty shop at 111 Mack Ave. in Detroit. Dino Courreay was her 3rd Chief A&R man and head producer, after orchestra leader, Jack Surrell, and Mike Hanks. Soulsville USA was Courreay's production company. The record seems to have been pressed at Michigan's American Record Pressing plant, as it has their 7 number code. The cuts must have been recorded in Detroit, possibly United Sound Studios.

I suspect that Banks was a local Detroiter, as Mrs. Murphy didn't record any artists from out-of-state. Leon Peterson, originally from St. Louis, was living in Detroit at the time of his HOB release [[which was leased from Mickey Stevenson's Stepp Records, in any case). Mrs. Murphy folded up Soul Records in late 1963, along with her Starmaker Records, after she decided to get out of the secular music business. She kept only HOB Records operating, and from then on, it released only Gospel music. In 1964, she sold HOB to Florence Greenberg's Scepter-Wand Records. Near the end of 1963, Mrs. Murphy sold the Michigan rights to the business name, "Soul Records", to her former understudy, Berry Gordy, for a nominal $1, so he could start up a new Soul label.

I know nothing at all about Jean Banks but I am finding this thread
fascinating and am waiting to see how this plays out...

[robb_k]

13043
Too bad Ron Murphy is no longer with us [[RIP). He probably would have known her as a Detroit Soul singer. I've sent an e-mail to Louvain Demps to find out if she remembers Jean. She knew just about everybody in The Business. Meanwhile, I'm hoping that someone on this forum will ask any Detroit Soul performers or producers with whom they have contact [[Lor Chandler, Clay MacMurray, Spyder Turner, Ronnie McNier, Frances Nero,etc.) if they knew her.

[heikki]

Thank you, Robb!
I'll be making inquiries as well.
If I remember correctly, unfortunately Frances is no longer with us.

Best regards
Heikki

[robb_k]

Thank you, Robb!
I'll be making inquiries as well.
If I remember correctly, unfortunately Frances is no longer with us.

Best regards
Heikki
13065
Yes, I was reminded on Soul-Source that she passed away 3 years ago. It seems like only a couple of months ago that I read those posts with that announcement.

[robb_k]

13103
Still no word from Louvain or Parkman. I hope it is that they are just busy now, but will respond later.

[jsmith]

A couple of big shows Jean Wells did in DC in the mid 60's ...
13112

[jsmith]

Jean Wells up in New York [[at Lloyd Price's club) ... 13119

[heikki]

Hi!

Spyder answered that the name [[Jean Banks) sounds familiar but he doesn't know anything about her.

We have to be patient still.

Best regards
Heikki

[robb_k]

13279
Louvain did not remember any additional details about Jean Banks more than I did, and unfortunately, Banks' Grandson, Christian Parkman, never answered my message.