Anyone out there remember Sylvia?

[blueskies]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlhCYC_TEFw&feature=related

Always loved this song. Does anyone know what happened to Sylvia? Does she still perform?

[paladin]

O hell yes, I'm sure somebody here knows she did a lot of work behind the scenes , writing and producing for different groups on The Stang label as I recall.........looks like she paved the way for Donna Summer huh ?

[tom_moulton]

Sylvia Robinson also of Mickey & Sylvia back in the 50's. That was soooooooooome record!!!!!

[marv2]

She also was one of the principle owners of Sugar Hill Records that gave us one of the first big Rap hits "Rappers Delight" by the Sugar Hill Gang.

[sunshineonacloudyday]

Born Sylvia Vanderpool, she first recorded as 'Little Sylvia' in the early 50s. In the 60s, I believe she had at least one single as Sylvia Robbins. She also wrote many tunes for The Moments at Stang, and that's her spoken intro on "Gotta Find A Way". [["Attention ladies and gentlemen..."). Other than "Pillow Talk", I wasn't impressed with the other songs on her album.

[daddyacey]

Sylvia Robinson was as T.M. said from the 50's , and also with her husband ,the principles behind bringing out Linda Jones, The Moments and others , thru her ALL PLatinum Industries labels ,Stang ,Vibration and Sugar Hill ,and was a major independent force in the N.J and N.Y. sound. A smart business woman who made noise just at the start of the changing of the genre of R&B/Soul into a split off of FUNK. She held off on the DISCO craze but was smart enough to pick up on the Rap element of the Original form of Hip Hop. There were other small indy companies such as Bobby Robinsons ,"Enjoy" records and Paul Windlys label that recorded the local pioneer M.C. groups, but Sylvia took it national with "The Sugarhill Gang." A polished ,"fake" ,version of the raw real deal that was Hip Hop back then. Her stroke of genius was to then scoop up a lot of the originators and present them on record also . Most of the groups like Sequence [[with Angie Stone) ,Funky 3 plus 1 , Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five ,etc , were minors at the time. She is a pioneer in presenting recordings important in the constant formation of the genre we call Soul/R&B. You best to know who Sylvia Robinson is.

[roger]

Well ..

SYLVIA has to count as one of those artists who was more important "behind the scenes" rather than as an artist in her own right .. check out the writer and production credits on those hits by THE MOMENTS and the odds are her name is there.

I always thought she sounded great and bought a couple of her L.Ps, but I realise that her vocal style isn't to everyones taste.

For the record "Pillow Talk" got to #1 on the Billboard R&B chart and #3 Pop. It also became an international hit reaching #14 on the U.K. listings.

Here is one of her releases that I always thought sounded PURRFECT .. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ7PeqJeC8M

Roger

[theboyfromxtown]

There was a great distinctive sound, don't you think.

[randy_russi]

I loved the record "Pillow Talk"! She wrote it for Al Green but was told by his management or producer that it was too sexy
for him.
She did get into disco by having the big hit "Shame Shame Shame" by Shirley & Company on one of her labels--Shirley
of Shirley & Lee.
I also liked Sylvia's "L.A. Sunshine" single.

Where is she today? Way back in the '70s Ronnie Spector bought a home from Sylvia in New Jersey, but didn't keep it
long.

[mr_june]

Her husband Joe passed away a few years ago.

[mysterysinger]

But I never seem to see any All Platinum CDs around, or is it just me? Back in the 70s the All Platinum label had a distinctive sound, and some really cool releases - Chuck Jackson - I've Got The Need, Brook Benton - Mr Bartender, Larry Saunders - On The Real Side etc. There were a number of collections out on vinyl at the time, but I don't think I've seen anything on CD, certainly not in the UK.

[mellow_q]

Mystery, All Platinum was sold to Rhino Records sometime back in the 90s.

[soulster]

Ugh! That YouTube video must have been made from a PAL transfer. It's too fast!

That song was a hit back in the spring of 1975 on the Vibration label, a label of the All Platinum Record company that she owned with her husband.

I loved it.

[roger]

But I never seem to see any All Platinum CDs around, or is it just me? Back in the 70s the All Platinum label had a distinctive sound, and some really cool releases - Chuck Jackson - I've Got The Need, Brook Benton - Mr Bartender, Larry Saunders - On The Real Side etc. There were a number of collections out on vinyl at the time, but I don't think I've seen anything on CD, certainly not in the UK.

I think it is just you mysterysinger ..

Sequel released out a few U.K. All-Platinum C.D.s in the 1990s ..

I know of 2 compilations ..

"Sweet Stuff - New Jersey Soul"

http://www.amazon.com/Sweet-Stuff-New-Jersey-Soul/dp/B000LNUU2E

"On The Real Side"

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1406106/a/On+The+Real+Side%3A+New+Jersey+Soul.htm

There were also individual artist collections from ..

THE RIMSHOTS

http://www.discogs.com/Rimshots-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-Blow-Your-Whistle/release/2110015

THE MOMENTS

http://www.amazon.com/Moments-Greatest-Hits-Sequel/dp/B000000PR5

LINDA JONES

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1437888/a/For+Your+Precious+Love.htm

ELEANORE MILLS

http://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Eleanore-Mills/dp/B00004NKUA

In addition Sanctuary [[U.K) brought out a WHATNAUTS Double-CD in 1996.

More recently Outta-Sight have brought out compilations of "East Coast" material, a lot of it from All-Platinum, some from other labels such as DeLite, Perception/Today, such as

"East Coast Soul Connection" ..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/East-Coast-Connection-Various-Artists/dp/B000OMD2CW

Though the outa-sight compilations were only available briefly ..

:)

Roger

[mysterysinger]

Ta for the info. I had quite a large All Platinum collection on vinyl until I sold the lot - but I've absolutely zilch on CD. Will have to get some in I think.