Hattie Littles

[simon.millar]

Apologies if this has been discussed before, but I am astounded by the quality of MU62: Girls, especially the Hattie Littles cuts.

Anyone know why she didn't get more singles released during her motown [[gordy) tenure?

IMO enough material for a decent album, and better than some similar releases of the period....

[SatansBlues]

In the book the Women of Motown: An Oral History written by Susan Whitall, Hattie Littles is interviewed and basically says that Motown became more focused on a Pop sound that an R&B/Blues sound. Her version of Work Song is my favorite of her unreleased gems.


https://youtu.be/In0XtyLczpg

[simon.millar]

Yes, my favourite too.....

[keith_hughes]

There's a new Hattie track coming up on the next "Motown Girls" collection, due, well, any month now ... but a Hattie collection would be nice. Anyone else out there fancy that? There's a lot of unreleased stuff in the Vaults ...

[Roger Polhill]

Many thanks Keith- wonderful news - love Hattie. My favourite is "Let`s Talk It Over"
I like "Work Song" but have always found it strange - a woman on the chain gang, but in loony America probably true. It`s great to know of more in the vaults. I hope that there will be something from Liz Lands too.

[snakepit]

I fancy a collection of Hattie Littles Keith.

[Graham Jarvis]

Keith
Yes, Please! Please! Please!
She more than deserves a complete CD compilation all of her unissued tracks are incredible, I put an acetate copy up on you tube recently, "I Wish That You Were Here" sound quality just about OK , however would love to hear a clean tape copy!

just one of over 15 unissued tracks I know to.

"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOmZbaNj_-l_QglqWPKNtwg/search?query=Hattie%20littles

[BritishTony]

Oh yes Keith, absolutely count me in for a Hattie CD

[simon.millar]

And count me in too...

[detmotownguy]

Many thanks Keith- wonderful news - love Hattie. My favourite is "Let`s Talk It Over"
I like "Work Song" but have always found it strange - a woman on the chain gang, but in loony America probably true. It`s great to know of more in the vaults. I hope that there will be something from Liz Lands too.


I met Hattie in Detroit in abt 1990/1 at some Motown event in the Renaissance Center. She was so nice and vibrant and really into meeting the fans. Just love her voice.

Mary Wilson was signing her second book. In fact, we actually ran into each other turning a corner. My lucky day lol! Mary was so busy that the poor thing was eating a hotdog.

[SatansBlues]

There's a new Hattie track coming up on the next "Motown Girls" collection, due, well, any month now ... but a Hattie collection would be nice. Anyone else out there fancy that? There's a lot of unreleased stuff in the Vaults ...
I'm definitely interested in a Hattie Little Unreleased collection and would also be interested in another Brenda Holloway unreleased collection as well as Live tracks from Motown's heyday.

[jbpintus]

Keith, count me in to get one or two copies of a Hattie Littles collection!

[booty]

Most definitely Keith. That would be great.

[booty]

And, how about some of the really early unreleased tracks on a VA collection.

[booty]

Keith, did anything come of the San Remo Strings set?

[mysterysinger]

Yes I'll buy a Hattie Littles CD [[and the long awaited San Remo Strings CD too). But I don't understand how there are more tracks still in the vaults - what was the purpose of the Motown Unreleased sets in that case? Still it is exciting news from Keith.

[kenneth]

I would be thrilled to get a Hattie Littles set. And what good news to hear there’s another issue of Motown Girls coming!

[Roger Polhill]

Keith, did anything come of the San Remo Strings set?

I wasn`t aware that this project was in the pipeline. Please add me to the list if this is a possibility.

[danman869]

I'm up for sets being released on San Remo Strings, Brenda Holloway Vol 2, annnnnd Hattie Littles. BRING ON MORE MOTOWN!

[144man]

Kim Weston is probably my favourite Female Motown singer, yet I Like Hattie Littles's version of "Love, Trouble, Heartache and Misery" better.

[Roger Polhill]

Kim Weston is probably my favourite Female Motown singer, yet I Like Hattie Littles's version of "Love, Trouble, Heartache and Misery" better.
I`m with you 144man this is a great song and didn`t deserve to be left in the can.

[keith_hughes]

Thanks for your response to my hijacking this thread from Simon Millar ... and my apologies to him for that. Still, all in a good cause, I hope.

I've raised the idea with Ace, and have had a positive reaction. Now I need to scope the project and draw up a track list. There's a lot to choose from!

Cheers,
Keith

[Roger Polhill]

Keith there a two sides from the UR. 1962 download that contained defects: "The Man " and "Strange Is My Love For You" Is there any chance of these being remedied. Apart from these just include the 19 or so which are still in the can. Please!

[kenneth]

Fantastic news. It's wonderful to discover the wealth of riches in the vault. When the Barbara Randolph CD came out, I didn't know her expect for one song which was on one of he "16 Big Hits" series, "I Got a Feeling." Turned out she was quite a talented singer with more than an album's worth of unreleased material, as well as an actress who appeared in several films during that time.

Hattie Littles would be a similar discovery for me, having only heard her on the Complete Singles set. Would love to hear more on her.

But I think my greatest wish is to one day hopefully see a release on Yvonne Fair. Other than her Norman Whitfield produced album, I don't think anything has emerged from the vaults on her. I hate to think that's all Motown has on her. She was such a dynamic, great performer. "The Bitch is Black" was definitely a party album!

[SatansBlues]

Fantastic news. It's wonderful to discover the wealth of riches in the vault. When the Barbara Randolph CD came out, I didn't know her expect for one song which was on one of he "16 Big Hits" series, "I Got a Feeling." Turned out she was quite a talented singer with more than an album's worth of unreleased material, as well as an actress who appeared in several films during that time.

Hattie Littles would be a similar discovery for me, having only heard her on the Complete Singles set. Would love to hear more on her.

But I think my greatest wish is to one day hopefully see a release on Yvonne Fair. Other than her Norman Whitfield produced album, I don't think anything has emerged from the vaults on her. I hate to think that's all Motown has on her. She was such a dynamic, great performer. "The Bitch is Black" was definitely a party album!
I'm a fan of Yvonne Fair's voice and music as well. She did have one 45 release in mid-70 and there have been 4 unreleased tracks that have emerged from the vault on various unreleased collections. Definitely worth seeking out!

It Must Be Love Baby w/Chuck Jackson 9/69
Close My Crying Eyes 9/69
I Know You Don't Love Me No More 10/69
I Can't Let Him Go 1/70

[copley]

Keith over at MT we have been asking for a Hattie album for years, Liz too.

[kenneth]

I'm a fan of Yvonne Fair's voice and music as well. She did have one 45 release in mid-70 and there have been 4 unreleased tracks that have emerged from the vault on various unreleased collections. Definitely worth seeking out!

It Must Be Love Baby w/Chuck Jackson 9/69
Close My Crying Eyes 9/69
I Know You Don't Love Me No More 10/69
I Can't Let Him Go 1/70

Thanks! I surely will do that!

[simon.millar]

Thanks for your response to my hijacking this thread from Simon Millar ... and my apologies to him for that. Still, all in a good cause, I hope.


No need to apologise on my behalf - this is awesome!

[simon.millar]

Have a little word re The Blackberries too... 👍

[keith_hughes]

Have a little word re The Blackberries too... 👍

I had a look a few years ago and there didn't seem to be enough Blackberries in the Vaults to fill a CD. We'll have to see what emerges when we dig into forthcoming volumes of "Motown Unreleased".

[Blaksoulfire]

Count me in for Hattie Little mos def [[please make it a physial product) aeven a special vinyl edition. Am I the only one who noticed a similiarity in the vocals of Hattie and early Mary Wells [[her blue shooters?)

[Roger Polhill]

I`m really looking forward to an announcement as to when these projects will be launched.That is "More Motown Girls" and "Hattie Littles"

[paul_nixon]

Have a little word re The Blackberries too... 👍

Deke Richards and I were working on a project to get the Blackberries project released in one form or another just before he got really sick. In fact I made his a promise that I would try and see the project through the way he had envisaged it - that was before the music industry started to question everything it put out though and the market got so tough and before the dreaded virus made things even more difficult.
The project though is still very much alive and I hope to make good on my promise to the memory of one of the nicest guys in the world.

[kenneth]

@paul_nixon,

how lucky you were to have known Deke Richards. He certainly seems to be a major player during the latter phase of Motown’s golden age. From buying records, I knew his name well enough to know that I usually liked the productions he was involved with. It would be great to see the release that you envisioned with him.


On the subject of some of the more obscure groups, I’ve always been intrigued by the Devastating Affair, from the one track I knew of them, the almost instrumental “You Don’t Know How Hard It Is” on one of the Disc-o-Tech albums. Do you have any idea how many tracks of theirs are in the vaults? From reading about them in more recent days, it seemed there was a lot of attention given to them perhaps as a group in the model of the Undisputed Truth. Can you tell us anything about their history or what may exist on them in the vault? Thanks so much.