Ben Boyce!

[mark speck]

A lot of the tunes I've been diggin' on lately have this guy's name as a writer/arranger/producer...songs like "World of Trouble" by Connie Questell, "Boys and Girls Together" by Johnny & the Expressions and "Don't Refuse My Love" by the Intrigues. I believe he also recorded as Justin for the Down East label.

So...what else has he done? I'm thinking Ben is like Van McCoy, but on a smaller scale.

Best,

Mark

[jsmith]

Mark,
.... Ben Boyce [[BENJAMIN ELISHA BOYCE) only has 14 songs registered with BMI and they include the 3 you name above plus one of the 3 Justin songs released on Down East.
He wrote with the likes of CANNI QUESTELL & REGINALD OBRECHT [[REGGIE OBRECHT aka R C CHASE)
-- BTW, Reggie also wrote songs in conjunction with the likes of JOSIE ARMSTEAD, AZIE MORTIMER, JOE & SYLVIA ROBINSON, etc.

DOWNEAST SOUND publishing is still listed with BMI but there are no songs listed as still being registered under that concern.
As Ben only wrote 1 of the 3 Justin songs, even though he produced these cuts I have my doubts about Justin actually being Ben. .... Where did this info come from ??
I have the Justin[[e) 45 on UK Buffalo. I'll look the 45 out to see if the label lists any different info to the US Down East 45 labels.
1435

[jsmith]

The other songs he has registered with BMI are ..........
COME DANCE WITH ME; DARLING I NEED YOU NOW; DON'T LET IT BREAK YOUR HEART; GIRL LET'S STAY TOGETHER; GIVE UP GIRL; GONNA TAKE YOU BACK [[aka GIRL CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE); I'M GONNA BE SOMEBODY SOMEDAY; LOST IN THE NIGHT; SLAVE GIRL and TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

If you do a song title search, it may come up with the artists who cut these songs.

[jsmith]

DON T LET IT BREAK YOUR HEART" & "TELL ME WHAT TO DO" were recorded by Connie Questelle.
I guess artists such as Jay & The Americans plus Charles Brown could have been others who cut his songs [[though I think Charles Brown was out of LA so that may not fit).

[jsmith]

14361437
She also recorded "Give Up Girl".
As you can see, Reggie Obrecht was the orchestra director on these tracks.

[jsmith]

"World Of Trouble" was co-written by Ben & Connie.
ALSO I have no idea how it came about ....
.... but Reggie Obrecht also wrote in conjunction with [[white) southern soul man Razzy [[of "I Hate Hate" fame).

[mark speck]

John--It was stated on Greg Tormo's Solid Hit Soul site that Ben was Justin...been awhile since I saw that page, so I can't recall for sure, but I think that's what he said.

Was also listening yesterday to "Tell Me What to Do"...that's a cool track as well. I've seen Reggie Obrecht's name on a lot of stuff, but I never knew he and Razzy Bailey were associated in any way. Good stuff! Thank you!!

Best,

Mark

[mark speck]

Just revisited Greg's page...he says that Ben Boyce did record as Justin, and also that he and Reggie Obrecht are brothers!

He mentioned a couple of other artists that Ben and Reggie were involved with: Chuck Flamingo on Rojac and King George on RCA.

Best,

Mark

[jsmith]

I know "So Long Johnny" by King George on RCA [[though I have never had a copy myself).
My fave King George RCA cut though is the other side of "Drive On James", which is "I'm Gonna Be Somebody".
I had a mint UK copy of that but sold it to Paul Temple many years back. All I have now is a 'far from mint' US version of the 45.
I'll have to look it out to see if Ben's name appears on it anywhere.
RE: Greg's info on Justin. I should think that this info would be correct as Greg was just about the 1st person to find copies of Justin's "The Place Where Sorrow Hides" in any number. I wouldn't be suprised if he contacted Ben Boyce at that time.
Thats a funny 45 as different collectors chase the various variations of it. The NS crowd love "The Place Where Sorrow Hides" most as it has a '4 Tops dancer' feel to it but others want the issue copy that doesn't have this cut on either side for the 'superior' version of "Right Now". Yet others much prefer the 3rd track to escape on copies of the 45; "What Can I Do".
I never did figure out which version of "Right Now" features on the UK version of the 45 but I believe its the 'sought after' version.

[jsmith]

I was 'mixed up' with regard to the Justin tracks.
It's "Right Now / The Place Where Sorrow Hides" that are on the UK released 45.
The '4 tops styled' dancer is "What Can I Do" [[which I don't have -- it was the US 45's that feature this cut that Greg found a number of).

[mark speck]

"Slave Girl" is the tune by Johnny Burton on Broadway...I was listening to it earlier today on YouTube.

Best,

Mark