Arista Records>>R&B Hits & Misses}1975-1980

[no_place_like_motown]

Harlem River Drive - Need You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6InfjwvME

Jeff Perry - Love Don't Come No Stronger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OulaIEqwm8w

Mike & Bill - Somebody's Gotta Go [[Sho' Ain't Me)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma8X-YAfXak

Tamiko Jones - Read Me Right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re243Pvh_s0

Debbie Taylor - Just Don't Pay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LUCqV_fe4c

General Johnson - Don't Walk Away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OEBhf2bYuY

Martha Reeves - Second Chance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1AfYbZ23iE

C.J. Booker - Lifetime Guarantee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD8SWU3zSeA

Garnet Mimms - Right Here In The Palm Of My Hand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id0iKafQk4s

Galaxy - You And Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr66-Bm6YPE

Mandrill - Too Late
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32cWYTAbu6k

Angela Bofill - What I Wouldn't Do [[For The Love Of You)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM4raGz3mBA

Bobby Womack - How Could You Break My Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN9nxvG6mg8

Breakwater - Work It Out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NItAjP0Tq8

GQ - Disco Nights [[Rock Freak)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcmmdDFXBDI

Harvey Mason - Groovin' You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nA8wU2rjoM

Linda Williams - Elevate Our Minds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO1vv8d6xyM

Phyllis Hyman - You Know How To Love Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQAu65WLlso

Average White Band - Let's Go Round Again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGI8YNa5f-M

Norman Connors feat Adaritha - Justify
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGgNgM4hC9Q

[Ngroove]

Gosh, when I think "Arista", I usually think the eighties - Phyllis and Angela, along with Ray Parker Jr., eighties Aretha Franklin, and Whitney. Yes, yes, I know, they were trying to make their rhythm & blues "crossover" radio friendly, but hey, isn't that what Motown done in the sixties, and how the most enduring, "sing-alongable" timeless tunes are made?

[no_place_like_motown]

Gosh, when I think "Arista", I usually think the eighties - Phyllis and Angela, along with Ray Parker Jr., eighties Aretha Franklin, and Whitney. Yes, yes, I know, they were trying to make their rhythm & blues "crossover" radio friendly, but hey, isn't that what Motown done in the sixties, and how the most enduring, "sing-alongable" timeless tunes are made?

Yep, and that's all good, Ngroove.

Too bad that many of these fine tunes didn't make a dent on the R&B charts or had airplay. There are more "misses" than hits on my list but in my book they were all winners. I should also mention that R&B artists Gil Scott-Heron, Shirley Brown and Linda Lewis were also signed to Arista in the 70's. I'll include some of their recordings on future threads.

[Kamasu_Jr]

People forget how long Arista Records has been around. Clive Davis started it after he left Columbia/Sony. During its early years, it struggled until Clive Davis signed Barry Manilow, whose signing and loyalty to Arista and Clive Davis makes sense now that Clive revealed his sexuality. Another Arista record I liked was Midnight Blue by Melissa Manchester.

[no_place_like_motown]

People forget how long Arista Records has been around. Clive Davis started it after he left Columbia/Sony. During its early years, it struggled until Clive Davis signed Barry Manilow, whose signing and loyalty to Arista and Clive Davis makes sense now that Clive revealed his sexuality. Another Arista record I liked was Midnight Blue by Melissa Manchester.

If memory serves me correctly, after Columbia Davis began working for another Columbia affiliate who either owned or distributed Bell Records. Davis changed the name from Bell to Arista in 1974. Both Melissa Manchester and Barry Manilow were recording for Bell and had released LPs on the label. Manilow had his first big hit "Mandy" on Bell in '74. Arista had a pretty decent start in 1975: the label released 2 big hits that year - Manilow's "I Write The Songs" and Melissa's "Midnight Blue."

[Kamasu_Jr]

That is right, Arista did evolve out of Bell Records. And Arista did struggle for a time for a solid position in Soul /R&B.