By Jimbo (80.5.216.230 - 80.5.216.230) on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 01:17 pm:

Browsing through a box a 45's I picked up a record by Lee Tillman on the Montel Michelle label. Never heard of either but after playing it I'm hooked! Any ideas about the label, think it might be Louisianna(?) or about Lee? Thanks, Jim

By Jack (80.5.216.230 - 80.5.216.230) on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 01:52 pm:

This guy is/was a great soulful singer, just wondered if he ever made it to the bigger labels in Detroit or just disappeared like so many wonderful but under rated soul artists??

By Davie Gordon (213.18.222.34 - 213.18.222.34) on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 04:12 pm:

Hi Jim,

Montel's quite an old label - active from around
1959 to 1967. If I remember correctly it was
based in Shreveport. John Fred of John Fred and
the Playboy Band made his first records for Montel
and they also had a few hits with Dale & Grace in
the early sixties.

By steve (80.5.216.230 - 80.5.216.230) on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 08:25 pm:

Jim, is this the Lee Tllman who recorded Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye on Montel?

By jimbo (80.5.216.230 - 80.5.216.230) on Monday, July 29, 2002 - 09:49 pm:

Thanks Davie 59-67 would tie in with the soul sound of the Lee Tillman track. If you have any more info on the label or on Lee please let me know. Thanks again for that snippet.

By michael (64.12.97.11 - 64.12.97.11) on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 06:09 am:

Montel-Michelle was based out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana--home of John Fred & the Playboys--and run by a produce salesman named Sam Montalbano. He recorded a wide variety of material, from garage punk to swamp pop to rock 'n' roll to soul. Bobby Loveless's "Night Owl" was a big one on the label, as were Dale and Grace and blue eyed soul band the Boogie Kings. Joe Tex also cut some stuff for Montel. All in all, a killer label with a lot of good releases. I just picked up Lee Tillman's record yesterday ("One Kind Of Love"/"Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye") but know nothing about him. I assumed he was a Louisiana cat because "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" was such a big regional hit down here. Was Tillman a Detroit artist? --Michael

By Davie Gordon (213.251.162.249 - 213.251.162.249) on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 03:03 pm:

Jim,

Here's the URL for a good on-line discography

www.recordmaster.com

In the label search field key in "montel"
then in the format field clcik on "7in"
then click on the "submit form" button.

The listing for Montel should then show up -
it'll be in alphabetical order of artist's name.
If you want to see the list in numerical order
click on the column heading for "label" and
the listing should rearrange.

If you key in "Lee Tillman" in the artist search
field you should get a list of all his discs (or
at least those held on this particular database"

I know next to nothing about Lee but I've always
been under the impression that he is / was
a southern artist - I don't know of any Detroit
connection

By david, glasgow, scotland (62.6.77.3 - 62.6.77.3) on Tuesday, July 30, 2002 - 03:26 pm:

http://recordmaster.com

By Jack (80.5.216.230 - 80.5.216.230) on Monday, August 05, 2002 - 03:26 pm:

Jim, I believe Lee Tillman was in the Detroit Emeralds in the early days. When he split from them he joined another band whose name escapes me - sorry (think it was a trio). Hope this adds to the jigsaw!!

By acooolcat (211.72.121.66 - 211.72.121.66) on Tuesday, August 06, 2002 - 04:38 am:

Hi Jack - I know Abe and Ivory Tilmon were in The Emeralds. Not too sure about Lee though.
Graham

By Davie G (213.251.162.249 - 213.251.162.249) on Wednesday, August 07, 2002 - 03:03 pm:

Jack,

The guys in the Detroit Emeralds are named
Tilmon not Tillman - as far as I know they're
unconnected.