A Dennis Edwards Anthology

Dennis Edwards was a Motown stalwart for many, many years. Many of the tracks he sang lead on don't give him credit as such because of his group involvement.

He did achieve some success as a solo artist but even there I believe there is still unreleased material in the vault.

I would welcome a career spanning anthology that includes his earlier work, selected Contours and Temptations hits [[incl DRATS&TEMPTS) and outstanding album tracks plus solo Motown recordings from the 60s, 70s and 80s including all his albums [[released or otherwise).

I know we have The Essential collection, but that couldn't be described as career spanning, and there has been unreleased material dotted around other releases in recent years which could all be brought together in a very nice set.

Would it have market appeal? Well a good selling point would be the wealth of vaulted tracks it could contain and the inclusion of all his complete Motown albums.

I don't think Dennis Edwards has received full and due recognition for his contribution to the history of Motown Records. David and Eddie have had lavish sets issued which sell for quite large sums these days. But something like a 3 CD set for Dennis would be great I think.

Am I alone in thinking this would be a great idea?

I think it is a nice idea, but they cannot wait too much longer to do it.

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Originally Posted by marv2

I think it is a nice idea, but they cannot wait too much longer to do it.

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'Well a good selling point would be the wealth of vaulted tracks it could contain'

What wealth of of vaulted tracks? Are there lots?

Something visual ....
Attachment 13751

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Originally Posted by paul_nixon

'Well a good selling point would be the wealth of vaulted tracks it could contain'

What wealth of of vaulted tracks? Are there lots?

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At least an album's worth plus more? Maybe an odd unreleased Tempts lead that could be included. OK not sure what counts as a "wealth" or "lots" [[that we are aware of), but there are also tracks that have yet to see CD release too.

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Originally Posted by marv2

I think it is a nice idea, but they cannot wait too much longer to do it.

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Yes it might well be time critical if it were to happen at all.

Be good if it also contained Johnnie On The Spot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dtKtrL5i-8

mysterysinger you are not alone! Dennis is definitely underrated and underrepresented CD-wise!

How about something like Dennis Edwards: The Complete Motown Albums...? :)

Excuse me but...what anthology?? I love dennis,but the body of his work was in groups-contour-temps.yes he had some success as a solo artist,but not enough for a collection.

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Originally Posted by arr&bee

Excuse me but...what anthology?? I love dennis,but the body of his work was in groups-contour-temps.yes he had some success as a solo artist,but not enough for a collection.

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That could be the biggest deterrent to such a project in my opinion.

Dennis Edwards is not a household name by any means. His singing as part of a group would not qualify for inclusion in a solo retrospective.

OK, guys, so Dennis isn’t a household name, and wouldn’t sell a solo ‘best of’ compilation album. That is true.

However, just like Marv Johnson and The Monitors aren’t household names and wouldn’t sell compilations, they still had their ‘Complete Motown Recordings’ albums.

Dennis recorded a solo album in 1977 which has never been released. I’d love to see that put out finally. He also recorded two solo albums in the mid-‘80s. Only one of them has been digitally reissued. I’d love to see the other on CD [[in its entirety; some of the tracks are available on Dennis Edwards: The Essential Collection).

David and Eddie got ‘Complete Motown Albums’ complations featuring all their released albums and previously unheard material. Now I love all three but David and Eddie aren’t really that much more famous then Dennis IMO. I’d love to see Dennis recieve similar treatment, in as mysterysinger suggests, a 3-CD set! :D

I beg to differ,eddie had quite a solo career with two million sellers and many solo classics.

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Originally Posted by arr&bee

I beg to differ,eddie had quite a solo career with two million sellers and many solo classics.

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Hey arr&bee, Eddie certainly did. But Dennis had a bonafide classic with "Don’t Look Any Further" of course ;)

And, forty years on, do people remember Eddie that much more than Dennis? I dunno. IMO I can’t see there being much difference.

Here in the UK anyway, I’ve only ever heard one song each by David, Eddie and Dennis on the radio... "Walk Away From Love", "Keep On Truckin" and "Don’t Look Any Further", respectively. :)

All valid points. His solo output wasn't as prolific as say David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks yet his overall tenure with Motown as group member and solo artist was lengthy - I do think there's a story to be told.

I can't say that generally The Monitors or Patrice Holloway, for example, are household names here in the UK yet they've had Anthology collections, Brenda Holloway had an early years collection that featured her in various groups or guises. Even Tammi Terrell here had no solo hits yet has had a very nice set featuring her pre-Motown recordings, her solo album and unreleased tracks.

My thoughts were why not include the couple of International Soulsville sides, plus some tracks from his Contour days, then some of his more well known work with The Tempts including "Shakey Ground" where he received "featuring" billing - one disc could cover that lot.

Disc 2 could include his 2 solo albums that saw release - "Don't Look Any Further" and "Coolin' Out" and a 3rd disc could include his unreleased album plus any remaining unreleased tracks or different takes/mixes. If there's no demand for anything of that ilk then that's fine [[and understandable in many ways though it all makes sense to me).

Something more along the lines of Tom's suggestion would be OK or simply a 2fer on CD containing "Coolin' Out" plus the unreleased album that I understand is still in the vaults. I can't help thinking he's worthy of more recognition though.

Surprised no-one's mentioned this yet...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Misu...he+contours+cd
By the way, anything else by this wonderful gentleman would be most welcome

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Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Hey arr&bee, Eddie certainly did. But Dennis had a bonafide classic with "Don’t Look Any Further" of course ;)

And, forty years on, do people remember Eddie that much more than Dennis? I dunno. IMO I can’t see there being much difference.

Here in the UK anyway, I’ve only ever heard one song each by David, Eddie and Dennis on the radio... "Walk Away From Love", "Keep On Truckin" and "Don’t Look Any Further", respectively. :)

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There is much truth in that Tom. Can't say I've ever heard many of the lesser known Motown artists on the radio yet we have quite lavish sets on most of them - plus there seems to be clamour for sets by, in truth, unknowns like Blinky & Ivy Hunter [[which I would buy by the way).

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Originally Posted by soulwally

Surprised no-one's mentioned this yet...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Misu...he+contours+cd
By the way, anything else by this wonderful gentleman would be most welcome

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Yes I love that set - some real surprises there, but I wonder if there's more in the vaults from that period or has it all been exhausted now?

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Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

OK, guys, so Dennis isn’t a household name, and wouldn’t sell a solo ‘best of’ compilation album. That is true.

However, just like Marv Johnson and The Monitors aren’t household names and wouldn’t sell compilations, they still had their ‘Complete Motown Recordings’ albums.

Dennis recorded a solo album in 1977 which has never been released. I’d love to see that put out finally. He also recorded two solo albums in the mid-‘80s. Only one of them has been digitally reissued. I’d love to see the other on CD [[in its entirety; some of the tracks are available on Dennis Edwards: The Essential Collection).

David and Eddie got ‘Complete Motown Albums’ complations featuring all their released albums and previously unheard material. Now I love all three but David and Eddie aren’t really that much more famous then Dennis IMO. I’d love to see Dennis recieve similar treatment, in as mysterysinger suggests, a 3-CD set! :D

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You have to be kidding. Eddie Kendricks is very, very well known.

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Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Hey arr&bee, Eddie certainly did. But Dennis had a bonafide classic with "Don’t Look Any Further" of course ;)

And, forty years on, do people remember Eddie that much more than Dennis? I dunno. IMO I can’t see there being much difference.

Here in the UK anyway, I’ve only ever heard one song each by David, Eddie and Dennis on the radio... "Walk Away From Love", "Keep On Truckin" and "Don’t Look Any Further", respectively. :)

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You missed a whole lot if that is all you heard in terms of their solo recordings. Eddie had a string of nice hits.

It's fair to say that people less well known than Dennis Edwards have had anthology releases. I'm not sure what logistics there would be in including Temptations songs in such a release - other than the split of the small amount of money it would generate would be split a whole lot more times.

It would be a nice collection.

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Originally Posted by marv2

You have to be kidding. Eddie Kendricks is very, very well known.

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Hey Marv, that’s interesting. Eddie did have the longest and most successful solo career of all The Temptations. :)

But for all intensive purposes, in 2017, is Eddie Kendricks a household name? I dunno.

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Originally Posted by marv2

You missed a whole lot if that is all you heard in terms of their solo recordings. Eddie had a string of nice hits.

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Hey Marv, just to be sure, I’m not saying that those are the only songs I have ever heard by David, Eddie and Dennis... I’m saying that they are the only songs by them I have ever heard on the radio. I’d love to hear more of their songs on the radio but it’s only ever the same three. :)

Looking from a UK chart position perspective, David Ruffin was highest but Eddie had two hits. Only Eddie got to feature any titles on the UK Motown Chartbusters series but you may be interested in chart placings?

David Ruffin's "Walk Away From Love" reached number 10 UK in 1976 but seems to have come at a time of a hiatus in the issue of Motown Chartbusters albums and never appeared at the time.

Eddie's "Keep On Truckin'" and "Boogie Down" reached numbers 18 and 39 respectively [[1973 and 1974) and both were included on Motown Chartbusters Volume 9 - Eddie's only appearance on solo work.

Dennis's "Don't Look Any Further" peaked at 45 on the UK charts in 1984 but seems very well known from being heavily sampled in other hits and having a hit cover version made by M-People. Too late for the Chartbusters series.

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Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Hey Marv, that’s interesting. Eddie did have the longest and most successful solo career of all The Temptations. :)

But for all intensive purposes, in 2017, is Eddie Kendricks a household name? I dunno.



Hey Marv, just to be sure, I’m not saying that those are the only songs I have ever heard by David, Eddie and Dennis... I’m saying that they are the only songs by them I have ever heard on the radio. I’d love to hear more of their songs on the radio but it’s only ever the same three. :)

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Yes in the U.S. Eddie Kendricks is a household name. Younger people under 40 will him from the movie "The Temptations" and people over 45 or so, African Americans mostly will immediately know Eddie Kendricks and his music.

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Originally Posted by marv2

Yes in the U.S. Eddie Kendricks is a household name. Younger people under 40 will him from the movie "The Temptations" and people over 45 or so, African Americans mostly will immediately know Eddie Kendricks and his music.

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You know Marv, I am really glad to hear that. That’s great. Love me some Eddie K! It’s probably different in the UK, as mysterysinger demonstrates with the chart positions. :)

Yes there are huge differences between UK and US audiences - but meanwhile back to Dennis [[and I'm not sure this should be allowed - goodness me).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU5CvDpgwVM

"Paradise" from The Tempts "Wings Of Love"....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_KpwJMAkT4

"Aphrodisiac"....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPsXEZQBbu8

Contours.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr3GmnZ1rlg

"Easier Said Than Done" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVkwXLD6ZeU

Contours again - my fave of theirs..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc-7a4HBRQA

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Originally Posted by mysterysinger

My thoughts were why not include the couple of International Soulsville sides, plus some tracks from his Contour days, then some of his more well known work with The Tempts including "Shakey Ground" where he received "featuring" billing - one disc could cover that lot.

Disc 2 could include his 2 solo albums that saw release - "Don't Look Any Further" and "Coolin' Out" and a 3rd disc could include his unreleased album plus any remaining unreleased tracks or different takes/mixes. If there's no demand for anything of that ilk then that's fine [[and understandable in many ways though it all makes sense to me).

Something more along the lines of Tom's suggestion would be OK or simply a 2fer on CD containing "Coolin' Out" plus the unreleased album that I understand is still in the vaults. I can't help thinking he's worthy of more recognition though.

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I'm with you mysterysinger love that idea of the 3CD set I would buy it