Rick Lovejoy

Guess this guy wasn't an East Anglian antique dealer but a Chicago based [[?) soul & blues man.
I love this ABC 45 outing from summer 1965 .....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3NG55t1nzI

This is a Johnny Pate produced cut, so it must have been laid down in Chicago. He has a voice thats similar to Chuck Jackson's, so with Johnny Pate being involved it's no coincidence that this track sounds quite like Chuck J singing an Impressions song.
I talked in the past with Johnny Pate about his work for ABC and unfortnately his studio work back then was just a 9 to 5 affair that paid the bills. So he remembers very little about lots of the artists he worked with, so Rick will probably remain something of a mystery.
Could he have been related to Chess artist Joy Lovejoy perhaps.
I know that he co-wrote some songs inluding "Claim Jumper" which soulful blues guy Johnny Copeland recorded. However Johnny was based all over the US at different times, so I guess his association with Johnny wouldn't tie Rick's origins down too much.

Anyone know much about Rick ??

The other side of his ABC 45 .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw2oQ7nE5xQ
I don't like this one much at all, its not soulful enough for me.
This single seems to be a rare record, wonder why ??

Rick only has 4 songs registered with BMI ........
BIG CHANCE A
CLAIM JUMPER
DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND
MY LAST LOVE

As well as writing with Johnny Copeland, he also wrote with Howard Guyton & Derek Martin.
Howard Guyton and Derek Martin had both been members of the Pearls before they went solo.
I think they were usually NY based, so perhaps Rick Lovejoy was also out on NY & he worked with Johnny Pate as Pate was ABC's top soul producer in the 60's.

Yet another youtube video .....
this one features a West Virginnia group playing in Chicago in 1974; Ebony and the Greek.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO3q_Dl8N7I
The band members were :- David M. Fryson, James "Bucky' Barksdale, Henry "Jello" Graves, Billy Dunham, Shelly Bausley, John Lovejoy, RICK LOVEJOY, Louie "The Greek" Stanley & Chipper Tate.
Another video that features the group ..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk162BIJp7M

Anyone know much about this group ??
Was this the same Rick Lovejoy ??

...... FOUND THIS ONLINE ...... Billy Dunham was a member of Ebony & the Greek .......
Bill Dunham & Betty Bass’s Summary ................
Billy Dunham hails from Charleston, West Virginia. To be exact he was raised in "Spring Hill" which is a community in South Charleston. Bills' Grandmother was Mrs. Willie Bea Dunham, she was the Minister at "The Glorious Church of God" on Greenway Avenue. While growing up Bill remembers Worshipers came to church almost daily to join with Willie Bea as she played the Guitar and sang. Leroy Dunham, Bills' father worked at Carbide and played Organ or Guitar and sang at all church services too. "Champ" as Leroy Dunham was also known because of his Bowling Trophies was self taught on the Organ as well as Guitar. Juanita was Billys mom and according to him lots of love, music and fun were the daily events in the Dunham household with lots of visitors! Bill started singing at 5 and playing Guitar at 12. Around age 16 he was starting his first garage band.
Betty Bass: Has her Degree in Design from Bauder College, 25 years operating various business ventures.

We Write, arrange and produce our own original music and we do our own funk and romantic styles as well as R&B soulful tunes and various electronic music with Jazzy beats and flows.
Bill Dunham & Betty Bass’s Specialties:
EBONY AND THE GREEK 1973-1980
SKIN TIGHT 1982-1989
THE PRODUCTION COMPANY1991-1998
THE SANTA CRUZ BAND1998-2000
REMIXX 2004-2006
ESQUIRES 2004-2005
DUNHAM MUSIC GROUP 2000-PRESENT

So it seems that Ebony & the Greek lasted as a group for 7 years. I guess they must have achieved a bit over that length of time.

David Fryson of the group Ebony & the Greek got in touch to tell me that the group were booked into the Chicago area [[in 74) by a booking agency out of Columbus Ohio [[Dynamic Entertainment). They played at 3 Chicago clubs; "Mother" on Division Street, "Baby Huey's" plus a 3rd place.
He doesn't think that their Rick Lovejoy was the guy who had the ABC 45 released in 1965.

Howard Guyton and Derek Martin were first based in Detroit, where The five Pearls were formed, and first worked. They went to New York when signed by Atlantic Records [[ATCO). They stayed in New York and signed with Onyx Records. During the early '60s they were still there. So, Rick Lovejoy probably worked with them there.

I don't remember Rick loveoy appearing in Chicago. Likely he was from somewhere else, and just sent by ABC to record with Johnny Pate in Chicago.

Attachment 184

There was also a Ronnie Lovejoy.He was born in 1950 .He worked with Leon Haywood unfortunately Ronnie passed in 2001.

A show that the Pearls [[Howard Guyton, Derek Martin et al) performed on ....
Attachment 216