New release from Ace in June: The Contours and Dennis Edwards

[keith_hughes]

Good news for Motown fans: Ace Records will be releasing "Just A Little Misunderstanding: Rare And Unissued Performances 1965-1968" from the Contours and Dennis Edwards at the end of June. The Contours' tracks will include titles with Joe Stubbs on lead as well as Dennis-led songs; the mix of unreleased/previously issued material will be about 50-50, including a third, previously unheard, version of "Baby Hit And Run" - sung by YET ANOTHER Contours vocalist!

Track list to follow as soon as I have [[another) moment ...

[RossHolloway]

This is great news! Any live tracks from the group on this release Keith?

[longtimefan]

Is this one or two different releases [[Contours and/ or Dennus Efwards? I thought I read that Ace had two releases coming in June. Thanks.

[marv2]

Thank you Keith. I am always interested in how a group sounds once they've changed lead singers. The Contours, Dennis Edwards are favorites of mine.

[snakepit]

Keit

thanks in advance, for what should be a superb release

[lakedistrictlad1]

I've been 'tuning in' to this site every day for ages waiting for new ACE news. This sounds great. We've all been waiting a long time for these Dennis Edwards tracks. Can't wait!

[marybrewster]

ACE releases the most amazing, rare stuff. I need to start supporting them more. I've truly enjoyed their "Finders Keppers" set.

[kenneth]

Wow! I have long hoped for this set. Love Dennis Edwards' early stuff with the Contours. They were so different in their later years than they were early on when they were mostly a novelty act. I don't think I've heard many of the tracks with Joe Stubbs so those will be a revelation. Fantastic news! As much as I love everything Hip-O produces, I don't think their mastering and sound quality can compare with Ace/Kent. Their releases always sound crisp, immediate and superb.

[marv2]

Wow! I have long hoped for this set. Love Dennis Edwards' early stuff with the Contours. They were so different in their later years than they were early on when they were mostly a novelty act. I don't think I've heard many of the tracks with Joe Stubbs so those will be a revelation. Fantastic news! As much as I love everything Hip-O produces, I don't think their mastering and sound quality can compare with Ace/Kent. Their releases always sound crisp, immediate and superb.

I was just about to say, I wonder how many out there knows what Joe Stubbs sounded like? He was a great singer!

[marv2]

Check this out........Joe Stubbs and "Part Time Love":

[thommg]

ACE releases the most amazing, rare stuff. I need to start supporting them more. I've truly enjoyed their "Finders Keepers" set.

I'm with you marybrewster! I just got the Finders Keepers set for my birthday and I LOVE it!

[marv2]

I am sure most of you have seen this, the re-constituted Contours in 1966. Here they were a quartet with Sylvester Potts, Dennis Edwards, Jerry Green and Council Gay:

[kenneth]

Great vocal on 'Part Time Love' which is a great song...not sure I've ever heard a bad version of it. To me, his voice is a lighter version of Levi Stubbs, almost a tenor voice whereas I think Levi was a baritone, though I'm no expert at these things necessarily!

Thanks for posting Marv.

[JimBagley]

Looking forward to this release. Thanks.

[marv2]

Great vocal on 'Part Time Love' which is a great song...not sure I've ever heard a bad version of it. To me, his voice is a lighter version of Levi Stubbs, almost a tenor voice whereas I think Levi was a baritone, though I'm no expert at these things necessarily!

Thanks for posting Marv.

You are welcome. I have mixed thoughts on Joe Stubbs later recordings done with Ian Levine. His voice was still in decent shape, it's just the production was kind of sloppy.

[Roger Polhill]

This is wonderful news. I`m fizzing...

[keith_hughes]

Here's that track list:

1 Just A Little Misunderstanding - The Contours
2 First I Look At The Purse - The Contours [unreleased alternative version]*
3 It's Growing - The Contours
4 Baby Hit And Run - The Contours [unreleased alternative version]*
5 It's So Hard Being A Loser - The Contours
6 Determination - The Contours
7 A Weak Spot In My Heart - The Contours*
8 Girl Come On In - Dennis Edwards*
9 I Can't Help Loving You Baby - The Contours
10 Your Love Grows More Precious Every Day - The Contours
11 I'm Here Now That You Need Me - Dennis Edwards*
12 What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted - Dennis Edwards
13 Sunny - Dennis Edwards*
14 Keep On Tryin' [['Til You Find Love) - Dennis Edwards
15 Ain't That Peculiar - Dennis Edwards
16 Can't Do Without Your Love - Dennis Edwards*
17 I Like Everything About You - Dennis Edwards
18 What's So Good About Good Bye - Dennis Edwards*
19 Which Way To My Baby - Dennis Edwards
20 I'll Turn To Stone - Dennis Edwards
21 Need Your Lovin' [[Want You Back) - The Contours*
22 Our Last Rendezvous - The Contours*
23 Sometimes I Have To Cry - The Contours*
24 I Grow Deeper In Love Day By Day - The Contours*
25 Come See About Me - The Contours*
26 When A Man Loves A Woman - The Contours*

* previously unreleased

All tracks are studio recordings. Just a single CD. Ace have another [[unrelated) Motown project awaiting clearance, and have just started planning the follow-up to that ...

[kenneth]

What a fantastic track list! I'm anxious to hear Dennis' versions of "Brokenhearted," "I'll Turn to Stone," and all the other previously unreleased tracks. This will be a wonderful set.

[marv2]

Ok ,now I know I am buying it! That track list is a very good one and i am buying it! LOL!

Thank you Keith Hughes you just created a customer!

[kenneth]

I wonder who sings lead on "When a Man Loves a Woman." That song came out in '66, I think, so might be Edwards I would guess.

[Roger Polhill]

What a fantastic track list! I'm anxious to hear Dennis' versions of "Brokenhearted," "I'll Turn to Stone," and all the other previously unreleased tracks. This will be a wonderful set.

These two tracks are already available Kenneth.

[kenneth]

These two tracks are already available Kenneth.

Well, then I must have them! Are they on the "Cellarful" series possibly?

[Roger Polhill]

So it`s a Contours CD including solo tracks from Dennis Edwards? This has to be about the most worthwhile release in ages. Everybody on SDF start counting your pennies and order this when it becomes available. It`s not a download so no excuses!

[RossHolloway]

Wow. What a set list, can't wait for this release.

[carole cucumber]

I wonder who sings lead on "When a Man Loves a Woman." That song came out in '66, I think, so might be Edwards I would guess.

Keith,

Is it safe to assume that the majority of these songs are being presented in chronological order?

[Roger Polhill]

Well, then I must have them! Are they on the "Cellarful" series possibly?

One is on "Cellarful 4" and the other on either of the "Motown Treasures"

[carole cucumber]

Here's that track list:
......
12 What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted - Dennis Edwards
17 I Like Everything About You- Dennis Edwards


...

I notice the change from The Contours listing used for the two above tracks utilized on "Motown Sings Motown Treasures" and "A Cellarful Of Motown' Vol 1 to Dennis Edwards. Reading the notes in the booklet for the former which contained "WBOTBH" & "Ain't That Peculiar" , I found this quote intriguing:
"Motown mixed and matched several Contours recordings with Edwards, making them group or solo tracks, depending on the nature of the backgrounds- and perhaps his status at the company at that moment.
I'm curious... what factor determined that tracks 12 & 17 are now designated as Dennis Edwards solo performances?
A few other previously released [[only in the cd-era) group[[Take Him Back If It Makes You Happy)/ solo Edwards [[Easier Said Than Done, I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love Again) selections were not included here. I'm guessing due to time consideration- and personal preference. Is that correct?

[rovereab]

I wonder if the tracks will be in mono or stereo?

[Roger Polhill]

Is there another version of "Girl Come On In" as this was to have been included on "Sing It`s So Hard Being a Loser" and does the track "All My Life" exist as I believe that this was also to intended for this release?

[BayouMotownMan]

I will eagerly buy this, but I think these should have been two separate releases. Maybe Dennis's two excellent 80s Motown lp on one disk with these as bonus tracks

[144man]

This was Number One on my want list.

Are all the tracks scheduled for the "It's So Hard Being A Loser" album included?

[Roger Polhill]

This was Number One on my want list.

Are all the tracks scheduled for the "It's So Hard Being A Loser" album included?

No" All My Life " is not included.

[144man]

No" All My Life " is not included.

That's a shame. Maybe we'll get it some other time.

[keith_hughes]

We only found Marvin's lead vocal on the tape of "All My Life" - maybe that one will find a release elsewhere. Otherwise, I hate to be a tease but ... see the booklet. This project took months for me & the team to research, but I hope we've managed to clear up a few "little misunderstandings" - that was not a throwaway title!

[lakedistrictlad1]

Just looking at the track listing....WOW!...i'm wishing a month of my life away already!!

Thankyou Keith and team for another gem of a collection, and thankyou Mr Berry Gordy for canning probably more recordings on your artists than any other record label in history!

[woodward]

We only found Marvin's lead vocal on the tape of "All My Life" - maybe that one will find a release elsewhere. Otherwise, I hate to be a tease but ... see the booklet. This project took months for me & the team to research, but I hope we've managed to clear up a few "little misunderstandings" - that was not a throwaway title!

A question for Keith. Just wondering why ACE/KENT does not take advance orders as Amazon does. Not that the price will drop, but to ensure that we will be able to obtain a copy. Most people would be more than willing to place an advance order because they know ACE/KENT is not a fly by night outfit that will rip one off.

[marv2]

We only found Marvin's lead vocal on the tape of "All My Life" - maybe that one will find a release elsewhere. Otherwise, I hate to be a tease but ... see the booklet. This project took months for me & the team to research, but I hope we've managed to clear up a few "little misunderstandings" - that was not a throwaway title!

Keith it sounds like you guys did and excellent job! Key tracks that I am anxious to hear are:

It's Growing - The Contours
Girl Come On In - Dennis Edwards
What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted - Dennis Edwards
I'll Turn To Stone - Dennis Edwards
Your Love Grows More Precious Every Day - The Contours
Come See About Me - The Contours
Need Your Lovin' [[Want You Back) - The Contours

[RossHolloway]

I notice the change from The Contours listing used for the two above tracks utilized on "Motown Sings Motown Treasures" and "A Cellarful Of Motown' Vol 1 to Dennis Edwards. Reading the notes in the booklet for the former which contained "WBOTBH" & "Ain't That Peculiar" , I found this quote intriguing:
"Motown mixed and matched several Contours recordings with Edwards, making them group or solo tracks, depending on the nature of the backgrounds- and perhaps his status at the company at that moment.
I'm curious... what factor determined that tracks 12 & 17 are now designated as Dennis Edwards solo performances?
A few other previously released [[only in the cd-era) group[[Take Him Back If It Makes You Happy)/ solo Edwards [[Easier Said Than Done, I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love Again) selections were not included here. I'm guessing due to time consideration- and personal preference. Is that correct?

It seems that the Contour's were in flux around the time that Dennis joined the group. Their releases were infrequent and they also seemed to have a revolving door with the group members. Jimmy Ruffin stated that some executives at Motown at one point tried to strong-arm him into joining the group. But he flat out refused. I think the Contours are a fascinating group and recorded some real gems, but I think Berry Gordy thought that they had limited reach/appeal. It seems that if a group/artist did not have the depth to play in upscale supper clubs or cross over into the pop markets... well the history speaks for itself.

[honest man]

WELL IN keith,Harry and all the team for this brilliant forthcoming release Dennis Edwards my fave Temptation-Contour .Excellent 1 down 4 to go 1Edwin Starr Lost and Found,2JJ Barnes Complete Anthology inc Motown Vaulted,3 Fantastic 4 Anthology inc Motown Vaulted. 4Spinners vol 2 WE ARE BACK ON TRACK.Thanks to all invoved,cheers

[honest man]

There was a Contours-Dennis Edwards unissued song on YT a while back [it was on a various Motown unissued mix]Excellent song [FORGET TITLE,]im hoping it is included on the new release ,fingers crossed,thanks/

[honest man]

Is there another version of "Girl Come On In" as this was to have been included on "Sing It`s So Hard Being a Loser" and does the track "All My Life" exist as I believe that this was also to intended for this release?

Hello Roger,have you ever heard these 2 songs,speak soon mate.

[radionixon]

Wow. Excellent. Missed this announcement before.

I can't wait for this one!

[Roger Polhill]

No honest man I haven`t heard them but I guess I`ll be hearing one shortly. I can`t wait for it.
This is going to be very interesting for me as Keith is suggesting that GS 922 could have the wrong title.It`s always good to find out the correct listing after being misinformed for so long!! This is why I like this forum so much.

[bradburger]

This is good news indeed!

Look forward to hearing the unreleased version of Baby Hit & Run from 'Yet another Contours vocalist'. [[Btw Keith, is this a mix from the period, or has it had to be mixed specifically for this set)?

By my count, that will make three versions of this tune that have been released officially, leaving what is believed to be the William Weatherspoon demo the 'unofficially' released fourth version.

Keep up the good work!

Cheers

Paul

[keith_hughes]

Don't know the Weatherspoon demo, Paul. I wonder if our third version will turn out to be what you call the demo. It comes from a DM reel - Motown didn't usually bother to save demo versions to a DM tape.

[robb_k]

Don't know the Weatherspoon demo, Paul. I wonder if our third version will turn out to be what you call the demo. It comes from a DM reel - Motown didn't usually bother to save demo versions to a DM tape.

I would bet that the version coming in this CD IS the "William Weatherspoon" demo, [[originally guessed as Ivy Jo Hunter).

I'm a little disappointed that "Easier Said Than Done" won't be on this CD, as I don't have the Cellarful CD it is on, and I WILL get this CD.

[booty]

Just pre-ordered this on amazon.co.uk

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Misun...words=contours

[Roger Polhill]

Thanks booty! I`ve just ordered mine.

[longtimefan]

I thought that ACE had two Motown CD releases coming out [[?).

[carole cucumber]

http://acerecords.co.uk/just-a-littl...motown-1965-68