Billy Eckstine meets Isaac Hayes

[soulwally]

I always loved Billy's album Stormy, on Stax from 1970, produced by Ike and arranged by Johnny Allen. So there's more than a touch of the instrumentation from Hayes's own solo albums. Great for if you're in a mellow mood. To think the great balladeer recorded for both Motown and Stax. Wonder how he would have sounded on Philly International?

[soulwally]

And here's Stormy...

[splanky]

Didn't know Ike had ever worked with Mr B... Curious as to why you posted 2 threads on this
though...

[zebop]

I've got those Billy Eckstine albums on file. They are ok. I don't think it's "great" though.

I don't think Eckstine would have been great shakes at Philadelphia International. Eckstine was past his vocal prime in the '70s. Unlike a lot of singers from that generation, Eckstine seemed to not jibe well with newer arranging songs and popular songs of the day.

Oddly enough Arthur Prysock recorded in Philly in the late '70s and was "ok...."

[soulwally]

Sorry Splanky. Simply, I messed up!

[robb_k]

I think Billy still sang fine in the early '70s, as evidenced by the two Stax recordings above. He had better material with Stax than he did with Motown. Most of the songs he recorded at Motown were weak, and had little direction. The fact that his best cuts on Motown were "Thank You Love" and the other "Soul" tunes, rather than standard-style torch ballads prove that.

Interesting that Detroiter and Motowner, Johnny Allen, who had probably been his arranger on several of his Motown cuts, was his arranger at Stax.