Loleatta Holloway "Loleatta/Cry To Me" expanded twofer remaster [[Kent UK) 10/30/2020

[Motown Eddie]

Description
Loleatta Holloway was a tremendous soul singer who came naturally to the genre following her years with the famed gospel group the Caravans in her home city of Chicago. She was persuaded to move into R&B by local jazz guitarist, songwriter and producer Floyd Smith, who she would go on to marry. Though her first two 45s were cut in that city, it was her signing to the newly formed Aware label, by gangster owner Michael Thevis, which started her career in earnest.

With excess ready cash from his nefarious activities, Thevis took the pair and Detroit executive Marlin McNichols to his home base of Atlanta and proceeded to work the music business wholeheartedly. In July 1973, aided by a generous advertising budget, their second Aware 45, ‘Mother Of Shame’, charted and they were quickly into the studios to cut the debut LP “Loleatta”. Showcasing her vocal talents, they kicked off the album with ‘The Man I Love’, a Gershwin standard that Loleatta handled well. The rest of the record was soul music, a mixture of covers such as ‘Can I Change My Mind’ but mainly new songs from Floyd, Sam Dees and other respected writers.

With only the one lesser R&B hit 45, and being a debut artist, the LP did not sell in any quantity. However, in early 1975 the exquisite Sam Dees-penned love ballad ‘Cry To Me’ went to number 10 in the R&B chart, thereby giving the second LP a title to hang its hat on. Four other top-notch Sam Dees songs were featured and there were two Chicago reworkings of Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Just Be True’ and a scintillating cover of Ruby Andrews’ hit ‘Casanova’.

Loleatta was developing her own writing and the excellent ‘I’ll Be Gone’ was included. She also cut several of her own songs that did not come out at the time; maybe they were lined up for the next stage of her career which was interrupted when Thevis’ finances faltered and the law caught up with him. We have included three of the best of these songs, which were previously dotted around different Kent CDs, as well as ‘For Sentimental Reasons’ from her first solo single.

Tracklist
Loleatta:
1. The Man I Love
2. We Did It
3. Our Love
4. Can I Change My Mind
5. Part Time Lover, Full Time Fool
6. So Can I
7. Only A Fool
8. Love Woke Me Up
9. Mother Of Shame
10. Remember Me
Cry To Me:
11. Cry To Me
12. I Know Where You're Coming From
13. The Show Must Go On
14. The World Don't Owe You Nothing
15. Just Be True To Me
16. Something About The Way I Feel
17. I'll Be Gone
18. I Can't Help Myself
19. Casanova
20. Help Me My Lord
Bonus Tracks:
21. Merrily
22. What Are You Gonna Do About Tomorrow
23. For Sentimental Reasons
24. This Man's Arms

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HGRZS4K/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08HGRZS4K/?tag=imwan-21

[daviddesper]

I am not very familiar with Loleatta and therefore will probably not buy this, but I cannot emphasize enough how cool I think it is that these artists from the past are getting this re-issue treatment. Keep them coming!

[Bluebrock]

I am not very familiar with Loleatta and therefore will probably not buy this, but I cannot emphasize enough how cool I think it is that these artists from the past are getting this re-issue treatment. Keep them coming!

Loleatta was an immensely talented vocalist who is very worthy of your attention. If these releases are not actively supported they will dry up pure and simple. It is not enough to say how cool it is that these artists from the past are getting this re-issue treatment and keep them coming. Without our support they will not continue. We have to put our money where our mouths are. There are several more boxsets and single/double cd's in the planning stages, but unless the sales figures for this and other recent/upcoming releases are justified we will not get the green light from the record companies and they will quite simply cease. I cannot emphasize how important it is to actively support these releases whilst we have the opportunity to do so.
Look how difficult it is for George and co to get the permission from Universal to continue those Supremes expanded editions. There are some fantastic titles in the offing for 2021 and 2022, but whether or not they ever see the light of day is down to the consumer. Rant over.

[smallworld]

I wonder if this was Loleatta's debut TV appearance.

[smallworld]

"Cry to Me" [[1975)

[woodward]

There are some fantastic titles in the offing for 2021 and 2022, but whether or not they ever see the light of day is down to the consumer.

It would be helpful since you apparently are in the know of what is forthcoming to give us a hint. I think many would appreciate to know what is in the pipeline.

[Bluebrock]

It would be helpful since you apparently are in the know of what is forthcoming to give us a hint. I think many would appreciate to know what is in the pipeline.

Just because they are in the pipeline it doesn't mean they will see the light of day. That depends upon how well current products sell, but whilst i am having a rare day when i am not feeling like death warmed up i shall drop you one subtle hint, and it is a collection i have championed for many years which will be of great interest to Motown fans.
One of the most underrated and underappreciated Motown acts active in the 60's and 70's whose albums have been generally neglected in the digital era. This is a proposed boxset of this act's album along with rare and previously unreleased tracks. That is all i can/will say. It is not likely to see the light of day for around 12/18 months, and maybe not at all depending upon how current and forthcoming releases are received.
I would die a happy man if this particular boxset is sanctioned and released.

[MIKEW-UK]

Originally I couldn't think what act this could be, but I have my suspicions, for real.

[luke]

Thanks MotownEddie. What an incredible voice!

[MIKEW-UK]

[MIKEW-UK]

[Guy]

I am mostly familiar with Loleatta from her Salsoul days. Her voice is one of the most distinctive and powerful in dance music. "Love Sensation" became a cornerstone track of Chicago house music in the early 80s. Then it was sampled, rehashed, remixed and re-edited numerous times and over the years some variation of it went to No.1 in both the U.S. [[Marky Mark "Good Vibrations) and the UK [[Black Box's "Ride On Time"). I also love her gut-wrenching rework of Curtis Mayfield's "What Now?" She had the kind of voice where she almost sounded like she was screaming or weeping but it was melodious and pitch-perfect. AND she loved to deliver sassy raps during the breakdown, like on "All About The Paper" or "Dreamin'". I can highly recommend her Salsoul 2-CD anthology to lovers of disco, funk and female voices.

I may check out this collection just because I am a fan.

[daviddesper]

Mikew's cuts are hot but they are not on this collection!!! Rats!!

[Danno]

Originally I couldn't think what act this could be, but I have my suspicions, for real.

Six million dollars for a box set?

[MIKEW-UK]

Six million dollars for a box set?

there was a copyright challenge over the "6 Million $ Man" movie rights.

[Danno]

there was a copyright challenge over the "6 Million $ Man" movie rights.

I didn't know that but they even added elements of the theme tune into the backing track. Asking for trouble?

[SatansBlues]

Loleatta was an immensely talented vocalist who is very worthy of your attention. If these releases are not actively supported they will dry up pure and simple. It is not enough to say how cool it is that these artists from the past are getting this re-issue treatment and keep them coming. Without our support they will not continue. We have to put our money where our mouths are. There are several more boxsets and single/double cd's in the planning stages, but unless the sales figures for this and other recent/upcoming releases are justified we will not get the green light from the record companies and they will quite simply cease. I cannot emphasize how important it is to actively support these releases whilst we have the opportunity to do so.
Look how difficult it is for George and co to get the permission from Universal to continue those Supremes expanded editions. There are some fantastic titles in the offing for 2021 and 2022, but whether or not they ever see the light of day is down to the consumer. Rant over.

Very well stated.

[lakedistrictlad1]

Originally I couldn't think what act this could be, but I have my suspicions, for real.

Hehe. Subtle!

[Bluebrock]

Very well stated.

Thank you very much. I am desperate for these collections to continue, but without the support of the consumer they will quite simply cease. It is an ever decreasing market. The cd market is of little interest to the under 50's, and we are continuing to see older fans who would be supportive of these releases passing away or not being in a position to purchase them anymore. I hate to be so negative, but that is the brutal truth.

[daviddesper]

Bluebrock I appreciate your passion but it comes down to a question of dollars and cents. Most of us have to pick and choose what we can afford and it is just not practical to spend money on artists you scarcely know just so these releases can continue. I personally am very grateful for the ones I have been able to buy and in some cases I was astounded that they were even offered. So keep up the good work but we can't all buy as much as we would like to.