Rare Spinners "It's a Shame" clip

[tsull1]

Great stuff here, from the TV show "Soul!" -- they still haven't released the entire episode of this show, but this is an awesome clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0B1KgPZn0A

Some thoughts:

* The photos from this session were used for their breakout 1973 album, so the group, I believe, was just hitting their popularity.

* Someone slow that drummer down!

* Not a lot of room to dance, but they pull off the choreography quite well.

* Great lead by Phillippe on a tough song to sing that is G.C. Cameron's trademark song. When G.C. sang it, his awesome range had him singing the falsetto to the tenor. On this version, they wisely defer the falsetto to Henry Fambrough.

* Click on the "I'll Be Around" clip on the right from the same TV show, great singing by Bobbie Smith. Interestingly, Phillippe stands off to the side during the intro. My guess is he's new to the group and didn't have the choreography down ... or he's just being a weird cat, which he was known to do. Nevertheless, a great version.

* I'm highly anticipating the release of this entire show as well as other shows!

[theboyfromxtown]

I get exhausted just watching the guys do those moves!

Thanks Tsull....good one

[tsull1]

I jumped the gun, Phillippe also sits out the intro of "It's a Shame" -- and watching the moves closely. He just joined the group and didn't know the choregraphy, and like you mentioned, that ain't easy choregraphy. It is quite the workout! Props to Phillippe for acing the song, a very tough one to sing.

[marv2]

tsull! Ah HA! I saw this show when I was in Jr. High! I haven't seen it since. Thank you so much for finding it, it is the best!!!!

[marv2]

Did you notice how they have Henry and Phillipe splitting G.C. Camerons' original lead? G.C. was a beast! LOL!!! Loving this clip!

[paladin]

Great indeed, I remember this well, their performance was that good.....saw then about three months later in the Auditorium Theater in Chicago. If memory serves they closed the show doing Could It be I'm Falling In Love......

[tsull1]

Did you notice how they have Henry and Phillipe splitting G.C. Camerons' original lead? G.C. was a beast! LOL!!! Loving this clip!

Yes, this clip shows many things: The incredible singing talents of each group member. Wynne putting his own style on the song, Fambrough hitting the high notes quite well, and the unreal choregraphy.

It also shows the talent of the dude who is not on stage and that is G.C. Cameron, who when he sang it did the lead and the falsetto. A very tough song to sing. I was fortunate to see G.C. sing it in concert with the group about a decade ago and he flat-out aced it, yes, including the falsetto portion. In my opinion, the group's best-ever song.

They can't release that full show fast enough.

[soulwally]

Can't help but agree with all the sentiments above. the band is loose, for sure, but that only adds to the top-drawer Spinners' performance.
The splitting of the leads is fascinating, in that Henry takes the falsetto part - such vocal versatility because, he gets a few baritone lead spots later in the 70s.
I know he mimed [[lip-synced) to the high part in Games People Play on those 70s TV shows [[although it still sounds like a woman's voice to me; Thom Bell reckons they DID use Fambrough on this in the studio, though).
So that leaves the late Billy Henderson. I originally [[like, 40 years ago), assumed he was the high tenor in the group, but apparently not. So was he the 'Otis Williams' of the Spinners, glueing the rest of the harmony together?

[KevLo]

Hi this is Kev-Lo

I like this, Thanks for posting

[tsull1]

Can't help but agree with all the sentiments above. the band is loose, for sure, but that only adds to the top-drawer Spinners' performance.
The splitting of the leads is fascinating, in that Henry takes the falsetto part - such vocal versatility because, he gets a few baritone lead spots later in the 70s.
I know he mimed [[lip-synced) to the high part in Games People Play on those 70s TV shows [[although it still sounds like a woman's voice to me; Thom Bell reckons they DID use Fambrough on this in the studio, though).
So that leaves the late Billy Henderson. I originally [[like, 40 years ago), assumed he was the high tenor in the group, but apparently not. So was he the 'Otis Williams' of the Spinners, glueing the rest of the harmony together?

I would guess Billy Henderson was the high tenor. He never had a lead song in the group that I can think of, but a valuable member. Heck, he was the founder of the group. Pretty important dude -- R.I.P.

Fambrough does indeed have a great baritone voice, his trademark. Interestingly he did sing falsetto in the live "It's a Shame" when Cameron wasn't around. But his baritone is his trademark. Thom Bell wouldn't tip his hand on "Games People Play" but it's not Henry, it's the late, great Barbara Ingram, a long time backup singer for the group.

Pervis Jackson, IMO, one of the top five bass singers in all of soul music, again, R.I.P., sadly.

Wynne put the group to the forefront with his ability to sing and interpret Thom Bell produced/arranged songs. Simply an amazing performer -- like others, sad that he passed on far too young in 1983. Truly an amazing singer.

That brings me to Bobbie Smith, who in my opinion, is one of the great underrated singers of our time, and up there with Levi Stubbs for me as my all-time favorite singer. Bell was fascinated by his phrasing and ability to sing, thus taking on the group after remembering Smith in particularly in concert. I'm glad he and Henry are still with the group and going strong.