young Smokey Robinson covering "Adios My Desert Love" - by Nolan Strong & the Diablos

[lockhartgary]

On the YouTube post comments, it was mentioned that this was sped up. Does anyone know if that was indeed the case?

[robb_k]

On the YouTube post comments, it was mentioned that this was sped up. Does anyone know if that was indeed the case?

Yes, this version sounds about +2 or maybe +3 above precise 45 RPM over the good tape of the demo record I had heard from Ron Murphy's copy of it. But, 47 RPM is only slightly faster to the ear. I doubt that it was deliberately boosted like Northern Soul DJs do to increase the beats per minute. I think it could have been simply due to the equipment used to duplicate that particular recording that was made off the demo record, or a tape of it.

I'm surprised that no one mentioned that the photo included on the link above was NOT The 1957 Matadors of the recording, but rather, of Smokey's FIRST group, The Five Chimes, formed in 1954. It's members included Smokey, Ronny White, Pete Moore, Clarence Dawson, and James Grice. The Matadors had the regular Miracles plus Claudette's brother, Emerson Rogers, who left in early 1958 to join The US Army.

I seem to remember both Dawson and Grice being members of obscure Detroit groups in the early 1960s. I think I remember reading that Clarence Dawson was the brother of Downbeats' and Elgins' one-time lead singer, Johnny Dawson. I think he also sang at one time with Johnny Mitchell's Majestics. I can't remember which groups James Grice sang with, but I remember there were a couple during the early '60s. Does anyone here remember him, and Clarence Dawson?