John Manship Acetate Tapes

[144man]

10 More Acetates Not Released By Motown

With the issue of Martha & the Vandellas' "I'm Willing to Pay the Price" on the Kent Various Artists' CD "Baby I've Got It", one of the last remaining tracks from the earliest batch of collectors' tapes has at last been released. Here are ten other recordings which weren't on the above John Manship cassettes but deserving of a mention.

In no particular order.....

1. Hattie Littles - Wish That You Were Here
An organ-led mid-tempo chugger written and produced by Marv Johnson. Typical of 1963 Motown and deserving of release.

2. Mickey McCullers - Better Late Than Never
Bobby Breen's version of this utilised a mannered vocal style unsympathetic to the song. Mickey McCullers may not have been the greatest vocalist in the world but he sounds much more comfortable on this.

3. Sammy Turner - All I have Left Are Memories
This 1964 Stevenson-Hunter song was originally attributed to the Fascinators, but Sammy Turner's voice is unmistakeable. A nice doo-wop song with predominant strings.

4. The Serenaders - Tears, Nobody And A Smile
This pleasant, mid-tempo shuffler, probably recorded in New York, is not in the Motown vaults or session logs. The track eventually emerged in 2013 on the CD compilation "The Serenaders featuring George Kerr" [[Jersey JER1001).

5. The Versatones - I Could Make A Million
A rather average mid-tempo 1963 number, written and produced by Robert Gordy, from the group who brought us "It's Company Time".

6. The Versatones - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
The lead singer relates how his baby has turned him into a split personality. Could this be the guy Mary Wells had been singing about in "Two Lovers"?

7. Brenda Holloway - I'm On the Outside
It's Brenda alone with only a piano for backing on this slow and pretty song which is obviously just a demo version. No other recording of this song is known.

8. Brenda Holloway - Here Are the Pieces of My Broken Heart
Just Brenda and the piano again on what must have been the demo for the Gladys Knight & the Pips' version.

9. Johnny Powers - I Just Got To Know Now
There's an obvious attempt to sound like Elvis here on this self-penned teen pop-ballad from 1963 by future rockabilly singer, Johnny Powers. Motown did not retain the rights to this, but it gained release in the UK in 1990 on the LP "Can't Resist That Rock and Roll" [[RollerCoaster ROLL 2017) which also contains other tracks recorded at Hitsville, "Rosa Lee", "Well I Got Troubles", "It's Now Or Never Little One", and an earlier version of The Supremes' "You Didn't Care". He later teamed up with Mike Valvano in 1964 to release Beatles-inspired "Give Me A Kiss" on V.I.P. as the Hornets.

10. The Show Stoppers - Old Time Lovin'
Previously thought to be the Contours, "Don't Forget The Motor City" credits this up-tempo Holland-Dozier produced bouncer to a group called "The Show Stoppers". I should imagine 1963 is too early for this to be the Philly group who gave us "Ain't Nothing But A House Party".

... and one for luck...

Brenda Holloway - Tell Me Your Story [[alternate version)
Not the same version that is on the John Manship tapes or on "Tamla Motown Connoisseurs". This version has a different set of lyrics, and an unknown male vocalist joins in near the fadeout revealing that he is going to tell his story.

[honest man]

10 More Acetates Not Released By Motown

With the issue of Martha & the Vandellas' "I'm Willing to Pay the Price" on the Kent Various Artists' CD "Baby I've Got It", one of the last remaining tracks from the earliest batch of collectors' tapes has at last been released. Here are ten other recordings which weren't on the above John Manship cassettes but deserving of a mention.

In no particular order.....

1. Hattie Littles - Wish That You Were Here
An organ-led mid-tempo chugger written and produced by Marv Johnson. Typical of 1963 Motown and deserving of release.

2. Mickey McCullers - Better Late Than Never
Bobby Breen's version of this utilised a mannered vocal style unsympathetic to the song. Mickey McCullers may not have been the greatest vocalist in the world but he sounds much more comfortable on this.

3. Sammy Turner - All I have Left Are Memories
This 1964 Stevenson-Hunter song was originally attributed to the Fascinators, but Sammy Turner's voice is unmistakeable. A nice doo-wop song with predominant strings.

4. The Serenaders - Tears, Nobody And A Smile
This pleasant, mid-tempo shuffler, probably recorded in New York, is not in the Motown vaults or session logs. The track eventually emerged in 2013 on the CD compilation "The Serenaders featuring George Kerr" [[Jersey JER1001).

5. The Versatones - I Could Make A Million
A rather average mid-tempo 1963 number, written and produced by Robert Gordy, from the group who brought us "It's Company Time".

6. The Versatones - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
The lead singer relates how his baby has turned him into a split personality. Could this be the guy Mary Wells had been singing about in "Two Lovers"?

7. Brenda Holloway - I'm On the Outside
It's Brenda alone with only a piano for backing on this slow and pretty song which is obviously just a demo version. No other recording of this song is known.

8. Brenda Holloway - Here Are the Pieces of My Broken Heart
Just Brenda and the piano again on what must have been the demo for the Gladys Knight & the Pips' version.

9. Johnny Powers - I Just Got To Know Now
There's an obvious attempt to sound like Elvis here on this self-penned teen pop-ballad from 1963 by future rockabilly singer, Johnny Powers. Motown did not retain the rights to this, but it gained release in the UK in 1990 on the LP "Can't Resist That Rock and Roll" [[RollerCoaster ROLL 2017) which also contains other tracks recorded at Hitsville, "Rosa Lee", "Well I Got Troubles", "It's Now Or Never Little One", and an earlier version of The Supremes' "You Didn't Care". He later teamed up with Mike Valvano in 1964 to release Beatles-inspired "Give Me A Kiss" on V.I.P. as the Hornets.

10. The Show Stoppers - Old Time Lovin'
Previously thought to be the Contours, "Don't Forget The Motor City" credits this up-tempo Holland-Dozier produced bouncer to a group called "The Show Stoppers". I should imagine 1963 is too early for this to be the Philly group who gave us "Ain't Nothing But A House Party".

... and one for luck...

Brenda Holloway - Tell Me Your Story [[alternate version)
Not the same version that is on the John Manship tapes or on "Tamla Motown Connoisseurs". This version has a different set of lyrics, and an unknown male vocalist joins in near the fadeout revealing that he is going to tell his story.

Hmmm yes they're all coming back to me,i have these tapes somewhere ,and i seem to remember the Stevie Wonder I don't want anybody make me cry ,same as BH song,but it has n't appeared on any cd compilations,it was a good song what i can remember,cheers

[144man]

Hmmm yes they're all coming back to me,i have these tapes somewhere ,and i seem to remember the Stevie Wonder I don't want anybody make me cry ,same as BH song,but it has n't appeared on any cd compilations,it was a good song what i can remember,cheers

That's one I've never heard. Is it a duet with Clarence Paul?

[honest man]

That's one I've never heard. Is it a duet with Clarence Paul?

yes,you got it in one,cheers.

[Andy Rix]

When John got the big haul of Motown acetates I called him and said they all needed recording and documenting. I drove over to his place to collect them all and then taped them. He then sold cassettes of the tunes. I also photocopied all of the acetates.
The tapes I did are those listed in posts 7,8,11 and 12. I still have the 'master' copies of the cassettes and the photocopies

The tracks listed in post 15 were all from Pete Lowrie acetates

If anybody needs scans of the acetates contact me ... AndyRix@aol.com

Sadly John had already let the acetate of Marvelettes - 'Boy From Crosstown' go but I got everything else

Andy