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The Mike
Hanks Story
Carmen Murphy
and Star Maker
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Carmen
Murphy - pictured - funded the label. The
Taylor Tones included Sherri Taylor, who went on to record
for Motown & Gloreco. Harry Gates was the lead singer
of The Caravelles. |
Mike
also persuaded Carmen to bankroll the Star Maker label in
1962 and the label's first 45 should have been a profit
maker. It's a latter-day-doo-wop number titled "Pink
Lips"
which has Harry Gates leading The Caravelles with panache;
and with Mike's fine arrangement the disc deserved to sell
much better than it did. It was a popular record in Detroit
and Carmen remembers having around 5,000 copies pressed, but
for some unknown reason these weren't distributed and the
disc died an expensive death.
Two
other Star Maker gems are Freddy Butler's
Chuck-Jackson-sounding song, "I
Told You So," and The Deans' "Lady
of the Caravan"
- both of which are now sought-after collectors'
items.
Mike
had a hand in writing or arranging practically all six Star
Maker 45s. Most were recorded at United Sound during
1962 and '63, although "Lady of the Caravan" was cut
at Mike's studio at the corner of Lawton and McGraw.
Even
though he was working at Ford's he became more and more
engrossed in music, almost simultaneously releasing records
on the Spin, Spartan, Soul, Serock, Star Maker, Katron,
Becco, MRC, Exit, and MAH'S labels.
Notes thanks to Graham
Finch
image must not be
reproduced, used or copied photograph
credits at end of webisode
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DESIGN AND
GRAPHICS BY
LOWELL BOILEAU
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DESIGN
AND GRAPHICS BY
LOWELL BOILEAU
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This website is dedicated to Detroit, Soul Music, 45 RPM, Northern
Soul and the great Motown era of Detroit Musics. It covers Golden
World, Tamla, Wheelsville, Robert West, Darrell Banks, Johnnie
Mae Matthews, Rose Battiste, Tera Shirma, Fred Bridges, Supremes,
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