Monday 5 May 2014

***NEW*** The Complete Fame Singles Volume 1:1964-1967 - Ace Records




The Muscle Shoals music scene, and its pioneer Rick Hall, have received a lot of attention recently. The Muscle Shoals documentary film devoted a great deal of coverage to Hall’s work and in January 2014 the Grammy committee presented him with a Special Merit award. Only a man with such great talent could have made a one-track country town in Alabamaan important centre of the American recording industry. As a tribute to his outstanding legacy, we are releasing the first volume in our “The Complete Fame Singles” series.


Hall opened Fame Recording Studios in 1961. Arthur Alexander’s timeless single, ‘You Better Move On’ b/w ‘A Shot Of Rhythm and Blues’ – a big hit on Dot and a monumental influence on a generation of UK musicians, was the first of many hits recorded at Fame.


At first Hall hired out the studio to producers such as Ray Stevens and Bill Lowery who wanted to take advantage of his crack studio band and his engineering skills. He also issued a few records by local acts on the R and H or Fame labels and leased out other masters to larger imprints for national distribution. When he found Jimmy Hughes, who he hoped would follow Arthur Alexander as his star act, he licensed ‘I’m Qualified’ to Jamie-Guyden in Philadelphia. Only when he failed to place Hughes’ follow-up with a national company was he forced to start Fame as a serious label, helped by Dan Penn, his main songwriter and right-hand man in the studio. This is the point where our collection begins.



The single was the southern soul masterpiece ‘Steal Away’. Following Hall and Penn’s early attempts at promotion, the record was picked up by Vee-Jay for national distribution. On the back of a Top 20 Pop hit and a #2 position on Cash Box’s R&B chart, Vee-Jay demanded more material from Hughes and signed a distribution deal for the Fame label. Fame attempted to repeat Jimmy Hughes’ success and issued a selection of records from musicians who formed the team around Rick Hall.


On this first of three volumes, we follow the development of the great songwriting team of Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham and hear the records made during the years 1964 to 1967. Many failed to make a mark, as much of the label’s early period was devoted to finding out what route would lead to success. By the end of the second disc, Clarence Carter is established as the label’s main star, distribution has switched to Atlantic and the Fame label’s path is set. The 52 tracks here tell this fascinating story.


By Dean Rudland

Disc: 1



1. Steal Away- Jimmy Hughes

2. Lollypops, Lace And Lipstick - Jimmy Hughes

3. Close To Me - Dan Penn

4. Let Them Talk - Dan Penn

5. Try Me - Jimmy Hughes

6. Lovely Ladies - Jimmy Hughes

7. I'm Getting Better - Jimmy Hughes

8. I Want Justice - Jimmy Hughes

9. Hey, Do You Wanna Marry - Spooner And The Spoons

10. Wish You Didn't Have To Go - Spooner And The Spoons

11. Almost Persuaded - June Conquest

12. Party Talk - June Conquest

13. Goodbye My Lover Goodbye - Jimmy Hughes

14. It Was Nice - Jimmy Hughes

15. Take Me (Just As I Am) - Dan Penn

16. Diamonds - Dan Penn

17. You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy - Jimmy Hughes

18. The Loving Physician - Jimmy Hughes

19. Midnight Affair - Jimmy Hughes

20. When It Comes To Dancing - Jimmy Hughes

21. Keep On Talking - James Barnett

22. Take A Good Look - James Barnett

23. Gonna Make You Say Yeah - Terry Woodford

24. Hit The Ground - Terry Woodford

25. Neighbor, Neighbor - Jimmy Hughes

26. It's A Good Thing - Jimmy Hughes


Disc: 2


1. His Town - Terry Woodford

2. She Wants What She Can't Have - Terry Woodford

3. Laugh It Off - The Villagers

4. You're Gonna Lose That Girl - The Villagers

5. I Worship The Ground You Walk On - Jimmy Hughes

6. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues - Jimmy Hughes

7. In The Same Old Way - Arthur Conley

8. I Can't Stop (No, No No)- Arthur Conley

9. I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind - Art Freeman

10. Slippin Around With You - Art Freeman

11. I'm Gonna Forget About You - Arthur Conley

12. Take Me (Just As I Am) - Arthur Conley

13. I Stayed Away Too Long - Clarence Carter

14. Tell Daddy - Clarence Carter

15. Why Not Tonight - Jimmy Hughes

16. I'm A Man Of Action - Jimmy Hughes

17. Everybody's Got To Cry Sometime - Art Freeman

18. A Piece Of My Heart - Art Freeman

19. Thread The Needle - Clarence Carter

20. Don't Make My Baby Cry - Clarence Carter

21. Don't Lose Your Good Thing - Jimmy Hughes

22. You Can't Believe Everything- Jimmy Hughes

23. Hi Heel Sneakers - Jimmy Hughes

24. Time Will Bring You Back - Jimmy Hughes

25. She Ain't Gonna Do Right - Clarence Carter

26. The Road Of Love - Clarence Carter





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