Where were you - STOP 186

 

Bobby James & Vicki Adams

 

Nashville’s Stop label was really a country one but hidden in the midst of all that there are some very good soul releases by Allen Green, Billy Cox, the Soul Chargers (really James Fountain), and most famously Otis Williams. Bobby James and Vikki Williams had both solo releases and a duet for the concern and all of them are strong southern soul.

Bobby’s solo 45 has a superb deep soul piece as well. Where Were You has some fine spoken passages which reinforce the sad message of the lyric. James himself has a good voice nicely suited to the country soul style of the track. The rhythm and horns are as good as you could want – not too sure about the girl chorus on this though. A bit too prominent in the mix perhaps but this shouldn’t detract too much from the pleasure of the cut.

Love is such a sweet thing - STOP 275Vicki’s So Glad You’re Home is a despairing deep ballad in a minor keyed bluesy vein. I like the way the title is only arrived at during the conclusion to the lyric which is pretty downbeat up to then. And the blue guitar fills echo Vikki’s mood to a T. The classic backing of organ/piano and horns are supplemented by a female chorus and it all adds up to a fine effort.

Their duets are well worth hearing too. Love Is Such A Sweet Thing bounds along at a fair lick and the more measured pace of “We Got Love” gives more room to hear their fine voices. Note the presence of an electric sitar on the former track giving it a very strong Peggy Scott / Jo Jo Benson feel.

All of the Stop cuts feature the writing and producing of Jerry Strickland who went on to make such fine music in Louisiana with Bobby Paterson.

 

Discography

BOBBY JAMES solo

Where were you / Hold on to your woman ~ STOP 186 (1968)
I really love you  / Inst ~ KAROL 3727 (1969)

VICKI ADAMS solo

I’m drowning / So glad your home (sic) ~ STOP 244 (1969)

DUETS

We got love / Love is such a sweet thing ~ STOP 275 (1969)

 

Note ~ The rare and obscure Karol release was produced by Johnny Caemron in Chicago and may well be a different artist.

Thanks to Martin Hancock for drawing my attention to the Karol 45.

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