Betty Wilson

The Washington based Dayco label was owned by Eddie Daye as a showcase for the songs he recorded with his group the Four Bars, as he tried to get a release on a major label. Daye had a strong history of doo-wop singing in the 50s but without any huge success. Sadly he never quite got there in the soul era either, despite some good group soul, some of which has captured the imagination of the Northern crowd.

But with one exception nothing in the Dayco catalogue has anything like the impact or emotional strength of Anything To Please My Man which is one of those blues ballads that really do hit home. Betty, who joined the Four Bars a few years earlier, was never as hard hitting as she is here, almost incoherent with passion, over a backing that was rather old fashioned for its time, but which sounds just perfect from this distance. Superb arrangment from a young Donny Hathaway. The dancers will point to Betty’s pleasant if unremarkable “I’m Yours” as her best track, but this one has so much more soul going for it.

Betty had one further release, a rather lack lustre answer version to King Floyd's "Groove Me" for the peripatetic producer C A Warren, who was at this time in Washington, DC. Warren is perhaps best known for his excellent 45s on Israel Tolbert and Sam Moultrie.

 

 

 

 



Discography

As FOUR BARS feat BETTY WILSON

Waiting on the right guy / I've got to move ~ FALEW 108 (1964) (Note "I've got to move" is by Four Bars feat Eddie Daye)

Don’t give up / Anything to please my man ~ DAYCO 2109 (1968)
I’m yours / All over again ~ DAYCO 1361 (1969)
Let me groove you / Love for my man ~ WARREN 109 (1971/2)

Note ~ You can find all four of Betty's Dayco tracks on the Stella UK CD "The Rhythm And Blues Of Dayco Records". This fine set also includes one unissued Betty track entitled "Keep On Holding My Baby's Hand".

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