Search - Brenda Holloway :: The Early Years - Rare Recordings 1962-1963

Brenda Holloway
The Early Years - Rare Recordings 1962-1963
Genres: Pop, R&B

Track Listings (22) - Disc #1
1. CONSTANT LOVE
2. SUDDENLY
3. GAME OF LOVE
4. HEY FOOL
5. I NEVER KNEW YOU LOOKED SO GOOD UNTIL I QUIT YOU - Brenda Holloway & Jess Harris
6. I WANT A BOYFRIEND (GIRLFRIEND) - The Soul-Mates
7. I'LL GIVE MY LIFE
8. I AIN'T GONNA TAKE YOU BACK - Brenda Holloway & The Carrolls
9. GONNA MAKE YOU MINE - Brenda Holloway & Jess Harris
10. UNLESS I HAVE YOU - Hal & Brenda
11. CANDY
12. ECHO
13. I GET A FEELING - The Soul-Mates
14. IT'S YOU - Hal & Brenda
15. HE'S GONE
16. THE NURSERY - The Four J's
17. WILL YOU BE MY LOVE - The Four J's
18. I TOLD YOU BABY - The Watesians
19. I'LL FIND MYSELF A GUY - The Watesians
20. DO THE DEL VIKING (PART 1) - Patrice Holloway
21. YOU'RE MY ONLY LOVE - Brenda Holloway & The Carrolls
22. EVERY LITTLE BIT HURTS

CD Details

All Artists: Brenda Holloway
Title: The Early Years - Rare Recordings 1962-1963
Members Wishing: 4
Total Copies: 0
Label: Ace Records UK
Original Release Date: 1/1/2009
Re-Release Date: 10/13/2009
Album Type: Import
Genres: Pop, R&B
Styles: Oldies, Soul
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 029667038225

Synopsis

Product Description

Although Brenda Holloway was aged just 17 when Tamla Records issued her Every Little Bit Hurts in 1964, she had been releasing 45s in Los Angeles for over two years by then. A longstanding pipedream of compiler Mick Patrick, this collection gathers together all of those extremely collectable pre-fame recordings, most of which are making their CD debut.The set includes solo sides, duets, singles made by Brenda as a member of a girl group known variously as the Watesians and the Four J's and the ultra-rare Do The Del Viking by her younger sister Patrice, which features Brenda on back-ups. Some of these were issued on familiar labels like Donna, Era and 4J, while others were pressed on impossibly obscure logos such as Minasa, Snap, Catch, Taste and Brevit and others are previously unissued; what might otherwise have been a rather brief CD is bolstered by the inclusion of tracks from the vaults of Class Records and producer Kent Harris. All in all, where it all began for one of the most spectacular female vocalists ever to record for Motown.

CD Reviews

Interesting look back, but music OK at best

Warren M. Lankford | Atlanta, Georgia USA | 06/17/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I found myself interested in purchasing this CD because Brenda Holloway was one of the best and maybe the most under-appreciated female vocalist to record for Motown records. Everyone is familiar with the classic "Every Little Bit Hurts" and other excellent music that she made during her short stay at Motown but I didn't know that she had recorded on the West Coast for 2 years prior to Motown. I was also stunned to find out that she was only 17 when she made "Every Little Bit Hurts".

My biggest disappointment was with the poor recording quality of most of the independent labels she worked on. Many of the songs reflected the R & B music style of the early 60's so there was a sameness to a lot of the material. However, even through these shortcomings, you can hear the developing of a mature and sophisticated talent, even at the young age of 15.

The songs that stood out for me were the solos "Constant Love", "Hey Fool", "Suddenly" and "Echo" and the duet with Jess Harris, "Gonna Make You Mine". I really liked the song "Candy" and it's lyric and wish that it had been polished to what it could have been, instead of having such obviously sloppy work from the backing musicians.

For any true Brenda Holloway fan, this look at her pre-success years is worth having for perspective."