Being certainly one of Stax’s biggest vocal teams didn’t essentially make you one of the well-known. Ollie And The Nightingales began as a Memphis gospel group, The Dixie Nightingales, their title styled after The Dixie Hummingbirds, although their musical strategy was considerably completely different. They started recording within the late 50s and turned up on Stax’s gospel subsidiary, Chalice, within the mid-60s, notably recording the attractive lament “Assassination” in tribute to John F. Kennedy.
The group had already seen one early member discover secular fame when David Ruffin grew to become certainly one of The Temptations’ two lead singers, so the decision to sing about extra earthly issues would have been sturdy. Plus, Stax was looking for new artists within the wake of the 1968 collapse of its distribution deal with Atlantic, and who higher to assist rebuild their catalogue than this good group already working on the firm?
Take heed to Ollie And The Nightingales’ self-titled album now.
Filled with soul and songs of affection
Rebranded as Ollie And The Nightingales and with one change in personnel, the quintet reduce a number of singles, during which the hoarse, amiable voice of Ollie Hoskins bought the songs completely. Their self-titled album adopted in 1969, wrapped in a whimsical paintings typical of its period – however one which additionally had a barely heavenly look to it, as if the group had been looking for to deliver their gospel viewers with them. Produced by Booker T. Jones, Isaac Hayes, and his writing associate, David Porter, it was a positive file, filled with soul and songs of affection, need and downright widespread sense that anybody might establish with. It wasn’t, nevertheless, filled with hits, although three singles had been drawn from it.
The chunky, regular “You’ll Never Do Wrong,” which kicks proceedings off, is within the advisory mode of soul: take care of your child and also you received’t remorse it. “Don’t Make The Good Suffer” opens prefer it’s heading for “I Can’t Help Myself” territory in its intro, however as soon as the tune correct kicks in, you possibly can really feel a contact of the church on this story of relationship troubles. The primary of 4 Hayes/Porter compositions, “Don’t Do What I Did” sounds just like the type of tune they’d have given to Sam And Dave earlier than Atlantic snatched the duo from the Stax steady, although The Nightingales’ strategy is much less sock-it-to-’em and extra melodic: the excessive harmonies are completely scrumptious.
A refined delight
“You’re Leaving Me” is a refined delight, strings and brass warming up a downbeat story of impending loss penned by Eddie Floyd, Booker T., and Stax boss Al Bell – musically, we’re in William Bell territory right here: delicate and soulful. Two additional Hayes and Porter compositions are among the many highlights: “A-B-C-D” is a “what my woman has done for me” story delivered completely by Ollie Hoskins; “Mellow Way You Treat Your Man” handles the same subject in a totally completely different means, with additional superb assist singing and a tempo that will have had Memphis bar patrons doing the stroll when the only was performed on the jukebox.
Elsewhere, the uplifting “Girl You Make My Heart Sing” positively drives alongside on blasts of organ from Booker T., giving it a powerful MGs really feel, and the best-known tune right here, the much-recorded “I’ve Never Found A Girl,” advantages from a young, sunny strategy influenced by The Younger Rascals’ “Groovin’,” which The MGs had coated. The album closes with the shuffling “Showered With Love,” its gleaming horn part becoming Ollie and his harmonizers completely.
Ollie flew from The Nightingales in 1970 so as to start an extended profession as Ollie Nightingale, whereas the group continued with Tommy Tate, a fantastic lead vocalist who’d turn into a profitable solo act within the mid-70s. However Ollie And The Nightingales was the band’s sole album – a fantastic file, however missing that huge hit it wanted. Their best-selling single, “I Got A Sure Thing,” isn’t right here, apparently trapped past Stax’s attain within the wrangle with Atlantic. The album was additionally hampered slightly by being “traditional” soul in ’69, a time when the music was altering quick – Isaac Hayes was about to pioneer the brand new symphonic soul sound, and Motown was scoring with psychedelic-influenced grooves. Over 50 years on, that doesn’t matter: Ollie And The Nightingales’ self-titled album is a nostalgic delight, and few, if any, might ship a file like this in the present day.
Ollie And The Nightingales’ self-titled album might be purchased right here.
