Known for their timeless hits, "Rock Steady", "And the Beat Goes On" and "It Just Gets Better With Time", One of the most respected and enduring vocal groups in the music industry, The Whispers, with a stellar career that spans over four decades, has released their latest CD entitled, "For Your Ears Only”. It charted on Billboard's Top 100 R&B/Hip Hop at number 94 on September 2. It’s been 9 years since their last CD (Songbook, Volume 1, Songs of Babyface, released in 1997), and fans have been clamoring for a new collection of songs perfected by their smooth, harmonious voices.

The musical community continues to let its voice be heard in support of this nostalgic, classic, soul sound with a contemporary ambiance that has virtually disappeared under the overwhelming dominance of Rap and Hip Hop. But Dee Bellington, a fan in San Francisco says it best, “You Guys Are One Of The Few Artists That Have Not Forgotten That There Are Still Millions Of Us Out Here That Want And Need To Hear Some Compositions Of Depth And Weight. Butta, Hold On, Don't Say No, You Name It! This Whole Disc Nearly Made Me Weep Because Of The Nostalgic Aura Released Into The Air. The Atmosphere Just Changed!!!

“For Your Ears Only” is the first to be produced on the Whispers’ independent label, Satin Tie Entertainment, which is headed by the Whispers themselves. It’s a heartfelt project and is definitely created for and dedicated to their many fans as a way of saying thanks for all of the years of support”, says Nicolas Caldwell, singer/ songwriter of the Whispers.

The song collection is a mixture of classic soul, rhythm and blues, jazz, and pop, performed in “pure Whisper” tradition from the classic “Don’t Say No” penned by their musical director Grady Wilkins and Road Manager Alonzo Ward, to the smooth, sexy “Butta”, written and arranged by the great Teena Marie. On Valentine’s Day, wives and lovers will be serenaded with the passions of “Diamonds”, “Love Stroking”, “Hold On” and Nicholas Caldwell’s “Love”. On the dating scene, guys looking for a soul mate can woo them with Ollie Woodson’s “Can I Get Next To You” and “It’s You” (Nicholas Caldwell and the Whispers’ guitarist Emilio Conesa). For the dancers and steppers, “Get It On” and “Love Won’t Let Me Wait” will electrify the party goers and add a touch of soulful, funky class to the local DJ’s night club collection. As for their longtime fans, the last song on the CD, “The Whispers Love You Too” says it all: “My heart compels me to tell each and every one of you, if it’s the last thing I do, I pray you know it’s true, the Whispers Love You Too!” Whispers’ fans will not be disappointed. A Collector’s Limited edition of the CD will be available at any of the public venues where they will be performing beginning Mid February.

The Whispers have finally achieved their goal of establishing an independent label where they can exercise their creative talents and manage their own musical destiny in the new millennium.

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Nice song selection.
I agree with Tonya. They didn`t just throw something together. They took their time with this CD. And it shows. All nice songs.

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Introspection

Entr'acte

  1. play Norman Brown — Night Drive
  2. play Norman Brown — Feeling
  3. play Norman Brown — Still
  4. play Miles Davis — miles 1
  5. play miles 2
  6. play miles 3
  7. play miles 4
  8. play miles 5
  9. play Marvin Gaye — I Met A Little Girl
  10. play Santana — 01 Singing Winds, Crying Beasts
  11. play Santana — 02 Black Magic Woman-Gypsy Queen
  12. play Mongo — 02. Afro Blue



The history of the Butlers/Raw Soul is dense, but for all of us music nerds, that's normal. It is not totally clear what year the Butlers actually formed but they released their first single in 1963 on Liberty Records. That single was "She Tried To Kiss Me" and another single followed on Guyden entitled "Lovable Girl." After the Guyden single the Butlers took a break not recording another record until the single "Laugh, Laugh, Laugh" was released on the Phila label in 1966. The group also backed Charles Earland and Jean Wells on one Phila single ("I Know She Loves Me"). 


As you might be noticing, the Butlers were doing a fair amount of recording but not achieving much success. The group's recordings sold regionally but never had the promotion to make an impact on the national scene. After the single with Phila, the Butlers moved to the Fairmount label (part of the Cameo-Parkway family) and released a handful of singles, some being reissued singles of the past. The Butlers were with Fairmount for 1966-67 and then moved to Sassy Records. Sassy released the group's greatest single (in my opinion) "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)" b/w "If That's What You Wanted." A copy of that 45 sold for just under $500 last summer on eBay. Even though that isn't that much in the world of record collecting--it's still a hefty sum. The Butlers released another single on Sassy ("She's Gone" b/w "Love Is Good") that appears to be even 
harder to come by then the "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)" single.

 

The true history become a bit blurred here as the AMG biography states that the Butlers last record was released on C.R.S. in 1974 (". However, between 1971 and that single, Frankie Beverly formed a group called Raw Soul and released a number of singles. Some of the songs recorded by Beverly during this period are "While I'm Alone," "Open Up Your Heart," (both on the Gregor label) and "Color Blind." "Color Blind" was released by the Eldorado label and rerecorded by Maze. Beverly's big break came when Marvin Gaye asked Raw Soul to back him on a tour. Gaye helped Beverly/Raw Soul get a contract at Capitol. Beverly decided to take the group in a different direction, a name change occurred, and Maze was created. 

The above isn't the most complete history of Beverly but hopefully someone will know a way to get in touch with the man or his management because a comprehensive pre-Maze history needs to be done on Frankie Beverly (his real name is Howard, by the way). Below you'll find every Frankie Beverly (pre-Maze) song available to me right now ("Color Blind" will be up soon). 

If you have a song that is not included below, shoot it over to funkinsoulman (at) yahoo.com and it will go up in the next Frankie Beverly post (later this week--highlighting Maze). Also, if you have any more information please share your knowledge. The Butlers material has been comp-ed sporadically (usually imports) but the entire Maze catalog has been reissued and is available. 

Enjoy.  "She Kissed Me" (Fairmount, 1966 or 1967) 
 
 "I Want To Feel I'm Wanted" (not sure which label or year) "Laugh, Laugh, Laugh" (Phila, 1966) "Because Of My Heart" (Fairmount, 1966 or 1967)
   
 "Love (Your Pain Goes Deep)" (Sassy, 1967)
   
 "If That's What You Wanted" (Sassy, 1967)
 



Frankie Beverly is one of those cats that has lasting power. He started in the music business doing a tour with doo wop group the Silhouettes and then formed his own group called the Blenders. The Blenders never recorded a single, Beverly wouldn't appear on wax until forming the Butlers a few years later. Along with Beverly, the Butlers included Jack "Sonny" Nicholson, Joe Collins, John Fitch, and Talmadge Conway.

Beverly would later enjoy great success fronting Maze and Conway would become a
well-known penning Double Exposure's
"Ten Percent" and the Intruders' "Memories Are Here To Stay." 
 While Maze is a phenomenal group, Beverly's work before that group will always stand out as his best (imo).

The Butlers produced tunes that most Northern Soul fans would kill for and Raw Soul gave the funksters something to pursue. If, by chance, you know of a way to get in touch with Frankie Beverly or his management, please drop me an e-mail. It would be absolutely great to do an interview with him about his pre-Maze work. He's still playing out, most recently doing a New Year's Eve show in Atlanta.
:: Funkinsoulman ::

Power...Through Simplicity ♪♫♪

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