Benny Gordon (singer)

Benny Gordon
Born 1932
Died 24 December 2008
Genres Soul
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter and bandleader
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1962 - 70s
Labels RCA, Estill, Capitol

Benny Gordon (1932–2008) was a soul and r&b singer who recorded from the early 1960s up to the 1970s. Some of his early efforts were as a member of Christian Harmonizers. Their recordings were credited to The Christian Harmonizers (Featuring B. Gordon). Later recordings were as Bennie Gordon And The Soul Brothers.[1] In 1968, they had a single out on the RCA label, "What Is Soul"[2] which was backed with "I Can't Turn You Loose".[3]

Benny Gordon & the Soul Brothers were to appear at Trude Heller's regularly and in 1967 appeared there with Reparata & the Delrons[4] Benny and the Soul Brothers even performed for the opening day of Trude Hellers Take V club that opened on December 18, 1970.[5]

As a solo singer he released singles "True Love Is All I Need" on the Capitol label, "Gonna Give Her All The Love I Got" on Wand label and "Sugar Mama" (You Know You're My Baby) on the Estill label.[6]

Biography

Gordon and his brother Sammy were from Estill, South Carolina.[7] Along with his brother Sammy Gordon he was a member of the Christian Harmonizers, a gospel group. In the early 1960s they moved to Brooklyn. They later formed The Soul Brothers band.[8] They became the house band at Trude Heller’s club on Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village. [9]

In 1968 Benny Gordon and the Soul Brothers released the album Tighten Up that featured the tracks "Tighten Up" and "Hang on Sloopy".[10]

Gordon is related to Sammy Gordon who fronted the group Sammy Gordon & the Hip Huggers who recorded "Upstairs On Boston Road",[11] and an early version of Bobby Womack's "Breezin'" that George Benson would later have a hit with.[12] Some sources credit them as cousins[13] while others credit them as brothers.[14]

He died on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2008 from an inoperable stomach tumor[15] aged 77. His funeral service was held on Monday, Dec. 29, 2008 at Hampton County District Two Auditorium.[16]

Performances

The Christian Harmonizers were to appear at the Apollo Theater where they brought the house down.[17]

In later years he now leading the group now known as Benny Gordon and the Soul Brothers. In October 1965, it was announced in Billboard Magazine that they were to appear at Philharmonic Hall with The Supremes.[18] In August 1966 they were among the highlights for show for the unveiling of an act for RCA Records.[19] Three months later on November 28, they along with Peter Duchin,[20][21] son of legendary bandleader Eddy Duchin, provided the music for Truman Capote's Black and White Ball. In Deborah Davis's book Party of the Century: The Fabulous Story of Truman Capote and His Black and White Ball, Duchin's music inspired the social dancing. That plus the twisting and frugging to the beat of Gordon and the Soul Brothers, kept the guests on their toes all evening.[22] Gordon was to comment that the party was outa sight and was surprised at how hip some of the society people were. Especially the older ones.[23] Gordon said that Frank Sinatra even joined the band on stage.[24]

Trude Heller club

Benny Gordon and The Soul Brothers were to appear at Trude Heller's club on many occasions. By 1965 they were regulars there.[25] They were there with Reparata & the Delrons in 1967.[26] As advertised in the New York Magazine, they were paying there in December 1969[27] There were advertisements for them in the Palm Beach Daily News on February 25, 1970.[28] Also March 7,[29] and the 13th.[30] In May 1970, they were on same bill at the club with an act called Frankie Paris and the Purple Haze.[31] On December 18, 1970, they played for the opening of Trude Heller's Take V club located at 119 N. County Road Palm Beach.[32]

Benny Gordon & The Soul Brothers members

The group consisted of Benny Gordon lead vocals, Ronnie Grieco saxophone, Perry Smith drums. Other members were Austin, Aaron/aka Shockey, Max and Tommy. Ronnie Grieco as a song man had played on state with Bill Doggett. In the Doggett band he also accompanied a young singer then known as Chuck Hatcher, later to be known as Edwin Starr.[33]

Recordings

It was announced in Billboard Magazine 6 May 1967 issue that the single "What Is Soul" along with singles by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Sharon Redd was predicted to reach the R&B singles chart.[34] In the 8 Jun 1968 issue of Billboard Magazine, it was predicted that the Tighten Up album release would do well for the new Koppelman-Rubin Hot Biscuit label. In addition to "Tighten Up" and "Hang On Sloopy", the album featured a soulful version of "Fly Me To The Moon".[35]

Benny Gordon & the Soul Brothers discography

Singles

Singles
Title Label and cat Year Notes #
"Camel Walk" / "Kansas City Woman" Enrica 1015 1964 (c) [36]
"True Love Is All I Need" / "You Found A New Love" Capitol 5367 1965 [37]
"Up And Down" / (Get It) "Come And Get It" RCA Victor 47-8953 1966
"Greyhound Blues" / "In The Midnight Hour" RCA Victor 47-9144 1967
"What Is Soul" / "I Can't Turn You Loose" RCA Victor 47-9194 1967
"Kiss To Build A Dream On" / "It Comes And Goes" RCA Victor 47-9270 1967 [38]
"Soul Woman" / "All In My Mind" RCA Victor 57-3453 1968 (Canada)[39]
Albums
Title Label and cat Year Notes #
Tighten Up Hot Biscuit Disc ST 9100 (S) 1968 [40]
What Is Soul? RCA LSP-4063 1969 [41]
Various artists, compilation albums
Title Label and cat Year Track Notes #
Just A Little Bit Of Soul (RCA (Camden) INT 1014) 1969 "A Kiss To Build A Dream On" [42]
Kent Stop Dancing Kent Records – KENT 029 1994 "Turn On Your Love Light" [43]
The Soul Of A Man Kent Records KENT 038 1985 "Crying Man" [44][45]

Benny Gordon discography

Estill singles
Title Label and cat Year Notes #
"Last Train To South Carolina" / "Don't Play It No More" Estill BG 17
"Give A Damn" (About Your Feller Man) / "Give A Damn" (About Your Feller Man) Estill 565
"So Much In Love" / "Lonely Man" Estill 600
"When I See Her, I'm Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got" / "So Much In Love" Estill 601
"Soul Woman" (by The Charms) / "The Hold Bag" (The B. G. Soul Brothers)" Estill 1000
"Sugar Mama" (You Know You're My Baby) Pt1 / "Sugar Mama" (You Know You're My Baby) Pt2 Estill 1000 [46]
"Suga Mama Suga Daddy" * / "La-La-La I am Falling In Love Again"** Soul City U.S.A. A-931 * Arranged by The B-G-Soul Bros
** Arranged by - A. Jones - J. Hollis[47]
Other singles
Title Label and cat Year Notes #
"Running In And Out" / "Stealing In The Name Of The Lord" Allendale 931 / 932 [48]
"True Love Is All I Need" / "You Found A New Love" Capitol 5367 1965 [49]
"Gonna Give Her All The Love I Got" / "Turn On Your Love Light" Wand WND 1188 1968 [50]
"Give A Damn (About Your Fellow Man) Part I" / "Give A Damn (About Your Fellow Man) Part II" Shadow 1012 1971 [51]
"Give A Damn (About Your Fellow Man) Part I" / "Give A Damn (About Your Fellow Man) Part 2" Phil-L.A. Of Soul 351 1971 [52]
"Sugar Mama Part 1" / "Sugar Mama Part 2" Deluxe 45-145 1972 [53]

Other

Act Title Label and cat Year Notes #
The Christian Harmonizers (Featuring B. Gordon) "Brightly Bean" / "Every Song That I Sing" Rae Cox 105 1962
The Christian Harmonizers (Featuring B. Gordon) "Look Back And Wonder" / "What Have You Done" Rae Cox 121 1963 [54]
Benny Gordon And The Days Of Our Life "All The Way In With Jesus Or All The Way Out" / "We Didn't Know Who You Was Jesus" Estill 931 [55]

References

  1. ↑ Soulful Kinda Music Benny Gordon
  2. ↑ Billboard 6 May 1967 Page 20, R&B Spotlights
  3. ↑ Carolina Soul Non-SC and National Label Releases
  4. ↑ Monti Rock III 1967 Ads: Trude Heller's Trik
  5. ↑ Palm Beach Daily News, December 17, 1970 Page 6
  6. ↑ 45cat Benny Gordon - Discography
  7. ↑ mondo phonic Covering The Tighten Up, A Survey by Brother Tad, Benny Gordon & the Soul Brothers Archived September 24, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ The Island Packet 'Roy C.' keeps Carolina's love affair with rhythm and blues alive by David Lauderdale
  9. ↑ mondo phonic Covering The Tighten Up, A Survey by Brother Tad, Benny Gordon & the Soul Brothers Archived September 24, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ Billboard June 8, 1968 Album Reviews page 42
  11. ↑ 45 Cat Record Details, Artist: Sammy Gordon And The Hip Huggers
  12. ↑ funky 16 Corners Bobby Womack 1944-2014
  13. ↑ Cool Mojito sammy Gordon
  14. ↑ Funky16Corners.Com Benny Gordon & the Soul Brothers – In the Midnight Hour
  15. ↑ Dead Roack Stars Club 2008 July to December
  16. ↑ The Augusta Chronicle Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008 Benjamin Gordon (ALLENDALE, S.C.)
  17. ↑ The Island Packet 'Roy C.' keeps Carolina's love affair with rhythm and blues alive by David Lauderdale
  18. ↑ Billboard 9 Oct 1965 Page 24 People And Places
  19. ↑ Billboard 20 Aug 1966 Page 10
  20. ↑ Vanity Fair Website A Night To Remember by Amy Fine Collins
  21. ↑ Tampa Bay Times Truman Capote's 'danse de triomphe'
  22. ↑ Party of the Century: The Fabulous Story of Truman Capote and His Black and White Ball by Deborah Davis 12 The Place To Be
  23. ↑ The Independent The inside story of Truman Capote's masked ball
  24. ↑ mondo phonic Covering The Tighten Up, A Survey by Brother Tad, Benny Gordon & the Soul Brothers Archived September 24, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
  25. ↑ Billboard 9 Oct 1965 Page 24 People And Places
  26. ↑ Monti Rock III 1967 Ads: Trude Heller's Trik
  27. ↑ New York Magazine In and Around Town by Ruth Gilbert, Page 23
  28. ↑ Palm Beach Daily News Feb 25 1970 Page 9
  29. ↑ Palm Beach Daily News March 7, 1970 Page 5
  30. ↑ Palm Beach Daily News Palm Beach Daily News March 13 1970 Page 7
  31. ↑ New York Magazine May 25, 1970 In And Around Town edited by Ruth Gilbert Page 18
  32. ↑ Palm Beach Daily News, December 17, 1970 Page 6
  33. ↑ Ronnie Greico website Ronnie’s Biography Ronnie Grieco – Legendary Sax Man
  34. ↑ Billboard Magazine 6 May 1967 Page 20 R&B Spotlights, Chart
  35. ↑ Billboard 8 Jun 1968 Page 45 Album Reviews
  36. ↑ 45cat Record Details Benny Gordon And The Soul Brothers Camel Walk
  37. ↑ Carolina Soul Non-SC and National Label Releases
  38. ↑ Soulful Kinda Music Benny Gordon Bennie Gordon And The Soul Brothers (members Bennie Gordon, ......................................)
  39. ↑ Discogs Benny Gordon – Soul Woman / All In My Mind
  40. ↑ Billboard June 8, 1968 Album Reviews page 42
  41. ↑ Discogs Benny Gordon & The Soul Brothers - What Is Soul?
  42. ↑ Discogs Various Just A Little Bit Of Soul
  43. ↑ Discogs Various – Kent Stop Dancing, Party Side (For Fruggers Only)
  44. ↑ Schwann Spectrum , Volume 2, Issues 3-4 Page 229
  45. ↑ Discogs Various – The Soul Of A Man
  46. ↑ Carolina Soul E, Estill
  47. ↑ Discogs - Benny Gordon Discography Singles & EPs
  48. ↑ 45Cat Record Details nc162948us
  49. ↑ 45Cat Record Details 5367
  50. ↑ 45Cat Record Details wnd1188
  51. ↑ 45Cat Record Details nc891879us
  52. ↑ 45Cat Record Details nc349202us
  53. ↑ 45Cat Record Details nc147575us
  54. ↑ Soulful Kinda Music Benny Gordon, The Christian Harmonizers (Featuring B. Gordon) (members Bennie Gordon, Sammy Gordon, ..)
  55. ↑ 45Car - Estill - Label Discography
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