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Ghost Canyon

Title - One For The Money / Open Up Your Love / Headlights
Artist - The Whispers

For those not in the know, The Whispers are an American group from Los Angeles, California, who have scored hit records since the late 1960s.

Indeed, The Whispers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003, and were winners of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Pioneer Award in 2008.

By popular vote, the group was inducted into The Soul Music Hall Of Fame at SoulMusic.com in December 2012, and The Official R&B Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

The Whispers formed in 1964 in Watts, California. The original members included identical twin brothers Wallace "Scotty" and Walter Scott, along with Gordy Harmon, Marcus Hutson, and Nicholas Caldwell.

The group scored many hits on the R&B and Billboard Hot 100 charts throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and they hit #1 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1979/80 with "And the Beat Goes On / "Can You Do the Boogie" / "Out the Box".

In 1987, they enjoyed a brief tenure in the Top 10 when "Rock Steady" became their first Top 10 success on the Hot 100, reaching #7, while also capturing the #1 spot on the R&B chart.

After a series of singles on Los Angeles label, Dore, the group signed to a small LA label, Soul Clock, run by producer Ron Carson, who was responsible for their breakthrough hit, "Seems Like I Got To Do Wrong" in 1970.

Moving to the larger New York-based Janus label, they continued to be produced by Carson, before he sold all of his recordings to Janus with the group then recording mainly in Philadelphia in the mid '70s.

Since that period, most of their studio work has been done in Los Angeles. Their most successful period was in the 1980s with SOLAR Records (Sound Of Los Angeles Records), which was operated by their manager at the time, Dick Griffey.

The Whispers later established their own production company, Satin Tie Productions, through which they released their independent 2006 album For Your Ears Only.

Releasing on July 20th, 2018 via Robinsongs / Cherry Red Records UK, is a wonderful 2CD set entitled One For The Money / Open Up Your Love / Headlights. CD 1 - One For The Money
1. "One for the Money"
2. "Living Together (In Sin)"
3. "Put Me in the News"
4. "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are"
5. "Sounds Like a Love Song"
6. "I've Got a Feeling"
7. "In My Heart"

CD1 - Open Up Your Love
8. "Make It with You"
9. "Chocolate Girl"
10. "Love Is a Dream"
11. "Open Up Your Love"
12. "I Fell in Love Last Night (At the Disco)"
13. "You Are Number One"
14. "You Never Miss Your Water ('Til Your Well Runs Dry)"
15. "I'm Gonna Make You My Wife"

CD 2 - Headlights
1. "Headlights"
2. "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out"
3. "(Let's Go) All the Way"
4. "(You're a) Special Part of My Life"
5. "The Planets of Life"
6. "Try and Make It Better"
7. "Disco Melody"
8. "Children of Tomorrow"
9. "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are" (7" Version) - Bonus Track
10. "Sounds Like a Love Song" (7" Version) - Bonus Track

The One For The Money album was originally released in 1976 on the Soul Train Label, and featured the R&B Top Ten Hit of the same name and the follow up single "Living Together (In Sin)", which just missed the R&B Top Twenty.

Though still at a more formative stage of their career at the time that this was made, if you listen closely you can hear the rich melodies that would be the trademark of their classic '80s material starting to emerge.

Not the completely listenable album that Just Gets Better With Time or Toast To The Ladies is, but still something that both Whispers aficionados and fans of good '70s soul should check out; especially for the beautiful six minute long "message" ballad, "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are".

This new 2CD set also includes the 7” versions of the tracks "You’re Only As Good As You Think You Are" and "Sounds Like A Love Song" as bonus tracks on disc two.

Following up the One For The Money album was the 1977 release Open Up Your Love, also released on the Soul Train label. It kicked off with a soulful cover of Bread’s "Make It With You", which gave the group another R&B Top Ten Hit. Other stand out tracks on Open Up Your Love are "Chocolate Girl" and "I Fell In Love Last Night (At The Disco)".

Being released during the days of disco, it was actually the ballad "You Are My Number One" that I remember most about this still-great album. For my money, it is worth the price of musical admission alone.

It should also be noted that "I'm Gonna Make You My Wife," the last track of the album, and by far one of the best of the eight, made its richly deserved "comeback" in 'Waiting to Exhale' (1995).

The third album in this package is Headlights originally released in 1978 this time on Solar Records. Again, the album included a R&B Top Ten Hit "(Let’s Go) All The Way" and, just missing out on the Top Ten, "(Olivia) Lost And Turned Out".

However, probably the best track on the album is "The Planets Of Life" which was not released as a single, but if you love it as much as everyone else seems to, you should definitely check out the KB's Groovy Edit of it!

Trust me when I say that every song on this great album is a winner that will bring back all those old memories from the past for you. Really, anyone that loves good music and real, genuine singing will love the vocal harmonies of The Whispers on Headlights.

I mean, come on now, this album is worth the money alone for the title track that kicks the album off, "Headlights." It's seven minutes of ultra funk at its very finest. So, turn up the volume and let it fill your heart and soul!

This package features sleeve notes by Christian John Wikane, a New York based music journalist who interviewed Walter Scott of The Whispers, who described these three albums as the exciting new phase of The Whispers’ career: “The early days of Solar Records were just incredible.”

The Whispers @ Facebook!

Official 2CD Purchase Link

www.TheWhispers.com

www.CherryRed.co.uk





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