Upbeat soul 45s on the FAME label

Sooks

So I have 3 45s on the Fame label that I like a lot - George Soule's 'Get Involved', Spencer Wiggins 'Double Lovin' (thanks FoS), Candi Staton's 'I'm Just a Prisoner'. They all have a great upbeat dancefloor soul sound - is the whole label as solid as this? I've heard some other Candi Staton on Fame, but no other artists on this label apart from the 45s that I have. Any other recommendations in this vein?

pickwick33

So I have 3 45s on the Fame label that I like a lot -
George Soule's 'Get Involved',
Spencer Wiggins 'Double Lovin' (thanks FoS),
Candi Staton's 'I'm Just a Prisoner'.

They all have a great upbeat dancefloor soul sound - is the whole label as solid as this? I've heard some other Candi Staton on Fame, but no other artists on this label apart from the 45s that I have. Any other recommendations in this vein?

Fame is a solid label if you're into southern soul - Clarence Carter and Jimmy Hughes I can recommend as well. The Villagers and Travis Wammack are white artists who are a little more rock-oriented, but even then there's a definite soul influence (try Wammack's "Slip Away" or the Villagers'"Laugh It Off").

Now, about that uptempo business...that is frankly an odd, limited way to look at it, because soul is soul no matter what rhythm, and Fame's artists recorded in ALL tempos just like most artists do. That said, there are plenty more uptempo dance goodies on Fame to look out for. If Jimmy Hughes' excellent "Why Not Tonight" is too slow for your soul party, flip it over for the danceable "I'm A Man Of Action."

holmes

Yeah, you can't go wrong to explore more of the Clarence Carter, Candi Staton, Travis Wammack & Jimmy Hughes ('Lovely Ladies' is upbeat) 45s. Great label.

bass_fever

The biggest one on the label is an Art Freeman track...I forget what it's called but it worth a little money cuz it gets play overseas, all the Jimmy Hughes joints are pretty quality and you can always find 'em cheap!

holmes

The biggest one on the label is an Art Freeman track...I forget what it's called but it worth a little money cuz it gets play overseas, all the Jimmy Hughes joints are pretty quality and you can always find 'em cheap!

'Slipping Around With You', I think there are a couple of pricey Dan Penn ones as well, James Barnett 'Keep On Talking' isn't cheap either.

Belson

Also check for;

Willard Posey Reunion - 'Chicken strut/American woman'
Fame Gang - 'Turn my chicken loose'
Fame Gang - 'Grits and gravy'

bass_fever

'Slipping Around With You', I think there are a couple of pricey Dan Penn ones as well, James Barnett 'Keep On Talking' isn't cheap either.

Yeah, the Dan Penn & James Barnett ones have the older looking label desin I think...The 60's looking graphics, as opposed to the 70's type design of the later 45s...

Sooks

Thanks for the recommendations, everybody. The uptempo part is because I'm generally looking for dancefloor cuts, and the others that I have work well. It's also nice to hear that there are some good less expensive ones out there, too.

luck

So I have 3 45s on the Fame label that I like a lot -
George Soule's 'Get Involved',
Spencer Wiggins 'Double Lovin' (thanks FoS),
Candi Staton's 'I'm Just a Prisoner'.

They all have a great upbeat dancefloor soul sound - is the whole label as solid as this? I've heard some other Candi Staton on Fame, but no other artists on this label apart from the 45s that I have. Any other recommendations in this vein?

Fame is a solid label if you're into southern soul - Clarence Carter and Jimmy Hughes I can recommend as well. The Villagers and Travis Wammack are white artists who are a little more rock-oriented, but even then there's a definite soul influence (try Wammack's "Slip Away" or the Villagers'"Laugh It Off").

Now, about that uptempo business...that is frankly an odd, limited way to look at it, because soul is soul no matter what rhythm, and Fame's artists recorded in ALL tempos just like most artists do. That said, there are plenty more uptempo dance goodies on Fame to look out for. If Jimmy Hughes' excellent "Why Not Tonight" is too slow for your soul party, flip it over for the danceable "I'm A Man Of Action."

Fame is worth getting to know on an historical basis, as well. Rick Hall and company produced much more than the music on their own Fame label.

If you don't have Candi Staton's three Fame LPs, get her recent comp on Honest Jon's immediately. Absolutely essential and revelatory for any soul music fan.

George Jackson and Willie Hightower had a few nice songs on Fame, too. All in all, you're probably most familiar with the Capitol-distributed singles. The following is a half-assed discography I started compiling years ago but let slip through the cracks, specifically the latter-day (still great) stuff. The sporadic dates listed represent, respectively, the first known release for that year:


Fame discography

LPs

Capitol dist:
Fame 4200: Fame Gang - Solid Gold From Muscle Shoals
Fame 4201: Candi Staton - I'm Just A Prisoner
Fame 4202: Candi Staton - Stand By Your Man

United Artists dist:
Fame 1800: Candi Staton - s/t
Fame 1801: Travis Wammack - s/t

Fame 181: Clarence Carter - 60 Minutes With Clarence Carter


45s

VeeJay dist:
Fame 6400: Jimmy Hughes - I'm Qualified / My Lovin' Time - 1964
Fame 6401: Jimmy Hughes - Steal Away / Lollypops, Lace And Lipstick
Fame 6402: Dan Penn - Close To Me / Let Them Talk
Fame 6403: Jimmy Hughes - Try Me / Lovely Ladies
Fame 6404: Jimmy Hughes - I'm Getting Better?? / I Want Justice - 1965
Fame 6405: Spooner (Oldham) and the Spoons - Hey, Do You Wanna Marry / Wish You Didn't Have To Go
Fame 6406: June Conquest - Almost Persuaded / Party Talk
Fame 6407: Jimmy Hughes - Goodbye My Lover Goodbye / It Was Nice
Fame 6408: (not issued)
Fame 6409: Lonnie Ray (Dan Penn) - Just As I Am / Diamonds
Fame 6410: Jimmy Hughes - You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy / The Loving Physician

ATCO dist:
Fame 1000: Jimmy Hughes - Midnight Affair / When It Comes To Dancing
Fame 1001: James Barnett - Keep On Talking / Take A Good Look
Fame 1002: Jimmy Hughes - Everybody Let's Dance / You Might As Well Forget Him - 1966
Fame 1002: Terry Woodford - Gonna Make You Say Yeah / Hit The Ground
Fame 1003: Jimmy Hughes - Neighbor Neighbor / It's A Good Thing
Fame 1004: Terry Woodford - It's His Town / She Wants What She Can't Have
Fame 1005: The Villagers - Laugh It Off / You're Gonna Lose That Girl
Fame 1006: Jimmy Hughes - A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues / I Worship The Ground You Walk On
Fame 1007: Arthur Conley - I Can't Stop (No No No) / In The Same Old Way
Fame 1008: Art Freeman - Slippin' Around With You / I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind
Fame 1009: Arthur Conley - Take Me (Just As I Am) / I'm Gonna Forget About You
Fame 1010: Clarence Carter - Tell Daddy / I Stayed Away Too Long - 1967
Fame 1011: Jimmy Hughes - Why Not Tonight / I'm A Man Of Action
Fame 1012: Art Freeman - Everybody's Got To Cry Sometime / A Piece Of My Heart
Fame 1013: Clarence Carter - Thread The Needle / Don't Make My Baby Cry
Fame 1014: Jimmy Hughes - Don't Lose Your Good Thing / You Can't Believe Everything You Hear
Fame 1015: Jimmy Hughes - Hi-Heel Sneakers / Time Will Bring You Back
Fame 1016: Clarence Carter - The Road Of Love / She Ain't Gonna Do Right

Capitol dist:
Fame 1456: Candi Staton - I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart (Than A Young Man's Fool) / For You - 1969
Fame 1457:??George Jackson - Find 'Em, Fool 'Em, And Forget 'Em / My Desires Are Getting The Best Of Me
Fame 1458: Fame Gang - Grits And Gravy / Soul Feud
Fame 1459: Candi Staton - Never In Public / You Don't Love Me No More
Fame 1460: Candi Staton - I'm Just A Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin') / Heart On A String
Fame 1461: James Govan - Wanted: Lover (No Experience Necessary) / Jambolyia
Fame 1462: Tommy Strand - Funky Way To Treat Somebody / Instant Reaction??
Fame 1463: Candi Staton - Love Machine / Love Me Tonight
Fame 1464: Johnny Steele - Better Days Are Coming / Steal Away To Nowhere
Fame 1465: Willie Hightower - You Used Me Baby / Walk A Mile In My Shoes
Fame 1466: Candi Staton - Sweet Feeling / Evidence - 1970
Fame 1467: David and the Giants - A Letter To Josephine / Super Good Feeling
Fame 1468: George Jackson - That's How Much You Mean To Me / I'm Gonna Hold On (To What I Got)
Fame 1469: Roscoe Robinson - Don't Pretend (Just Be Yourself) / What Color Is Love??
Fame 1470: Candi Staton - Double Lovin' / I'd Rather Go Blind
Fame 1471: Fame Gang - Turn My Chicken Loose / Twangin' My Thang
Fame 1472: Candi Staton - Stand By Your Man / How Can I Put Out The Flame (When You Keep The Fire Burning)
Fame 1473: James Govan - You Get A Lot To Like / Sometime
Fame 1474: Willie Hightower - I Can't Love Without You / Time Has Brought A Change
Fame 1475: Marcel Strong - Mumble In My Ear / What You're Missin' Someone's Gettin'
Fame 1476: Candi Staton - He Called Me Baby / What Would Become Of Me - 1971
Fame 1477: Willie Hightower - Back Road Into Town / Poor Man
Fame 1478: Candi Staton - Mr. And Mrs. Untrue / Too Hurt To Cry
Fame 1479: Bettye Swann - I Can't Let You Break My Heart / I'm Just Living A Lie
Fame 1480: Tommy Strand - Am I Groovin' You / I Wanna Testify
Fame 1481: Sami Jo - Don't Hang No Halos On Me / Get It On

United Artists dist:
Fame 91000: Candi Staton - In The Ghetto / Sure As Sin - 1972
Fame 91001: Travis Wammack - Slip Away / Whatever Turns You On
Fame 91002: Sunnshine - Niki Hoeky / same
Fame 91003: Sami Jo - Big Silver Angel / I Think I Love You Again
Fame 91004: Willard Posey Reunion - Just To Please You / Cissy Strut-N-American Woman
Fame 91005: Candi Staton - Lovin' You, Lovin' Me / You Don't Love Me No More
Fame 91006: Clarence Carter - Back In Your Arms Again / Holdin' Out
Fame 91007: Travis Wammack - So Good / Darling, You're All That I Had
Fame 91008: Travis Wammack - How Can I Tell You / So Good
Fame 91009: Candi Staton - Do It In The Name Of Love / The Thanks I Get For Loving You - 1973

Fame 179: Clarence Carter - Put On Your Shoes And Walk / I've Found Somebody New
Fame 191: George Soule - I'll Take Care Of You / Baby Please Me
Fame 250: Clarence Carter - 60 Minute Man / Mother In Law
Fame 256: Candi Staton - Something's Burning / It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)
Fame 328: Candi Staton - Love Chain / I'm Gonna Hold On (To What I Got This Time)
Fame 329: Tunnie Smith - Do That To Me / Finders Aren't Always Keepers
Fame 330: Clarence Carter - I'm The Midnight Special / I've Got Another Woman

peacefulrotation

Fame 1456: Candi Staton - I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart (Than A Young Man's Fool) / For You - 1969

This one stays in my play-out box...it's pretty damn dancefloor friendly and a great song. Fame is a really good label to explore, love that sound.

pickwick33

Fame 1007: Arthur Conley - I Can't Stop (No No No) / In The Same Old Way
Fame 1457:??George Jackson - Find 'Em, Fool 'Em, And Forget 'Em / My Desires Are Getting The Best Of Me

I can ride for "I Can't Stop" and "Find 'Em" being dance-floor fillers...

Fame 1481: Sami Jo - Don't Hang No Halos On Me / Get It On
Fame 91003: Sami Jo - Big Silver Angel / I Think I Love You Again

I've never heard these records, but I remember Sami Jo being this lightweight country-crossover singer (her big 1974 hit, not on Fame, was "Tell Me A Lie"). Just thought I'd point that out in case you find these singles expecting one thing and getting another...

mr.brett

Candi Staton's 'I'm Just a Prisoner'.

This song is incredible.

On_the_Red_Clay

Fame 1466: Candi Staton - Sweet Feeling / Evidence - 1970

this one hasnt left my play-out box in 3 years

parsec

Willie Hightower shreds