Manchester Soul Jukebox
Headline News
by Edwin Starr
020
Released on the UK Polydor label in England as distributors for the USA original label RIC-TIC. An instant success at the ‘Wheel’ and an interesting story too as most none Soul Anoraks think Edwin was a Motown discovery. In fact Edwin was signed to Ed Wingate’s Golden World/Ric-Tic label in Detroit, the very same city as Motown and a thorn in the side of Berry Gordy, because his musicians would moonlight at the competitive label for extra cash (see Berry, Me And Motown – by Ranona Gordy-Singleton who had been Bery Gordy’s wife who assisted in setting up Motown). Another record with Motown’s musicians was Cool Jerk by the Capitals on the KAREN label, with Earl Van Dyke and others assisting on the 45. Could it be that Motown’s musicians were disgruntled with their fees? (see The Funk Brothers – Standing in the shadows of Motown.) However it was Berry Gordy who wanted to be the only recording studio in Detroit, and if that stopped his moonlighting staff, probably that suited him too. He bought out Ed Wingate’s operation and closed down Golden World. An interesting fact is that this means there are lots of recordings that have so far not emerged from the vaults of Motown/AKA Golden World. It would seem that Edwin was the artist who benefited most from the takeover and of course rightly so as his substantial catalogue supports.
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