Annette Snell Love Connection

Annette Snell was born in 1945 in Sandersville Georgia.In 1965 and 1966 she was a member of the Fabuleetes but went solo in 1968, first to New York City and then Nashville. She worked with Paul Kelly who co-wrote some of her songs. She secured a contract to record in Muscle Shoals with Epic and was on her way from there when her plane was caught in a bad thunderstorm and crashed. ( Southern Airlines flight 242, 1977)Sadly she was not among the survivors.RIP Annette.

ANNETTE SNELL-you ought a be here with me

Annette with a nice easy listening Soul number. This was her biggest hit in a career cut tragically short. RIP Annette.

Annetta - Since There Is No More You

Annette Snell or Annetta as she sometimes called herself with Paul Kelly in the background with a Deep Soul number. Great voice but so sad she died in a plane crash at 32. RIP Annette.

Gwen McCrae Rockin Chair, Keep The Fire Burning, 90% Of Me, Clean Up Wom...

Gwen McCrae ( nee Mosley ) was born in 1943. She married George McCrae in 1963. Bettye Wright helped them get signed to TK Records and they recorded as a duo. Gwen recorded solo with Cat, a subsidiary of TK. Rockin Chair which used a hook from George's famous Rock Me Baby was one of her biggest hits. She made the charts several times at TK but when the company collapsed she moved to New Jersey and recorded with Atlantic. She was popular on the Northern Soul scene in the UK and also in Europe. She made many more albums with numerous companies and was popular on the live audience scene, appearing at several Soul venues like Baltic Soul Weekender. Unfortunately she suffered a stroke in 2012 which left her unable to walk. The present clip is a medley of live versions of some of her best work. Bettye Wright's influence is evident in the last track.

Gwen McCrae - All this Love - Live at Baltic Soul Weekender #5

Gwen McCrae at Baltic Soul Weekender. Great performance from this iconic singer, aged 68 here. Wonderful stage presence. She really gets connected with her audience and with the band too!

Gwen McCrae - You Were Always On My Mind

Gwen with a great version of this song which was later covered by Willie nelson and Elvis among others.I like this version very much.Always liked the song before discovering her version.

Shake Your Groove Thing

Marcia with a number that has become a mainstay for the present day Three Degrees.

What I Did For Love

Marcia Hines again. An Australian national treasure with a great song I know very well from The Three Degrees. Beautiful clear voice. She landed in Australia at 16 to do Hair! and they never let her go!

Marcia Hines – Fire and Rain | ABC 90 Celebrate! | ABC Australia

Marcia Hines is an artist I've featured four songs from quite a while back. Born in America but moved to Australia as a teenager to feature in the Australian production of Hair! she has become a national treasure there, awarded The Order of Australia. She sings James Taylor's song which deals with three things, the suicide of a good friend, his own addiction to drugs and a mental institute he was placed in at one time.

Music And Memories

Shirley Marie O'Garra who went by the name Shirley Ellis ( from her husbands name, Elliston) was born in 1929 and started her career in 1958. Although she retired from music in 1968 she nevertheless had some big hits,including the novelty song, The Name Game and The Clapping Song.She died in 2005 at age 76 , survived by her husband of 56 years .Her songs were covered by a number of big name artists and used commercially .She has a pleasing phrasing in this track of a more serious nature Soul ballad.

The Clapping Song (Clap Pat Clap Slap)

Shirley with a novelty hit which turned out to be one of her biggest hits.

Shirley Ellis - C C Rider

Shirley with a well known Soul standard . I've heard Esther Phillips, LaVern Baker and Elvis do this. Shirley is another of those people I think should have had more attention in the 60's.