AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dorothy Love Coates And The Original Gospel Harmonettes

Artist:Dorothy Love Coates and the Original Gospel Harmonettes

Song:You Must Be Born Again

Album:The Best of Dorothy Love Coates and the Original Harmonettes

Though I am sure most of you have never heard of her, gospel singer songwriter Dorothy Love Coates was a major influence on the music we listen to today. No less a star than Little Richard repeatedly cited her as a major influence. And he ain't the only one. Dorothy could have been a mainstream star. But she always refused to sing secular music and even retired in the early 50s when the other members of the group appeared on Arthur Godfrey's show. She was born Dorothy McGriff Jan. 28, 1928 in Birmingham, AL. as one of seven children. Her father was a minister and he left the family when she was six. Dorothy played piano in church and performed with her siblings as The McGriff Singers. They had a live weekly radio show on radio station WJLD. Dorothy quit high school after grade ten. She worked menial jobs during the week and sang with The Gospel Harmoneers on Sunday. Dorothy had her greatest success in the 50s as leader of The Original Gospel Harmonettes. She was not only lead singer but she wrote most of the songs. They appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts in 1949 and that got them a record deal with RCA. Dorothy was not on those recordings. She returned when they left RCA and signed with Art Rupe's Specialty label. They had R&B and gospel artists on the label. The 1951 single Get Away Jordan was probably their biggest hit. You Must Be Born Again was released in 1954. There were times that Dorothy's stage performance was so fervent that she would disappear from the stage. The other members brought her back. Of course James Brown copied this. So Dorothy's influence was very broad. Many R&B artists acknowledged the influence of the church. Dorothy retired in 1959 and that's when Specialty released these two comps. They were released on one CD after Fantasy Records bought Specialty in 1991. These recordings are now owned by Concord. It's available on CD. Dorothy joined the Civil Rights movement in 1961. So she was very active doing that in the 60s. She reformed The Gospel Harmonettes in 1961. They recorded for Okeh and Nashboro. After they split up, Dorothy formed The Dorothy Love Coates Singers and they recorded for Savoy. She retired from recording in 1980 but continued to make appearances including in the films The Long Walk Home (1990) and The Beloved (1998). Dorothy Love Coates died on Apr. 9, 2002 at age 74. Here's Dorothy Love Coates and the Original Gospel Harmonettes performing You Must Be Born Again. I got this video from Facebook. I don't normally go to Facebook but I couldn't find this on YouTube.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Chvrches

Artist:Chvrches

Song:The Mother We Share

Album:Bones of What You Believe In: 10 Year Anniversary Special Edition

The Scottish synth pop band Chvrches have had success mostly in England. Their 2013 debut album Bones of What You Believe In is their biggest selling album and The Mother We Share is their biggest hit. But they have never scored a big hit and they are more of an album and touring band. Iain Cook and Martin Doherty met in 2003 as students at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Doherty was in the band Julia Thirteen and he asked Cook to produced their 2006 EP Tired Hearts. Julia Thirteen went nowhere but Doherty and Cook wanted to work together. Cook was in the band Aereogramme. Doherty joined the band but they soon split up in 2007.Doherty was in The Twilight Sad's touring band. But he got tired of playing someone else's music and left in 2012. He had planned to train as a history teacher. Then he reconnected with Cook and they decided to start their own band. Cook was interested in synth pop influenced by the band Emeralds. Then he produced a 2011 EP for the band Blue Sky Archives and he asked their lead singer and drummer Lauren Mayberry if she would be interested in adding vocals to their project. At first Doherty was supposed to be lead singer. But both guys liked Lauren's singing and she was made lead singer. The band is called Churches but was changed to Chvrches for copyright reasons and differentiate them from real churches. I think the name is confusing so I don't like it. At first, Chvurches had not planned to tour and were going to be a studio band. The 2013 song Lies was posted on the Neon Gold Records blog. It was accompanied by a picture of three masked nuns. But Lies was played on BBC Radio 1. They were surprised by the response. They realized that they would have to perform live to get a record deal. The problem was when record companies came to their shows, they were interested in Lauren and not the band because of her looks. Cook and Doherty should have anticipated that but that showed their naivety. They signed with the indie label Glassnote Records and released the 2013 album The Bones of What You Believe and the single The Mother We Share. The album was certified Gold in England and The Mother We Share is their highest charting single to date. The album was released on Virgin's Vertigo label in Europe. Chvrches write and produce everything. A 2CD tenth anniversary edition of The Bones of What You Believe was released in 2023. It is available on CD. Chvrches has released four albums, most recently in 2021. They signed a new record deal with Island Records in 2022. Meanwhile, Lauren released a 2024 solo album Vicious Creature on EMI Records. Chvrches should have a new album out sometime this year. Here's the video for The Mother We Share by Chvrches.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Cowboy Mouth

Artist:Cowboy Mouth

Song:Jenny Says

Album:Are You with  Me?

Cowboy Mouth had modest success in the 90s. Jenny Says is probably their best known song. But it wasn't a big enough hit to keep them on a major label. I don't think they should have been on a major label in the first place. They would have been better of on an indie label like Yep Roc. Cowboy Mouth is from New Orleans. They were formed in 1990 by lead singer, drummer and main songwriter Fred LeBlanc. In the 80s, LeBlanc was in the bands The Backbeats and Dash Rip Rock. Meanwhile, John Thomas Griffith was in the new wave band Red Rockers and their 1983 video for China was played a lot on MTV. After they split up in 1986, Griffith released a 1988 solo album. Meanwhile, LeBlanc signed a record deal with EMI. He got together with former Backbeats guitarist Paul Sanchez and approached Griffith about forming a band. The name Cowboy Mouth is from a play by Sam Shepherd and Patti Smith meaning loudmouth. LeBlanc was lead singer and drummer. Griffiths was lead guitarist. Sanchez was rhythm guitarist. He left in 2006. And after that, the rhythm guitarist and bassist were disposable. After releasing a couple of albums on indie labels, Cowboy Mouth signed with MCA Records and released the 1996 album Are You with Me?. Jenny Says from that album is their most popular song. LeBlanc wrote it and Dash Rip Rock recorded it in 1989. The album was produced by John Cougar Mellencamp's guitarist Michael Wanchic. MCA was disappointed with album sales. This album is available as a budget CD. After the 1998 album Mercyland was also a disappointment, MCA dropped Cowboy Mouth. Since then they have recorded for indie labels and currently on their own label. And they still tour. Last year they released an album of covers called Cover Yo' Azz. They have enough of a fanbase in New Orleans that they don't need to be on a major label and probably would have been better off if they had never recorded for MCA. Here's the video for Jenny Says by Cowboy Mouth.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ryan Follese

Artist:Ryan Follese

Song:Float Your Boat

Album:Ryan Follese

Singer songwriter Ryan Follese (pronounced Foll-eh-see) was lead singer of the band Hot Chelle Rae from 2005-14. After they went on hiatus, he signed with Big Machine and released the 2017 album Ryan Follese. He was born Feb. 16, 1987 in Nashville. His parents are Nashville songwriters Keith and Adrienne Follese. His brother Jamie was the drummer in Hot Chelle Rae. His parents lived in Los Angeles and they signed with A&M. But they never recorded. They moved to Nashville and Keith Follese has written hits for Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Lonestar. He was named 2001 Songwriter of the Year by ASCAP. As a child, Follese observed his dad in the recording studio. He started writing songs as a child. Plus his mom taught him to sing. Follese played local clubs as a teen. He formed the band Miracle Drug in 2005 with guitarist Nash Overstreet. Overstreet brought in his childhood friend Ian Keaggy to play bass. And Jamie Follese played drums. For copyright reasons, the band name was changed to Hot Chelle Rae. They signed with Jive Records and the 2011 single Tonight Tonight was a top ten hit. After two albums and constant touring, Hot Chelle Rae went on hiatus. Folese signed with Big Machine and released the single Float Your Boat. This was followed by the 2017 album Ryan Follese. The album was produced by Cameron Montgomery and Dann Huff. Huff is a veteran studio musician. Montgomery seems to have been a Big Machine house producer at the time. Follese wrote the songs with his parents, his brother and Montgomery. The album is available as a digital download. Follese left Big Machine and released singles on small labels. Hot Chelle Rae reformed in 2018. Follese decided not to return and has formed the duo Ryan and Rory with Rory John Zak. They signed with BBR Music and released an EP in 2024. We'll see how that goes but I wouldn't be surprised if Ryan Follese ended up being a songwriter for hire like his parents. Here's the video for Float Your Boat by Ryan Follese. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Vicki Yohe

Artist:Vicki Yohe

Song:Because of Who You Are

Album:I Just Want You

If you read my blog, you will know that I write occasionally about gospel music. Currently there are two main kinds of gospel music; Contemporary Black Gospel and Contemporary Christian. But there is occasional crossover. For example TobyMac is a Christian rapper and his music appeals to both audiences. And there are black artists like CeCe Winans who are popular with white audiences. There are also white artists who are popular with black audiences. Martha Munizzi is a current example of that. Vicki Yohe is a traditional gospel singer who has had success with black listeners. Her music is not CCM. Her audience is older. She was born July 13, 1965 in Normal, IL. but she grew up in Rapid City, SD. Her family moved to Hammond, LA. when she was a teen. Her father was a Pentecostal minister so she was a PK. So she grew up singing in church. At age 19, Vicki became musical director at a church near Baton Rouge, LA. Her father's congregation was mainly black. Plus her main musical influences were Aretha Franklin and Tremaine Hawkins. She self released an album in 1992. This got the attention of Irving Azoff's label Giant Records. She released three albums on Giant. And at that time, it was difficult to sell gospel on a secular label. So she left Giant. Now I would like to tell you who produced those albums but I think they have been scrubbed from the internet. Even Discogs doesn't have anything about them. So I dunno. I believe that Vicki decided to reach her target audience and she needed to be on a gospel label that crossed racial borders. CeCe Winans saw Vicki on Trinity Broadcasting Network's program Praise the Lord. And CeCe was just starting her Pure Springs Gospel label with EMI Gospel distribution. So Vicki signed and that's when she started to have success with the 2003 album I Just Want You and the single Because of Who You Are. The album reached the Gospel top ten and was nominated for Stellar and Dove awards. The single topped the Gospel chart. The album was produced by Chris Harris who has a history of producing these type of crossover acts like Jaci Velasquez, Kathy Troccoli and Ron Kenoly. Because of Who You Are was written by another crossover artist Martha Munizzi. This album is available as a budget CD. Vicki released two albums for Pure Springs Gospel. Since then she released two albums on Shanachie and they are strictly a distributor. Her latest album was released in 2013. She recently teased that she might record again. But she spends most of her time appearing at various churches. But her 2017 ardent support of Donald Trump alienated a lot of blacks. So I think a comeback is a longshot at best. Her crossover success was a niche anyway and I don't know if any CCM artists would want to do that now. Of course TobyMac is an exception but he's a unicorn. Here's Vicki Yohe performing Because of Who You Are. I chose this video because it's with a live band and other videos had her performing with backing tracks which is done frequently when gospel artists perform in churches.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Doris Day

Artist:Doris Day f/Harry James

Song:The Very Thought of You

Album:Young Man with a Horn: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

The 1950 film Young Man with a Horn was an important film for Doris Day because it was her first drama. Up to then, she had only done musicals. She still sang in this film but she was getting typecast and wanted to do something different. The film was "inspired" by jazz trumpet pioneer Bix Beiderbecke meaning Warner Bros. could tell any story they wanted. The screenplay was written by Carl Foreman and Edmund H. North, produced by Jerry Wald and directed by Michael Curtiz. Kirk Douglas played trumpeter Rick Martin. The trumpet solos are by big band leader Harry James. Doris plays girl singer Jo Jordan and of course she develops a romance with Martin. I'm sure Doris was comfortable with playing a girl singer as that's what she was in the Harry James band before she got into films. Other actors include Lauren Bacall, Hoagy Carmichael and Juano Hernandez. That's Carmichael on the piano in the video. The main criticism of Young Man with a Horn was it was too slick and had a phony happy ending considering that Beiderbecke died from alcoholism at age 28. In her autobiography, Doris said she felt like an outsider especially since Douglas had dated Lauren so they were friends. And Douglas was never a giving actor. So he didn't help make Doris comfortable. The one thing critics liked in this film was James' trumpet playing. So Warner Bros. got Doris' record label Columbia to release a soundtrack album. It was released as a 10" LP. They had Doris and James rerecord the songs from the film. The album was successful. But I don't think record buyers knew that the recordings were not from the film. Fortunately, the Spanish label The Soundtrack Factory released the actual soundtrack in 2016. This label specializes in reissuing soundtracks that weren't released properly in the first place. So this CD has the music that was in the film. This is available on CD. Here's Doris Day featuring Kirk Douglas and Harry James performing The Very Thought of You from the 1950 film Young Man with a Horn. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-beabadoobee

Artist:beabadoobee

Song:Take a Bite

Album:This Is How Tomorrow Moves

Beatrice Laus is a singer songwriter who was born in the Philippines and grew up in England. She has been critically acclaimed and her latest album topped the British album chart. But she hasn't had a hit single yet or had success in the US. She has a new album coming out in Sept. But I don't know if she is distinctive enough to be successful. She was born June 3, 2000 in Iloilo City, Philippines but her family moved to London, England when she was three. She grew up listening to Filipino music and modern pop music. Her main influence is Yeah Yeah Yeahs lead singer Karen O. Beatrice attended the all girls Catholic school Sacred Heart High School followed by her final year at Hammersmith Academy. She was expelled from school due to failing grades and "misfit behavior". She used YouTube tutorials to learn to play guitar. She was inspired by indie artists like Elliott Smith and Kimya Dawson to make her own music. The first song she wrote was Coffee. Her friend and producer Oscar Lang suggested she use a pseudonym and she came up with beabadoobee which is her user name on Instagram. I hate the name. No one can spell it or pronounce it. As I always say "Keep it simple, stupid". And a name like that does her no favors. She posted it on YouTube in 2017 and it got 300,000 views. That got her a record deal with the indie label Dirty Hit. The popular indie band The 1975 is also on that label and Beatrice toured with them. After a couple of EPs, Beatrice was named to the NME 100 of "essential new artists". Then she appeared on the cover of NME. She was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the Brit Awards and appeared on the BBC critics poll Sound of 2020. Beatrice performed on the 2020 NME Awards and won the Radar Award. That's when she toured with The 1975. She was supposed open for them on their US tour but it was cancelled due to COVID-19. After Canadian rapper Powfu sampled Coffee on his 2019 single Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head), it went viral on TikTok and was a worldwide hit. Her 2020 debut album Fake It Flowers reached #8 on the British Album chart but there were no hit singles. Billboard and Apple named her Best New Artist. Then she toured the UK. Beatrice released her 2022 album Beatopia and the single Glue Song spread on TikTok. It didn't chart because that was before Billboard changed their metric to include viral hits. Beatopia reached #4 on the British Albums chart but again there were no hit singles. Beatrice toured Europe and she opened for Taylor Swift in 2023. The 2024 album This Is How Tomorrow Moves topped the British Album chart. But again there were no hit singles. Beatrice wrote all the songs. Rick Rubin was brought in to produce. This album is available on CD. Beatrice has an album titled Pylon set for release in Sept. So what should Beatrice do to get to the next level? She could switch to a major label. But Dirty Hit has expanded operations including an office in Los Angeles. There is nothing wrong with Beatrice but she isn't distinctive enough. It's crowded out there. Have Dirty Hit work out a distribution deal with a major label. That may be the only solution. We'll see how it goes. Here's the video for Take a Bite by beabadoobee.