AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Detroit Emeralds

Artist:The Detroit Emeralds

Song:Feel the Need in Me

Album:Greatest Hits

The 1973 single Feel the Need in Me was the biggest hit for the soul group The Detroit Emeralds. The song charted twice which I will explain. Despite the group name, The Emeralds were four brothers from Little Rock, AR. They were Ivory, Abrim, Cleophus and Raymond Tilmon. Abrim Tilmon wrote and produced all the songs. After Cleophus and Raymond left the group, they were replaced by childhood friend James Mitchell. The Emeralds moved to Detroit and changed their name to The Detroit Emeralds. They charted with the 1968 single Show Time on Ric-Tic Records. Soon after, Motown owner Berry Gordy bought Ric-Tic mainly to get Edwin Starr's contract. The Detroit Emeralds signed with Westbound Records owned by Bridgeport Music owner Armen Boladian. He owns the publishing rights of George Clinton songs. Westbound was active in the 70s. The Detroit Emeralds had success on the R&B charts with singles like Do Me Right, You Want It, You Got It and Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms). All three were top ten R&B hits. The 1972 single Feel the Need in Me was their biggest hit because it reached #4 on the British Singles chart. All these songs were written by Abrim Tilmon and he and James Mitchell produced and arranged under the name Katouzzion. Motown and Stax veteran Johnny Allen arranged and conducted the strings. The Detroit Emeralds released a disco version of Feel the Need in Me in 1977 and it reached #14 on the Dance chart. You can get all their hits on this comp CD. Soon after, The Detroit Emeralds split into two groups. Abrim Tilmon continued to lead them while James Mitchell joined his brother Paul Mitchell in The Floaters and they scored a top five hit with the 1977 single Float On. When that ended, there were two versions of The Detroit Emeralds touring the oldies circuit. There were plans to do a Detroit Emeralds reunion when Abrim Tilmon died of a heart attack on July 6, 1982 at age 37. James Mitchell reformed The Detroit Emeralds in 2019. They released a couple of singles and they are still performing. Here's The Detroit Emeralds performing Feel the Need in Me 1972.