More UK Sue

  Maurice Williams (extreme left in the photo) and The Zodiacs were, in 1960, Maurice Williams, Wiley Bennett, Henry Gaston, Charles Thomas, Willie Morrow and Albert Hill. The group, at first a doo wop group, had recorded previously under the names The Royal Charms, The Gladiolas and The Excellos. They also recorded the original version of the doo wop classic “Little Darlin'”. Maurice Williams was born in Lancaster, South Carolina on 26 April 1938 and sang gospel as a boy in church. In the 1950s he formed a group called The Royal Charms and they recorded for Excello in Nashville. Excello suggested they rename the group as The Gladiolas and their first recording, Little Darlin’, made no 11 on the R&B chart. In 1959 the group split, reformed, and renamed as The Zodiacs. They recorded the demo of “Stay” in 1960 and took it to Herald Records in New York City, who released the record. The song was written in 1953. Maurice Williams died on 5 August 2024. No cause was given. “Stay” is...

  Don Nix | Image Restored by Google | Uncredited | Undated | 2-25003 Singer, songwriter, author, guitarist, harmonica player, record producer, saxophonist and arranger William Donald "Don" Nix was born in Memphis, Tennessee on September 27, 1941. He recorded under a number of pseudonyms during his career. As a founder member of The Mar-Keys he was involved in the production of their hit “Last Night”. He organised a backing group for the “Concert for Bangladesh” at Madison Square Gardens in 1971. He is associated with George Harrison, John Mayall, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and others. He assisted in the production of recordings for other artists including Albert King, Isaac Hayes and The Staple Singers. His brother Larry Nix became a mastering engineer for Stax Records and subsequently Ardent Studios in Memphis. Don Nix died in Germantown, Tennessee, on 31 December 2024. Sue  WI 338, "Boogie Chilluns Playhouse" by "Donny Williams" was scheduled, but not anno...

2-25002 | Paul Chinn | San Francisco Chronicle | Getty | 2004 Singer and song writer Umpeylia (or Peylia) Marsema Balinton (Sugar Pie De Santo) was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on October 16, 1935 but grew up in San Francisco. A friend of Etta James, she was discovered by Johnny Otis, who nicknamed her “Sugar Pie”, in 1955 and toured with his Revue. In 1959-60 she toured with the James Brown Revue. She first tasted success in the R&B chart in 1960 with her recording of “I want to know” (Check 103) which reached no. 4 on the R&B chart. In 1962 she signed with Chess Records. In 1964 she toured Europe with the Chess Revue. Tragedy struck in 2006 when her second husband, Jessee Earl Davis, died in an attempt to extinguish a fire in their apartment in Oakland, California. “Strange feeling” (Geddisons 100 and other reissues) was released in the UK on Sue LP ILP 943 “Dr Soul” and dates from 1962. Did not chart. Sugar Pie De Santo died in a hospice in Oakland, California, from COPD...

Sidney “Birdlegs” Banks and his first wife Pauline, of Rockford, Illinois recorded these tracks with a small label called Cuca who offered cheap recording facilities. The single was first issued on the Cuca label and made no. 18 on the R&B chart. The tracks were then picked up for national distribution by the Vee Jay label shortly before it failed. Cuca had also recorded an album on the pair. Brothers Mack and Floyd Murphy provided the backing and were billed as The Versatility Birds. The Banks later divorced; Pauline Shivers made some more recordings for small Chicago labels, but Sidney Banks never recorded again. Sidney "Birdlegs" Banks, 13 October 1929 - 2 December 2007. 2-25001 | Birdlegs and Pauline (rear) and two unidentified ladies Sidney Banks Obituary   110 | 11 June 2025 | Updated

June Bateman-Watts was born Marian June Batemon on November 17, 1939. The recording  “Believe me darling” by June Bateman appears on ILP 920, “50 Minutes 24 Seconds of Recorded Dynamite” as well as single WI 347. A single, "I don't wanna"/"Nobles Theme" was issued on Sue WI 347 in July 1965. June was understood to have retired to DeLand, Florida in 1984 and for some years played an active role in the annual  Noble “Thin Man” Watts festival .  "Rate Your Music" note that June Bateman died on  13 February 2016. Can anyone confirm, please. Chart position data not available. June Bateman | Undated | Jungle Hop | 14659 103 | 11 June 2025 | Updated