(originally published 7/3/09)
While they were a family band, their last name wasn't Valentino; these guys were actually the Womack brothers (including future solo star Bobby Womack along with brothers Cecil, Harry, Friendly and Curtis).
The group began recording in the late 50's in Cleveland and were discovered by Sam Cooke who took him under his wing and signed them to his SAR label. After Cooke died tragically, the group was signed to Chess records and this track was one of the first they cut for Chess. Cecil was briefly married to Mary Wells, and the two of them co-wrote this track.
While the phenomenon of "northern soul" is an enigma, if anyone were to ask me to name a song that epitomizes northern soul this would be the track I would demonstrate. Of course, being a 34 year old American who wasn't in the north of England in the early seventies it may be presumptuous for me to do so, but for all I have read about the whole scene this track just seems to have it all.
from 1965...
THE VALENTINOS - SWEETER THAN THE DAY BEFORE
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