DUKE TURNER is the archetypal underground soul hero – totally unknown to most but revered by those in the know who are prepared to shell out considerable sums for any of his music they can find. Now thanks to the soul sleuths at SOUL JUNCTION RECORDS, those collectors (and indeed anyone who wants to acquaint themselves with Mr T) can enjoy three intriguing and rare outings from the man born Willie Roy Turner on the 21st of February 1939 in Louisville, Mississippi.
Willie or “Duke” as his father nicknamed him, was brought up in the righteous gospel tradition but after the family moved to Chicago in 1953, little Duke found the devil’s music! While he worked all day (at an ice cream factory) by night he was out in the clubs and bars of the Windy City . At one of his forays he met and befriended another Mississippian with musical ambitions – Garland Green. Garland was the first to be talent spotted and amongst the music biz teams he worked with were brothers Howard and Walter Scott. They performed as The Scott Brothers Review (later known as The Scott Brothers World) and also operated their own production company Capri Productions producing songs on their own labels and for other artists.
Green was to introduce his pal Duke to the brothers and so his recording career was launched. But singles like 1968’s ‘Doggie Dog World’(Omega) and ‘Shake Your Rang-A Tang (Rang-Dang-Du)’ (Spinning Top) meant little – hardly surprising with titles like that! Amongst the other songs he recorded for Spinning Top (Duke’s own label, by the way) were ‘Friendship Or Friends’, ‘(Let Me Be Your) Baby’ Sitter’ (both 1970) and the 1974’s ‘Give Me Some Sugar, Baby’.
It’s those three songs that make up the new Soul Junction 45 – though ‘Give Me Some Sugar, Baby’ (which is on the B side) is the only one of the three that was actually released in that format. ‘Friendship Or Friends’ was never released while the SJ featured mix of ‘(Let Me Be Your) Baby’ Sitter’ is a previously unissued mix. For those last two, by the way, the credits read Duke Turner and the Chi Towns (the Chi Towns being a vocal trio consisting of sisters Margie and Pat Stroud, plus a guy only remembered as “Smokey”).
‘Friendship Or Friends’ and ‘Let Me Be Your) Baby’ Sitter’ sit neatly on the SJ 7” A side and both are brisk beaters with the latter being a tad faster – typically “Northern”, if you get my drift – femme chorus, brassy riffs, the lot. Vocally, Duke delivers a gritty, gruff performance in the manner of Bobby Womack. The B side, ‘Give Me Some Sugar, Baby’ is different all together. This one’s a luscious, meandering harmony ballad with a falsetto lead trailed by a haunting flute.
Sadly, Duke Turner never made the soul premier league but he did make a living from the business, eventually running his own night club! He’s still alive (well into his 80s) but now, we believe, his singing is confined to church! Learn more about this in-demand release @ https://www.souljunctionrecords.co.uk/
