Those awfully nice people at SOUL DIRECTION RECORDS are lining up a super soul cut for imminent release and it’s so good and so in-demand that’s it sure to be a sell-out! Why is it so good? Well, it features a real underground soul icon – MELVIN DAVIS on a song that is a 24 carat soul classic – ‘I’m The One Who Loves You’!
Melvin Davis, you’ll know, is something of Detroit legend. Records show that he’s penned over 150 songs ,worked on over 50 albums as producer, drummer and vocalist and en route earned himself the accolade of being named as a Detroit Soul Ambassador.
Collectors will also know that after a stint in the US navy, Melvin became part of Detroit’s 60’s vibrant music scene recording for labels like Jack Pot, Fortune & Ke-Ke records. For a time he was drummer in a band called the Jaywalkers who were fronted by a singer called David Ruffin… never heard of him!
In the late 60s Melvin worked with Don Davis at Groovesville. His own Groovesville 7” release ‘I Must Love You’ & ‘Still in My Heart’ is revered by serious collectors and his songs (many co-written with Don D) were recorded by people like Johnnie Taylor, Steve Mancha, Lonette Mckee, JJ Barnes, Jackey Beavers and Darrell Banks. And it’s a Banks’ song that brings us to this splendid new Soul Direction release!
Darrell Banks’ 1969 Volt release of ‘I’m The One Who Loves You’ is an acknowledged soul classic. It was written by Melvin Davis in 1965 after the end of a relationship and he was the first to record the song backed up by an A team of Detroit musicians… George McGregor (drums), Bob Babbitt (bass), Eddie Willis (lead guitar), Jack Ashford (vibes) with Melvin himself on drums. Interestingly Melvin’s original version is called ‘I’m The One That Loves You’. Darrell Banks later changed it to ‘I’m The One Who Loves You’.
Equally interestingly or maybe rather oddly Melvin’s original version of the song was never officially released…till now. Soul Direction’s Alan Kitchner is delighted that he now has Melvin Davis’ full permission to release the record! It seems that Alan had somehow acquired tapes from the Don Davis Collection including a rather battered version of Melvin’s ‘I’m The One That Loves You’. Now, Alan read that Melvin was in ill health and facing huge US medical bills, so it was a no brainer for Alan to try to get permission to release the track so that the royalties could go to help out Mevin. All the paperwork was sorted fairly quickly and Alan and his team are proud to announce the release of Melvin’s ‘I’m The One That Loves You’ on June 30th. And in a wonderful gesture Soul Direction will be giving all the profits to Melvin to help fund his ongoing medical costs!
So by buying a copy of this wonderful Detroit soul artefact, not only will you get a fabulous recording (remastered and cleaned up to perfection with the instrumental on the B side) you’ll also be helping out a true soul legend! Learn more @ https://soul-direction.co.uk/
