Sadly, Chicago band THE MIGHTY LOVERS don’t merit even a foot note in soul histories – but over the last few months one of their recordings for Soul Hawk Records has started to make waves on the collectors’ soul scene. Said tune is called ‘Ain’t Gonna Run No More’ and it’s a catchy, foot-tapping Popcorn Wylie production, recorded in Chicago in 1970.

Little is known about the Mighty Lovers. Some archivists believes they might be linked to Chicago group, the Ideals but there’s no definitive proof other than that a record called ‘The Mighty Love’ was released twice on Boo-Ga-Loo Records… first by the Mighty Lovers and secondly by the Ideals.

What is evident, though, is that the Lovers pitched up in Detroit in 1970 and began working with Popcorn Wylie. The result was a single on Soul Hawk…. the aforementioned ‘Ain’t Gonna Run No More’ with ‘Driving Me Out Of My Mind’ on the flip.

Interest in the record has prompted UK reissue specialist Soul Junction Records to put it out on 7″ vinyl. The in-demand A side stars with an odd trumpet intro (from top sessioneer, Ron Jackson) then builds into a rustic, sweet harmony item that combines the best of Detroit and Chicago. The B side is a light, floating dancer with more sweet harmonies. Soul anoraks will note that the backing track to that one is the same as Stanley Mitchell’s ‘Quit Twisting My Arm Baby’ (Dynamo) and The New Holidays’ Westbound single, ‘My Baby Ain’t A Plaything’. This Soul Junction reissue has the full support of the Wylie family.

THE MIGHTY LOVERS; Ain’t Gonna Run No More/Driving Me Out Of My Mind’ is released by Soul Junction Records on 7″ vinyl on June 1st.