Butch Ingram’s Philly retro label SOCIETY HILL was prolific in its releases last year and opens 2024 in the same vein with a slew of releases. First up the label is issuing a single on vocal group TRU. Back in 2022 the trio released an album, ‘Someday We’ll All Be Free’. One of the standout tracks from the album was the Johnny Ingram penned ‘All Over Your Face’, originally a hit for Ronnie Dyson in 1983. If you missed it, it’s now out as a single and you’ll discover that Tru have transformed the song into a crisp, tight beater.
Like Tru, vocalist JIMMY LEE is a Philly area veteran and an inductee in the Legends of Vinyl Hall of Fame. He currently tours with a version of Blue Magic but also pursues his own solo career and as a soloist, Jimmy’s just released his version of the Trammps’ classic ‘Hold Back The Night’. He doesn’t stray too far from the original…and why would you? It’s a great song and good to have yet another version!
Continuing to dip into past albums, the Society Hill team have decided to release a track from KAT FONTAINE’S debut long player, ‘This Time’. The team have wisely gone for a lovely smooth version of Dee Dee Sharp’s chestnut, ‘I Love You Anyway’, originally released on the Philadelphia International label back in 1980. It’s another lovely song that fully deserves a re-visit and Ms Fontaine does it full justice!
Offering a slightly different vibe, there’s also a new Society Hill single from lounge jazz singer TONI RICHARDS. It’s her gentle, insinuating version of the classic standard ‘Dancing In The Dark’.
