Welcome to volume 2 of my series
How Sarah Got Her Groove Back!
NADV 1502031AM1 Sarah Collins. Picture : Adrian Murray (1502031AM1)
Sarah Collins, as you recall, is the mum of two in Yorkshire, England,
who underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, bounced back to health
and became a sensation on YouTube in recent years with shot-at-home
videos in which she sings covers of Northern Soul favorites.
who underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, bounced back to health
and became a sensation on YouTube in recent years with shot-at-home
videos in which she sings covers of Northern Soul favorites.
Sarah also appears at clubs in England and other parts of
Europe fronting the Northern Soul band Keep The Faith.
Europe fronting the Northern Soul band Keep The Faith.
So captivated am I by Sarah's touching story
and soulful singing that I created this series
to showcase her covers along with the originals.
and soulful singing that I created this series
to showcase her covers along with the originals.
TAMMI TERRELL
In 1968 the Motown duo of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell brushed the
top 5 on the pop chart and achieved a #1 hit on the R&B survey with
"You're All I Need To Get By." The flip side of that single is another
Marvin & Tammi duet entitled "Two Can Have a Party." The song
was originally recorded in 1966 as a Tammi Terrell solo. Marvin's
vocal track was dubbed in later to form the duet for their single.
top 5 on the pop chart and achieved a #1 hit on the R&B survey with
"You're All I Need To Get By." The flip side of that single is another
Marvin & Tammi duet entitled "Two Can Have a Party." The song
was originally recorded in 1966 as a Tammi Terrell solo. Marvin's
vocal track was dubbed in later to form the duet for their single.
Here's Tammi's original solo version of "Two Can Have a Party."
"Two Can Have a Party" - Tammi Terrell (1966)
SARAH COLLINS
Now here is Sarah Collins and her karaoke style cover
of Tammi Terrell's "Two Can Have a Party."
of Tammi Terrell's "Two Can Have a Party."
"Two Can Have a Party"
Tammi Terrell cover by Sarah Collins
BONNIE RAITT & BRYAN ADAMS
Canadian singer/songwriter Bryan Adams along with New York
singer/songwriter Gretchen Peters, penned "Rock Steady" for California
roots-rocker Bonnie Raitt. Bryan and Bonnie performed the song as a
duet on her Road Tested tour and 1995 live album of the same name.
singer/songwriter Gretchen Peters, penned "Rock Steady" for California
roots-rocker Bonnie Raitt. Bryan and Bonnie performed the song as a
duet on her Road Tested tour and 1995 live album of the same name.
"Rock Steady" - Bonnie Raitt & Bryan Adams (live)
(Nov. 1995, highest chart pos. #73 Hot 100/#7 Canada
SARAH COLLINS
Now listen to Sarah Collins doing her cover of "Rock Steady."
"Rock Steady"
Bonnie Raitt cover by Sarah Collins
BETTY WRIGHT
Miami R&B singer/songwriter Betty Wright is best known for her
million selling single "Clean Up Woman" which brushed the top 5
on the pop chart and reached #2 on the R&B survey in January 1972.
million selling single "Clean Up Woman" which brushed the top 5
on the pop chart and reached #2 on the R&B survey in January 1972.
"Clean Up Woman" - Betty Wright
(Jan. 1972, highest chart pos. #6 Hot 100/#2 R&B)
SARAH COLLINS
Now once again here is Sarah Collins performing
her soulful version of "Clean Up Woman."
her soulful version of "Clean Up Woman."
"Clean Up Woman"
Betty Wright cover by Sarah Collins
I hope you enjoyed the originals
along with these killer kovers
by my good English friend
Sarah Collins.
Have a Shady day!
It took listening to both versions to confirm that was really her singing. She is good!
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteYou take early bird honors again this week, good buddy! Thanks for coming to see and hear my English friend Sarah Collins, lead zinger of the Northern Soul band Keep the Faith. I'm glad you enjoyed Sarah's vocal performances on these three covers.
Thanks again for dropping by early, good buddy Alex, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Betty Wright is new to me, but of course I know Bonnie Raitt and Tammi Terrell. After listening to all three, I think she sounds most like Tammi Terrell, but you know what? She's got a great sound of her own and it's a shame she's not recording original music! Thanks for sharing these, Shady. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteThank you very much for swinging over to meet Sarah Collins, dear friend!
This is actually Sarah's third appearance on my blogs. In 2015 on Shady Dell Music & Memories I used one of her covers in a "Battle of the Bands" hop. A year or so later I began this series How Sarah Got Her Groove Back. I'm delighted to know you appreciate her singing. You're right. If she and her band have not yet done so they should be writing songs and making original recordings. In the meantime, you can buy their CD of cool covers. I just found this YouTube video that samples the live CD and was delighted to find two of the songs I have featured in my Sarah Collins posts - "Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" and "I'm Gonna Run Away From You," the latter the song I used in that BOTB three years ago (and my top favorite by Sarah).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztWLyPUdFb4
Thank you again for taking a look and a listen, dear friend Kelly. Stay tuned for more volumes of this series featuring the best of English songbird Sarah Collins. Enjoy the rest of your week!
Shady, Shady, Shady! I've gotta say, you pack a strong punch when it comes to music! I love Bonnie Rait and Bryan Adams! What a great duet between them, I lOVE it! "Rock Steady" is not one that I have heard before, but I BELIEVE it! The guitar sounds were so great...it's what we need at least once a day to get going! Although Sarah Collins presents with a good, strong voice, I'm afraid I'm already spoiled with Bonnie and Bryan!
ReplyDeleteTammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye were two of the best duet performers in my opinion. They had such a great charisma with each other, they should have been a forever couple. Sarah Collins' cover of "Two Can Have a Party" is very good. I like how she just rolls it smoothly and unexpectedly into another depth with each verse! Great cover on this one!
And, now for the 'cleanup'! I so remember "Cleanup Woman"...it's possible most of us have been in her shoes before, lol! It was a fab song, frequently played, and made a lot of sense! Betty Wright's voice is cute and full of life, which made this song a hit. Then, along comes Sarah Collins, just blowing this one out of the water with her cool, crisp tones! Again, she floats up and down, really making it her own! This is my favorite cover of Sarah's! Just love it!
It's refreshing to hear good luck, recovery stories, Shady! I don't know if it's really good luck, we use that term so loosely sometimes! I think it's better to say, good strength in a determined woman! Sarah has a great voice, and is a pretty woman. Thank you for bringing her back! This was very enjoyable. Still love Bonnie Rait and Bryan Adams!
Have a great week, Shady! Hot and muggy here, and so much weird weather going on everywhere else! Take care, dear friend! ♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteThank you very much for reporting in and expressing yourself so nicely here today, dear friend! It seems like you thoroughly enjoyed listening to these three soulful originals and three soulful covers by British songbird Sarah Collins. I'm glad you remember her previous appearances in posts over on Shady Dell Music & Memories.
I was just discussing Bonnie Raitt a week or so ago with either you or another reader, and explained that Bonnie showed up (along with New Orleans R&B man Aaron Neville) on an episode of the old Ellen television sitcom that Mrs. Shady and I were watching. I'm glad you are as excited as I am over this live performance by Bonnie and Bryan Adams who co-write this version of "Rock Steady" for her. I say "this version" because there are at least three other songs entitled "Rock Steady" and they are all different, all written by different people. They include one by the late Aretha Franklin, another by The Whispers and a third "Rock Steady" song recorded by the British-Canadian girl group All Saints.
I agree that Marvin and Tammi were hard to beat. It is such a shame that both great artists' lives ended way too soon and under tragic circumstances.
I'm thrilled to know that you remember Betty Wright and her signature song "Clean Up Woman." The song was a product of its time, the late 60s through mid 70s, when the Women's Movement was getting firmly established and songs reflected the fact. A similar female artist, Laura Lee, was releasing girl power anthems during this period with titles that included "Wanted: Lover, No Experience Necessary," "Up Tight, Good Man," "Wedlock Is A Padlock," "Women's Love Rights, "Love And Liberty," "Rip Off," "If You Can Beat Me Rockin' (You Can Have My Chair)," "Crumbs Off The Table" and "I Need It Just As Bad As You." (I have Laura Lee's greatest hits on CD.) The year after Betty Wright hit with "Clean Up Woman," Billie Jean King cleaned up on the tennis court, soundly defeating Bobby Riggs in the televised Battle of the Sexes. (Mrs. S and I recently watched that film and we highly recommend it!)
You made my day with this comment, Suzanne. You know the real deal when you hear it. I know you've got soul. It is revealed in every word you wrote. Thank you again for coming by on day one and for leaving this spectacular comment, dear friend. Stay cool until the hot spell breaks and enjoy the rest of your week. I look forward to connecting with you again soon!
Tom, I’m away from the easy comfort of my computer but manage to sample Sarah’s covers. She’s definitely soulful and carties her weight against the original artists. I’m delighted you drcided to do another feature of yhis pAwedomevwoman! Have a blessed afternoon, my friend!
ReplyDeleteHi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you very much for coming over today, dear friend! I suspect you and DH are at the ear surgeon's office. I appreciate you making time to read, listen and comment.
You seem to remember Sarah Collins from one of my earliest BOTB posts and from volume one in this series paying tribute to her singing ability. I'm delighted to know you appreciate her talent covering these Northern Soul nuggets. Her band, Keep the Faith, drew its name from the slogan used by Northern Soul fans. The famous phrase appears on the logo used to promote millennial Northern Soul dances and "all-niters."
Thanks again for coming by, dear friend Cathy. I hope you guys are getting good news from the doctor. Enjoy the rest of your day. I will see you again soon!
Tom,
DeleteYesterday's errands were for DH. We stopped to pick up his new glasses but discovered that we'd given the optical center the wrong script (reading instead of distance). That really bummed us out, especially DH. After that, he had an appointment with his eye surgeon. Things look good and he doesn't have to go back for 6-8 months, so YAY! His final stop was at the hospital for a CT scan. He's seeing my ENT because of pain around his left eye (this is the one that the retina detached in) which we think might be sinus related but the doctor didn't see anything in office so to rule out the unseen possibilities, he ordered the scan. We'll know the results when he goes for his next visit in October. I don't have to see my ENT until the end of next month. I'm fearful that October might turn out to be ever bit as busy as this month. I'm really ready for break in our schedule.
I do remember you sharing Sarah Collins' mewsic from a previous post. I think it's because of the story of illness that amazed me but her unknown to me talent captured my ears. It's so pAwesome to find these YT sensations, isn't it?
Thanks for visiting and I'm sorry for not being so quick to return the favor, my friend. Have a terrific Thursday!
Hi again, Cathy!
DeleteIt was very sweet of you to return to continue our chat, dear friend!
I'm happy to learn that DH got a good report card when he met with the eye surgeon. I pray that the results of the CT will be favorable, too. Yessum, appointments related to medical matters eat up large chunks of our time. The older you get the more exams and procedures are required. It's a fact of life.
Yessum, it always excites me to discover someone like Sarah Collins on YouTube. I came upon her quite by accident three years ago while searching for a song by another artist. Clearly YouTube is a valuable resource, one that mewsic loving bloggers like us could not do without.
You are a dear friend for coming back to chat, Cathy. I really appreciate the extra effort in the middle of your busy schedule. Enjoy the rest of your day. I hope to see you tomorrow at your place for another edition of Friday Sillies! :)
Tom,
DeleteYouTube has grown to be a very valuable part of everyday life. It's a great resource and it makes me wonder how on earth did we survive without it or the Internet for so many years. lol This is just one of the outlets for a richer life thanks to technology.
Thank you for your good cheers for good mews with DH's CT scan. I hope the doctor's office calls today with an update and do not make us wait things out until his next appointment just because everything looks normal, you know? Sometimes that happens but it's really hard for impatient patients. :) Thanks for stopping by for some giggles and here's hoping you have a funtastic weekend, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you very much for coming over again this morning to respond to my latest reply. Without YouTube there would be no mewsic blogs like yours and mine. A few years ago it looked like I might have to close shop, because original recordings were being removed due to copyright claims. Things have turned around dramatically since then. Today there aren't nearly as many artists whose original recordings are not permitted on Y/T.
I know the feeling of waiting to receive reassuring mews from a doctor's office. I hope you get the results of DH's cat scan sooner rather than later so that you and he will have peace of mind.
Thank you again for your kind visit, dear friend Cathy, and have a super weekend!
The thing that always impresses me about Sarah Collins is her obvious sheer enjoyment of singing, and probably just living, giving her brush with serious illness. She truly is a medical miracle!
ReplyDeleteHer relaxed style is refreshingly simple, not overproduced or altered electronically. It's straight up her and the music that inspires her that makes these uTube spots so unique to see and hear. She appears to not have a care in the world, but that's probably not true!
If only we could go back in time and give uTube technology to so many artists who died in obscurity (some of whom you have introduced to us here on the blog). We could give them the chance to showcase their gifts and give them the credit they were due.
I'm also curious about the attraction to American musical genres that inspire so many outstanding British artists. It seems they often take our homegrown musical ideas and run with them, both in exposure and appreciation, sometimes doing better abroad then here at home, where we sometimes undervalue their genius. The same is true of many visual artists who became expats rather than live out their best years here, under-appreciated.
To hear Sarah sing, you'd not guess she is British by birth. She's got all the stylistic leanings, feelings and voice inflections of the original recording artists, with absolutely no detectable accent, but still adding originality somehow!
About the songs on this post: "Two Can Have a Party" sounds Burt Bacharach-like to me in its swinging upbeat melody, and Sarah nails Tammy Terrell's version perfectly, all the while adding her own clarity and joyful interpretation.
Bonnie Raitt is a favorite of ours. This song is new to us, but I absolutely love "Something to Talk About". Bob is learning to play the guitar and also is good at repairing them, and he explained a lot to me about her style of playing. He told me that she has her own unique way of using the slide, and this video showcases that.
She prefers to play with open D and G tuning, using the slide on the "wrong" finger (by some standards!), meaning she has fewer fingers to fret notes. The way she plays introduces a natural kind of harmonic to songs. Since I only know how to play the piano, all this is hard for me to understand, but after his explanation, and listening to and watching this video, it's starting to make sense. New knowledge is a good thing to acquire, right?!
Did Sarah Collins get the background music for her video from the Bonnie Raitt and Bryan Adams piece, electronically removing the voices? That was Bob's assumption.
Betty Wright's "Cleanup Woman" is a classic cautionary tale. I never heard any of these songs before, and when I first saw the title of this one, I thought it was about our cleaning lady! :). As so many couples unfortunately find out, if a relationship isn't maintained and is taken for granted, one partner will look for fulfillment somewhere else. I really like both the lyrics and the rhythmic guitar in that song.
What an easy, sunshiny and dimpled smile Sarah has, in that last song and the others you've posted! I'm so glad she's giving the best of herself to the world! She gives me hope to go on in the face of adversity, and inspires faith in the basic goodness of which we are all capable.
I'm so grateful you've shone a spotlight on this amazingly talented woman, and taught us once more the awesome power of music to enrich our lives.
Hi, Kathleen!
DeleteThank you very much for setting aside time to write another spectacular comment, dear friend!
I am especially happy to know how much you appreciate my good friend, English singer Sarah Collins, this week making her third appearance on my blogs. I enjoy Sarah's performances so much that I developed this five volume series to showcase her talents.
The qualities you pointed out are the same qualities I admire in Sarah. She sings in a relaxed, laid-back, carefree, no-nonsense manner. She obviously enjoys singing, is thankful for her "new lease on life," and her smile and her enthusiasm are infectious. She has the ability to sound very much like the African-American soul artists she is covering. There is no trace of a British accent when she sings.
Good point, dear friend! We can only imagine how YouTube might have affected the careers of the myriad music artists who languished in obscurity back in the 60s and 70s.
A number of U.S. soul and R&B artists were more popular in the UK than they were stateside. As a collector of rare recordings by such artists, I have constantly needed to purchase CDs manufactured in the UK, Germany, The Netherlands and other parts of Europe, because record companies abroad consistently do a much better job of compiling and remastering obscure material than do U.S. companies.
At the start of 1964, as I am sure you know, Americans became obsessed with the Beatles and shortly thereafter with the wave of British Invasion bands. In a similar manner, in the late 60s and 70s, soul music lovers in the UK who had grown disenchanted with the latest trends - funk and disco - started frequenting pubs and dance halls that specialized in playing obscure American soul and R&B records of the 60s. This was the birth of the so-called Northern Soul movement, a scene similar to that of the Shady Dell where little known soul and R&B artists and their records were turned into "Jukebox Giants' by the savvy Dell rat clientele. Sarah Collins and her band Keep the Faith are keeping Northern Soul alive, authentically performing songs of the genre in clubs across the UK and in other parts of Europe.
I appreciate you passing along the Bonnie Riatt trivia that Bob shared. It is exciting to know that she is one of your favorite artists and that you enjoyed her live duet with Bryan Adams. I don't know for sure where Sarah gets her backing tracks. I imagine they are available for purchase to artists and cover bands trying to learn songs and build a repertoire.
As I explained to Suzanne (above) the late 60s and early 70s saw a proliferation of songs by female artists that were bolder and more assertive than most that had come before. They handled in a very honest and straightforward manner subjects like the sexual liberation of women and marital infidelity. Many of these songs sung by women direct their messages primarily to a female audience. As you pointed out in the case of "Clean Up Woman," some of these songs are cautionary tales warning women that if they don't (as the late Aretha Franklin sang) "take care, TCB" at home, some other woman is going to grab their man. Other recordings, such as "Rip Off," "If You Can Beat Me Rockin' (You Can Have My Chair)" and "Crumbs Off The Table," (all by Laura Lee) deal with the fallout that occurs when a woman discovers that her man has indeed been cheating. Some of these songs are directed to the sly dog who strayed while others are aimed at "the other woman."
I'm glad you agree that Sarah Collins is like a breath of fresh air and a ray of sunshine, positive energy galore. Thank you again for the marvelous comment, dear friend Kathleen. Stay tuned for more great Sarah Collins covers coming up in volume 3!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteSarah does a spectacular job with covering songs. It’s hard to pick a favorite! I do love “cleanup woman” though! It’s a lot of fun to compare the originals to Sarah’s. Thank you for sharing her exceptional talent!
Toni Deroche
Hi, Toni!
DeleteThank you very much for swinging over, dear friend! Welcome back to Shady's Place as the curtain goes up for the third time on the lovely and talented singing Brit mum Sarah Collins.
I agree with you that it is hard to pick a favorite among these shot-at-home cover performances by our special guest. Sarah seems to channel artists living or dead, performing the songs with soulful feeling, making them her own.
I'm glad you singled out "Clean Up Woman." I have been discussing some of the records released from the late 60s through early 70s by female artists, songs like "Clean Up Woman" in which the female vocalist adopts a stronger, more assertive and more honest attitude about sex, love, marriage and infidelity, in sharp contrast to the soft, passive, submissive feel found on many of the girl pop records of the 50s and early 60s. This topic just brought to mind a unique variation on the theme, a single that I only recently discovered. Entitled "Another Man," it was released in 1984 by Barbara Mason. Sung by a woman to a woman friend, the song laments the fact that her man was stolen, not by another woman, but by "Another Man."
I'm so glad you enjoyed the post, dear friend Toni. Thanks again for your visit and comment and stay tuned for another heaping helping of Sarah Collins coming up in volume 3 of the series!
Shady!
ReplyDeleteSarah Collins is AMAZING! Her voice is gorgeous and she really hits the notes well. I'm blown away. Her story is also impressive too.
Thank you for sharing this amazing talent with us, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteHow are you dear friend? Thanks for coming over this evening to see and hear English sparrow Sarah Collins! I'm glad you agree she's pretty amazing. Sarah's back story makes her performances shine all the brighter. I'm delighted to know that Sarah's singing impressed you. Be sure to ask your dad if he remembers the three original songs.
Thank you again for joining the fun, dear friend JM, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI'm okay - tired, I haven't been sleeping well for the past two weeks. I am nervous about the procedure I have coming up next Thursday. I'll be listening to a lot of music to calm down.
I'll have to see if she has a YouTube channel, that way I can see her other performances. Tomorrow, I will play these for dad to see if he knows any of these songs.
Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThank you for returning to continue our conversation, dear friend! I'm sorry you have a medical procedure looming, but music certainly helps. If you scroll down and read my reply to cat you will see I learned that music is used medically to help the brain recover from an injury. Music calms and heals. Ironically, people like you and I listen to rap and metal to relax. :)
Sarah Collins does indeed have her own YouTube channel for years now. She has hundreds of covers posted. Just write her name in the search box and you're there.
Have a happy Friday, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady!
DeleteI've heard about music therapy. My cousin that is a physician's assistant is also a trained classical musician - I hope one day she can venture into musical medicine because I think her music skills would help patients tremendously.
That's what I will do later! I'll relax to Sarah and finish my co-worker's scrapbook.
Have a great evening, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteYessum, you could log on to Sarah's YouTube channel, select "play all," and listen to her covers while doing your scrapbook project.
Sounds like a plan.
Thanks again for checking-in, dear friend JM, and have a great week!
i am here a few days late...what else is new? At least I am here and always happy to be:) I am glad you showcase this classy lady who has a killer voice. Sarah has been through quite a bit but her love for life is clearly evident in the way she sings and carries herself. I love her melodic voice that can carry quite the range. You showcase her well up against 3 different styles and decades from the early style of the first gal to the 70's "dig it" style of the 3rd gal. Love the Raitt and Adams song which she also carried well. Always wonderful to see whom you showcase. Have a great day and weekend ahead!
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thank you for dropping in to experience part 2 of How Sarah Got Her Groove Back featuring the vocals of England's soulful songstress Sarah Collins.
A. You aren't late, BB, because the party doesn't even start until you get here! :)
B. You have the friendship meter pegged with this great comment of yours. I appreciate it!
You're right, Birgit. Sarah's got class. She's got soul. She feels the song as she sings it. It is as much a joy to watch her as it is to listen. Moreover, as you pointed out, Sarah is versatile, able to handle songs of different styles and from different decades, all the while making her performances seem effortless.
I am delighted that you enjoy my tributes to UK Northern Soul cover artist Sarah Collins. Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend BB, and enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!
Sarah does a great job with all of those. I recall seeing her on one of your previous posts. One talented lady!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sherry!
DeleteWelcome, dear friend! Thanks for coming over to Shady's Place today as once again I shine the spotlight on Sarah Collins, a UK zinger who specializes in covers of Northern Soul gems.
I'm glad you remember Sarah's previous appearances on Shady Dell Music & Memories and appreciate her handling of these songs originally recorded by Tammi, Bonnie and Betty. She is indeed talented and her band Keep the Faith is very popular throughout England.
Thanks again for being here, dear friend Sherry, and enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!
I really like her!! I remember her from your other blog. Thanks for posting her again.
ReplyDeleteHi, Holliberry!
DeleteHow are you this week, dear friend? Thanks so much for coming to see and hear the lovely and talented Brit mum Sarah Collins as she performs covers of Northern Soul favorites. I'm glad you remember Sarah from my two previous posts on SDMM. She's got all the right stuff.
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Holli, and enjoy the rest of your week and weekend!
Never paid much attention to Sarah Collins covers before but do now, friend Shady … and she is guuud !!! … smiles … Her health journey and comeback to life reminds a bit of that of Melody Gardot … a US singer/ songwriter who I am rooting for to this very day. Many lubbins … cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteWelcome welcome welcome, dear friend! Thanks for coming down to see and hear Sarah Collins. I'm glad you agree that the UK songbird does a fine job covering songs originally recorded by American artists. Her background story is indeed inspiring. Thanks for sharing about Philadelphia jazz singer Melody Gardot. Isn't it wonderful how music therapy enabled her brain to form new pathways and helped her recover from a traumatic brain injury suffered when an SUV plowed into her bicycle?
Thank you again for coming to say a few kind words about Sarah Collins, dear friend cat. Many lubbins to you as well. Enjoy your Friday and have a wonderful weekend!
Hi Shady! I'm feeling pretty bad because I missed your previous post. I know I'm sometimes late, but don't like to miss a segment of your cool blog! So if you can forgive me I'll start here tonight saying I do remember Sarah Collins and her incredible story. I love her voice and these covers were really good. Her style is a bit more gentle than some of the originals, especially Bonnie Raitt and Bryan Adams combo pack. It's great she can have the internet to gain some attention to her beautiful voice and her story. She should go pro! Thanks for featuring her again and I hope you have a good weekend and Happy Fall! I'm ready for cooler, Ohio Fall temps. Today was hot but I know we're in for some cool down. Nothing as cool as you and your blog but I'll take it anyway!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteWelcome back to Shady's Place and thank you very much for coming, dear friend! I'm glad you didn't miss Sarah Collins live and in person doing her third stellar show on my blogs.
I don't want you to feel bad about missing a couple of my posts, YaYa, but I did notice your absence each time and was honestly disappointed you didn't come to see me. I value your friendship and don't want to lose you especially now that my posts are offering more of the type of material you and your brothers know and enjoy - the Motown Sound and other mainstream music styles of the 60s and 70s. You are indeed forgiven, Kathleen. Genuine friends always forgive.
I'm thrilled that you like Sarah's singing and remember her touching story of how she recovered from a brain tumor to become a star on YouTube and on stage fronting her Northern Soul band in the UK.
I'm surprised it is still hot in Ohio as we near the end of September. I am sure that will soon change. I know you look forward to invigorating walks with Arnie and decorating the house for Halloween (if you haven't already). I always look forward to your post showing how you have transformed The Pines into a spook house.
Thank you again for being a wonderful friend, YaYa. Enjoy your Friday and have a safe and happy weekend!
I am always late.... plus I still have your old blog.
ReplyDeleteYou always find the most interesting music to talk about !
cheers, parsnip and badger
Hi, Gayle!
DeleteWelcome back to Shady's Place, dear friend! I've been missing you like crazy and I am very happy to see you. If you aren't getting notified of my new posts here on my new site then you should click to follow or bookmark it so you don't miss them. It would be a shame if I lost a great friend like you.
I'm pleased to know you liked this set of covers by English songbird Sarah Collins.
Thanks again for coming, dear friend Gayle, and have a wonderful weekend!
I really like her style. I honestly think her versions improves on the originals. I hope she makes the leap from YouTube sensation to whatever passes for mainstream success these days (which, for all I know, might just be YouTube.)
ReplyDeleteHi, Kirk!
DeleteIt's great to see you, good buddy! Thanks for coming over on a Saturday to meet English sparrow Sarah Collins, a lovely lady with a passion for covering the recordings of American soul, R&B and blues artists. I'm delighted to know you like what you see and hear.
Stick around because there are at least three more volumes of my series How Sarah Got Her Groove Back in the pipeline. Thanks again for dropping by, good buddy Kirk, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Well, better late than never, I hope. What a great post with so many introductions to me! I'm in love with it all. I wasn't familiar with the flip side of "You're All I Need to Get By" so "Two Can Have a Party" was new-to-me. I forgot how Tammi Terrell had died so I went and looked it up. So sad that she succombed to brain cancer. How awful! I read there that her mother barred everyone from Motown from Tammi's funeral, except Marvin Gaye (she really liked him and felt he was a true friend to her daughter). Do you know why her mother banned all of Motown from her funeral?? I wonder what would've happened had both of those tragic fates hadn't happened? How many more Tammi & Marvin duets would the world have?
ReplyDeleteSarah Collins is AWESOME in all caps! Wow, what a voice! And what a comeback story too. I wonder if she felt an affinity with Tammi Terrell being that they both suffered from brain tumor issues? Honestly, I have to say, I like Sarah's cover better than Tammi's original.
And I liked Sarah's cover of "Clean Up Woman" better than Betty Wright's too! Don't get me wrong, Betty is terrific but Sarah is knock-me-out fantastic! I didn't think, when I first heard Sarah's "Two Can Have a Party", that Sarah was really singing. I thought she might be lip-syncing but not if she's up on stage performing in England and around Europe. She is absolutely fantastic!
The only one of your picks here that I prefer the originals over Sarah is the Bonnie Raitt & Bryan Adams duet on "Rock Steady." When I first saw the title, I thought of Bad Company's song with the same name. Although I like Bad Company's "Rock Steady" I do like this one better. And Bonnie and Bryan together are kickass! Both have such strong powerful voices, pairing their vocals makes for a killer song! I really really liked watching and listening to their duet performance. Incredible.
And yeah, Sarah did a great job too, no doubt...but if this were a Battle of the Bands, I'd have to go with B&B. :)
Love the title of your post: "How Sarah Got Her Groove Back" --- good one!!
Thanks for your patience in me making it over here. I'll be back for your most recent one but it probably won't be today. I have to visit a few 4M posts because I'm behind on that as well.
Will look forward to hearing more of Sarah Collins so bring on the series!
As always, thanks for another great musical adventure...
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi, Michele!
DeleteThank you very much for checking my archives and enjoying this stellar show by my British friend, singer Sarah Collins, as she makes her third appearance on my blogs. (I first ran one of Sarah's covers in a BOTB back in 2015.)
For starters I can understand why David Ruffin was not invited to Tammi Terrell's funeral. If we are to believe the reports, Ruffin treated Tammi poorly. He deceived Tammi, carrying on a love affair with her while keeping his wife and kids a secret. Ruffin also reportedly hit Tammi on the head with a helmet and possibly also with a hammer. If that is true, the blows might have exacerbated the medical condition that eventually claimed her life. Motown founder Berry Gordy could be a ruthless businessman. I think quite a few Motown artists (and their families) resented Berry Gordy's handling of their careers. He poured resources into promoting major acts like The Supremes and neglected other promising artists. A case could be made that he could have done more to promote Tammi Terrell. When Tammi became ill and unable to tour or even record in the studio, Marvin was there to give support. Perhaps Tammi's mother barred other Motown people from attending her daughter's funeral because she was bitter and upset for the reasons I outlined, and perhaps felt other artists were not there for Tammi when she needed them, that Marvin Gaye was the only one who had proven to be a true friend.
I'm thrilled to know you like Sarah Collins' singing. Yessum, it is ironic that both Tammi Terrell and Sarah Collins suffered from brain tumor issues, with very different outcomes. I know Sarah would be ecstatic to learn that you prefer her covers to the originals on "Party" and "Clean Up Woman."
I agree that Bonnie and Bryan deliver an electric live performance of "Rock Steady." Thank you for pointing out that there was a "Rock Steady" song written by Paul Rodgers of the Brit band Bad Company. That makes not four but FIVE different "Rock Steady" songs that I have been able to identify thus far. They include the song in this post penned by Bryan Adams for Bonnie Riatt, a "Rock Steady" song recorded by the late Aretha Franklin, another by The Whispers, one by the British-Canadian girl group All Saints and the one you noted by Bad Company. That's a great piece of trivia, don't you agree?
I'm glad you appreciate what I did there with the title of the series How Sarah Got Her Groove Back. :)
Thank you again for making time to swing by and sample some songs here at Shady's place. Take care, dear friend Michele. Have a great weekend and please try to be here for next week's post which starts dark and early Sunday morning. I guarantee it will get your blood pumping for Halloween. See you soon!