Six Degrees of Evie Sands

 White soul artist Evie Sands was still in her teens 

 when she made her greatest recordings. 

The talented

Brooklyn born

singer, songwriter

and guitarist

deserved stardom,

but it eluded her,

thanks to a series

of career setbacks.

In this 2-part series I am proud to present what I think

are Evie Sands' greatest recordings, most of them

uncharted, along with worthy covers of her

originals made by other artists.

First, here's a rarity - Evie's first record released in June, 1963,

when she was only age 16. With the song slowed down to

popcorn tempo for use in Euro clubs, Evie sounds

 a little like Jackie Wilson as she introduces

a new dance called "The Roll."

 "The Roll" - Evie Sands (June 1963, uncharted) 

Signed to the Blue Cat subsidiary of Red Bird Records,
home to the hit girl group The Shangri-Las, Evie Sands
recorded a song entitled "Take Me For a Little While."
A test pressing fell into the wrong hands and was
shopped to Chicago's Chess Records where R&B

vocalist Jackie Ross waxed the song and released
her single a week before Evie's original hit the
street. Radio stations were split on which

version to play. As a result, neither
record became a hit. Here's the
excellent single released
by Jackie Ross.

 "Take Me For a Little While" - Jackie Ross 

 (Aug. 1965, uncharted) 

Three years later another version of "Take Me For a Little While" cracked
the top 40, this one by the psychedelic blue-eyed soul band Vanilla Fudge.

 "Take Me For a Little While" - Vanilla Fudge 

 (Oct. 1968, highest chart pos. #38 Hot 100/#46 Cash Box) 

Now, let's listen to the best version of "Take Me" - the original version,
the definitive version, the Evie Sands version - a single that unfortunately
merely Bubbled Under the Hot 100 peaking at #114, In this vintage clip,
Evie performs the song on the music TV show Hollywood A Go-Go.

 "Take Me For a Little While" - Evie Sands 

 (Aug. 1965, highest chart pos. #114 Bubbling Under, 
 Oct. 9, 1965, perf. on Hollywood A Go-Go) 

On the back side of Evie's

"Take Me" hides a genuine

killer B. This one starts out
sounding like Johnny Rivers'

version of "Memphis." It also

seems to borrow from R&B

singer Timmy Shaw's 1964

hit "Gonna Send You Back

To Georgia (A City Slick)."

Listen now to Evie Sands

as she rips it up and shouts

the rhythm & blues singing

"Run Home To Your Mama."

 "Run Home To Your Mama" 

 - Evie Sands (B side of  "Take 

 Me For A Little While") 

In April of 1966 the English group the Hollies brushed the American
top 40 and reached #2 on the UK chart with the song "I Can't Let Go."

 "I Can't Let Go" - The Hollies 

 (Apr./May 1966, highest chart pos. #42 Hot 100/#59 Cash Box) 

Many people didn't realize back
then and don't know now that
Evie Sands was first to record
the song. I've posted the rare
stereo mix of this sensational
blue-eyed soul classic, a slab
that somehow failed to reach
the chart - didn't even Bubble
Under! Listen now to Shady's
Pick to Click - Evie Sands with
backing vocals by (I believe)
The Jelly Beans as they do--
"I Can't Let Go!" 

 "I Can't Let Go" 
 - Evie Sands 

 (Nov. 1965, uncharted) 

Let's flip that Blue Cat platter and hear another soulful song by Evie
and see her in another exciting live television performance in 1965.
It's the week before Christmas and Evie is wowing the crowd
on Shivaree testifyin' -- "You've Got Me Up Tight."

 "You've Got Me Up Tight" - Evie Sands 

 (Nov. 1965, B side of "I Can't Let Go," 

 perf. on Dec. 18, 1965, ep. of Shivaree) 

 Stick around. Coming up in Pt. 2 

 you'll hear more great recordings 

 by Evie Sands and other artists 

 who covered her work. 

Have a Shady day!