The Producers – Love Is Amazing
Listen/Download The Producers – Love Is Amazing
Greetings all
The end of the week is approaching, so I will remind you once again to tune into the Funky16Corners Radio Show, Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio. If you are otherwise occupied at airtime, you can subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes or grab an MP3 at the blog.
The tune I bring you today is one of my favorite Philadelphia Northern Soul 45s, with a very interesting provenance that reaches back to the Motor City.
I picke up ‘Love Is Amazing’ by the Producers back in the early digging days, after having scored the other two 45s on the short-lived Huff Puff label (by the Landslides and Ruth McFadden).
Named for Leon Huff, Huff Puff existed for a short time (1968/69), with all of it’s released produced/arranged by Gamble and Huff with the usual gang, including Thom Bell and Bobby Martin.
None of the label’s releases appear to have generated any heat on the charts (even regionally) despite their obvious quality.
The side I bring you today, ‘Love Is Amazing’ was the third and final release on the label in 1969, and features a very interesting lead singer indeed.
Mikki Farrow got her start in Detroit (she was apparently once married to the mighty Mike Terry and later on to Billy Butler!) and recorded for a variety of labels (including the Northern fave ‘Set My Heart at Ease’ for Karate) before relocating to Philadelphia.
‘Love Is Amazing’ is one of those records that has everything going for it, from top-shelf songwriting (Kenny Gamble, Farrow and Thom Bell), fantastic production (Gamble/Huff) and a fantastic lead vocal by Farrow (I suspect that Gamble is the supporting make vocalist).
The record, matching superb melody and hooks with enough rhythmic heat for the dancers, ought to have been a hit, instead of the footnote that it is.
A superb 45 to end the week.
I hope you dig it and I’ll see you all on Monday.
Keep the faith
Larry
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Themocracy
I’m not sure if you’re ok with people cluttering up your site with simple “thank-you’s”. But simply – thank you. 🙂
More than OK. I appreciate the kind words.