A younger, be-conked Gary U.S. Bonds

Listen/Download – Gary U.S. Bonds – I’m Glad You’re Back MP3

Greetings all.

The end of the week is here, and so then is the Funky16Corners Radio Show, coming to you each and every Friday night at 9PM on Viva Radio, with the best in funk, soul, jazz and rare groove, all on original vinyl. You can listen live, subscribe to the show as a podcast in iTunes, listen on your mobile device via the TuneIn app, or grab an MP3 out of the archive here at the blog.

We’re closing out the week with a record I found a few years back.

Gary US Bonds ought to be familiar to most folks via his stellar early 60s R&B sides for LeGrand (like ‘New Orleans’ and ‘Quarter to Three’) or his 1980s resurrection as part of the Springsteen galaxy of stars.

However, as this 45 demonstrates, Bonds made a stop at the short-lived, late 60s soul label Botanic for one, excellent 45.

Bonds came out of the Tidewater area of Virginia, working for Frank Guida’s LeGrand records.

By the time he hooked up with fellow Virginian Jerry ‘Swamp Dogg’ Williams in 1968, his chart successes were in the distant past.

Today’s selection ‘I’m Glad You’re Back’ was co-written by Bonds (he’s ‘G. Anderson’) and Williams, produced by Williams and arranged by Teacho Wiltshire.

Interestingly enough there were only three 45s released on Botanic (Bonds, Little Charles and the Sidewinders, and a rock band called Saturday’s Crowd) and they were all co-written and produced by Williams.

‘I’m Glad You’re Back’ finds Bonds working in a funkier, more explicitly soulful 1968-appropriate sound. The arrangement is tight, making tasteful use of the string and horn sections, and whoever is playing the bass is off the hook.

The record got some minor play in the New York market in the Fall of 1968, but that’s about it.

Bonds would keep recording for a variety of labels through the 70s, until he hit with ‘This Little Girl’ in 1981.

It’s a groovy 45, and I hope you dig it.

See you on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

 

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