Fred Hughes

Listen/Download -Fred Hughes – Can’t Make It Without You MP3

Greetings all.

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

The record I bring you today yet more evidence of the importance of Chicago soul.

Fred Hughes is best known for his big 1965 hit ‘Oo Wee Baby, I Love You’ (a big fave here at Funky16Corners). He recorded for a couple of (mostly Chicago-based) labels in the 60s, including Vee-Jay, Cadet, Wand and Brunswick, racking up a few more R&B hits in 1968 and 1969.

The tune I bring you today was – aside from some minor local Chitown airplay for the flipside – ignored at the time, but is one of the best things he ever did.

‘Can’t Make It Without You’ was assembled by a Chicago soul all-star team. Written by Richard Parker (who wrote ‘Oo Wee Baby, I Love You’ as well as ‘Just Like the Weather’ for Nolan Chance and ‘The Bird’ for the Dutones), produced by Gerald Sims, who had produced sides for the Artistics, Major Lance, Walter Jackson and Otis Leavill among others, ‘Can’t Make It Without’ you is a slow-building masterpiece of moody soul. The arrangement comes on gradually, with some beautiful vibes and string accents, and a great vocal by Hughes, who is joined by female backing singers in the chorus.

There are some echoes of his big hit, but not enough to take away from the greatness of this record.

The flipside, ‘Come Home Little Darlin’ is also excellent.

As far as I can tell, Hughes’ work has never been compiled in one place, which is a damn shame. Hopefully someone out there will get on the stick and put it together.

I hope you dig the tune, and I’ll see you all on Monday.

Keep the faith

Larry

____________________________________________________________________________

PS Head over to Iron Leg too.

One Response to “Fred Hughes – Can’t Make It Without You”

1. DJ Waterman says:

   July 20, 2016 at 7:26 am

   I love Fred Hughes stuff, I’ve comped all his best tunes onto CD for my own listening pleasure and they definitely all sit together and would make a great release, I think he’s still alive somewhere even though he quit the business, someone in your country should try to make it happen, it would be amazing.