Halverwege de jaren negentig werden wij via Oor's Herman van der Horst (menen wij) op het spoor gezet van soulzanger, -songwriter en -producer Sam Dees door de Ace/ Kent-uitgave Second To None (bedankt nog trouwens!). Heritage Of A Black Man volgde (1998) wegens gebleken succes, dat wij nu liever eerherstel noemen. Deze absolute treasure trove van de (southern) soul heeft dusdanig veel geschreven dat Kent er nu een representatief deeltje in hun songwriter serie mee vult. De man zélf opent (My World) waarna een keur aan héle groten het op een interpreteren van jewelste zetten. Essentieel derhalve, zelfs voor al dan niet zelfbenoemde kenners.Surely the greatest endorsement for any songwriter is the calibre of artists who record their compositions. Sam Dees can boast cuts on acts such as the Temptations, Johnnie Taylor, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Millie Jackson, Jackie Wilson and other upper echelon soul stars. Having previously issued two CDs of Sam’s recordings, we felt he was overdue for an entry in our Songwriter series. The aptly titled “One In A Million” is exactly that.
The CD takes its title from what is probably his most commercially successful song, thanks to Larry Graham’s chart-topping recording from 1980, and covers Sam’s career from the late 1960s through to the mid-80s. Whittling his catalogue down to a representative 22 songs was a challenge and a half. Many of the artists featured, such as Loleatta Holloway and John Edwards, returned to Sam’s songbook again and again, while others drew from it only once or twice. The common denominator between them is they all recognised a great song when they heard it.
There’s a preponderance of titles from the period Sam’s most ardent admirers seem to like best, the mid-70s, but we’ve not neglected the early 80s, when his compositions were recorded by some of the biggest names in soul and records bearing his name under the title were starting to sell in their millions.
The only disappointment for Sam’s fans is his career as a singer has always been somewhat fragmented due to the demand for his songs. As a demonstration of his vocal greatness we have included his 1977 recording of ‘My World’, a song he performs so definitively that it’s hardly surprising to find his is the only version.
“One In A Million” presents the sublime songs of Sam Dees in performances that will live on in the hearts and collections of his army of fans. Some will be better known than others, but all will surely be admired and cherished in the same way the man who wrote them is.
(tekst: www.acerecords.co.uk/ , By Tony Rounce)
1. My World- Sam Dees
2. Stop This Merry-Go-Round - John Edwards
3. Girl Overboard - Dorothy Moore
4. Seconds (Of Your Love) - Johnnie Taylor
5. Your Love Is Like A Boomerang - Corey Blake
6. A Woman's Way - Rozetta Johnson
7. Vanishing Love (UK Remix) - The Chi-Lites
8. Cry To Me - Esther Phillips
9. Standing In The Wings Of A Heartache - Ted Taylor
10. Just As Soon As The Feeling's Over - Jackie Wilson
11. Changes - Clarence Carter
12. I Betcha Didn't Know That - Frederick Knight
13. Run To Me - Sidney Joe Qualls
14. Mess On Your Hands (Edited Version) - Millie Jackson
15. Good Guys Don't Always Win - Ray Crumley
16. So Your Love Finally Ran Out (For Me) - Les Mccann
17. The Show Must Go On - Loleatta Holloway
18. What A Way To Put It - The Temptations
19. Spoiled By Your Love - Anita Ward
20. Where Did We Go Wrong - L.T.D
21. Save The Overtime For Me - Gladys Knight And The Pips
22. One In A Million (You) - Larry Graham
