SIXTIES

Way back in 1972 French soul journalist Kurt Mohr became the first music writer to interview Dave for the Soul Bag magazine. He went to Detroit and met up with Dave and O C Tolbert where O C told him he was born on 11 July 1944 in Selma, Alabama and moved up to Detroit in 1967. The Rolyak single ‘You Gotta Hold On Me’ was his first 45 release and was cut in Detroit in October 1971. At the time of the interview his second single on New Day was due for release that summer and the personnel listed above (and for the Barrinos) came from this article.

Dave Hamilton told Kurt he was born on the 15 January 1925 in Savannah, Georgia, as we recounted in the first CD’s sleevenotes; but that was wishful thinking as the records show the year to have been 1920. He died on the 26 January 1995. Some of his papers also show that he was sometimes known as Schadell Hasset, though I have never seen that name used.

Dada artist management also had a contract with the Sequins signed in March 1967. This is most likely to be the group that recorded on The Detroit Sound, though there are no other links to the record label’s personnel. Darrell Goolsby did mention them having sung backing on some of the recordings. The girls were Brenda Rowland, Brenda Knight and Merlene Druskell. Dave remembered that they were great at copying other girl groups’ sounds but couldn’t come up with one of their own.

In Tim Ashibende’s interview Dave reckoned his singles mainly sold locally: for instance Tobi’s singles only sold about 2,000-3,000. That’s a lower figure than I would have guessed for Topper releases, but there’s no doubt that there are some incredibly rare Dave Hamilton releases and probably some that have not even turned up amongst collectors yet.

Dave moved from his original studios on Highland and Woodrow Wilson to his home basement on Philadelphia when someone tried to break in and he realised the area was getting dangerous.

Not one to be too sentimental, he did remember the 60s as a magical period in his life.

© Ady Croasdell

Acknowledgements

David Meikle would like to thank Ady for allowing me to display this important slice of music history on SixtiesDetroit. It is much appreciated.

Images were lifted from the booklets which accompanied the undernoted compact discs.

And all label scans which are courtesy of Carl Pellegrino, Graham Finch, Ady Croasdell.

Ady acknowledged the help of the following people, during ACE/KENT'S CD series, "Dave Hamilton's Detroit Dancers":-

Special Thanks to Alice Hamilton, Gilly, Little Ann and Willam ‘Buddy’ Farrow.

I have been given lots of help on this series and I must thank Gilly for starting the whole thing off. Also Tim Ashibende for lending me his taped interviews. I’m still dissecting those so there will be more information from that source next time.

Big thanks to Dave’s Dada partner Darrell Goolsby, now living in sunny Sacramento, who gave me more invaluable knowledge. Also to the Reverend Simon Barbee who put my troubled mind at ease.

Also John Lester, Robb Klein and Carl Pellegrino were particularly helpful and Graham Finch hugely so. Chris Ashby, Steve Chadwick, Shifty, Rob Thomas, Tats, Steve Bryant, Ian Levine and Richard Watt.

The UK-based Soul Source, www.soul-source.co.uk also helps with any project like this and from there Andy Dyson, Neil Rushton, Chalky and Tony Smith have all contributed.

Yet more thanks to the fabulous Tobi Lark, Trudy Robinson, Dave’s keyboard player Emanuel Taylor, Mick Patrick, Dave Flynn, Dave Clegg, Peter Gibbon, Letchworth Toby, Brett Franklin, Mischief, Dean Rudland and the chap that lent us the James Lately 45 about six years ago and I can picture his face but can’t remember his name.

David Meikle recommends all 3 compact discs which contributed the music to this webisode. In fact, all output by ACE/KENT is of the highest quality. The funky side of Dave's material is available on the sister label ACE/BGP.

Check out their website ACE RECORDS

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