Unlike most groups, the Just Brothers evolved more by accident than design.

A teenage Frank Bryant had shown such musical promise and potential that local entrepreneur Don Davis had signed him to a producer’s contract at the fledgling Thelma’s Records as early as 1964.

” I used to hang out at the studio and Don liked some of my ideas” Bryant recalled in 1995. “ My brother had taught me how to play guitar because he was a lot older than me and knew more.”

 While his older brother Jimmy was completing military service, Frank joined the pool of session musicians in Detroit who were beginning to establish the city’s reputation as a major music centre.

 ”We would record over at Correctone, for Mike Hanks and at United. James Jamerson, Eddie Willis, Joe Hunter, Mike Terry and those guys were around then.”

Among his first recording credits were Gino Washington’s “Gino is a coward” at Correctone, on his favoured bass guitar, and as a vocalist on J.J. Barnes’ “Lonely no more” for Mickay’s Records.

“That was the first record I ever got to sing on. There was no background vocalists show up so JJ got me to harmonize with him on that tune.”

He would share writing credits with J.J. on his “Deeper in love”, and wrote “Let’s party” for Steve Mancha, even though this was released as an instrumental called “Making up time” by the Holidays, and incorrectly credited to Don Davis.

music: "Lonely No More" -JJ Barnes (Mickay's 4471a)

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