Once we had finished up with Popcorn, on to what turned out to be a much more warming experience, we go round to see A J Sparks, long time respected session player in Detroit.

When he heard McKinley was with me he had made a few calls and by the time we arrive a few people have gathered in his basement, some from his days at Invictus.

His arrival is met by lots of hugs and comments like "how many years has it been".

Again talk soon gets back to the old days, at one point McKinley says to the assembled group what was the funkiest tune we cut on Chairman of the Board, it went some thing like this. He plays the opening bars to blank looks all around except me, but I feel a little humble in this group and wait hoping someone will remember, I can't wait any longer "Finders keepers" I shout out, in seconds others have picked up instruments and there before me they are playing the track from memory, note perfect.

That would almost be the end of the story, McKinley back home in Detroit amongst friends, chatting about the past. But McKinley Jackson isn't one to really look back, he is always looking for the next project.

It took me asking these question for him to think back, I think some of it was fun, but also at times painful.

Today though, his life in Detroit seems a good one, he is working a fair bit for the Holland Brothers, most treat him like some elder statesman. He is working hard to pass skills onto the next generation, teaching several times a week at a music tech,, and he hasn't lost any of his passion for making soul music.

McKinley and Dave

Luckily, we had half a day in the studio too while McKinley worked on some tracks for Brian and Eddie, and at the end of this there was a moment that will live with my friend Malayka for ever.

I was sitting with the engineer chatting, McKinley and Malayka had gone through to the studio. We could hear a few music passages being played, so we walked through, to find the pair of them sitting side by side at the piano, playing duet.

music: "90 Day Freeze" - 100 Proof Aged In Soul (Hot Wax 7108a)

Continued