George Kerr (musician)
George Kerr | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ocilla, Georgia, United States |
| Genres | Soul R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer, arranger |
| Labels | Shout, All Platinum, Harbor Light Records |
| Member of | The Serenaders, Imperials, George Kerr and His Orchestra, Blood Brothers, Kerr |
George Kerr is a musician and record producer who has worked with a multitude of recording artists during the 1960s and 1970s.
Background
[edit]The artists Kerr has worked with include, Florence Ballard, The Escorts, Linda Jones, The Moments, The O'Jays, and The Whatnauts.[1] George Kerr has been connected with All Platinum Records and Sylvia Robinson. He was also a Motown recording artist[2] As an artist he had a hit with "Hey Girl".[3] He recorded an album for the All Platinum label, If This World Were Mine.[4]
Career as musician
[edit]At some stage in the 1950s, George Kerr formed a group called The Serenaders in Newark, NJ with his friends Sidney Barnes, Howard Curry and Timothy Wilson. Later, Richard Barrett had placed an ad in the paper for auditions for a lead singer for the group, Imperials. Kerr and his friend Sidney Barnes applied for the role. It was Kerr that ended up securing the position. Kerr was the lead singer on "Faithfully Yours" that was released on the Carlton label. In 1962, Kerr left The Imperials and returned to his old group The Serenaders. It wouldn't be long until Kerr had moved into composition and producing.[5]
Career as producer and composer
[edit]Two of Kerr's productions were in 'Billboard's Soul Recommended section for the week ending August 25, 1973. They were "Your Gonna Need Somebody to Love (Wide You're Looking for Someone to Love" by Barbara Jean English and "I Wasn't There" by The Whatnauts.[6]
He produced the single for the New Foundations. The song, "Darling (You're All I Need)", a soul ballad which was released on Atlantic 45-3225. This New Foundations, a group from the United States[7][8] had no connection with the English group, the New Foundations who released "Something for My Baby" / "I Need Your Love" on Pye 45533.[9][10][11]
He produced "Baby (I’m Gonna Love You)" for Phyllis Hyman which was released in 1976.[12]
Along with Rod Armstrong and Marvin Brown, Kerr produced an album that featured the groups, Softones & First Class. The album Together was released on the new label, Park-Way Records in 1980.[13]
His production of the group Kerr and the single "Back At Ya", released on Greyhound GRPT-107 in 1984 had a brief review in James Hamilton's Disco's section of the 17 March 1984 issue of Record Mirror.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ Radio Newark - George Kerr
- ^ Billboard - Godmother: Sugar Hill Records’ Sylvia Robinson By Dan Charnas
- ^ MusicVF.com - George Kerr Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography
- ^ Popsike - GEORGE KERR If This World Were All Platinum RARE KILLER SWEET SOUL LP * Listen
- ^ Echoes of the Past, Issue No. 103 (Spring 2013) - Pages 17-24 The Sammy Strain Story—Part 3 The Imperials (1961—1963) by Charlie Horner with contributions from Pamela Horner
- ^ Billboard, August 25, 1973 - Page 51 Billboard's Top Single Picks, Soul, also recommended
- ^ Cash Box, January 25, 1975 - cash box / singles reviews, newcomer picks
- ^ Billboard, January 25, 1975 - Page 58 Billboard's Top Single Picks, Soul, recommended
- ^ The Foundations, Baby Now That I've Found You, Sequel Records NEECD 300, Notes by Roger Dopson
- ^ Shazam - Something for My Baby The New Foundations
- ^ Music Week, January 31, 1976 - Page 7 Internationally yours PYE RECORDS
(*Note: SOMETHING ABOUT MY BABY is incorrect. Title should be "Something For My Baby")
- ^ Soul & Jazz & Funk, 17 Nov 2017 - PHYLLIS HYMAN: ‘DELIVER THE LOVE – THE ANTHOLOGY’ (SOULMUSIC RECORDS) By Charles Waring
- ^ Record World, September 13, 1980 - Page 106 Record World Black Oriented Music, Black Music Report By KEN SMIKLE
- ^ Record Mirror, March 17, 1984 - Page 29 D-i-s-c-o-s, HOT VINYL, KERR: 'Back At Ya' (Greyhound GRPT-107)
External links
[edit]- Discogs - George Kerr
- Instagram - The Legendary George Kerr
- AllMusic - George Kerr Credits
- Simplecast - George Kerr interview hosted by Ricardo Holt