JR Bailey

Just Me 'n You

This album is one of the all-time greats that did not sell and was the best kept secret for years. Every track on side one is from 2-Step heaven, side two has three stunning ballads and two steppers, it just doesn't get any better. Love Love Love was known because Donny Hathaway had done a fine job on it some years earlier. Although JR's album had been issued in 1974, some tracks date back to 1972 as singles for Bailey.

Our good friend and writing partner is also involved on this album that's Ken Williams, who we have talked about in length earlier. Just Me 'n You was arranged by Bert De Coteaux and fans of his work will know you're in-for some fancy production work.

Why is it on MAMS label you are wondering, well I'll tell you. Gordon Mills the master mind behind the careers of Gilbert O'Sullivan, Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck put him on the label. The album has been re-issued on CD this year but if you want an original vinyl let me know.

Born James Ralf Bailey in 1932, in his late 20's he joined The Original Cadilacs, after that he had various singles and made a name for himself as a writer and producer for Ben E King, Three Degrees, Platters - Sweet Sweet Lovin' , Esther Philips, Sweet Inspirations, Rayletes, Arthur Prysock & Ike and Tine Turner. Background vocals he gave to Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Melvin Van Peebles, Jimmy Caster and the Northern Soul classic Chuck Wood's Seven Days Is Too Long on Roulette Records was one of his creations as well!

The Seventies gave hits from the Main Ingredient's Everybody Plays The Fool (Sometimes). Eramus Hall recorderd a jazzy version Just You n' Me on Westbound Records. Sadly though Bailey died in 1980 at the young age of 48.

The Reflections

She's My Summer Breeze

Another JR Bailey and Ken Williams song and album production with the album Love On Delivery (LOD). She's My Summer Breeze by the Reflections. Not to be confused with Golden World Reflections as they were a White group from Detroit. I've removed the first 60 seconds as the introduction is a bit long. The Reflections were; Hermon Edwards; Josh Pridgen; Edmund 'Butch' Simmons & John Simmons.

The band had been working with Melba Moore for 3 1/2 years from 1971 on her stage productions presumably. Melba introduces the group to Capitol for there debut and only album as far as I know in 1975. Other highlights from the album are Three Steps From True Love and the ballad One Into One. Gift Wrap My Love in 1976 looks like the last single from the group. You know more?

Ken Williams

Sweet Music, Soft Lights & You

Sweet Music, Soft Lights & You was a hit for Millie Jackson & Isaac Hayes on Polydor in 1979. This version from 1976 is very similar and by co-writer of the song Ken Williams. Just love the Isaac Hayes type fuzz guitar reminiscent of Walk On By classic.

I'm a big fan of the works of these guys; Ken Williams & JR Bailey in particular. Bailey put out an album on himself , that's to my mind one of the best albums of the 70's, titled Just Me 'N You and it has just been issued on CD buy it without question. If you want the vinyl let me know.

Ken's other singles that I can find are the Northern stomper Come Back on Okeh Records from 1967, collectors/dj's will pay many hundreds of pounds for, Old Fashioned Christmas on Ben Mor Records (as Kenny Williams), The Shoes On The Other Foot & If You Were Gone. He also had a hit-jingle: You're Fabulous Bake for a purfume add that came out on UK (HMV 015) backed with Give My Heart Back in 1977.

But it's his writing skills that he'll be remembered for especially with hits for Northern Soul classics; The Superiors What Would I Do (also as lead singer) Bobby Treetop's Wait Till I Get To Know Ya & Total Eclipse's You Took A Heart, then the hits for The Main Ingredient; Just Don't Want To Be Lonely and Everybody Plays The Fool (Sometimes), and Donny Hathaway's Love, Love, Love also recorded on Bailey's one album.

He's produced some nice things as well; The Spellbinders Help Me; Peaches Herb Let's Fall In Love; The Reflections She's My Summer Breeze and Love On Delivery.

More recently he is connected to the monster hit by Alicia Keys You Don't Know My Name using the groove from a 1972 Main Ingredient Track Let me Prove My Love To You. Williams has recently been given the Keys To The City at Fernandina Beach where he now lives by Mayer Joe Gerrity.