The second Johnny Brantley feature of the day and I owe Early Hendrix for providing clues on Nate's recordings. As with Sam Williams, I have no biogrphical detail on Nate.Atlantic Why Is It Taking So Long/I'm Gonna Be Good
Both songs are written by Lewis, Farmer, Lewis and arranged by T. Staff. Why was also recorded by George Scott on Maple with George edging it for me on the vocal stakes. Why is a lovely lilting song with some jangly guitar and girly backing with a great break while Nate pleads to his love over a throbbing bass run. Yet another very soulful song from the trio of writers. I'm Gonna Be Good is a raucous mid-tempo beater. I cannot find another Johnny Brantley produced version of this song.
According to Early Hendrix the session also included the following tracks:-
13341 Yes You Did
This certainly made it to acetate because I have heard this version of the Hermon Hitson classic via my friend Martin Barnfather aka Soul Sam. This sounds like the original backing track with some additional girls singing "Can't You Dig" minus Nate's vocals. I can't recall for the life of me whether there was a vocal as well!
13344 A Fool For You
I assume this is another version of the George Scott side on his Maple album
13345 Sophisticated Alabama Soup Bone
Also covered by Marion Farmer on Tower 417 and the Ohio Players on their collected Compass recordings album First Impressions.
I am writing a book for a friend, John Harley. John and Nate were in the Air Force together, and they both sang with an Air Force group by the name of the Montclairs. When they were discharged, they formed a duet. They won a contest and the grand prize was a recording contract with Lieber and Stoller. Lieber and Stoller sent Johnny Brantley to represent them. He signed them up under his management. They only made one recording for Lieber and Stoller, "Keep it Up," and "I Got a Dream" on the flip side. They later went with Redfield Productions, but left the company over mismanagement. Redfield had named them "Soul Brothers" and when they left, they could no longer sing together under that name. For awhile they sang under the name of George & Sonny Sands. I am assuming that after they broke up, that Nate began singing for Johnny Brantley Productions. This and other history will be in the book which will be published soon.
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