Geraldine Hunt — Can’t Fake the Feeling

from No Way (1980)

“I been lovin you for many years.. I know every inch of your bodayyy…”

Damnnnnn lady. Geraldine Hunt has an amazing voice, and coupled with these peppy beats and bass pops she’s unstoppable. This track didn’t get much mainstream radio play, as radio DJs didn’t give a damn about disco by the time 1980 rolled around, but it spent seven weeks at #1 on the Billboard club charts.

Interesting life story, too:

Her father was a one-man band, and her grandmother, Louella Reed was a singer on the Chitlin Circuit. In 1947 her family relocated to Chicago. While growing up on Chicago’s south side Hunt discovered her musical talent. Living in that part of Chicago was not easy, recalls Geraldine. “On the weekends, we had to sleep on the floor, gangs were shooting through the house; It was rough.” - Wikipedia

Sam Taylor Jr. — I Heard It Through the Grapevine

from The Tunnels of My Mind (1969)

I know what you’re thinking—“I’ve heard ‘I’ve Heard It Through The Grapevine’ way too many times.”

Well let me assure you that you’ve never heard Grapevine swing like this. Sam Taylor Jr., a bluesy soul singer and guitarist from Long Island via Mobile, Alabama, put out this smoking album in 1969, and this version of Grapevine makes the rest shrivel up in shame.

Later in his career Taylor provided guitar duties for musicians on the ‘chitlin circuit,’ including The Isleys and Otis Redding. A friend recently gave me an excellent book on these influential clubs called The Chitlin’ Circuit: And the Road to Rock’n’Roll. So far, it’s a fascinating history.

Album via last week’s Motherlode.