Detroit Emeralds - Greatest Hits

Real soul fans know, of course, that the Detroit Emeralds have a long, checkered and sometimes incestuous history. The Emeralds were essentially the brothers Abe and Ivory Tilmon and childhood friend James Mitchell. They began their recording career with Detroit's semi-legendary Ric Tic label but when Ric Tic folded the band eventually signed with Westbound. Touring in Memphis the boys eventually cut some tracks in Willie Mitchell's famous studio. The Memphis rough-cuts had vocals and sweetening added in Detroit and the result was the band's first real hit - 'If I Lose Your Love'. Westbound clearly thought they had found a winning formula and this strange hybrid method of recording was repeated again and again to produce a sound for the group that combined the down-home funk of Memphis with the sophisticated soul of Detroit. This GREATEST HITS set perfectly captures that unique sound. Hit followed hit and egos got bigger. By 1974, however, the group had started to fall apart, with two versions of the band on the road at one time! Different combinations of the group gigged and recorded throughout the 70s. Sadly Abe Tilmon died of a heart attack in 1982, and other band members eventually retiring. This new compilation is a testimony to what the Emeralds were at their peak - an all-round first-rate vocal harmony soul group - oh and yes - 'Feel The Need' is included here - twice!