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The Mighty Vanguards - Ghetto/Never Never 7" (Signed)

Rappcats

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$15.00 USD
Regular price
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$15.00 USD

Vinyl: 7" with folder sleeve. Signed by Herb Miller. 

Vinyl bundle: 7" single + LAMP Records: It Glowed Like The Sun 3/LP set. 

Essential Soul group The Mighty Vanguards single "Ghetto" b/w "Never Never" 

In 1969, The Vanguards put the Indianapolis soul scene on the national map with their debut single "Somebody Please." The song was released on Herb Miller's L&M Production label later known as Lamp Records. "Somebody Please" reached Billboard's Top 50 R&B Chart and it hit the top ten in regional markets around the country. "Somebody Please" has become an enduring soul classic. The song has been sampled, chopped, screwed, translated into Spanish, and covered by dozens of musicians including Jodeci's K-Ci & JoJo and Los Lobos' David Hidalgo.

The Vanguards' follow up hit, "It's Too Late for Love," was written by the Indianapolis singer-songwriter, Tony Black. "It's Too Late for Love" was Black's first commercial release. In 1971 the song cracked Billboard's Top 40 R&B Chart. Some songwriters might have developed an inflated ego while experiencing such early success. Black, an introspective family man, did not. Black's second collaboration with Lamp Records was a 1972 single featuring "Revolution Compared to What." It failed to chart so Black walked away from the music business.

However, Tony continued to write music on his own. During a 2016 interview, Black told me he had written over 300 songs and recorded many of them at home on a portable reel-to-reel tape deck. After Black passed away in 2020 his son, Evan, shared those recordings with me. I will never forget the day Evan delivered the tapes to WFYI. There were boxes, bags, and storage bins overflowing with reel-to-reel tapes, CDs, cassettes, floppy discs, and flash drives containing 40+ years of Tony Black's music. As I sorted through this massive archive, I also discovered lost demo recordings of Lamp Record's artists including Ebony Rhythm Band and The Vanguards.

This recording is drawn from Black's collection. When I shared these tracks with Herb Miller, he immediately began working to organize a release. These unheard demo recordings capture The Vanguards at the height of their popularity. The single's Side 1, "Ghetto," showcases the dynamic interplay between lead vocalist, James Davis, and bass singer, Vonzell Wheeler. This interplay was a key element of The Vanguards' sound. Side 2, "Never Never," is the only Vanguards' recording to feature lead vocals from the group's original female singer, Elaine Livingston. Mr. Miller estimates these recordings were produced between 1969 and 1970 at Les Ohmit Recording Studio.

This is the first new release featuring the classic Vanguards' lineup in over 50 years. We are ecstatic to share this music with the group's fans in Indianapolis and around the world.

Kyle Long, WFYI

The Mighty Vanguards - Ghetto/Never Never 7" (Signed) The Mighty Vanguards - Ghetto/Never Never 7" (Signed)

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