The Detroit Emeralds
The Detroit Emeralds | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | The Emeralds |
| Origin | Little Rock,Arkansas,United States |
| Genres | R&B,soul |
| Years active | 1968–1978, 2019–present |
| Labels | Ric-Tic,Westbound,MCM |
| Members | James Mitchell Jr. Dewayne Loc Lomax[1] Alfonzo Livingston[2] Delbert Nelson[2] |
| Past members | Ivory Tilmon Abrim Tilmon Cleophus Tilmon Raymond Tilmon Marvin Willis Michael Henderson[3] LaVel Jackson[1] Eddie Cameron[1] |
The Detroit Emeraldsare an AmericanR&B/soulvocal group,best known in the early 1970s. They enjoyed a run of successful records in the decade including their 1973 transatlantichit single,"Feel the Need in Me".[3]
Career[edit]
"The Emeralds" were formed as a vocal harmony group inLittle Rock,Arkansas,and originally composed of four brothers, Ivory (September 14, 1941 – September 13, 2014),[4]Abrim (January 12, 1945 – July 6, 1982), Cleophus and Raymond Tilmon.[5]After Cleophus and Raymond left, the remaining Tilmon brothers were joined by childhood friend, James Mitchell.[5]Moving toDetroit,Michigan,and expanding their name to the Detroit Emeralds, thetriohad their first R&Bchartsuccess onRic-Tic Records,with "Show Time" in 1968.[6]
In 1970, they joined another Detroit-based label,Westbound Records.When touring inMemphis,Tennessee,theyrecordedsomedemotracksat theHirecording studios, run by topproducerWillie Mitchell, to which they addedvocalsandstringsback in Detroit. This approach worked and brought them anotherhit,"If I Lose Your Love", which was followed by a run of successes including "Do Me Right","You Want It, You Got It",and"Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)"which all made theUSR&Btop 10,[5]while the latter also reached number 24 on the USBillboardHot 100popchartin 1972.[6]
The song for which they are now best remembered, "Feel the Need in Me",reached number 22 US R&B in 1973, and a new longer version four years later also charted. The original track made the top five in theUK Singles Chartin 1973, and the later production also made the UK chart in 1977 (number 12).[7]"You Want It You Got It" was re-released in the UK as a follow-up to the initial "Feel the Need in Me",[5]also reaching the UK top 20 in 1973.[7]Abrim Tilmonwroteall of their hits, while alsoarrangingand producing the tracks. The horns and strings were arranged by the Grammy award-winning arranger,Johnny Allen.The horns and strings were recorded in Detroit with Carl Austin as concertmaster and Johnny Trudell leading the horns.
By 1974, the group was falling apart[5]and, at one point, there were two outfits using the name. Abe Tilmon formed one new group using the Detroit Emeralds' name, whilst James Mitchell, along with Marvin Willis, wrote for another group,the Floaters– Paul Mitchell of the Floaters being James's brother.[3]James Mitchell, Ivory Tilmon and Marvin Willis continued touring as the Detroit Emeralds and stayed active on the oldies and cabaret circuit for some years.[3]
Abrim Tilmon died on July 6, 1982, at the age of 37, in hisSouthfield,Michigan,home of aheart attack.[5]It was said a reunion of the group was being planned at the time. He was survived by his wife Janyce, son Steve, and daughter Cathy.[8]
In 2019, the Detroit Emeralds was reformed by the group's founding member James Mitchell Jr. along with new members LaVel Jackson, Eddie Cameron and Dewayne Loc Lomax.[9]They released a new single titled "Call Me, I'm Ready" in May 2019.[9]In August 2021, they released the single "Victory".[10]In November 2021, they released another single titled "Face 2 Face".[1]In October 2022, they released another single titled "In My Life".[2]
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Record label | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [11] |
US R&B [12] | |||||||||||||
| 1971 | Do Me Right | 151 | 23 | Westbound | ||||||||||
| 1972 | You Want It, You Got It | 78 | 37 | |||||||||||
| 1973 | I'm in Love with You | 181 | 27 | |||||||||||
| 1977 | Feel the Need | — | — | |||||||||||
| 1978 | Let's Get Together | — | — | |||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart. | ||||||||||||||
Compilation albums[edit]
- Abe, James and Ivory(1973,Westbound)
- Greatest Hits(1998, Westbound)
Singles[edit]
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [6] |
US R&B [6] |
US Dan [6] |
CAN [13] |
UK [14] | ||||||||||
| 1968 | "Show Time" | 89 | 22 | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |||||||
| "Shades Down" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "(I'm an Ordinary Man) Take Me the Way I Am" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 1969 | "Holding On" | — | — | — | — | — | Do Me Right | |||||||
| 1970 | "If I Lose Your Love" | — | 32 | — | — | — | ||||||||
| "I Can't See Myself Doing Without You" / "Just Now and Then" | — | 41 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 1971 | "Do Me Right"/" Just Now and Then " | 43 | 7 | — | 95 | — | ||||||||
| "Wear This Ring (with Love)"/" I Bet You Get the One (Who Loves You) " | 91 | 18 | — | — | — | |||||||||
| "You Want It, You Got It"/" Till You Decide to Come Home " | 36 | 5 | — | — | 12 | You Want It, You Got It | ||||||||
| 1972 | "Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)"/" I'll Never Sail The Sea Again " | 24 | 4 | — | — | — | ||||||||
| "Feel the Need in Me"/" There's a Love for Me Somewhere " | 110 | 22 | — | — | 4 | |||||||||
| 1973 | "You're Gettin' a Little Too Smart" | 101 | 10 | — | — | — | I'm in Love with You | |||||||
| "I Think of You" | — | — | — | — | 27 | |||||||||
| "Lee" / "Whatcha Gonna Wear Tomorrow" | — | 79 | — | — | — | Abe, James and Ivory | ||||||||
| 1977 | "Feel the Need"(re-recording) | 90 | 73 | 14 | — | 12 | Feel the Need | |||||||
| "Set It Out" / "I'm Qualified" | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||
| 1978 | "Turn on Lady" / "I Just Don't Know About This Girl of Mine" | — | — | 11 | — | — | Let's Get Together | |||||||
| "Let's Get Together" / "Have a Good Day" | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 2019 | "Call Me, I'm Ready" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| 2021 | "Victory" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| "Face 2 Face" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||
| 2022 | "In My Life" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abcdSamuels, Darnea N. (November 10, 2021)."First Listen: The Detroit Emeralds go" Face 2 Face "on new single".SoulTracks.RetrievedApril 27,2022.
- ^abcSamuels, Darnea N. (December 13, 2022)."First Listen: The Detroit Emeralds slow down the jam on" In My Life "".SoulTracks.
- ^abcdWynn, Ron."Biography".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^"Detroit Emeralds Page".Soulwalking.co.uk.RetrievedAugust 20,2020.
- ^abcdefColin Larkin,ed. (1993).The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music(First ed.).Guinness Publishing.p. 69.ISBN0-85112-733-9.
- ^abcde"The Detroit Emeralds Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography".Music VF.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^abRoberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 152.ISBN1-904994-10-5.
- ^"To Our Dad, STEVE TILMON..."We_luv_grandpa_abrim.tripod.com.Archived fromthe originalon November 13, 2006.RetrievedOctober 13,2019.
- ^ab"First Look: The Detroit Emeralds are" Ready "for a return".SoulTracks.May 9, 2019.RetrievedApril 27,2022.
- ^"First Listen: The Detroit Emeralds return with a" Victory "".SoulTracks.August 15, 2021.RetrievedApril 28,2022.
- ^"Artist / Detroit Emeralds".Billboard Database.RetrievedSeptember 27,2021.
- ^"The Detroit Emeralds - Awards".AllMusic. Archived fromthe originalon June 11, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 23,2022.
- ^"CAN Charts > The Detroit Emeralds".RPM.RetrievedMay 30,2017.
- ^"DETROIT EMERALDS - full Official Chart History".Official Charts Company.RetrievedMay 30,2017.
External links[edit]
- The Detroit EmeraldsatAllMusic
- The Detroit Emeraldsdiscography atDiscogs
- The Detroit EmeraldsatIMDb
- The DETROIT EMERALDSsinging"SHOWTIME"their first chart hit (1968)
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