"Sock It to Me"

[Sam Clements]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Wilson Gray" <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 1:03 AM
Subject: Re: "Sock It to Me"


> Of course. It will be my honor.
>
> In 1968. there was a television show on one of the Big Three devoted
> to the careers of two uknown female song stylists, one white and one
> black. Unfortunately, the unknown white singer's career came from
> nowhere and went nowhere. I'd never heard of her at the time and have
> not heard of her since. Hence, her name escapes me.

Her name was Gloria Loring.  The show, titled "The Singers," was aired on
ABC on May 11, 1968.   But your characterization of the show as "devoted to
the careers of two unknown female song stylists" is incorrect.   Every major
newspaper I can read on Proquest make it clear that Aretha was big
time("Respect" had won her a Grammy earlier that year) and Loring was a
newbie.

> The unknown black singer was Aretha, if you can believe that. Given
> that her career went back to at least 1964 and probably farther, I was
> stunned to discover that, clearly, no one at ABC/CBS/NBC had ever
> heard of her.

Her career went back to at least 1961, when she was recording for Coumbia.
Trouble was, Columbia tried to make her a pop/jazz performer.  It didn't
work. When she switched to the Atlantic label, and they promoted her r&b
talents, the became very popular.


> Clearly, neither the white power structure nor the average person on
> the white street had any idea who Aretha Franklin was or even gave a
> Roosevelt damn. Aretha Franklin had not crossed over the color line by
> 1967. Q.E.D.

Are you saying that all of her records were sold only to blacks?  On March
19th of 1967, "I Never Loved A Man" topped out at #9 on Billboard's Top 40.
On May 6th of that year(a year before that poor "unknown" was in that tv
show), "Respect" topped out at #1.   No doubt at least one or two "white"
stations were playing her songs.


> Jesus! - you should pardon the expression - how long have you been
> living in this country, Ben? Are you really so unaware of the way that
> things were and are? Don't you recall that, in the _'Sixties,_ the
> lynching of blacks and even of some Jews was still a commonplace
> practice?
>-Wilson

Assuming you're referring to Goodman and Schwermer, I'd hardly call lynching
of Jews in the Sixties a "commonplace practice."

I notice that Ben has replied better than I can.

Sam Clements