Artist: The Sweet Inspirations
Profile:
If one was cutting a soul, R&B, pop, rock, or girl group record in New York in the ’60s and needed female backup vocals, chances are they’d try to get the Sweet Inspirations first. The group found their way onto numerous recordings, including hits by the Drifters, Van Morrison, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke, Garnett Mimms, and most famously, Aretha Franklin (with whom they sometimes toured).
The group evolved from the ’50s gospel group the Drinkard Singers. At various points soul singers Doris Troy, Judy Clay, Dionne Warwick, and sister Dee Dee Warwick were members. By the time they began to record on their own in 1967, their leader was Cissy Houston (mother of Whitney), and the women were renamed the Sweet Inspirations.
As an Atlantic recording act, the group cut some fine sides that rank among the clearest illustrations of the close links between soul music and gospel harmony. Usually sticking to material by famed soul and pop songwriters, they had about a half-dozen moderate R&B hits in the late ’60s; the biggest, “Sweet Inspiration,” was a Top 20 pop single. Houston left the group at the end of the ’60s and the Inspirations left Atlantic in the early ’70s, sometimes working with Elvis Presley and recording the album Estelle, Myrna and Sylvia for Stax in 1973. Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
The Sweet Inspirations (1967)
Together in various permutations since the 1950s, the Sweet Inspirations (which included Cissy Houston) were the female back-up singers that sweetened some of the most important soul recordings of the ’60s and ’70s. They also performed as a group unto themselves, garnering some chart action along the way. This was their first album, recorded in ’67, and though it contains mostly covers of the hits of the day, the Sweet Inspirations infuse their unique charm and skill into each number. This is a must-have for girl-group aficionados and soul music historians everywhere. All Music Guide
The wonderful debut album by the Sweet Inspirations for Atlantic — with the same sweet sound that they had backing Aretha Franklin on her classic recordings! The group was a huge backing boon for everyone from Aretha to Elvis, but their own albums were really great, too — an amazing blend of southern soul with group vocals that soar with a glow no doubt cultivated from their roots in gospel. This record was recorded by Chips Moman, with some uptown arrangements by Arif Mardin that includes some broader instrumentation (we LOVE those vibes) — always in the service of the incredible harmonies and lead vocals. Great! Tracks include “Oh! What A Fool I’ve Been”, “Blues Stay Away From Me”, “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream”, “Knock On Wood”, “Don’t Fight It”, “Let It Be Me”, “Sweet Inspiration”, ‘Reach Out To Me”, “Here I Am (Take Me)”, “Why (Am I Treated So Bad)” and more!
Songs Of Faith & Inspiration (1968)
The first album that the Sweet Inspirations cut for Atlantic – and a gospel album that’s billed under the name of Cissy Drinkard & The Sweet Inspirations, before Cissy had come to more widely use the name “Houston” as her last name. The style of the material is similar to the group’s secular albums on Atlantic – and to the vocal backings they provided for Aretha Franklin – with a sweet, pure, southern soul style that’s just great, produced by Tom Down with the same style he was using with Aretha. Titles include “What A Friend”, “I Shall Know Him”, “He’ll Fight”, “Without A Doubt”, and “Looking On The Bright Side”.
What The World Needs Now Is Love (1968)
Heavenly soul from the lovely Sweet Inspirations! The record was the group’s first secular album for Atlantic – after recording one gospel album, and doing the backings on a number of fine Aretha Franklin sessions – and it’s a gem of a female soul record, with the same classic sound you’d hear on Aretha’s Atlantic late 60s LPs, but a different twist because of the girls’ amazing talent for harmony vocals. Tom Dowd produced the record with a sweet southern-ish sound, and Arif Mardin provides some lofty string arrangements that take the girls’ voices to the heavens! Includes some fine numbers written by Cissy Drinkhard Houston – like “I Could Leave You Alone”, “You Really Didn’t Mean It”, and “Where Did It Go” – plus pop numbers like “Alfie”, “What The World Needs Now Is Love”, and “To Love Somebody”, all completely transformed by the group’s style!
Sweets For My Sweet (1969)
Originally released in 1969 by Atlantic Records, Sweets for My Sweet, the Sweet Inspirations’ fourth album, burns rubber in CD format. Elvis Presley’s favorite female backing vocalists turn “Chained” (made famous by Marvin Gaye) into a fiery testimonial; Gaye was serious, but these ladies sound ready to die for their men. Other selections that make your hair stand up are Joshie Armstead, Nickolas Ashford, and Valerie Simpson’s “Don’t Go,” the title track (an old Drifters hit), Eddie Hinton’s “Always David,” and William Bell and Booker T. Jones’ “Everyday Is Like a Holiday.” A gratifying girl group with a full sound that hits the spot every time. Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
Wonderful soul by one of the best female groups of the 60s! The Sweet Inspirations work here in a southern-tinged style similar to their classic backing work for Aretha Franklin – a sound that was already great behind Aretha, but which is even better here on its own – warm, spiritual, and brimming with soul – at a level that few other girl groups could ever take this deep! Arif Mardin did the arrangements, and brings in just the sort of warm, mature touches to push the music into the sublime – territory that had hardly been explored in this way before – at least not in the secular world – but which would go onto influence a generation. Backing is by a small group with Eddie Hinton on guitar, Barry Beckett on organ, and Roger Hawkins on drums – and titles include “But You Know I Love You”, “Don’t Go”, “Always David”, “Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday”, “Chained”, and “Crying in the Rain”.
Sweet Sweet Soul (1970)
The Sweet Sweet Sweet Inspirations get the Gamble Huff treatment – and as it worked with Archie Bell, so it works with these guys – really well! The Philly sound gives the girls the right push that they need to keep from being just another snoozy Atlantic stable band, and it pushes them way past the cliched role they’d had as Aretha’s backing group. Bobby Martin handled all the arrangements, Ugene Dozier produced – and cuts are written by the pair of them (among others) and the Gamble & Huff team. Vince Montana sneaks in some tasty vibes, and there’s strong bubbling electric piano and organ from Thom Bell and Lenny Pakula. Titles include “Two Can Play The Game”, “Shut Up”, “That’s The Way My Baby Is”, “Gotta Find a Brand New Lover”, “Ain’t Nothin’ in the World”, and “Them Boys”.
Estelle, Myrna And Sylvia (1973)
Though Cissy Houston was long gone from the group by the time they made this album, it’s a fine set of gospel-pop-soul, with arrangements that manage to be sophisticated without getting slick. Co-produced by David Porter and Ronnie Williams, who as a pair also wrote most of the material; the songs are good and varied, the vocals and harmonies emotive and ebullient. Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
A great back-to-basics set for the Sweet Inspirations – now working here as the trio of Estelle Brown, Myrna Smith, and Sylvia Shamwell – and working with David Porter in a strongly Memphis mode! The arrangements on the set are a bit more ambitious than usual for Stax at the time – and feature added strings and horns on many numbers, plus core backings by the Ebony Web group. The sound is rootsy at times, and spiritual at others – and titles include “Emergency”, “Why Marry”, “Wishes & Dishes”, “Pity Yourself”, and “Slipped & Tripped”. CD features 2 bonus tracks – “Sweet Inspiration” and “Why (Am I Treated So Bad)”.
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Albums: The Sweet Inspirations, Songs Of Faith & Inspiration, What The World Needs Now Is Love, Sweets For My Sweet, Sweet Sweet Soul & Estelle, Myrna & Sylvia
Release date: 1967, 1968, 1968, 1969, 1970 & 1973
Tracklist The Sweet Inspirations (1967):
01. Oh! What A Fool I’ve Been
02. Blues Stay Away From Me
03. Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream
04. Knock On Wood
05. Do Right Woman – Do Right Man
06. Don’t Fight It
07. Sweet Inspiration
08. Let It Be Me
09. I’m Blue
10. Reach Out For Me
11. Here I Am (Take Me)
12. Why (Am I Treated So Bad)
Tracklist Songs Of Faith & Inspiration (1968):
01. What A Friend
02. I Shall Know Him
03. Swing Low
04. Guide Me
05. Looking On The Bright Side
06. He’ll Fight
07. Without A Doubt
08. The 23rd Psalm
09. Down By The River Side
10. Pilgrims Of Sorrow
Tracklist What The World Needs Now Is Love (1968):
01. Alfie
02. What The World Needs Now Is Love
03. To Love Somebody
04. Watch The One Who Brings You The News
05. Am I Ever Gonna See My Baby Again
06. Unchained Melody
07. You Really Didn’t Mean It
08. Walk In My Shoes
09. Where Did I Go
10. I Could Leave You Alone
11. That’s How Strong My Love It
12. I Don’t Want To Go On Without You
Tracklist Sweets For My Sweet (1969):
01. But You Know I Love You
02. Chained
03. It’s Not Easy
04. Get A Little Order
05. Don’t Go
06. It’s Worth It All
07. Sweets For My Sweet
08. Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday
09. Let Me Be Lonely
10. Crying In The Rain
11. Always David
Tracklist Sweet Sweet Soul (1970):
01. Shut-Up!!!
02. Give My Love To Somebody
03. Two Can Play The Game
04. (Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover (Part I)
05. (Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover (Part II)
06. Ain’t Nothin’ In The World
07. Them Boys
08. Flash In The Pan
09. At Last I’ve Found A Love
10. That’s The Way My Baby Is
Tracklist Estelle, Myrna And Sylvia (1973):
1. Wishes And Dishes
2. You Roam When You Don’t Get It At Home
3. Slipped And Tripped
4. All It Takes Is You And Me
5. Pity Yourself
6. Emergency
7. Call Me When All Else Fails
8. The Whole World Is Out
9. Why Marry
‘Here I Am (Take Me) (1967)’ On YouTube
‘Down By The River Side (1968)’ On YouTube
‘What The World Needs Now Is Love (1968)’ On YouTube
‘Sweets For My Sweet (1969)’ On YouTube
‘Them Boys (1970)’ On YouTube
‘You Roam When You Don’t Get It At Home (1973)’ On YouTube
Vinyl Covers & Labels 1967, 1968, 1968, 1969, 1970 & 1973 (Click On The Thumbnails)
