seen from United States
seen from Spain
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from Netherlands
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from Japan
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Belgium
Cw Blood
“What’s my necklace made of?”
Ruby Winters "Act Three" (Diamond 207-B, 1966) Singing stories, when you're great at it, is like making a mini-movie on Vinyl. I write this as I do rehearsals for my first bit of actual stage actin...
Acting Inspiration courtesy of Ruby Winters!
Ruby Winters "Just Like A Yo-Yo" (Diamond 255-B, 1969)
Although her career really consisted of a smattering of Top 20 R&B hits, there's plenty to love about Ruby Winters. Although not the best known voice in Late 60's R&B, there was a wealth of quality in her releases that often found their way to the public, with certain sides ignored, when they full well should have been their own unique singles.
This strutting number detailing that oh-so tricky narrative of being in an unstable romance decidedly deserved more than B-side status on her biggest solo single. In actuality I think this delightful song had the legs to carry Ruby out of the doldrums of the lower reaches of the Hot 100. Diamond Records should have had me around back in '69, I tells ya.
Ruby Andrews "Johnny's Gone Away" (Zodiac 1003, 1967) So many "Johnnys" in R&B, so many leaving many singers confused and alone, so little time. Tonight we look to the former Ruby Stackhouse's second single and ask where could Johnny possibly be. In this instance, the inquiry of the whereabouts of Johnny is surrounded by a towering, simmering and tense arrangement. Although never directly confrontational, Ruby proves herself someone of amplifying intensity along with the dramatic surroundings. Surprising that this is a Chicago record, sounding for all of its life like a Holland Dozier Holland attempt at the Wall Of Sound.
Johnny Thunder and Ruby Winters, 1967 (I love when Ruby says "is that important")
Ruby Winters "Sweetheart Things" (Diamond 269-B, 1969)
Although she made the charts throughout her 4 year stint with Diamond Records, the label didn't really have the muscle to launch Ruby Winters to the head of the soul pack with her wonderful records.
She would go onto bigger and better things as the 1970's dawned, but one of her best songs is her last B-side, a kinda "Come & Get These Memories" without the happy ending of a new boyfriend yet.
Ruby Winters “Act Three” (Diamond 207-B, 1966)
It’s incredible to think how different a A and B-side can be. For instance take Ruby Winter’s debut single for Diamond. The A-side is an epic wall of soundalike, the b-side a very lovely modern update on the smoky after hours dawn of soul sound that was the basis of many a late 1950s and early 1960s Chanteuse’s repetoire.
And of course both sides became obscurities, as her only major chart action came in the form of a duet the next year.
Ruby Winters "In The Middle of a Heartache" (Diamond 207, 1966)
For her debut single on Diamond records in 1966, powerhouse Ruby Winters was handed this desolate, barren pseudo Phil Spector Wall of sound epic paean to being in the center of the stages of a break up.
As the story often goes, great record on a small label that could do little to nothing to help the song break into either the R&B or Pop charts, so it became a favorite on the Northern Soul Circuit about 10 years after it was released.
