Gladys Knight’s voice is much like a “Linus blanket” I carry with myself. From childhood to now in my mid 30’s, her voice still offers comfort, safety and understanding. Few other voices feel so essential, interwoven into the fabric of my existence. I’m pretty sure, minus her Fury, Vee-Jay and Maxx years, her discography with…
Category: Gemini Roll Call
The Power of Patti: The Gemini Live Wire
You really can’t contain Patti LaBelle. The once Patricia Holte still snatches the spotlight from those decades younger than her at 72 years of age. The thing is that, rarely has the awe inspiring power of her vocal styling and range ever been captured *properly* during studio recordings. She really has one of those gargantuan…
Brenda Holloway “A Favor For A Girl (With A Lovesick Heart)” (From the LP Every Little Bit Hurts, 1964)
Brenda Holloway “A Favor For A Girl (With A Lovesick Heart)” (From the LP Every Little Bit Hurts, 1964) It’s Summer Solstice, and on the longest day of the year we say goodbye to Gemini Roll Call for this year. We end it on the highest note with Motown’s Queen of The Basement Brenda Holloway….
The Crystals “Then He Kissed Me” (Philles 115, Pop #6, 1963)
The Crystals “Then He Kissed Me” (Philles 115, Pop #6, 1963) Gemini Roll Call is in the final stages of the year. We’ve got a few more signature soul singers to cover and we start the final hours with one that climbed the wall of sound and managed to survive the collapse of it. La…
SUGAR TOWN SOULFUL STRUT: PRIDE PARTY PLAYLIST PART 3
Here we are, and we’ve spanned from Pride week in Portland all the way to Pride week in San Francisco. Here’s the final set of delights from Sugar Town’s Pride-Pre Party. As I’ve outlined in my previous posts, I’ve gotten a better sense of self actualization and self confidence, indeed a sense of pride, with…
Lamont Dozier “Fish Ain’t Bitin'” (ABC 11438, R&B #4 Pop #26, 1974)
Lamont Dozier “Fish Ain’t Bitin’” (ABC 11438, R&B #4 Pop #26, 1974) Gemini Roll Call starts to wind down with one of its biggest legends.Primarily a man behind the glass, Lamont Dozier did make his way in front of the microphone quite often. His pre-Holland-Dozier-Holland days found him trying out being a performer for a…
The Shirelles “Don’t Go Home (My Little Darlin’)” (Scepter 12185, Pop #110, 1967)
The Shirelles “Don’t Go Home (My Little Darlin’)” (Scepter 12185, Pop #110, 1967) Gemini Roll Call is back off the road from my own Gemini Roaming DJ and Sojourn to the PNW and is feeling all the weird that I didn’t line up a post to go out to celebrate one of the most unheralded…
The Four Tops “Is There Anything That I Can Do?” (From the LP The Four Tops Second Album, 1965)
The Four Tops “Is There Anything That I Can Do?” (From the LP The Four Tops Second Album, 1965) I don’t have to tell you that Gemini Roll Call rolls mighty with talent, but today we’re celebrating one of the giants of Classic Motown. With towering vocal power and devastating ferocity, Levi Stubbs gave us…
Ronnie Dyson “Do What Your Heart Tells You To Do” (From the LP (If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can’t I Touch You? 1970)
Ronnie Dyson “Do What Your Heart Tells You To Do” (From the LP (If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can’t I Touch You? 1970) On this Gemini Roll Call I celebrate my own birthday and the 65th Birthday of a fellow June 5th-er that’s a shadow Queer Icon. Ronnie Dyson’s gender…
Deneice Chandler “Mama, I Wish I Stayed At Home” (Lock 600, 1968)
Deneice Chandler “Mama, I Wish I Stayed At Home” (Lock 600, 1968) Part two of our Gemini Roll Call Chicago trip brings us to the 65th Birthday of Niecey. Born today as June Deniece Chandler in Gary, Indiana; post dropping out of Nursing school found the 18 year old working as a Chicago Hospital Clerk…
DJ Larsupreme 