Paul r, Gray

Mercury Records was founded in 1945 and originally only signed black artists. By 1962, the year of our compilation, they had recruited a host of new artists of all hues which made Mercury the dominant force in jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll and pop in the US. These artists included Little Richard, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Jivin' Gene, Clyde McPhatter, Charles Aznavour, Quincy Jones, Patti Page, Ray Stevens and many more.

NOW Music is proud to present 60 more essential gems from the stellar Pop year of 1973 – NOW – Yearbook Extra 1973.

The most beautiful jazz, pop songs by Nina Simone, Billy Paul, Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and many more on one compilation!

"I'm The One" is an album by Roberta Flack released in May 1982 which reached #59 on the album chart in Billboard whose R&B album chart afforded the album a #16 peak. The Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager-produced "Making Love", which appeared in the film of the same name and in the spring of 1982 had afforded Flack her final solo Top 40 hit (#13 on the Billboard Hot 100), was included on the I'm the One album along with eight new tracks co-produced by William Eaton, Ralph MacDonald, William Salter and Flack herself. The track "I'm the One," given parallel single release with the album, peaked at #42 on the Hot 100 where it marked Flack's final solo appearance, although she'd return to the Hot 100 in 1983 with the duets "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" (#16) and "You're Looking Like Love to Me" (#58) (both with Peabo Bryson) and again in 1991 with "Set the Night to Music" (with Maxi Priest/ #6). A third single from the I'm the One album: "In the Name of Love", reached #24 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Digitally re-mastered two-for containing a pair of albums from the Soul legends: Heavenly Body (1980) and Me & You (1981). The Chi-Lites had their biggest hits in the 70s but continued as an entity through the next few decades. For these two albums, the group consisted of Marshall Thompson, Eugene Record, Robert Lester, Marshall Thompson, and Creadel Jones. Both album boast some of the finest musicians of the day, fantastic full bodied productions swimming in strings and horns. We include here the rare 12" mix of "Try My Side of Love" and showcase some luxury soul in a variety of flavors and tempos all delivered by one of the finest ever vocal harmony groups to exist.

Four CD set. While the recordings on Eddie Piller's latest release may be familiar to diehard fans of great '60s music, the story behind it will be new to many, but is well worth telling and hearing all the same. A lot of youngsters fell in love with the Mod lifestyle during the revival at the end of the '70s, but the more inquisitive ones like Eddie wanted to know more about the original fashions, the original influential figures, and most of all the original music. Step forward one Randy Cozens, eager to give the benefit of his advice. In those pre-internet days, his platform of choice was the letter pages of the weekly music press. His enthusiasm, his passion, and the sheer volume of missives he posted persuaded Sounds to commission Randy's guide to the music that was played in the all-nighter clubs in London's West End in those early '60s halcyon days.

A Taste Of Honey: Gems From The Mercury Vaults 1962 is a 3CD compilation released in 2013 by the One Day Music label. Allegedly, this was released in China to highlight various releases from 1962 on Mercury Records so its origin ls "unknown" but it features 75 original songs you may not be able to find elsewhere.