Lookin' for a Love: The Complete SAR Recordings

by The Valentinos, Womack Brothers

Overview

During his days in the gospel harmony group the Soul Stirrers, Sam Cooke found himself sharing a bill with a group from Ohio called the Womack Brothers, with a dynamic lead singer named Bobby Womack. Cooke was convinced Womack and his group had the potential to become stars, and when he launched his own record label, SAR Records, he signed them to a contract. However, the act soon made some major changes -- they left behind gospel music to sing secular R&B, and they changed their name to the Valentinos. The Valentinos scored an R&B hit with their first release, an upbeat number called "Lookin' for a Love," and another single, "It's All Over Now," was climbing the charts when the Rolling Stones covered the tune, leaving the Valentinos' version in the dust. When Sam Cooke was murdered in 1964, SAR went out of business and the Valentinos subsequently broke up, while Womack went on to a long and multifaceted solo career. Lookin' for a Love: The Complete SAR Recordings is a collection that brings together the complete catalog of the Valentinos' years with SAR, as well as four songs from their gospel days as the Womack Brothers and seven unreleased tracks. For Bobby Womack fans, this is a fascinating glimpse into the early days of his career, and the consistent strength of the songs and performances make this a must for anyone with a taste for R&B vocal acts of the '60s. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	02/03/2015
Label:	Ace
UPC:	0029667070027
Rank:	135351

Tracks

1. Looking For a Love
2. Somewhere There S a Girl
3. Darling Come Back Home
4. I'll Make It Alright
5. I've Got a Girl
6. Tired of Living In the Country
7. She's So Good To Me
8. Baby, Lots of Luck
9. It's All Over Now
10. Tired of Living In the Country
11. I've Got Love For You
12. Rock In the Cradle of Love
13. Sugar Dumpling
14. Don't Go Away
15. Bitter Dreams
16. Everybody Wants To Fall In Love
17. Put Me Down Easy
18. To Show My Love
19. Shakin' This Way and That (Lassie)
20. Somebody's Wrong
21. Yield Not To Temptation
22. Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray
23. Somewhere There's a God

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Valentinos   Primary Artist
Womack Brothers   Primary Artist
Harold Battiste   Celeste,Piano
Bobby Womack   Guitar
William Green   Saxophone
Johnnie Morisette   Drums
Horace Ott   Conductor
Clifton White   Guitar
Harper Cosby   Bass
Cecil Womack   Guitar
John Boudreaux   Drums
John Duke   Trumpet
Howard Roberts   Guitar
Harry Womack   Bass
Cliff Hills   Bass
Harvey "Harmonica Fats" Blackston   Harmonica
Ray Johnson   Piano
Jewell Grant   Saxophone
Lawrence "Tricky" Lofton   Trombone
Sharky Hall   Drums

Technical Credits

Harold Battiste   Session Leader
Mandi Martin   Composer
Ted Young   Mixing
Bobby Womack   Composer
Bones Howe   Engineer
Ben Jordan   Engineer
Sam Cooke   Composer
Horace Ott   Arranger
Roscoe Robinson   Composer
Rene Hall   Arranger,Session Leader
David Hassinger   Engineer
Steve Rosenthal   Mixing
James W. Alexander   Composer
Curtis Womack   Composer
Zelda Samuels   Composer
Friendly Womack   Composer
Tory Brainard   Engineer
Bob Kidder   Engineer
Rafael Ventura   Assistant Engineer
John Greek   Composer
J.W. Alexander   Composer
Shirley Womack   Composer