Homer Banks - Hooked By Love - The Best Of (2005) Minit/Stateside - Rare Soul (MP3) HQ

Homer Banks was born in Memphis 1941 and passed in 2003 in Memphis. Homer had formed the Soul Consolidators gospel group whilst only 16 years old in 1957. The group toured the South, singing songs of their own. Homer was drafted into the military between 1962 and 1964. On his release he joined the  Genie label and it was here that he met Isaac Hayes and David Porter who set the label up after a fall out with the Stax Owners. He released two singles, namely ‘Sweetie Pie’ b/w ‘Lady Of Stone’ (in 1965) and ‘Hooked By Love’ b/w ‘Lady Of Stone’ (in 1966). His reputation as a songwriter came to the attention of  Estelle Axton at Stax Records, who initially employed him in the Record Store, by the entrance of the Stax Studio’s. Homer worked in the store for three years, whilst recording for the Minit Records label. His single ‘Ain't That A Lot of Love’ b/w ‘Fighting To Win’ was released in April 1966.Homer released 5 singles for Minit, between 1966 and 1968.Jim Stewart at Stax was reluctant to sign Homer as a vocalist, but did assign him a songwriting contract.In 1968 he was assigned to Bettye Crutcher and Raymond Jackson (who was in the original Soul Consolidators with Homer) as songwriters, giving themselves the title ‘We Three’. We Three penned ‘Who's Making Love’, for Johnnie Taylor, which reached number 3 pop and number 1 R&B. The song became Stax Records biggest hit.Homer began to work with other songwriters, one of whom was Carl Hampton.This team penned, ‘(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right’, originally recorded by The Emotions.The song became a much bigger hit when recorded by Luther Ingram, which precipitated covers by the likes of Isaac Hayes and Millie Jackson, Barbara Mandrell, Rod Stewart and Cassandra Wilson.Homer’s twin brother, James, was also employed by Stax.James co-wrote the company's last big hit, Shirley Brown's Woman to Woman.This great compilation brings together all of Stax songwriter Homer Banks’ solo recordings for the Minit labelbetween 1966-’68. Most of the tracks here were recorded at the time when Banks was already a full-fledged and highly successful songwriter for Stax. Compiled here are Banks’ four singles for Minit, along with his sole Genie waxing “Lady of Stone”, and many previously unreleased gems. Not only was he a prolific song writer but boy could he sing! Would Southern Soul exist without the talents of Homer Banks ? I think not as he was an essential in the fabric of that area, he was comfortable singing uptempo or ballads infused with pure soul. Homer Banks passed away in Memphis from cancer in 2003, at the age of 61...Will always remain a Legend In UK/Northern Soul circles!

AMM

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