Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Robert Knight - Everlasting Love (Expanded Edition) (1996) Collectables - Rare Soul (FLAC)

Robert Knight was born Robert Henry Peebles in 1945 in Franklin,Tennessee and passed in his home state 2017. Robert is destined to remain classified as a one-hit wonder, but what a hit, his radiant 1967 blockbuster "Everlasting Love" endures among the finest soul records of its era. Success with "Everlasting Love" was overshadowed, in the U.K.by the version recorded by the pop group Love Affair who topped the U.K. charts with their cover of the song. Knight first earned notice via the Paramounts, a harmony group he formed with schoolmates in 1959. Upon signing to the Dot label a year later, the quintet scored an R&B chart hit via 1961's "Free Me." When a series of follow-up efforts failed, the Paramounts dissolved, which prompted Dot to file a breach of contract lawsuit. The subsequent legal wranglings effectively shelved Knight's musical aspirations for close to five years, during which time he studied chemistry at Tennessee State University. There he also formed a new vocal trio, the Fairlanes & while performing with the group, Knight was spotted by songwriters/producers Buzz Cason and Fred Foster, who signed him as a solo act to their fledgling record label Rising Sons. Cason teamed with Mac Gayden to co-write "Everlasting Love" with its soaring arrangement and Knight's heartfelt vocal, the single was an immediate smash, reaching the Top 20 on both the pop and R&B charts. Back in the states he scored a pair of minor pop hits with "Blessed Are the Lonely" and "Isn't It Lonely Together," and in 1973 reached the British Top Ten with "Love on a Mountain Top." Knight nevertheless shifted his focus away from music in the decades to follow, continuing his career in chemical research. In November 2017, he died at his home in Tennessee at the age of 72. "Everlasting Love" remains a perennial, with hit cover versions by Carl Carlton, Rex Smith/Rachel Sweet, and Gloria Estefan. But the interesting side of his story was when the northern scene picked up on "Branded" and started to hunt out any other dancers by him. Well this CD has the lot!..most of the album are great dancers and his sweet voice delivers every track to perfection. Only 2 albums released "love on a mountain top" (1974) in Europe only and "Everlasting Love" (1967) + 26 x 45,s is all he did. This album captures the cream of his career IMHO.

AMM

                                                                        The Tasters!





18 comments:

Little Bill said...

Better have this one AMM many thanks!

soultime said...

What a voice , on hearing the haunting branded for the first in the mid 70s i had to have this record . Thanks AMM

richsoul said...

The music is enjoyable and positive type. I always enjoyed everlasting love. Thank you for the review and the tracks. Thank you AMM.

RMstorm said...

Thanks AMM. One-hit wonder and chemistry captured here.

PeterH said...

Really a collectable album ... Thanks for review, P.

Carlos Uria said...

No words, excellent album, another gem to collect!!

Guy said...

Cheers, a good review

Arty said...

Cheers, AMM. Looking forward to this.

Anghellic67$ said...

Great Review Thank you AMM

gmortars said...

Blessed are the lonely only if they're members of this blog, I say. 😎
Thanks, AMM!

oldsoulrebel said...

Great review AMM, yes please

deadwoodie said...

Thanks for the review

hakase said...

i bought this too back then sometimes Collectables was great for these things
thanks for this AMM

Rush said...

Thanks for the review AMM this is a album is a gem

reb.jukebox said...

Thanks AMM for another great review Reb

trinity said...

Great review as usual - thank you mate

Soulsville said...

Hi AMM,

Yet another winner, thanks

Guitarradeplastico,scraping oddities said...

Many thanks for the digging,new for me