I was born into a very
musical family on August 31 in Birmingham, Alabama. Everyone in the
Blandon household sang and played piano. Of all my family members, my
brother Richard was my biggest inspiration.
Richard joined the Air Force at the tender
age of 17. After his release from the Air Force, Richard moved to New York
and formed The Dubs, a famous singing group. The Dubs generated monster
hits such as "Could This Be Magic", "Chapel Of Dreams", and "Please Don't
Ask Me To Be Lonely" which made them heart throbs.
At a very young age, all my thoughts and
dreams were to leave Birmingham, move to New York and become famous a
recording star, and songwriter like my brother Richard. I also watched my
high school buddies; Shorty Long, Eddie Kendricks, and Clarence Jr. Lewis
leave Birmingham and make it.
I finally left Alabama in 1960 along with
two friends, Walter Scott, and his wife Carolyn, who secured a job in
Chicago as a teacher. I stayed in Chicago for two weeks, and went on to
New York. My brother Richard met me at the Port Authority bus station. I
had a briefcase filled with songs that I had written.
A month later, my brother Richard took me
downtown, on what was my first ride on a New York subway, to meet Teddy
Powell. As we took the elevator to the fifth floor, my heart was pounding
with excitement. Richard introduced me to Teddy, and informed him that I
was a singer/songwriter. I sat down at the piano and sang a song I wrote
entitled; "This Is The End". Teddy liked the song so much he requested
that I record a demo immediately. He took me to Adelphi Recording Studios
on the first floor at 1650 Broadway. "This Is The End" was later recorded
by a white vocal group called The Fabulons on the Benson Record label. My
brother penned, "Connie" for the flip side which was produced by Ben
Archilla. My brother Richard was very instrumental in helping me with my
career. He introduced me to many important people in the music industry. I
miss him dearly.
A Harlem-based singing group called The
Vocaleers, had two hit songs, "Be True", and "Is It A Dream", produced by
Bobby Robinson's Fury Label, was looking for a new lead singer. Joe
Duncan, the original lead singer left the group. I jumped at the chance to
become a member of The Vocaleers. I auditioned for lead singer and sung my
heart out. The group liked my voice and the fact that I played piano and
wrote as well. I became a member of The Vocaleers that day. I wrote a song
entitled, "Cootie Snap", a new dance single. The Vocaleers recorded the
song for Atlantic Records, produced by Teddy Powell. Unfortunately, the
record was not promoted well. After writing and recording a few more songs
with the group, I decided to pursue a career as a solo performer/writer
and moved on.
In
1963 my brother Richard and I met producers Vinny Catalano, and Pete
Alanzo, who owned the record labels, Port and Wilshire Records. I had a
demo tape on which there were two songs entitled, "Soul" and "Mr.
Imagination", I played the songs for them and they loved them. The next
week we were in the studio recording these two songs.
On July 1, 1964, I was drafted
into the Army. I served most of my tour of duty in Germany. When I was not
training I was at the EM Club playing piano and writing songs. I met some
fellow GI's who were also musicians. We formed a band and on weekends played
some of the local German clubs. The fans loved us. I was honorably
discharged from the military on June 21, 1966. I immediately went back to
New York anxious to resume my singing/song writing career.
One day while talking to a friend on Broadway and 54th Street, we noticed
a guy walking toward us. He was 'dress to kill'! My friend said, "Curtis,
that is Sammy Turner". The guy that recorded the hit song; "Lavender
Blue". My friend introduced us and Sammy and I became friends. I told
Sammy that I was a soul singer anxious to land a record deal. One day
Sammy called me and asked me to meet him in front of the Brill Building,
(Another building filled with music companies). He introduced me to Robert
Banks and Richard Pittman who owned the production companies, Big Pitt and
Middle Tone Productions. They asked me to sing for them. I sang, "I Need
You", and "Young Dumb". They signed me to a production deal. A month later
I recorded " I Need You" and "Young Dumb".
I signed a record deal with Tower Records in 1967, (Tower Records is a
subsidiary of Capitol Records, also known as the 'house that Nat built").
At that time, Capitol Records was trying to break into the R&B music
genre. R&B singer, Willie Hightower and I were the only soul singers on
the label. In those days, Capitol Records didn't know how to promote R&B.
Much later on, they had success with Natalie Cole. I requested to be
released from my contract due to poor promotions. My request was honored.
Again, my friend Sammy Turner
was there for me at the right time. He introduced me to a wonderful lady by
the name of Bunny Jones, who became my manager. She had a music production
company located at 1650 Broadway, on the 16th floor, next door to Ruth
Bowen's, Queen's Booking Agency. The agency was booking Soul Sister Aretha
Franklin at that time.
Bunny wanted to hear some of
my songs. I did not have a demo; however, she had had a piano in her office.
I sang and played "Where Is My Baby", and "So Much To Give". I signed a
management contract. Bunny got me a record deal with Buddah Records. I don't
think they promoted my record at all.
After my experience with Buddah, I became a
member of my brother's singing group, 'The Dubs'. I toured with them
for a while. We appeared at The Apollo Theater in New York. the Uptown in
Philadelphia, The Howard Theatre in Washington. D.C., etc. We also played
what was known as 'the chitterling circuit'. The money was not that great
but all the pretty girls I met kind of made up for that. The Dubs recorded
their first album "The Dubs Meet The Shells". I played piano on "Your Very
First Love". "Blue Velvet" and "This I Swear".
One day I received a phone call from Bunny
Jones informing me that her son, Chris Jones, had a job with The A&R
department at Scepter Records. Bunny also informed me that she had spoken
with Gene Chandler about me, and he agreed to produce me. I recorded a demo
at Scepter's Recording Studio on West 54th Street, (the same building that
housed the world family "Studio 54"). The demo was sent to Gene Chandler in
Chicago. He liked my songs and felt that I was an awesome soul singer.
I signed a recording contract with Wand Records in 1972. The label flew me
to Chicago to work with arrangers, Tom Washington and Richard Evans. I felt
alive again. My collaboration with Washington and Evans made me feel that
this could finally happen. I had a great time in Chicago. I met Jerry
Butler, and Curtis Mayfield. Everyone was friendly and made me feel at home.
I flew back to New York a week later. I soon received the music tracks to
the four songs I was to record, "In The Long Run", "Push Come To Shove",
"Love Is The Answer", and "Come Back", "In The Long Run" was written by both
my brother Richard and myself. "Come Back" was written by me. all the music
tracks were recorded at Universal Recording Studios, in Chicago, IL.
Gene Chandler arrived in New
York two weeks later to rehearse and get me in shape to record my vocals. I
rehearsed every day with Gene for two weeks. He worked the hell out of me! I
could barely talk each day after rehearsal.
"In The Long Run" was released
in 1972. For the first time I heard one of my records on the radio. The late
disc jockey, Frankie Crocker, who was affiliated with WWRL at the time,
burned "In The Long Run" up in rotation. I was also getting play in New
Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and many southern states, including
my hometown, Birmingham, AL. WWRL stopped playing
"In
The Long Run", after playing it consistently for a month. I called Frankie
Crocker to ask why he stopped playing my record. His reply was, "You have a
great record, baby, it's a damn shame Scepter stopped promoting your
record". "They stopped spending money on you and Kent Drake". Kent was
another artist who had a record out the same time, also produced by Gene
Chandler. At the time, Scepter Records was going through changes with their
number one recording artist, Dionne Warwick. I asked to be released from my
contract. Scepter honored that request. Not long after, Scepter Records'
CEO, Florence Greenburg closed the doors to Scepter Records, never to open
them again.
Tired of recording records
that were considered hits, and ultimately placed on shelves or improperly
promoted; I decided to take a break from recording and formed a band. We
played Arthur's Disco, a club owned by Sybil Burton, Richard Burton's
ex-wife, Trudy Heller's in The West Village, The Village Gate, The Cheeta,
and just about every night club in Harlem, such as The Baby Grand, The Red
Rooster, The Gold Lounge, just to name a few. I was still writing songs in
my spare time.
Disco music had become the
music of the time, with its kicking bass drum beats, and thumping bass
guitar lines. Disco DJs put just about all the bands out of work. The DJs
took over. My answer to that was, "if you can't beat them, join them". I
started writing nothing but disco songs and music. I bought a four track
Tascam recorder, a drum machine, a Roland keyboard and proceeded to kick
butt!
I received a phone call from a lifelong
friend, Tony Drake, who is known for his songs entitles; "Let's Play House",
and writer of the super hit song, "Living In The Footsteps Of Another Man".
Tony informed me that Gloria Gaynor's producers were looking for songs for
Gloria's new album. I called Jay Ellis, one of Gloria's producers and told
him that I was a writer with plenty of songs. He invited me to come down to
his office the next day, and leave a copy my material with his doorman. I
did. Two days later I received a phone call from Jay asking to see me. We
met the next day at 2:00 pm. at his office/apartment of West 55th Street. I
sat down on the huge leather sofa; my heart beating fast. The queen of
disco, Gloria Gaynor, emerged from the next room. Jay made the introductions
and the other members of the production team, Meco Monardo and Tony Bongiovi
arrived shortly after. They told me how much they loved my writing, and that
Gloria would be recording some of my songs. She went in the studio the
following week and recorded three songs I had written, "Let's Make A Deal",
Do It Right", and "Let's Make Love". I could hardly believe what was
happening. things were finally starting to happen for me again. I exclaimed
to myself, "thank
you Jesus! thank you God!" The album, "I've Got You", was released on the
Polygram Record label in 1976. My Songs, "Let's Make a Deal" was on the 'A'
side, and "Let's Make Love" was the 'B' side of the single.
I went on to write many songs
for Jay's stable of singers. I composed a song entitled, "A Disco Symphony"
that required a fifty-four piece orchestra to record the track. The vocals
were done by a group called 'Camouflage'. "Disco Symphony" was combined with
"McArthur's Park". Harold Wheeler did the arrangements. What a piece of
music!
My friend Eugene (Gene) Pitt,
lead singer of the Jive Five, and I write some songs together also. Gene
co-wrote a song with me entitled "Pleasure". The vocals were done by a group
called 'Sting', on ABC Records. I also wrote a song released on Honey Bee
Records entitled; "Keep Doing It", Part I and Part II which was
recorded by a group called Showdown. "Keep doing It" was released in 1977.
In those days we almost lived in the recording studio. If the name Bongiovi
sounds familiar, Tony Bongiovi's nephew went on to form the world famous
band, 'Bongiovi'.
I am
proud to say that most of the music I recorded in the 60's and 70's is
sought after by many record collectors. "In The Long Run" is on many
compilation CDs. At last Curtis Blandon is known throughout the world for
his soulful singing voice and his great song writing abilities. I will be
releasing a new CD in 2003, Look for it on The Most Wanted
record label.
"Curtis,
your spirit and your music has touched all our lives". "We love you".
Michael D. Terry, August 2002,
New York
::Email Curtis::
