Ruby Winters - Try Me (1969)

Ruby Forehand was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and from the age of five she was raised in Cincinnati by her grandmother following her mother's death. Her grandmother encouraged her singing, first expressed in church at age four, and by the age of 16 - by then a wife and mother - she was singing professionally. By 1966 she was singing in the Charlie Daniels band, as both she and Daniels were managed by Bill Sizemore, who also managed singer Ronnie Dove. and was able to interest Dove's label Diamond Records in offering Winters a record deal. Her debut single as Ruby Winters, 'In The Middle Of A Heartache' was a Charlie Daniels composition, and was released in July 1966, reaching the Top 30 on the hit parade for WAKY 790-Louisville. The regional interest in Winters' debut single led Diamond Records A&R head Phil Kahl to oversee Winters' next recording session himself, and before he left New York to join the sessions in Nashville early in 1967, label president Joe Kolsky suggested that Kahl record Winters and another Diamond artist Johnny Thunder as a duo. Kahl recorded Winters and Thunder as a duet remaking the 1950's pop hits 'Teach Me Tonight' and 'Make Love to Me', and the latter was released as the A-side of their February 1967 single, reaching #96 on the Billboard Hot 100. After Winters reached the national R&B chart in autumn 1967 with her third solo release 'I Want Action', Diamond Records brought her to New York City to work with George Kerr, who had recently produced R&B hits for the O'Jays and Linda Jones. With his regular collaborator/arranger Richard Tee, Kerr re-teamed Winters with Johnny Thunder for 'We Have Only One Life', which was released in February 1968. Kerr also had Winters record 'A Last Minute Miracle', which he'd recorded with the Shirelles, and also with Linda Jones, and all three versions apparently share a common backing track, although Winters' version remains unreleased. In 1969 she made a strong comeback with four R&B hits, beginning with her highest ranking U.S. solo hit, a remake of the 1961 Chuck Jackson hit 'I Don't Want to Cry', and then following that with two more remakes, of Jimmy Clanton's 'Just A Dream' and Jesse Belvin's 'Guess Who', plus the original 'Always David'. After this flurry of singles her recording schedule slowed, with no releases until January 1971 when her take on the hymn 'Great Speckled Bird' was issued by Certron, who had purchased Diamond Records in early 1970. Winters then had her first single release in almost three years in October 1973 when Polydor Records issued her version of 'I Will', which proved to be her most significant recording, reaching the R&B Top 40. She had one further single release on Polydor with 'Love Me Now', and she also issued a one-off Playboy Records version of the #1 1972 Nilsson hit 'Without You'. In the mid-1970's Winters in effect withdrew from recording, relocating in 1973 from Tennessee to Brevard County in Florida, and establishing herself as a top-rated Space Coast nightclub performer. However in 1977 the London-based independent label Creole Records re-released Winters' recording of 'I Will', which reached #4 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1977, prompting a reunion with producer Stan Shulman. This resulted in Winters recording and releasing the 'I Will' album, from which a follow-up single 'Come to Me' reached #11 on the UK chart. The 'Baby Lay Down' album followed in 1979 on Creole, and she was now enjoying the biggest success of her career, after releasing her music to little commercial success during the 60's. Winters died on 7 August 2016, as the age of 74, and this collection of those fine soul tracks that she recorded during the first half-decade of her career is a fitting tribute.

Track listing

01 In The Middle Of A Heartache (single 1966)
02 Act Three (b-side of 'In The Middle Of A Heartache')
03 Make Love To Me (single 1967, with Johnny Thunder)
04 Teach Me Tonight (b-side of 'Make Love To Me', with Johnny Thunder)
05 The Bells Of St. Mary's (single 1967)
06 Try Me (b-side of 'The Bells Of St. Mary's')
07 I Want Action (single 1967)
08 Better (b-side of 'I Want Action')
09 We Only Have One Life (Let's Live It Together) (single 1968, with Johnny Thunder)

10 A Last Minute Miracle (unreleased acetate 1968)
11 I Don't Want To Cry (single 1969)
12 Just Like A Yo Yo (b-side of 'I Don't Want To Cry')
13 Just A Dream (single 1969)
14 I Don't Want To Hurt Nobody (b-side of 'Just A Dream')
15 Always David (single 1969)
16 We're Living To Give (To Give To Each Other) (b-side of 'Always David')
17 Guess Who (single 1969)
18 Sweetheart Things (b-side of 'Guess Who')