What a wonderful man. And what a music legend. Thanks to my friend Alex, I met Gene McDaniels and hung out with him on a number of occasions including at his Kittery, Maine place as well as my own home.
Zack and I were in the Bleeker Street Records shop in 2010 and came across this 1962 McDaniels’ album on the LA-based Liberty Records label, Hit After Hit. The album was produced by Snuff Garrett who was a hit-seeking missile for the likes of Bobby Vee, Del Shannon, and Gary Lewis and The Playboys. Alex brought the album (back panel pictured here) to Gene and he signed it with a sweet message.
Vinyl Variations does not focus on “best of” albums, but the exception here is to honor this man and to remind ourselves of how many hit songs he delivered.
“A Hundred Pounds of Clay” kicks off Side One. Gene’s first hit, the single rose to #3 on the Billboard charts in 1961 and sold over one million copies. The tune showcases Gene’s suave voice, easy style of the time, and wonderful diction. What a treat to learn, as well, that the legendary Earl Palmer played drums on this and other McDaniels’ songs on this album. Palmer was early rock-and-roll drumming royalty, having backed Little Richard, Fats Domino and, well, everyone during that period.
Written by Burt Bacharach, “Tower of Strength” rose to #5 on both the Billboard and R&B 1961 charts. The Johnny Mann Singers are terrific on this number as are the trumpet flourishes, though I cannot identify the trumpeter. “Chip Chip” closes Side One, which was Gene’s next hit single after “Tower”. The interplay between Gene’s “chip, chip” playful intonations and Earl Palmer’s clicking drumsticks is great fun.
The 1962 “Point of No Return” is another McDaniels’ classic, ushering in Side Two. The trumpet flourish at the start sends the song into higher tempo than most other entries on Hit After Hit. “Portrait of My Love” is simply beautiful, starting with a soaring strings crescendo and crisp piano work that launch Gene’s graceful vocals. Steve Lawrence and Matt Munro made big hits of this number in the early ‘60s.
Gene was obviously a chart-topper with songs written by others and, in some cases, covered by some of the top artists of the time. After Dr. King’s assassination, he moved to Denmark and then Sweden to focus on songwriting. Oh my! His extraordinary jazz-rock “Compared to What” composition earned him among the highest honors possible, a position on one of Nixon’s enemies lists. The powerful, strident version by Les McCann and Eddie Harris at the 1969 Montreaux Jazz Festival ranks among my favorite live performances. Gene sang with the Les McCann Trio in LA clubs in the very early ‘60s, which is how he was “discovered” by Liberty Records.
Testimony to Gene’s kindness was a moment when Alex and I were dining with him in Portsmouth, NH. I couldn’t prevent myself from a WKRP take that went, “Gene, we need more jazz and Les McCann.” Ugh! He laughed out loud at drivel he’d undoubtedly heard before.
Everyone from Roberta Flack, Della Reese, and Ray Charles to The Roots and John Legend covered “Compared.” And speaking of Roberta Flack, Gene’s 1974 “Feel Like Makin’ Love” earned them a #1 hit and a Grammy nomination.
Gene sang, wrote for, and played with so many legends including, arguably, the greatest jazz bassist ever, Ron Carter. I once told Gene that I would be seeing Carter play at Boston’s Regattabar. He asked me to say hello, so I dutifully waited until Carter left the stage, told him that “Gene McDaniels says hello and tells me you are a great guy.” His response? Without breaking stride he said, “I am.”
