Edwin Starr - Back Street

This was originally Edwin's second release on the Ric-Tic label, and one of his all time beloved Northern Soul classics, and we recut it in the 1990s and filmed him doing it in my old studio in Chiswick. The late great Mister Charles Hatcher, more commonly known as Edwin Starr, was one of the greatest artists in the history of soul music. While we were doing Motorcity, I wrote over a hundred songs with him, and I find it so hard to accept that he's no longer with us, that sometimes I almost want to pick up the phone to him, and have to stop myself. Someone like Edwin was so full of life and vigour and vitality, that it's easy to think he'll always be around, and that much harder to accept that he truly is gone. But never, NEVER, forgotten. We released six singles of Edwin's on the Motorcity label, and recorded about fifty songs in the end, and it's one hundred percent true to say that he really cared very deeply about what we were trying to do with Motorcity, and indeed, was our greatest ambassador for it, ceaselessly championing it everywhere he went. A true gentleman and a true friend. This song was one of his earliest releases originally, back in 1965 on the legendary Ric-Tic label, from out of Detroit, which got absorbed by Motown, and this became a record that over the decades, people cared about very passionately.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Northern-Soul
• Motown
• Motorcity
• Sixties-Soul
• Rare
• Soul
• Detroit
• Ric-Tic
• Male-Soul-Singers

[allwayssoul]

Edwins still going strong, got to be one of the biggest legends of Northern Soul, surely?? I have danced to his music for over 30yrs and still do when i get the chance!!

[IanLevine]

Considering he passed away a few years ago, he isn't exactly going strong, unfortunately.

[IanLevine]

The backing singer on the right is Angelo Starr, Edwin't younger brother, who sings "Stand On My Own Two Feet", which is track one on "Northern Soul 2007".

[ozzydok]

Huge voice, and as Jools Holland pointed out, never used a monitor with the R&B Orchestra - some feat with a huge band like that!

[codytodd11]

is last performance at cxasino i think was early 79.just before i got there.tommy hunt november 79 what a nite

[joelj3545]

best song he done age 16 and still love soul

[carolj47au]

Happy northern soul days...I remember a g/f paying 5 quid for the original when 5 quid was a LOT of money!!

[6motion6]

I love this song and still have the original 45. I'm not sure this is his original version, but he still does a fine job.

[allwayssoul]

Thanks for informing me Ian, im devastated i had no idea The Legend had passed away, what a shock, his music will live on in his memory. xx

[allwayssoul]

oh gosh!!! i didnt know hed passed away what a shock, im totally gutted!. As you can quiet clearly see i havent been intouch with the northern scene for years, Thanks for updating me xx

[allwayssoul]

Oh yes Mr Edwin Starr your a classic and one of the great artists to perform at wigan casino on more than one occasion.