Ebony Alleyne - Walk Away And Never Look Back

The greatest regret of my entire career is the sad story of the Ebony Alleyne album She was a wonderful nineteen year old singer signed to Sony in 2002. I was brought in to produce her entire album. We did an magnificent album of generic live "real" smooth sophisticated soul music, with a huge orchestra (sixty strings, thirty brass), with a Burt Bacharach/Dionne Warwick flavour overall, and this was well before Nora Jones, Joss Stone, Corinne Bailey Rae, and most particularly Amy Winehouse, all hit with basically the same thing. The Ebony album was utterly utterly wonderful, and I was so proud of it. It took a year and a half to make, and the Sony head of A&R, Muff Winwood, oversaw it personally. This song, "Walk Away And Never Look Back", was the first song we recorded. We introduced her to the soul scene by reactivating the old classic Okeh label, owned by Sony, and pressing up tiny limited editions of three all different singles on the Okeh label on seven inch vinyl, and this song was the first of those three singles. Everything looked wonderful and rosy, and I was already clearing a space on the wall for my Grammy award, when disaster struck. The Chairman of Sony had a very bad falling out with the girl's manager over an entirely different project that he managed, and Ebony was mercilessly and unceremoniously, and in my opinion UNNECESSARILY dropped, without a record ever hitting the shops. And still she sits unsigned to this day, the recordings all went to waste, and Muff Winwood left the company. All that remains to show for them are these three oh so rare singles, the video of her singing "My Man" at Togetherness in Fleetwood, and this wonderful video footage of a song which, I have to objectively say, represents my finest hour musically. And did you spot who's doing backing vocals on it, before anyone had ever even heard of him ??

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Sophisticated-Soul
• Philly
• Motown
• Diva
• Sixties
• Bacharach

[jazzfunk61]

can't believe ebony doesn't have a recording contract. such a shame. great singing

[IanLevine]

Of course she does. Her album is out on Expansion Records.

[Ibantar]

Who the hell is running record companies these days?! Why don't they sign this lady as opposed to signing these chicks who only look good and and have to have a ton of "pro-tools" effects on their voices to sound half as decent as this! There's something terribly wrong with the industry!!!

[IanLevine]

You are so so so so correct.

But her album is out now on Expansion Records, and has topped most of the UK's Soul Radio Stations. It was number one on Solar for seven weeks.

[mutlovesoul]

She is 2nd on my all time favorite artist's list.

Her music is beautiful.

But it's her voice.

VOICE LIKE AN ANGEL.

Mutlu, Germany

[carmonario]

so beautiful song!!!

[bakerbizzle]

Very beautiful sound. Soo not the norm with today's music, which I love. I really respect artists who stay true to themselves.

[chinita41]

this is beautiful :))

[smilersweetness]

Simply wonderful!

[smilersweetness]

Beautiful song & beautiful lady, Ebony is very talented!

[BarbraAlejandro]

Ebony Is One Of The Greatest Singers I Have Ever Found!!!! She Is Beautiful With A Stunning Voice And She Lights Up The Screen!!! If She Is Half As Wonderful In Person As She Seems In Her Videos....She Is One Magical Lady!!!! Thanks Ebony & Ian For The Fantastic Music!!!!!

[LastTrumpets7]

Glad to hear she's doing well. The industry is a rough business and many times insignificant crap gets in the way of meaningful business. Give me a holler whenever this artist comes to Cali/NY areas! You can't hold a good talent down forever. The production on this video is pretty good. Hit the Universities to find killer video people on the cheap!!! Worked wonders for me. Much success!