Customer Reviews

Fortune Teller: Golden Classics

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For the last 2yrs or so, I have had the opportunity for twice a day each month to speak with him about his music, his family, his health problems and his continusly praise to God. We found each other because of similar stroke problems. My beginning with love of blues and rock (especially from New Orleans -my boyhood home)Benny's was always a favorite artist. In turn, he kept me fascinated for hours as he spoke about his career and the "inside" about many of the previous and present working during the early '50s, 60s, etc.

Benny still sings his written songs as he explains the meaning of the lyrics. Now I have rediscovered this great man.

Benny still suffers from a fall off a stage and following a stroke. He walks a little slower and he has to use a cane to help his balance so times. But the fire in his eyes burn when he talks about his work. ...

It's been a while since anyone did a review of Benny Spellman's work here, but as I write this I know he either did or would have celebrated his 73rd birthday most recently. I know that he worked a lot with Allen Toussaint, a legend of sorts in the music world. I was a youngster when "Lipstick Traces" was a hit and I still remember it fondly at about the exact same time Mary Wells did "The One Who Really Loves You" at Motown and a largely unknown group called the Supremes did "Let Me Go the Right Way". I thank Benny Spellman for a special memory for his song and the flipside "Fortune Teller". You'll enjoy the other songs in this package too. Easily worth the price.

If you are a lover of early 60's New Orleans R&B, this is a classic. Benny was a back-up singer with Ernie K-Doe and Allan Tousaint. He had a score with "Lipstick Traces" (included) and this compilation covers almost all of his Minit and Imperial sides. It was a smart move by Collectables in putting this on CD. If you want to add to your early R&B collection, this is one to consider.

For the last 2yrs or so, I have had the opportunity for twice a day each month to speak with him about his music, his family, his health problems and his continusly praise to God. We found each other because of similar stroke problems. My beginning with love of blues and rock (especially from New Orleans -my boyhood home)Benny's was always a favorite artist. In turn, he kept me fascinated for hours as he spoke about his career and the "inside" about many of the previous and present working during the early '50s, 60s, etc.

Benny still sings his written songs as he explains the meaning of the lyrics. Now I have rediscovered this great man.

Benny still suffers from a fall off a stage and following a stroke. He walks a little slower and he has to use a cane to help his balance so times. But the fire in his eyes burn when he talks about his work. "Why don't you send him a letter care of St. Joseph Church, Pensacola, Fl."

for those of you who wonder whatever happened to benny spellman, I am his life long friend, classmate, and now choir member. He is alive and well here in Pensacola, fl, and a member of two choirs at ST. JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC CHURCH here. He still sings just as good, only now he is singing more for the Lord. Any questions? e mail me at: deecurry@bellsouth.com.

I am also a friend of Benny Spellman. After many years of living in New Orleans, Benny returned to his home town of Pensacola where he has lived for the last 15 years with trips to New Orleans every now and then. He still sings but for the Lord after he reunited with his home parish of St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Remember Ernie K-Doe's infectious hit Mother-In-Law in 1961? The bass voice you heard was that of Benny Spellman who, unfortunately, would spend most of his career doing background vocals for others, including Huey "Piano" Smith.

On his own, however, he could manage just one hit record, that being 1962's Lipstick Traces [On A Cigarette] which, b/w Fortune Teller, made it to # 28 R&B and # 80 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in May on Minit 644. And that is a real puzzle because this guy was as good as any of his contemporaries as you will hear for yourself from this sampling of his work for the Minit and Alon labels.

In addition to the hit and its flipside, here you also get these Minit and Alon single releases: Life Is Too Short (Minit 606 - 1960); Every Now And Then (Minit 652 - 1962); Talk About Love (Minit 664 - 1963); Stickin; Witcha Baby - Minit 659-A - 1963); You Got To Get It (Minit 659-B - 1963); T'ain't It The Truth (Alon 9018 - 1965); The Word Game (Alon 9024-A - 1965); I Feel Good (Alon 9024-B - 1965); and It's For You (Alon 9031 - 1966).

He would also record for Ace, Watch, Bandy, Mor Soul and Sansu, and Atlantic, before calling it a day, with the only other thing he did which even came close to chart success being The Word Game which flirted briefly with the R&B charts but never could crack the Top 100. For a while in the late 1970s he was reportedly working as a beer salesman in his native Pensacola.

The sound quality in this release is excellent, even if the notes are neglible, but you should give a listen to a man who, based on his talent, deserved far greater commercial success than came his way.