NUM023
Album cover

Eccentric Soul

The Young Disciples

By 1967, East St. Louis, Illinois—once dubbed an “All American” city by the US Chamber of Commerce—had become St Louis, Missouri’s evil twin. Unemployment, drug addiction and vicious gang activity put a dark and heavy lid on a bi-state area that once cooked-up world-changing talent—we’re talking Chuck Berry, Josephine Baker, Miles Davis. But both cities kept spawning heroes, Allen Merry among them. Already a living legend for his early work with Ray Charles and Ike Turner, Merry channeled his talent into teaching, forming the Young Disciples through the South End Community Center, aiming to keep the kids off the streets, out of gangs, and instead inside the studio, frow which young men and women spiraling downward could ride the spiral groove upward on Merry’s YoDi, Gateway and Merry labels. Every sweat-drenched recording included here emerged from Merry’s grass-roots organization that changed, if not saved, lives. Former East St Louis Mayor Carl Officer had a slogan he liked to pitch: “There’s A City Under Here.” Eccentric Soul: The Young Disciples unearths those very streets and safe havens.

  • 2xLP

    2 150g LPs
    1 2-pocket gatefold tip-on jacket with 1 7.5" x 3.25" 10-panel pamphlet in a book pocket

Track List

  1. Lavel Moore The World Is Changing
  2. The Young Disciples & Co. Crumbs From The Table
  3. Third Flight Third Flight
  4. The Debonettes Tears
  5. Ames Harris Desert Water Bag Co. Checking Myself
  6. Sharon Clark & the Product of Time I'm Not Afraid Of Love
  7. DeDe Turner Happening Anyone Or Anything
  8. The Young Disciples & Co. Girls, Girls, Girls
  9. Dauphine Williams I Love You
  10. The Georgettes Hard, Hard
  11. Bobby McNutt Country Loving Country Style
  12. Sharon Clark & the Product of Time It's Not Your Business
  13. Ames Harris Desert Water Bag Co. People
  14. The Georgettes Would You Rather
  15. Third Flight Love Love Love
  16. The Debonettes Choose Me
  17. DeDe Turner Happening Outside Of Memphis
  18. Sharon Clark & the Product of Time That's A Good Reason
  19. Dauphine Williams I'm Your Man
  20. The Young Disciples & Co. Bang Bang Bang
  21. Eddie Fisher & Allan (Dealth) Merry & Yodi Gang Homeboy (Part 1)