Rollers

Spliced alongside a handful of other Deep City instrumental takes, these two cuts were the first evidence that the grip of tapes that had turned up at famed Miami producer Willie Clarke’s ex-wife’s house would yield incredible fruit. No date was listed on the tape, but both were recorded at Criteria, and more than likely after 1969 as the melody for the former takes a heavy bite from the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back.” Though no official Rollers records were issued in their time, the quartet of Shirley Levan, Betty Joe Johnson, Sharon Simmons, and Mary Smith—sister of Helene Smith—would later issue several singles under the Diamonettes banner.