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