Four Brothers | Bright Star | Hit Sound | '65-'67

Notes
Chicago is known worldwide for its electrified Delta Blues. Chicago is also known for its sweet Soul Music. During the 1960's, those musical traditions combined at Four Brothers, a tiny record label based at a famous West Side Chicago record shop called Barney's One-Stop from which the hip, blues-flavored soul from the Four Brothers label was produced The label existed from 1965 through 1967 with sister label, Bright Star, and Hit Sound. Willie Barney, Jack Daniels (AaR/Production), and Granville White were the principal partners with White being a secret partner to avoid a conflict of interest with his Columbia promotion job. The label was named after Barney's four young sons and the record shop/One-Stop was the headquarters where Daniels and many artists were initially employed.

In the late 1960's, Jack Daniels, along with Four Brothers associated artist and writer Johnny Moore cut a number of hard-hitting sound records. Four Brothers Records' artists included Tyrone Davis, who recorded under the name, "Tyrone the Wonder Boy" (years later Jack Daniels co-wrote Davis' blockbuster hit record, "Turn Back The Hands Of Time"). On the subsidiary labels, Bright Star and Hit Sound, blues greats Junior Wells (who had a giant local hit with "Up In Heah") and Magic Sam who surprised with "Sam's Funk"), bridged the gap between old-fashioned Delta Blues and the soul stylings of early funk, while Johnny Moore, Ricky Allen and most of all, G.L. Crockett were the signature artists of the hip, blues-flavored soul of the company.

The Four Brothers Records story is truly the story of three close friends in the indie distribution business who formed this partnership in the mid-sixties to establish an independent record company. This collection contains a wealth of rare and exceptional soul gems mixing in bluesy soul, some urban blues, and early funk. Some might be familiar, while others will experience for the first time, a sure delight discovering these musical jewels from this treasury of great Northern soul recordings.

Playlist notes:

Chicago is known worldwide for its electrified Delta Blues. Chicago is also known for its sweet Soul Music. During the 1960's, those musical traditions combined at Four Brothers, a tiny record label based at a famous West Side Chicago record shop called Barney's One-Stop from which the hip, blues-flavored soul from the Four Brothers label was produced The label existed from 1965 through 1967 with sister label, Bright Star, and Hit Sound. Willie Barney, Jack Daniels (AaR/Production), and Granville White were the principal partners with White being a secret partner to avoid a conflict of interest with his Columbia promotion job. The label was named after Barney's four young sons and the record shop/One-Stop was the headquarters where Daniels and many artists were initially employed. In the late 1960's, Jack Daniels, along with Four Brothers associated artist and writer Johnny Moore cut a number of hard-hitting sound records. Four Brothers Records' artists included Tyrone Davis, who recorded under the name, "Tyrone the Wonder Boy" (years later Jack Daniels co-wrote Davis' blockbuster hit record, "Turn Back The Hands Of Time"). On the subsidiary labels, Bright Star and Hit Sound, blues greats Junior Wells (who had a giant local hit with "Up In Heah") and Magic Sam who surprised with "Sam's Funk"), bridged the gap between old-fashioned Delta Blues and the soul stylings of early funk, while Johnny Moore, Ricky Allen and most of all, G.L. Crockett were the signature artists of the hip, blues-flavored soul of the company. The Four Brothers Records story is truly the story of three close friends in the indie distribution business who formed this partnership in the mid-sixties to establish an independent record company. This collection contains a wealth of rare and exceptional soul gems mixing in bluesy soul, some urban blues, and early funk. Some might be familiar, while others will experience for the first time, a sure delight discovering these musical jewels from this treasury of great Northern soul recordings.