 • The mighty mighty Dells enjoyed an amazing run of hits, starting in 1956 with “Oh What A Night” and continuing from 1966 to 1974 with Cadet Records (the Chess subsidiary). Following stints with Mercury, ABC and 20th Century, the quintet signed with the L.A.-based Private I Records in 1984.
• ONE STEP CLOSER was the group’s only album for the label. Primary producers for the project were Chuck Jackson & Marvin Yancy who had provided a run of hits for Natalie Cole among others.
• Other producers on the album included guitarist David Williams (who had worked on the road with The Dells and whose credits included sessions with Michael Jackson and Herbie Hancock among others); and Archie Russel who had produced other Chicago-based artists including Gene Chandler, The Chi-Lites and Betty Everett.
• Making its worldwide CD debut with this expanded edition (with notes from respected writer Lewis Dene which include quotes from Chuck Barksdale of The Dells), ONE STEP CLOSER was a Top 50 R&B Album best-seller while the first single from the set, “You Just Can’t Walk Away” was a Top 30 U.S. R&B hit.
• 2012 marks the group’s 60th anniversary and to commemorate it, SoulMusic.com Records is reissuing ONE STEP CLOSER alongside THEY SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE, BUT WE DID IT!! (SMCR-5046) and LOVE CONNECTION (SMCR 5047).
About the Writer
David Nathan is the founder and CEO of SoulMusic.com and began his writing career in 1965; beginning in 1967, he was a regular contributor to Blues & Soul magazine in London before relocating to the U.S. in 1975 where he served as U.S. editor for the publication for several decades and began being known as 'The British Ambassador Of Soul.' From 1988 to 2004, he wrote prolifically for Billboard, has penned bios, produced and written liner notes for box sets and reissue CDs for over a thousand projects. He returned to London in 2009 where he has helped create SoulMusic.com Records as a leading reissue label.
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