Live Soul Music: Sam Dees

Sam Dees 'Lover For Life' Live at Thorne. The song was written by Dees and used by Whitney Houston on her 1990, 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' album. Sam made many friends that night including Jimmy who was celebrating his 59th Birthday that same day and Dees said he amazed and had to be congratulated for supporting 'soul music' for all those years! (Jimmy would be 77 now!)

He did a wonderful set even though he was singing to backing tracks although had a backing band for his London gig. Sadly though he did not perform 'Lonely For You' his big UK Northern song, to some in the crowds dismay. Dees wrote many songs for others, most notably 'One In A Million' for Larry Graham in 1980 featured on the album of the same name on Warner Brothers.

This live recording was taken from his 1991 UK visit where he performed in Scotland, London and in this recording at Rod Dearlove's Voices From The Shadows promotion at The Canal Tavern, Thorne on 18th November. Thanks to soulcellar.co.uk for up loading the photograph to the Net.

I was unaware that my friend Dave Krynski was also there on the nite until a few years later. I at the time traveled up with Dave Rimmer and it was only recently Krynski told me that he also recorded the show! ... so now I've copied the cassette recording to digital master and share a short clip with Dave's kind permission with the readers (no vision though).

Dave also recorded the 'Last Night at The Catacombs' and some other iconic venues at that time. I have also made many recordings of live shows over the years and it's only with the latest technology can we now clean them up and share them with you.

Sam Dees - One In A Million (1989)
Sam Dees (born December 17, 1945 in Birmingham, Alabama USA) is a soul singer, songwriter and producer.
Dees was born into a large family and quickly distinguished himself with his voice. At the age of 9, already champion of several singing contests, he founded his own vocal group, the "Bossanovians".

As a teenager he traveled to perform and, in 1968 he recorded his first single at Nashville, Tennessee's SSS International. He put out his next few singles on Birmingham-based Lolo Records. At the same time he was beginning to earn respect as a writer and producer. Chess Records producer Lenny Sachs gave him an opportunity to self-produce two singles on the Chess label, which Dees recorded in a former church in Birmingham. From there he began recording for Atlantic, which released his landmark album The Show Must Go On in 1975.

Since then, Dees recording career moved to the back burner while he wrote hits for other singers, such as "Am I Dreaming" (Atlantic Starr), "One in a Million You" (Larry Graham), "Save the Overtime (For Me)" (Gladys Knight), "Love All the Hurt Away" (George Benson and Aretha Franklin), and "Lover for Life" (Whitney Houston). He released a solo single titled "After All" in 1989, but it only peaked at #95 in the UK.

Dees continues to write and produce. He released recordings on his own Pen Pad label and also recorded for Ardent Records in England - not to be confused with Ardent Records of Memphis, Tennessee. Another English label, Kent Records, has released early unissued recordings which earned high reviews in the European market.

Other previously unissued recordings from the early 1970s are planned for release by Selecta Records whose parent company Millbrand Music control the copyrights to many of Sam's early songs. His song ‘Lonely for you baby’ was used and referenced in the cult British surf movie, Blue Juice. - Wikipedia