Genre: soul
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: They Found Me Guilty
Company: Green Dolphin
Catalog: GD7582
Year: 1982
Country/State: Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: cut corner; still in shrink wrap
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4459
Price: $10.00
Cost: $66.00
There are thousands of white guys out there trying to make a living playing soul and the blues on the club circuit. Pittsburgh's Billy Price (with and without the Keystone Rhythm Band) is one of the few who's really good.
Price attracted his initial attention as a member of the late Roy Buchanan's mid-1970s band. He handled vocals on a pair of Buchanan's studio sets and toured with Buchanan for three eyars. Following his split with Buchanan, in 1977 Price relocated to Pittsburgh where he formed the Jim Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band.
1982's "They Found Me Guilty" was Price's second studio release. Produced by Denny Bruce and Craig Leon at Silver Spring Maryland's Track Recorders, the album featured a mixture of popular and lesser known soul and blues covers and a handful of originals by guitarist Keith Grimes. Price also kicked in one song. Stylistically there' wasn't anything particularly original here, but Price had a voice that was perfectly suited for this kind of material and the Keystone Rhythm Band played with considerable energy. Easy to see how these guys attracted a rabid cult following in Pittsburgh and the mid-Atlantic club circuit. So what are the highlights here? Well, all eight tracks are worth hearing, but the highlights include Price's cover of the O.V. Wright hit 'A Nickel and a Nail' and the 'The Jury of Love' medley.
"They Found Me Guilty" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) I Had It All the Time (R. Parker - W. Henderson) - 3:29
2.) A Nickel and a Nail (Van Morrison - D. Malone) - 3:53
3.) Hijackin' Love (T. Hester - R. Wylie) - 3:26
4.) Tell Me (Keith Grimes) - 4:14
5.) Nothing Could Change My Mind (Keith Grimes) - 4:08
(side 2)
1.) Hold Back the Night (R. Baker - N. Harris - A. Felder - E. Young) - 3:19
2.) I Feel Good (Al Green - F. Jordan - R. Fairfax Jr.) - 4:39
3.) The Jury of Love - 10:49
a.) Cry, Cry, Cry (D. Malone)
b.) BP's Dream (Billy Price)
c.) Eight Mena & Four Women (D. Malone)
Price has an interesting website: http://www.billyprice.com/