Merrilee Rush (and the Turnabouts)


Band members                              Related acts

- Merrilee Rush - keyboards, Vocals (1965-74)

 

  The Turnabouts (1965)

- Terry Gregg - bass 

- Vern Kjellberg (aka Joey Newman) - lead guitar 
- Mike Robbins - keyboards
- Neil Rush - sax
- Peter Sach - drums, percussion

- Barney Armstrong - vocals
- Bill Barnard - guitar
- Bob Bennett - drums
- Randy Bennett - bass
- Bill Bishop - bass
- Jim Blade - bass
- Frank Butorac  - guitar
- Mike Cox (RIP 1995) - bass
- Dave Erickson - drums
- Mike Garland - drums
- Richard Gerber - guitar
- Randy "Tag" Henning - bass
- Mark Hibbert - bass
- Danny Hoefer  - guitar
- Brian Knowles - guitar
- Joel Johnson - keyboards
- Terry Lauber - guitar
- Ed Leckenby - drums
- Bill McCarthy - keyboards, vocals
- Tim McFall - drums, vocals
- John Morris - guitar, vocals
- Steve Moshier - drums

- Karl Peters (RIP 2003) - drums 
- Rob Straub - drums
- Karl Wilson - guitar

 

 

- Bandit (Joey Newman)

- Don and the Good Times (Joey Newman)

- The Liberty Party (Joey Newman)

- Stepson (Joey Newman)

- Touch (Joey Newman)

- Tiny Tony & the Statics (Merrilee Rush, Neil Rush)

- The Trolley (Pete Sack)

 

 

 


 

Genre: pop

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Angel of the Morning

Company: Bell

Catalog: 6020

Year: 1968

Country/State: Seattle, Washington

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: still in shrink wrap (opened)

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 2427

Price: $20.00

Cost: $66.00

 

Perhaps because 'Angel of the Morning' is one of those oldies station favorites, I have to admit that I'm as surprised as anyone that the parent album is so good.  Over the years I've seen dozens of copies of the LP, but never bothered to buy a copy (until I found this one for 50 cents at a yard sale).  My mistake.

 

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington Merrilee Rush's musical background was as a classically trained pianist.  She was apparently bitten by the rock and roll bug early.  As a 13 year old she was a member of The Aztecs, followed by stints in Merrilee & Her Men and Tiny Tony & the Statics (Tony was a 300 pound R&B singer).  In 1965 she decided to form her own band - Merrille Rush and the Turnabouts.  In addition to husband Neil on sax, the original line up consisted of bassist Tony Gregg, former The Liberty Party guitarist Vern Kjellberg (aka Joey Newman), drummer Karl Peters, and ex-The Trolley drummer Peter Sac  A 1967 spot opening for Paul Revere and the Raiders on several southern dates put the group into contact with songwriter/producer Chips Moman who was working with The Raiders on a forthcoming album.  Moman took a liking to Rush's voice (I'm sure it had nothing to do with her stunning good looks), inviting her record a demo in Memphis. Released as a single 'Angel of the Morning' b/w 'Reap What You Sow' (Bell catalog number 705), promptly went top-10.   As was standard marketing procedure, the single's unexpected success saw Bell rush the band into the studio to cut a supporting album. 

 

1968's "Angel of the Morning" was credited to Rush and the Turnabouts, but with co-producers Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill effectively sidelining The Turnabouts in favor of local sessions players, for all intents and purposes it was a Rush solo effort (see any band members on the cover sleeve?).  Musically the set showcased Rush's attractive voice on what was largely a pop-oriented collection.  With the exception of a couple of throwaway efforts (including two from mentor Mark Lindsay), most of pop  numbers were pretty good.  Sure, the title track was annoying after you've heard it five hundred times, but 'It's Worth It All' and 'Working Girl' (with a non-too-subtle sexual harassment commentary) were worth hearing.  That makes you wonder why Bell tapped 'That Kind of  Woman' as a follow-up single.  Regardless, Rush really shined on harder-edged material like 'Sandcastles', 'Billy Sunshine' (which even sported a modest psych feel) and an early cover of Joe South's 'Hush'.  Was this a perfect LP ?  Not by a mile, but bottom line, this was one of the more pleasant surprises I've heard this year.     

 

"Angel of the Water" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) It's Worth It All (Mark James - Wayne Jackson) - 2:35  rating: *** stars

Always loved the opening acoustic guitar, even if the rest of the song was a MOR ballad with kind of a Bacharach-David vibe.   Nice, but not great and would have been better without the heavy orchestration.  

2.) Sandcastles (Chips Moman - Spooner Oldham - Dan Penn) - 2:45  rating: **** stars

Given the writing credentials on this one, you'd have pretty high expectations for 'Sandcastles' and the fact of the matter is this pretty ballad was one of the album highlights.   Perfect showcase for Rush's frequently overlooked voice. 

3,) Billy Sunshine (Chip Taylor - Al Gorgoni) - 3:07  rating: **** stars

Another album standout, 'Billy Sunshine ' was one of the album's most contemporary and rock oriented efforts, powered by a tasty, hyperactive Terry Gregg bass line.  Geez, Vern Kjellberg even got to play a little lead guitar.  Sock it to me Billy ... nice.  

4.) Handy (Dan Penn - D. Carter - Spooner Oldham) - 2:14 rating: *** stars

I'm not sure why, but 'Handy' has always struck me as sounding like some sort of cleaning product commercial jingle ...   Very mid-'60s commercial.   Surprising it wasn't a top-40 hit for her.  

5.) San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) (John Phillips) - 2:51  rating: ** stars

Okay, she was about a year behind popular tastes in terms of the summer-of-love crowd.   Musically this one didn't differ much from Scott McKenzie's hit version, though I'll admit her vocal wasn't half bad.  

6.) Angel of the Morning   (Chip Taylor) - 2:58  rating: *** stars

Ironically Evie Sands recorded and released 'Angel of the Morning' a couple of week before Rush did.  As fate would have it, Sands' record label (Cameo/Parkway) promptly went bankrupt, effectively killing the single.   As for the song, Rush's performance is great, but this one is such a social icon, there simply isn't anything left to say about it ...  

- 1968's 'Angel of the Morning' b/w 'Reap What You Sow' (Bell catalog number 705)

 

(side 2)
1.) That Kind of Woman  (Donna Weiss - Mary Unobsky) - 2:40 
rating: *** stars

'That Kind of Woman' was one of those big, over-orchestrated, hyper-sensitive  ballads that was clearly intended to garner radio airplay.  The mix has always sounded muddy to me and Rush didn't sound too comfortable in the higher register, giving the song kind of a shrill edge.   Still, the "kept-woman" lyric was certainly on the risqué side for 1968, making it interesting that Bell chose it as the second single:. 

- 1968's 'That Kind of  Woman' b/w 'Sunshine & Roses (Bell catalog 738)

2.) Working Girl (Chip Taylor) - 3:12  rating: ** stars

The second Chip Taylor composition (aka  James Wesley Voight - actor Jon Voight's brother), 'Working Girl' was a touch too sensitive for it's own good.   

3.) Observation from Flight 286 (in 3/4 Time)  (Mark Lindsay) - 2:22  rating: ** stars

The Paul Revere and the Raiders original was very psychedelic.  Rush's cover strips away all of those features, turning it into a breezy, waltz-flavored ballad.  

4.) Hush (Joe South) - 2:03  rating: **** stars

Rush's cover of the Joe South classic was interesting for showcasing the tougher dimensions of her voice.   Hard to believe it, but her version was actually almost as good as the better known Deep Purple cover.   Another album highlight. 

5.) Do Unto Others (Mark Lindsay) - 2:30  rating: **** stars

Another one where Rush employees her deeper voice.  Always loved the bouncy organ pattern.  

 

 

 

 

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Merrillee Rush

Company: Liberty

Catalog: LN 10166

Year: 1977

Country/State: Seattle, Washington

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: minor ring wear

Available: SOLD

Catalog ID: SOLD

Price: SOLD $10.00

 

Given the massive success of 'Angel of the Morning' you would have expected Merrillee Rush to have enjoyed a fairly successful follow-on career.   It didn't happen.  After the release of 1968's "Angel of the Morning" she struggled on releasing a series of poorly selling singles, but by 1970 her recording career was effectively over.   In fact, Rush didn't record a sophomore album until 1977.

 

Signed by United Artists' Liberty subsidiary, the album found Rush recording a mixture of MOR and country-tinged ballads that were clearly intended to garner 

 

 

 

"Merrillee Rush" track listing:
(side 1)

1.)  Save Me  (Guy Fletcher - Doug Flett) - 

Very top-40 with an incidiously catchy hook, 'Save Me' was one of those songs that got better the more you heard it ...   Released as a single it went top-50 and probably would have done even better had it not been for the fact Buffalo-based singer Donna McDaniel released her cover of the tune at the same time.  As a teenager I can remember hearing this song on Radio Caroline, though it wasn't the Merrillee Rush version  - the version I was familiar with was by the UK female band Clout.  English singer Clodagh Rodgers also recorded it.   rating: *** stars

2.) You

3.) Miami

4.) Easy, Soft and Slow  (S. Dorff, H. Herbspritt, G. Harju) - 

The ballad 'Easy, Soft and Slow' was nice enough, but underscored Rush's brittle side.   rating: ** stars

5.) Angel of the Morning

Seriously, going back to remake an earlier classic hit is never a good idea and rush's remake of 'Angel of the Morning' was no exception to the rule.   rating: ** stars

 

(side 2)

1.) A Fool In Love

2.) Love Birds

3.) Could It Be Love I Found Tonight  (R. Supa) - 

4.) Be True To You   (Eric Anderson) - 

5.) Spare Me a Little of Your Love

 

United tapped the album for a couple of singles, including one non-LP promo release:

 

- 1976's Could It Be Love I Found Tonight' b/w 'Be True To You' (United Artists catalog number UA-XW930-Y)

- 1977's 'Save Me' b/w 'Easy, Soft and Slow' (United Artists catalog number UA-XW993-Y)

- 1977's 'Rainstorm' b/w 'Rainstorm' (United Artists catalog number UA-XW1103)

 

For anyone interested, Rush has a small web presence at: http://www.merrileerush.com/merrileerush.com/Home.html

 

 

 

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