Special Delivery
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1975-76) - Terry Huff -- lead vocals - Chester Fortune -- vocals - Gerald Parker -- vocals - Reginald Ross -- vocals
line up 2 (1976-77) - Andy Huff -- vocals - Chester Fortune -- vocals - Al Johnson -- vocals - Gerald Parker -- vocals - Reginald Ross -- vocals
line up 3 (1981) - Kevin Adams -- keyboards - Alphonzo Dawson -- guitar - Bill Jackson -- drums - Angelo Jessup -- vocals - Juaquin Jessup -- guitar - Mikolos Jessup -- bass - Janice Lee -- vocals - Sylvester Lee -- vocals -- George Parker -- keyboards - Gerald Parker -- vocals - Reginald Ross -- vocals - Andre Sanders -- vocals
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- Act 1 (Terry Huff, Chester Fortune, Gerald Parker and Reginald Ross) - Andy & the Marglows (Andy Huff and Terry Huff) - Terry Huff and Special Delivery - Al Johnson (solo efforts) - Positive Change (Al Johnson) - The Unifics (Al Johnson)
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Genre: soul Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Special Delivery Company: Shield Catalog: #80000 Year: 1978 Country/State: Washington, DC Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: small cut out notch along lower edge; minor crease along lower right corner Available: SOLD Catalog ID: SOLD 5306 Price: SOLD $40.00
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Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh - another largely unknown Washington, D.C. based soul outfit. I love this stuff !
The early-1970s found an ever changing group of friends including George Barker, Raeford Gerald, Terry Huff, Chester Fortune, Gerald Parker, Reginald Ross, and Roger Terry performing on a part time basis as Act One (Act 1). The group appears to have attracted a local DC-Baltimore following and in 1972 the group scored a recording contract with Spring Records resulting in a series of four singles over the next two years.
Having paid his bills working as a DC cop, the group's successes convinced Huff to quit his day job job, focusing his efforts on writing material and rehearsing. Unfortunately by early 1974 Act One had run out of steam, though Huff, Fortune, Parker and Ross decided to continue their musical collaborations as Special Delivery. In the meantime Huff's creative efforts paid off in the form of a successful audition with Washington native Van McCoy. McCoy was impressed by one of Huff's new tunes 'I Destroyed Your Love' and helped the group sign with Mainstream Records. As Special Delivery they subsequently came close to major success with the release of their 1975 label debut. Tapped as a single Huff's 'I Destroyed Your Love (Parts 1 and 2)' (Mainstream catalog number MRL 5573) showcased a classic slice of mid-1970s harmony soul. The 45 did well all along the Eastern seaboard, and even briefly hit the R&B charts, but somehow the group missed out on major recognition.
Success brought internal conflicts (songwriting credits were apparently a major source of contention) and before the group could record a follow-on they broke up. Huff quickly recruiting his brothers Andy and Jimmy and former Unifics member/friend Al Johnson to record a follow-up, which Mainstream promptly released credited to 'Special Delivery featuring Terry Huff'. Released as a sophomore single Huff's 'The Lonely One' b/w 'The Lonely One' (instrumental) (Mainstream catalog number MRL-5581) did okay on the charts, leading the company to finance an album - 1976's cleverly titled "The Lonely One" (Mainstream catalog number MRL-420).
Unfortunately "The Lonely One" did little commercially. Huff struggled on releasing a couple of follow-on singles
- 1976's 'Come Back with Your Love' (Parts 1 and 2) (Mainstream catalog MRL-5584) - 1976's 'That's When It Hurts' b/w 'Just Not Enough Love' (Mainstream catalog number MRL-5585) - 1976's 'Why Doesn't Love Last' b/w 'Where There's a Will (There's a Way) (Mainstream catalog number MRL-5586)
He eventually returned to DC where he continues to write and perform. He also has a small, but entertaining MySpace site at:
http://www.myspace.com/mrterryhuff
Without Huff's participation, in 1977 Special Delivery (Mark I) members Fortune, Parker and Ross decided to reactivate Special Delivery. With the addition of female singer Veronica Martin the quartet signed with the TK-associated Shield label. Produced by Parker, "Special Delivery" offered up an engaging mixture of classic 1970s soul and more contemporary up tempo dance moves. All four members contributed material and while nothing here was particularly original or innovative, tracks like 'Your Love is My Love Song', 'You Say' and 'This Kind of Love' offered up nice slices of old school soul with some great melodies and first tier harmony vocals. A clear attempt to expand their audience to a younger demographic that was just beginning to embrace the go-go scene, 'Day Dreamer', 'Do It' (sporting one of music's all time cheesiest synthesizer solos) and 'Get-Up Express Yourself' featured more contemporary dance floor-ready arrangements. The latter song was particularly catchy and would have made a great single. Interestingly, while Fortune, Parker and Ross were all good singers, Martin stole the show. Her crystal clear voice was nothing short of wonderful, generating a certain heat the others couldn't come close to matching. Shield tapped the album for a series of 45s in the form of:
- 1977's 'Oh Let Me Know' (Parts 1 and 2) (Shield catalog number 6307) - 1978's 'Day Dream' b/w 'Get Up Express Yourself' (Shield catalog number 6310) - 1978's 'This Kind of Love' b/w 'Where There's a Will (There's a Way)' (Shield catalog number 6311)
Unfortunately, without much in the way of promotional support neither the singles nor the LP did much commercially and the group subsequently called it quits.
"Special
Delivery" track listing: 1.) Your Love is My Love Song (Bill Board - Chet Fortune - Nick Mann) - 4:15 2.) Day Dreamer (Chet Fortune - Veronica Martin - George Parker - Reginald Ross) - 3:40 3.) Do It (George Parker) - 5:05 4.) You Say (Veronica Martin - George Parker) - 5:45
(side
2) 2.) I've Got To Be Free (George Parker) - 4:30 3.) Oh Let Me Know It (Chet Fortune - Veronica Martin - George Parker - Reginald Ross) - 3:25 4.) Get-Up Express Yourself (George Parker) - 7:05
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Genre: soul Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Living On the Run Company: M&M Catalog: MM-102AE Year: 1981 Country/State: Washington, DC Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: 2651 Price: $20.00
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Three years later Gerald Parker reactivated the band nameplate. Recruiting what amounted to a new group (the back panel showed eight members), the band was signed to the small M&M label, recording 1981's "Living On the Run" in Philadelphia's famed Sigma Studios. Produced by Parker (he also wrote or co-wrote all eight tracks), musically the set bounced between smooth MOR ballads ('Don't Deny My Love' and 'Changes (We Go Through for Love)'), and lite funk ('Got To Be Number One' and 'What's Wrong'). The set was never less than enjoyable but the big find and selling point was vocalist Lee. Blessed with a big and wide open voice she occasionally recalled The Emotions - check out the opener 'If It's Real' which would have made for a killer single. With her wonderful voice and energetic delivery, every time Lee took center stage the album ratcheted up a notch. Certainly not the most original soul album you've ever heard, but fun to listen to through and through. M&M released at least one single off of the LP:
- 1982's 'Got To Be Number One' b/w 'What's Wrong' (M&M catalog number M 504S)
"Special
Delivery" track listing: 1.) If It's Real (Gerald Parker - Miklos Jessup - V. Martin) - 4:02 2.) Don't Deny My Love (Gerald Parker - Miklos Jessup - A. Sanders - I. Lee) - 4:24 2.) Got To Be Number One (Gerald Parker - I. Lee) - 4:23 4.) Changes (We Go Through for Love) (Gerald Parker - Janice Lee) - 4:35
(side
2) 2.) What's Wrong (Juaquin Jessup - Gerald Parker - V. Martin) - 4:18 3.) Straight from the Heart (Gerald Parker - I. Lee) - 3:25 4.) Groove It (Gerald Parker) - 4:47
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