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Big Man Records: The Embers “First Time” b/w “I Wanna Be” (New Vinyl 45rpm Release)

E. Mark Windle 19 December 2023.

Without pausing for breath after Big Man Records’ December launch of “Just Crazy ‘Bout You Baby” (b/w “Aware of Love”), the news is that a second quality double-sider from The Embers is lined up for release early in the new year.

Starting out as a doo-wop and rock ‘n’ roll outfit under another name, the group that would become known as The Embers was originally formed by Raleigh, North Carolina high school pals Bobby Tomlinson and Jackie Gore. Since 1958, The Embers have remained an active force within the beach music scene of southeast USA. Inevitably, the group has undergone a number of changes in personnel and musical direction over the years. But for many fans, their 1960s output is of particular interest, representing a time when a number of high quality soul covers and original songs were recorded. With Bobby as the drummer and Jackie on guitar and vocals, they would be the mainstays during this period, though at various points other members included Blair Ellis, Dave Norket, Durwood Martin, Rick Whitfield, and Mark Hammer on keyboards; Doug Harrison, Frank Reich and Don Holloway on sax; Johnny Hopkins on trumpet; and John Thompson on bass and vocals.

Early performances revolved around repeat bookings at frat parties (largely down to Blair Ellis’ status as a Kappa Sigma brother at NC State University), where they would be hired for $75 per show. Recognising their long-term potential, family financial investment enabled the transformation of an old Raleigh warehouse into The Embers Club, a live music venue where the boys could sit in as the resident band. As Winston-Salem’s life-long Embers fan Bob McNair recalls: “I would take dates there back in the sixties. We were underage according to the door policy, but as long as you were well dressed, came with a girl and paid the cover charge, they weren’t too concerned.” Here, and at later locations, The Embers honed their skills alongside soul and R&B stars of the day including Jackie Wilson, Little Anthony, Billy Stewart, Fats Domino, The Drifters and The Clovers.

Jimmy Capps Productions (JCP) was the concept of Jimmy Capps, a WTPF radio broadcaster and DJ who was looking for a platform to promote local bands. Along with his radio station engineer Larry Gardner, a studio was constructed in the basement of an old movie theatre. The Embers would start recording 45s with a group soul flavour for JCP, including “First Time”, co-written by Jackie Gore and released in 1966. There was no regional breakout for this one, though some 20 years later the recording was popularised on the UK rare soul scene by DJ Guy Hennigan, initially under its cover-up artist title of Mill Evans and the Esquires.

“First Time” features on this Big Man Records release along with its original JCP flipside. “I Wanna Be (Your Everything)” is a take on The Manhattans’ hit for Joe Evans’ Carnival label, which had peaked at #12 in the US R&B Charts the previous year. Two covers of the song were released by JCP – the version by The Entertainers was artistically similar, though to these ears The Embers have the edge vocally and on overall production.

The Embers would continue through the 1960s and beyond with a string of other local and national label releases. Many are now established favourites on the UK and European rare soul scenes, including “Crazy ‘Bout You Baby” and “Aware of Love” (both featured on Big Man Records 1017), “What Did I Do Wrong” (Atlantic), and “Watch Out Girl” (MGM). Meanwhile, the group’s significant contribution to beach music in the US has been recognised via multiple accolades at the annual Carolina Beach Music Awards, and induction into the South Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.

The Embers’ “First Time” b/w “I Wanna Be (Your Everything)” (BMR 1018) is available to pre-order from Big Man Records via bicknellmark@aol.com or bigmanrecords1@gmail.com .

(Copyright 2023) E. Mark Windle is an independent freelance writer and biographer. He has previously worked with Story Terrace (London, UK) as a senior writer, and with Sheridan Hill / Real Life Stories LLC (North Carolina, USA) as a ghostwriter. To discuss services for hire please contact Mark at https://windlefreelance.com/contact/

Gaza and the Innocent Casualties of War: From Food Insecurity to Man-Made Famine.

E. Mark Windle 18 November 2023.

The history of the conflict between Israel and Hamas is a complex and protracted one. As the latest escalation continues with airstrikes and ground invasions in Gaza, various political parties, the public and media across the globe debate the definition of Israel’s right to defend itself and the questionable tactics of the Israel Defence Forces. But however the argument plays out, there’s a huge elephant in the room.

Accurate figures are always difficult to quantify in war. But based on data collated by authorities on both sides since October 7th, a best guess indicates a death toll of approximately 11,000 Palestinians and 1,500 Israelis to date. According to the World Health Organisation, the seven-fold increase in Palestinian deaths also reflects a disproportionately high percentage of women and child fatalities. And those who have managed to make the perilous journey south via the evacuation corridor, only 500 or so have been permitted to cross the border at Rafah, largely on the basis of dual nationality, foreign national status or because of significant injury. For those remaining in Gaza, the journey isn’t over by a long shot.

Other than the immediate violent trauma of war, significant daily health challenges are being faced throughout Gaza and are contributing to deaths. Maintaining adequate nutrition and hydration is critical. Access to good nutrition and clean water reduces the risk of disease, and increases the ability to heal wounds. In that respect, Gazans are not off to a good start. The WHO notes that food insecurity has long been a burden (again carried in particular by women and children), and is related to poverty, food availability and fragile environmental conditions. Given the current obliteration of Gaza this could all be considered a moot point, but prior to the latest peak in conflict, a third of the general Palestinian population had difficulty in accessing nutritious food on a regular basis. When it came to women and children, that figure doubled.

Reasons for malnutrition in Gaza are multifactorial then, though all have political and military conflict at their root. Agricultural opportunities disappeared due to loss of land and no-go areas. Unemployment has significantly affected food affordability, and has been running at 80% or more for at least 20 years. In some areas, the physical availability of food wasn’t in itself a problem; having the financial means to buy staple cereal products, fruit, vegetables and meat was. And then there have been 15 years of blockades by Israel in the name of blunting the movement of arms supply and Hamas attacks, but in the process also severely restricting the supply of food and water to the residents of Gaza. No matter how it’s dressed up, civilian starvation is a clear breach of international humanitarian law.

With a bankrupt Palestinian Authority, Israel’s strangulating hold on Gaza and so much of the population below the poverty line, there is heavy dependency on international aid for food, fuel and general household goods. While the terrorist activities of Hamas are very visible within and outside Gaza, they have also been in a position of government that has had the support of 20% or more of its people. Some Gazans claim to have observed positive social, health and municipal changes in their neighbourhoods since Hamas seized power at the 2006 Palestinian Legislative Election. These include the establishment of food banks, medical clinics, and educational facilities. Most likely these were achieved through collaboration with outside agencies, and restricted to specific locations. Others living in Gaza have experienced little in the way of improved food availability or healthcare.

Earlier this year, major steps were put in place to address the nutritional health of Palestinians. In Gaza and the West Bank, despite limited funding, the World Health Programme provided direct assistance in food provision to 27,000 people over a three-month period during summer. WHP also set up 11 summer camps for children to educate on health issues including better nutrition and food choices, and collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture to arrange for the transfer of olive oil produced in the West Bank to be transported to vulnerable families within West Bank and Gaza. In all an estimated 200, 000 Palestinians were assisted one way or another by WHP initiatives in August alone.

The reality is that significant under-nutrition persists in Gaza. Recent distressing scenes of rows of critically ill new-born babies taken out of their incubators due to power loss as Israeli forces advance on Al-Shifa Hospital reflect both the current situation and the routine high incidence of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Twenty-three per cent of births in Gaza are pre-term, placing a much higher demand on neonatal intensive care services than is seen in many western countries. This prematurity, again, is largely down to maternal malnutrition. UNICEF previously identified that a quarter of Palestinian mothers are anaemic, which not only compromises respiratory function and increases fatigue but also adversely affects normal foetal development. The anaemia of mothers and children is caused by poor combined iron and B vitamin status, but is also an indicator of generalised malnutrition, with other vitamin, mineral and trace element deficiencies reducing the ability to fight infection, and delaying wound healing from violent trauma. Around 40% of babies are breastfed, though milk quality varies dependent on the mother’s nutritional status. For those babies who are bottle-fed, clean water availability remains a concern in light of the current situation of displacement. For those children who wean successfully to solids, a quarter of children are estimated to have anaemia due to restricted food intake, and a significant number are under weight or have other growth delays related to nutritional deficiency. Malnutrition remains a significant cause of death in the under-5s.

That’s the baseline. Blockade, combined with mass displacement has now placed even greater demands for access to adequate nutrition. Without a ceasefire to facilitate the passage of food supplies and medical support, the latest conflict will only exacerbate this picture of widespread malnutrition among the most vulnerable in Gaza society. Hospitals have been bombed, lost power or have gone without deliveries of food and medicine for weeks now. At the beginning of November, over 50% of Gaza’s population sought refuge in the UN’s Relief and Works Agency facilities, who have been struggling to maintain nutritional supplies and clean water with the on-going blockade.

Gaza has also always been highly dependent on imported or donated bottled water, or desalination for the provision of safe drinking water. Even back in 2001, the Global Institute for Water, Environment and Health and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor described most of Gaza’s domestic water supply as undrinkable. Earlier this month, the IDF destroyed a reservoir in the north, a public water supply that covered a large neighbourhood in the south, and cut power to their desalination plants. Dehydration, diarrhoea and respiratory infection rates are increasing, adding to the infection-malnutrition cycle that will ultimately will lead to an exponential rise in mortality. An adult survives for a maximum of around 5 days without water. In a critically ill child, it can be hours.

On November 3rd the WHO’s call to action was for an immediate humanitarian pause in the conflict to “alleviate the suffering and prevent a desperate situation from becoming catastrophic”. Two weeks on there are no signs of that happening. Tragically for so many men, women and children of Gaza, it’s already too late.

(Copyright 2023) E. Mark Windle is a freelance writer and biographer, working independently, as a senior writer with Story Terrace (London, UK), and for Sheridan Hill / Real Life Stories LLC (North Carolina, USA). To discuss services for hire please contact Mark at https://windlefreelance.com/contact/

Big Man Records: The Embers “Just Crazy ‘Bout You Baby” c/w “Aware of Love” (new vinyl release)

E. Mark Windle 14 November 2023.

Continuing the series of quality releases from Mark Bicknell’s Big Man Records, December will be bringing us this quality Carolina double-sider, which is sure to be of interest to rare soul and beach music fans alike. Stalwarts of the Carolina beach music scene, The Embers have enjoyed a prolific performing and recording career for over six decades. Undeniably, their appeal is to a range of audiences and generations; though like other groups of this genre, their 1960s recording output holds particular interest among rare soul collectors – and on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Embers were originally formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1958 by high school pals Bobby Tomlinson and Jackie Gore; personnel changes were fluid during the 1960s, though always with the presence of Bobby on drums and Jackie on vocals and guitar. “First time” signified one of the group’s first releases with a soul flavour, appearing on JCP in 1964. As the resident band at their own Embers Club, the venue provided an ideal opportunity to hone skills alongside visiting artists such as Jackie Wilson, Little Anthony, Billy Stewart, The Drifters and others. Inevitably further soul hits followed, including a take on Mamie Galore’s “It Ain’t Necessary”, again for JCP, in 1966. Enough interest was rustled up for a national release the following year via Bell Records.

The focus of this Big Man Records fully licenced release is the infectious “Just Crazy ‘Bout You Baby”, originally recorded on The Embers’ eEe imprint in 1967. Popularised later by DJ Gary Rushbrook during the latter days of Wigan Casino, this track was released twice with different flipsides – one carrying a very competent version of Jerry Butler’s “Aware of Love” (again featured on BMR 1017), which can also be found on their LP “Burn You A New One”.

As the decade closed the group were attracting attention outside the region. Atlantic Records released the up-tempo “Where Did I Go Wrong” in April 1969, but despite the major label status it failed to make much noise. Popularity was largely confined to local North Carolina colleges and frat houses, served by the plugging efforts of Channel 85 WKIX. An entirely different crowd would come to appreciate it a few years later however, when discovered in the UK and played at venues including the Catacombs and Blackpool Mecca.

“Far Away Places” was released in September 1970; a curious spin on a 1940s standard that employed a bass riff and rhythm influenced by “Tighten Up”. The Embers featured on vocals here, while the musicians on the session were from MGM’s in-house team. The song received some airplay but promotion was halted prematurely after their label mentor Bob Crewe left MGM. Regardless, “Far Away Places” has remained a permanent feature in the group’s live repertoire over the years, helping cement the song as a beach music favourite. It’s the flip that stirs the interest of UK soul collectors of course – the dramatic and danceable “Watch Out Girl” is now an undisputed northern soul classic.

Given their longevity, it’s not surprising that there have been further changes in personnel and musical directions over the years. Times and tastes change, but one thing is certain – The Embers’ multiple Carolina Beach Music Awards, induction into the South Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame, the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame (2014) and South Carolina Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame are a testament to their enduring legacy, as indeed is this vinyl release.

The Embers’ “Just Crazy ‘Bout You Baby” c/w “Aware of Love” (BMR 1017) is available to order from Big Man Records via bicknellmark@aol.com or bigmanrecords1@gmail.com

Holding on to the Past. The Challenge of Preserving and Accessing Soul Music History in the Written Word

E. Mark Windle 10 November 2023

It’s been a good while since the rare soul scene was an insular subculture confined to the wilds of northern England. The word spread decades ago, with self-sufficient parallel or related scenes now well established throughout Europe, Japan, the USA and elsewhere.

Other than the pull of the music itself, individuals are attracted to our community for a variety of reasons. Beyond the social aspect or record collecting, for some the thirst is for deeper knowledge. Perhaps there’s a desire to explore historical aspects of soul music and its development within the industry, the backstories of recording artists and other industry players (and how they fit into the bigger picture) or social and political context.

Historical preservation is not only about affirming and formally documenting what we already know though. Commitment, an inquiring mind and practical research skills are required to gain new insights into past music industry events, debunk myths and put the story straight. All labour intensive stuff. The work is also time-critical, given that opportunities for capturing oral histories are progressively disappearing as time moves on. Thankfully, there are some extremely devoted book writers within our community who are obsessed with discovery. From the outset, when I opened my online bookstore A Nickel And A Nail back in 2016, the emphasis was very much on collaborating with like-minded authors, readers, researchers and others who were interested in exploring previously undocumented soul music history. To this day, one function of the site is to serve as a platform for self-publishing authors of soul music history books and biographies to reach a targeted customer base.

However, very practical challenges exist in accessing these works. For one thing, our readers prefer physical books over digital formats. Perhaps that leaning reflects customer demographics such as age, or the record collector’s innate love for tactile products. Regardless, physical print book sales far outweigh that of e-books across a wide range of genres. But with that in mind, there is a financial implication to consider. Paper and print prices have escalated over the last couple of years by up to 100 per cent. That in itself may be partly prohibitive, though sales trends don’t suggest cost is a complete barrier to purchase. Well-researched reference books are designed to be read and repeatedly revisited for the long term, and are no doubt perceived as sound investments, particularly by the loyal core of bibliophiles that inhabit the soul scene.

The globally dispersed nature of soul music enthusiasts and the frequent need to purchase books from another country (particularly the US and UK) does present a logistical challenge. It would be fair to say that most books of interest have been produced via the self-publishing or indie publishing company route. The reality is that traditional publishing houses, bar a few select ones, have no commercial interest in what can be a very niche market. The downside for the customer is that international despatch and distribution then also has to be managed independently, often meaning high postage costs for the customer, and more customs bureaucracy for both parties. There are a number of domestic independent retailers (either book sellers, or specialist record dealers who also carry book stock) who could potentially act as a distribution intermediary, yet are unable to work through financially viable wholesale arrangements. Without the benefit of marketing or comprehensive distribution channels afforded by the bigger publishing houses, reach is limited. The net result is that soul music history books and biographies, in print form at least, are in danger of being confined to the land of origin, with an eager audience unable to read them.

Perhaps there’s some kind of entrepreneurial opportunity here? If so, there are a lot of us – authors and book readers – who would be keen to support or tap into it, and work to find a solution. There are intrinsic and financial costs of preserving soul music history on both sides, but equally joy to be had in new learning. We just need to access it.

Physical to Digital to Dust. The Future of Books in Our Hands

E. Mark Windle 30 August 2023.

Almost twenty years ago, a book revolution was on the horizon. The advent of Sony e-reading devices in 2006 and the more commercially impactful Amazon Kindle the following year provided a new option for accessing literature. For the consumer, the convenience of having your new or favourite reads delivered cheaply and directly to your inbox and the ease of carrying multiple books on the run seemed to make complete sense. From the publishers’ perspective, a bolt-on marketable option was now available. A certain demographic less concerned with the physicality of their reading material could be reeled in. Digital book technology even made it easier for writers and the industry to create, update, republish and sell their books with minimum effort. It’s no coincidence that the timescale of the self-publishing boom matches that of milestone developments in e-book production.

But then there’s the reality. After nearly two decades of the concept being around, e-books are not quite the success story of the millennium. Physical books have been around for thousands of years ever since Egyptian papyrus scrolls were a thing. In subsequent centuries, religion provided a lot of the drive, particularly with the development of Islamic and Christian texts where illustrative elements provided extra aesthetic beauty. We’ve come a long way since the days of working with Sumerian slate, or scribing on the walls of caves, but our love affair of the printed book persists to this day.

On the surface, the reason why some people prefer physical books over digital formats are obvious, and not just because they are tangible, tactile objects. Ownership also implies representation. The titles that sit on our bookshelves are an indirect but collective statement of who we are, or at least who we would like to be. And, at a basic level, there will always be a technologically less able section of society who are keen readers but unwilling or unequipped to embrace the idea of an e-book. There is a flipside though. As we continue to squander the world’s natural resources, the price of paper and printing has risen by more than 20% this year and shows no sign of slowing. Logistical issues are also making printed book accessibility prohibitive – international freight transport and domestic distribution not only add to the carbon footprint, there are also implications for import taxes, spiralling postage costs and customs charges. Unhealthy international relations, like the UK’s bizarre decision to leave the EU, only exacerbate these effects. Small independent booksellers are squeezed out of the market, and even longstanding traditional publishing houses are feeling the pinch.

So could, or should, digital books be the answer? Well, apart from the obvious advantage of convenience, the innovation has had a major side effect of stimulating self-publication activity. This is a creatively important one, even if (unsurprisingly) it’s not embraced by traditional publishing houses. Some perceive the use of self-publishing platforms as bypassing quality control and the publisher power of veto. A moot point, really. Self-publishing writers can and do independently access professional beta reading and editing services. Others argue it provides more freedom for writers to explore important but niche themes, which if pitched to a publisher would never have had a look-in due to a lack of marketability. Another e-book positive is that they could serve society through addressing some concerns of ecosystem and climate change, though paradoxically the electronics industry creates other issues in that regard.

The market introduction of e-books was hardly a damp squib, but the truth is that the honeymoon period is over. Of course, there will always be some consumers who are drawn to the electronic format. In 2020, 191 million e-books were sold worldwide. But that’s a fifth of the peak figure six years earlier, and recent number crunching by Statista Advertising and Media Outlook indicates that overall e-books sales continue to drag way behind that of the printed book. The US ranks high in the top digital book reading nations, yet their annual printed book sales are still twice that of e-books.

Perhaps rather than being bluntly decisive about the way forward for presenting narratives, we should make room for both formats. We’re also being told there’s a third option. While writers, publishers, content mills and book manufacturers tussle with the use, abuse and rate of progression of AI, all are pretty much in agreement it’s going to permanently drive the industry – for better or worse. In my main line of work – biography writing – certain aspects of life stories are now being captured directly from the storyteller through the deployment of AI in various ways. It’s early days, and at present the writer is often still positioned within the process, but many fear for the craft in the long term. The dystopian view of biographies being entirely constructed from a combination of a bot interviewer, artificial learning and data scraping, then to be presented in a neat audio-visual package may not be too far off. In fact I believe it’s already here. Vive la difference?

The Signs.

E. Mark Windle 23 March 2025.

While undertaking some book research a few years ago on Nashville’s soul music scene, I was drawn to a very competent cover of Barbara Lewis’ iconic 1963 recording “Hello Stranger”. The version in question was by Alpha Zoe (Hall), an African American teenager who had just been plucked from nearby Gallatin to record the song at Nashville’s Columbia studios for Hit Records, with virtually no preparation – and within days of the original release.

After managing to track Alpha Zoe down, the next few months were spent interviewing her about her upbringing, career, and life events. The former singer was now her 70’s, and had long been out of the music business. But Alpha Zoe was happy to talk about her younger days as a singer, and our discussions ignited a number of peripheral topics, some entirely unrelated to music.

As part of the general quid pro quo, she mailed over the script for a presentation she’d just delivered to her local baptist church. Marking Black History Month, it was written as a retrospective during a period of hope, in the middle of Barack Obama’s second term as the first African-American president of the United States. The talk was an illustration of her experience as a little Black girl in the times of Jim Crow, and a perspective on how she felt her race and society has progressed since then.

Obama has now long been out of office. And from a racial perspective (in fact, from pretty much any inclusive perspective) the latest POTUS has managed to undo decades of progress. Alpha Zoe’s brief narrative remains as relevant as ever. Take or leave the religious element here: the core theme of resilience is something so sorely needed at present.

Alpha-Zoe Hall addresses the Mount Gilead Missionary Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee; February 8, 2015:

“Good morning. I hope everyone can see this sign. I went to the UPS store yesterday to have my Colored Waiting Room sign bubbled wrapped for safe transport to church. A young white man, maybe in his twenties, helped me. When I took my sign out he did a double-take. He looked at me and said ‘I’ve heard of things like this. But this is the first time I’ve ever seen one. I don’t know how people could have treated people like that back then. I’m so sorry.’ My reply to the young man? ‘Honey. Don’t be sad. It was the grace of God, and signs like this, that made us the strong people we are today.’

Just like that young man, some of you here may not have seen a sign like this before. Except maybe in pictures. Some might not even know what it means. And there are some, like me, who grew up during the period when signs like these were, like, everywhere. At entrances, exits, water fountains, restrooms, waiting rooms and halls. After Lincoln ‘set us free’ (so they say), Jim Crow laws were passed to make it illegal for any business or public entity to allow colored and white people to sit, eat, marry or associate with each other. And so, we had the birth of these colored signs.

I first noticed the Sign when I was a little girl walking downtown to catch a train. Union Station was a huge, beautiful building with marble floors, long polished wooden benches with cushions and big brass lights. I was awe struck. We entered through the door where the Sign was hanging. The room in which all people of color had to sit was half the size of our choir stand here, and had just one, hard bench. The room was packed full with people. One man stood up to give my mother a seat. Well, I was really ticked off because I could see all the empty seats elsewhere in the station. I kept asking my mother why did I had to stand up because there were lots of seats out there, until she pinched me and instructed me to hush.

So, the Signs. They were meant to keep us in our place, by repressing, intimidating, humiliating and making us feel less than human. Made by those who said we were ignorant. But I believe we were smart and waiting our time. We knew how to act in order to survive. We believed God did not give us any “giving-up bones”, so we obeyed their Signs. We were meek but not weak. Strong but not violent. Our backs were bent but not broken. We turned to our churches and preachers. We loudly sang spirituals with messages of hope and we gave vent to the Holy Spirit who gave us strength to obey the Signs. We may have been obedient, but we were no Uncle Toms.

I believe God answered our prayers. He opened a door, and out stepped the generation of the Negro. While obeying the Signs, colored people had become Negros. They had not counted on our ability to grow and triumph over adversity. The Sign did not impede our progress. We had become doctors, lawyers, educators, nurses, inventors, business owners and politicians. The majority of us may still have been in low paid jobs, but we were not subservient and in the evenings many of us went back to homes; homes that we owned. We built schools of higher learning and established services to provide better opportunities to our people. Yet we looked up, and the Signs were still there. And still we prayed.

God opened another door and out stepped the generation of Black people. Those Black people looked at the Signs and said “these have to go. We have contributed too much to society to be treated as a second class citizen.” So we marched, and prayed, protested, had sit-ins, suffered toils, snares and demeaning treatment. Still we prayed. We instilled pride in our young people and gave them role models. We fought for and won the vote to change the Jim Crow laws. God, in time, had changed the hearts of men, and the Signs were taken down.

Then once again another door was opened and out stepped the African-American. A generation of people living, enjoying and demanding the things of life that our people had dreamed, hoped and prayed for. A generation standing tall on the bent backs of their ancestors.

Remember that little girl fussing because she had to stand in the room with the Colored Waiting Room sign while there were seats in the big room? Well, years later, that same girl, me, walked into a booth, pushed a button and voted for a man of my race who became the president of these United States.”

Copyright E. Mark Windle / Alpha-Zoe Hall (2020, updated 2025).

E. Mark Windle is a freelance writer and biographer, working independently, as a senior writer with Story Terrace (London, UK), and as a writer for Sheridan Hill / Real Life Stories LLC (North Carolina, USA). For hire, contact via this site.

Redressing the History Books: The Soul of Music City.

By E. Mark Windle, 20 August 2023.

Regarding what’s been pretty much an obsession with writing about southern soul music since I started out over ten years ago, House of Broken Hearts: The Soul of 1960s Nashville was undertaken in an attempt to resolve one nagging omission. A fair chunk of my travels has been spent scouring the Carolinas, Virginia, and Louisiana in an attempt locate, research and document the oral histories of solo recording artists and groups (initially for the book It’s Better To Cry, and then Rhythm Message). But I was always conscious that one particular southern state was well overdue attention.

Tennessee has two natural musical homes. Memphis and Nashville are separated by a couple of hundred miles – no distance at all in US terms admittedly – but both cities have unique, rich and intriguing identities. The musical heritage of Memphis has been explored so extensively that its contribution to popular music is now firmly cemented in the history books. In a literary sense, it’s actually quite comforting that such an abundance of work exists which celebrates all aspects of the Memphis tapestry, whether it be Beale Street, Sun Records, Stax, Graceland and rock ‘n’ roll, blues or jazz.

But what of Nashville? Much of that city’s soul music history has been obscured by its accolade as country music centre of the universe. The Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum proudly stand testament to that. But for those willing to dig deeper, there is an alternative story. For decades, a thriving and successful African American community thrived along Jefferson Street and in the surrounding neighbourhoods, and with that came a vibrant black music scene. Night clubs, bars and theatres provided a focal point for the development of jazz, R&B, and ultimately soul music. The ingredients for commercial success were all in place: home grown vocal talent, theatres for live performances, charismatic DJs and promoters, entrepreneurial record store owners, independent record labels, a radio station making soul accessible to teenagers across the southern states, and TV shows which featured soul music acts. It was also a time for white recording artists and musicians to experiment with black music. A crossroads where soul met country. For a brief period at least, the future seemed bright.

Ultimately the demise of this particular aspect of Nashville’s music industry lay largely in ill-planned urban renewal. Since the 1950s, Nashville residents had been witnessing large-scale changes in the cityscape which were threatening the cohesiveness of the black community. By the late 1960s, properties had been demolished, old theatres were torn down to make way for a major six-lane interstate highway, and green spaces and industrial premises were being constructed across the city. Music Row itself was created as a result of the clearance. More than 300 families and 200 single residents, mostly African American, were displaced through these processes, yet the city housing authority had no robust financial plans or arrangements in place for alternative accommodation plans to support residents. Many were forced to leave Nashville for affordable low rent housing elsewhere and never returned. Black music was still being created here, but with talent heavily diluted the the scene never fully recovered.

From the 1980s onwards, attempts to redress the balance included Nashville musician Fred James’ roll-call for blues and soul singers to perform and record in the studio again; and the highly praised Night Train exhibition by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum which acknowledged past contributions made by local soul and R&B singers. The CD spin-off from the exhibition was even a Grammy winner. To this day, in a little cafe just off Murfreesboro Pike, old faces from back in the day continue to reminisce and perform songs from their past to an intimate but appreciative audience.

Music City is long overdue formal recognition for its role in popularising soul music. Though a bit late in the day, that is progressively happening. The decision to locate the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville (with its grand opening in 2021) was no coincidence, and despite early concerns about how far it would go to represent the city’s local history rather than the broader national story, I’m informed that this apprehension is acknowledged and will be addressed. Meanwhile the goal of House of Broken Hearts: The Soul of 1960s Nashville is to put the spotlight once more back on to soul music’s halcyon days. You’ll find life stories in here about the likes of Jimmy Church, Frank Howard, Freddie North, Johnny Jones, Joe Simon, Jackie Beavers and many more. There’s also plenty of industry insight into the musicians, songwriters, producers, executives, media drivers and record labels of the day. Ultimately though, it’s a story which reflects the desperate need to preserve musical heritage, before those who lived through it all are no longer around to tell the tale, and “false memory” creeps in. Next time you’re passing through Nashville, be sure to call by Carol Anne’s Cafe.

Copyright 2023. E. Mark Windle is a freelance writer and biographer, working independently, as a senior writer with Story Terrace (London, UK), and as a writer for Sheridan Hill / Real Life Stories LLC (North Carolina, USA). To discuss potential projects, contact Mark via this site.

Physical to Digital to Dust. The Future of Books in Our Hands

E. Mark Windle 8 August 2023

So could, or should, digital books be the answer? Well, apart from the obvious advantage of convenience, the innovation has had a major side effect of stimulating self-publication activity. This is a creatively important one, even if (unsurprisingly) it’s not embraced by traditional publishing houses. Some perceive the use of self-publishing platforms as bypassing quality control and the publisher power of veto. A moot point really. Self-publishing writers can and do independently access professional beta reading and editing services. Others argue it provides more freedom for writers to explore important but niche themes, which if pitched to a publisher would never have had a look-in due to a lack of marketability. Another e-book positive is that they could serve society through addressing some concerns of ecosystem and climate change, though paradoxically the electronics industry creates other issues in that regard.

Smoke and Mirrors? Ghostwriters, Misunderstood.

E. Mark Windle 18 July 2023

They’ve been around for thousands of years, quite literally. Scribes were used without accreditation to capture oral histories and folklore from their communities and reproduce them in the written form, to copy and embellish existing religious texts, or to take on tasks of ancient senate office. Over subsequent centuries, the work of the ghostwriter diversified (even if the term wasn’t actually coined until the 1900s), to where we are at now – a discrete professional service hired to provide marketing copy, speeches, scripts, articles, non-fiction books and to a lesser extent, fiction, all in collaboration with their client.

There’s no question ghostwriters provide a recognised and valuable function within the commercial sector, but nothing seems to divide public opinion more than the concept of a ghostwritten biography. There’s no skirting around the fact that in less informed circles some feel the practice of employing a third party to write in the first person is tantamount to collusion. Clearly I’m here to tell you otherwise, though I do see why that thinking can be perpetuated when fuelled by displays of poor shows and bad receptions. Recent examples aren’t too hard to come by – take former Pulitzer Prize winner JR Moehringer’s work on Prince Harry’s memoir, published earlier this year. Spare is the fastest selling non-fiction book in the world (3.2 million copies sold within the first week of publication), yet simultaneously it has taken a hammering from critics and public alike. Moehringer even felt the need to defend himself by publishing a 7000-word retort (which unfortunately for him was equally ill-received). Then there are Isabel Oakeshott’s shenanigans as Matt Hancock’s ghostwriter. Some say an NDA breach was in the public interest. Others slate her for committing the mortal sin of breaking discretion, the one principle supposed to be upheld by all ghosts (she did have a history of doing this kind of thing, and Hancock should have seen that one coming). At the end of the day there will always be bad apples, or episodes of misjudgement, and these don’t do much to enhance the profession’s reputation. Negative public perception can be a hard thing to shift, and sometimes it’s justified.

Most book readers these days will not be at all surprised that A-list celebrities who wish to ponder over their humble origins and the paths to glory, or defend their fall from grace, often use an expert third party to assist them with their prose. Due to the nature of the beast, statistics are tricky if not impossible to obtain, but it’s been suggested that almost half the non-fiction books appearing on a certain US east coast newspaper’s bestseller list have had ghostwriter involvement. The notion that the practice is a devious one that intends to deceive is misinformed though, reflecting a lack of insight into what the role actually involves: identifying and presenting the client’s voice, whether that means brand image in the copywriter’s world, or that of the OG storyteller’s identity and personality in a biography writing context. It’s not a case of conning the reader. On the contrary, at its core ghostwriting is all about accurate representation.

More myth busters. Romanticised ideas of the profession, like spending months swanning about in some exotic location to work alongside your client and raking in huge amounts of cash along the way, are sadly way off the mark. Ghostwriter discretion generally extends to earnings, and figures vary depending on how big the project brief is. High profile projects do of course pay well – Moehringer is at the top of the tree, reportedly having received £850,000 for his contribution to Spare. But for the rest of us, juggling three, four or more gigs at the same time is commonplace and a financial necessity, as is constantly planning six months to a year ahead to ensure the calendar is full. It’s a competitive game, not only for independent writers, but also for those positioned within the writing pools of bio services.

So what defines a ghostwriter? They are more than technicians purely employed to conduct a series of interviews, transcribe, and get “it” all down on the page, thus saving the client some graft. Ghostwriters come from a variety of backgrounds, and have fingers in a number of pies. My own portfolio includes other non-fiction work (all author-declared by the way), such as articles, books and commentaries on music, culture and healthcare themes. Fiction, not so much – though of course creative non-fiction is actually a thing. In fact that’s exactly what a biographer does. A narrative has to be woven that flows, conveys character, and tells a life story in a cohesive, intriguing way that holds the reader’s attention, drawing their empathy and emotion. Commonly recognised elements of fiction writing are just as applicable to biography composition: story arcs and structure, appropriate use of dialogue, exploration of the five senses, focus on voice, character and setting, and so much more.

Some clients are natural storytellers, and others will freely admit having difficulty in stringing a sentence together. The majority are somewhere in the middle, but all have worthwhile stories to tell. The ghost has to extract that life story using semi-structured process, which not only explores the chronology and factual detail of personal events, but also identifies and emphasises underlying and recurring themes, and how life’s circumstances, opportunities and barriers influence choices and self-development. The tools needed to capture all this are varied. Research skills, an awareness of social and historical context, and interpersonal communication skills all feature.

Collaboration and rapport are crucial too of course. An arena has to be established where the client feels they can communicate openly and in a transparent manner, while trusting the writer’s prudence and discretion. Without striving for meaningful, two-way communication and maintenance of positive relationships, the project will stumble. Certain areas of investigation will require sensitivity and discussion regarding which rabbit holes to go down, or which stones are best unturned for moral or legal reasons. Impartiality should be part of the ghostwriter’s make up, as prejudgement results in tension and communication breakdown. Moral stand-offs between the parties can occur, but that’s where another skill comes in: conflict resolution, to identify the issue, and find a way forward.

Yes, the ghost is more than a literary technician. Add confidante, confessor, collaborator, negotiator, and above all, advocate. But let’s be clear, deception doesn’t appear on the resume of any self-respecting ghostwriter.

Good Fit or Conflict? Client-Ghostwriter Matching in Biography Writing—and When the Relationship Goes Wrong

E. Mark Windle 4 May 2023.

It goes without saying that compatibility between ghostwriter and client is a key factor in facilitating the production of a high quality biography. The writer’s remit is to relate a life story that is authentic, believable, and engaging, and reflective of a world according to their client’s perspective. In theory, a match in personal attributes of both parties will foster empathy and understanding of character, as well as help to pin down ‘voice’.

ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS AND MATCHING

Establishing a good working relationship as early as possible in the process is crucial. The author who operates autonomously can establish whether there’s likely to be a solid writer-client match at the enquiry stage, through an appropriate line of questioning while the brief is being refined. In writing pool scenarios, such as those managed by biographical services, matching may be the responsibility of an agency representative. A writer, or a sample of writers, is presented by the representative to the client based on potentially relatable factors; perhaps age, gender, interests, values and beliefs; or past life, work and cultural experiences pertinent to the brief.

In practice not all boxes are ticked, but that’s not necessarily a prerequisite. The relative importance of these factors should be considered on a case-by-case basis, with particular focus given to strengths likely to be priority requirements for the job rather than on the sum of attributes. Be wary of assumptions: age matching could optimise insight to era-related issues, events or context. But a much younger or older writer may possess special expertise in core themes (as identified in the brief), which have been gained through personal experience, social status or specific nuances of their school, life or university education where they have had one.

ARISING CONFLICTS

Disagreements and professional relationship breakdowns do occur, and ‘matching failure’ can be one contributory cause, but conflict may also arise as the project rolls out. Issues are often minor; peripheral research undertaken by the writer in the course of inquiry may contradict the client’s recollection of dates, events, timelines based on as supplied from memory, or assumed information about characters or events that appear in their life story.

These discrepancies may not always be friction-causing, and with sensitive handling, diplomacy and gentle probing, they can usually be handled efficiently, and the process moved on. One school of thought—probably held more by memoirists than biographers—is that it is not the role of the ghost to overly challenge the storyteller’s version of events, as the writer is in danger of presenting something other than the client perspective, and of working against brief. However, the downside of accepting client recall sicut veritas is not just the loss of historical accuracy—it also allows potentially libellous content to slip into the narrative. There are a few clients who have an axe to grind with individuals, groups or institutions through their storytelling, though the writer can often spot the red flag early on in the process.

MORAL CONFLICT

Some areas of disagreement between client and writer occur insidiously, particularly if not directly related to central themes. They may lie relatively dormant until a certain stage in the inquiry is reached, or a new anecdote or life event explored. Moral conflict has a particular sting and can be awkward to handle, especially if the polarised opinion only becomes apparent after the project has made significant headway.

Consider differences in ethical stance, or other emotive issues including misogynistic, racist or non-inclusive viewpoints. There’s a moral (and often legal) responsibility not to allow these kinds of negative perspectives to go unchecked, or to present them in the manuscript. The ghostwriter’s moral compass will sway action: submissiveness is no option for any writer worth their salt. Usual conflict resolution interventions apply—the concern shouldn’t be ignored but clearly defined with the client, and both parties should come together to discuss the problem and identify a way forward. Easier than said done perhaps: calling a client out and explaining why certain opinions would be considered inflammatory or derogatory may be uncomfortable, but without it the project is harmed and legal repercussions can become a genuine possibility.

MANUSCRIPT RELATED DISAGREEMENTS

Divergence in opinion of how and what content should be presented at the draft manuscript stage is not unusual, and to a certain extent, to be expected. After all it’s the very reason why revision rounds are part of any sensible project plan. For the vast majority of clients, collaboration with a ghostwriter in research, interviewing and writing activities is a completely novel / alien concept, and an on-going learning experience. Despite best efforts to orientate the client from the outset, their personal vision and expectations of the end product might remain blurred, even at surprisingly late stages. The negotiation and refinement of a structural outline during or after the interview phase helps to minimise the risk of nasty surprises for either side later on in the process, as does the provision of sample content (before committing to the full first write) which informs the client of intended writing style and the capturing of voice.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Resolution of conflict requires avoidance of blame. It’s easy for the ghost to slip into defensiveness, but when structural outlay or approach to specific themes in the manuscript are way off the mark in hitting client expectations, this may reflect the writer’s lack of attention to the brief, or that it wasn’t adequately refined. The writer has as much responsibility for clarifying brief as his subject does.

On the other hand, tensions at the draft stage can be a consequence of the client shifting the goalpost. This goes back to process naivety, where the experience is so immersive that enthusiasm conjures up thirteenth-hour memories, events, anecdotes, life-reflections and even plot twists: all of which can skew the direction of the original brief and introduce a headache in manuscript re-structuring, balance and word count.

BAIL OUT

When incompatibility, disagreement, straying from brief or out-and-out conflict are such that resolution is unrealistic even with mediation, project termination starts to look like the only exit (or at least writer reassignment if in a pool). For complete transparency, the right for either party to withdraw from a project with good cause, notice and conditions should always be stipulated in the contract. This protects both writer and client, though in the writer’s interests an appropriate financial arrangement must also be incorporated in the fine detail, whether it’s a kill fee to reflect the point of exit and to (adequately) compensate for the projected loss of writer income; or payment milestones connected to intermediate deliverables to ensure payment is received for all work done to date. With good matching, communication and editorial support, there’s little reason for relationships to deteriorate to the point of no return. Sadly, it does sometimes happen.

(Copyright 2023) E. Mark Windle is a freelance writer and biographer, working independently, as a senior writer with Story Terrace (London, UK), and for Sheridan Hill / Real Life Stories LLC (North Carolina, USA). Contact him via https://windlefreelance.com/contact/