This month I will focus on two little known South Carolina artist that recorded music in the vein of our state dance. 

The first one is a woman named LINDA MARTELL.  She recorded "A Little Tear / The Things I Do For You" on the Fire label (Good 60's cha-cha shag).  The group behind her in the recording was called the ANGLOS.  You can shag to both sides.  I call this type of 45 record a "twofor".  A "twofor" is a slang expression for a record that has two shag dancing sides.  When you buy a 45 record it's usually for one side.  That's a fifty percent return on your money, but a "twofor", well that's a 100 percent return.  When you find a "twofor" it is a lot more exciting than a 2 for 1 sale at the mall, well, unless you are Lynn Lee.

Linda Martell born Thelma Bynem in Lexington County, SC 1941.  She first worked in R&B clubs in the Columbia area.  Her fame would never be R&B music.  Linda was the first black female vocalist to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, and she made a total of twelve guest appearances.  At the end of the 60's, she signed with Shelby Singleton's Plantation label.  In the summer of 1969, Linda hit the Country chart with the Top 25, Color Him Father.  This led to her becoming the first black female Country singer to appear on the Grand Ole Opry that year.  Linda followed-up in 1970 with two more chart records, Before The Next Teardrop Falls (Top 40) and Bad Case Of The Blues (Top 60). That marked the end of Linda's Country music chart career and after this success, she has disappeared from the cowboy scene but re-emerged singing with an R&B group in her home state.  She is now driving a school bus and is back singing in R&B clubs around Columbia. [Fire512 - Linda Martell & The Anglos - A Little Tear / The Things I Do For You-1962].

The next artist is DOOLEY SILVERSPOON (Little Dooley) born October 31, 1946 in Lancaster S.C.  Dooley Silverspoon was born on Halloween 1946 (BOO!), and was one of four children.  He started his professional career at the age of 6 in gospel music taking inspiration from such artists as The Five Blind Boys of Alabama, the Gospelaires and Clarence Fountain.  By the time he was 13 he came to New York on tour which then became his home.  In 1972 Dooley made his first record for the Philly-based R & B label North Bay Records.   At that time he was in fact known as Little Dooley.  The shag song he recorded was called "(It's Got To Be) Now Or Never"' and was produced by Bobby Martin.  Shortly afterwards Dooley met up with his manager, writer and producer, Sonny Casella and they released a follow up single.  In Dooley's own words, "it made a little noise and opened the door". His career was short lived )in shag music) but the song is pretty good.  He also did an album and reach the soul charts in 1975 with a song called Bump Me Up Baby (not a shag song).  Ask me to play "Its Now or Never" some time.  It's a nice smooth soul shag song.

Submitted by Walter Upchurch