R.B. Greaves R.B. Greaves-1969- Funk / Soul (vinyl)

stock photo only

Ronald Bertram Aloysius “R. B.” Greaves III (November 28, 1943 – September 27, 2012)[2]was anAmericansinger who had chart success in 1969 with thepopsingle “Take a Letter Maria”. A number two hit on theBillboard Hot 100chart, this single sold one million copies, and it earned gold record certification from theRecording Industry Association of America. Greaves also reached theTop 40in early 1970 with “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me”.

Greaves was born in 1943 on theU.S. Army Air Forcesbase atGeorgetown, Guyana.[1]A nephew ofSam Cooke, he grew up on a SeminoleIndian reservationin the United States, but he moved toEnglandin 1963.[3]Greaves had built a career both in theCaribbeanand in theUK, where he performed under the name Sonny Childe with his group The TNTs. His debut recording “Take a Letter, Maria” was released under the name R.B. Greaves andproducedby the president ofAtlantic Records,Ahmet Ertegn. The song is the story of a man who had learned of his wife’s infidelity the night before and then dictates a letter ofseparationto Maria, his ostensibly Latina secretary, who may, from the words near the end of the last verse, become his new love. This song has a distinctLatinflavor, complete with amariachi-style horn section.

The record stayed in theBillboardchart for 15 weeks in theUnited States, selling a million copies. It receivedgold record certificationfrom theR.I.A.A.on December 11, 1969.[3]By 1970, sales of this song totalled 2.5 million.[3]

Greaves was often accompanied in Southern California and vicinity by his long time guitarist/band leader Phillip John Diaz and keyboardist/songwriter Mike Baxter.

Greaves recorded a series ofcover versionsas follow-ups, includingBurt Bacharach’s andHal David’s “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me” andProcol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”.[1]Greaves left the label in the 1970s in favor of Sunflower Records, and then signed to Bareback Records. His only chart release for the latter label was “Margie, Who’s Watching the Baby”.[4]Greaves died fromprostate cancer, inGranada Hills, California, on September 27, 2012 at the age of 68.

Label:ATCO Records SD 33-311Format:Vinyl, LP, AlbumCountry:USReleased:1969Genre:Funk / SoulStyle:Soul
Sleeve Condition (Out of 10) ~ 9 – small label removed/ cover rubbed
Label Condition (Out of 10) ~ 10
Vinyl Condition ~ (Out of 10)
Side 1 -10
side 2 – 10 excellent vinyl
BIN *166

Tracklist