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His Complete Embassy Singles 1958-60
Johnny Worth
Styles: Pop
Catalogue Number: ADDCD3077
The Embassy label occupied a unique niche in the British record industry of the ‘50s & ‘60s, releasing cover versions of current chart hits sold exclusively through Woolworths, and these recordings are now very collectable in their own right. Acrobat began its release of Embassy material last month with the complete 1960 and 1961 singles collections, and this month we are starting to look at individual artists who recorded for the label. Johnny Worth was a popular singer in the Oscar Rabin Band and then with The Raindrops, the vocal group he formed that also included Vince Hill. He also became, during these years, a hugely successful songwriter, composing (mainly under the nom-de-plume of Les Van Dyke) a string of hits for Adam Faith and Eden Kane. This collection, comprising every track Johnny recorded for Embassy from 1958 to 1960, includes his own versions of four of the hits he wrote for Adam Faith – in many ways they could be regarded as the “original” versions! This set has been put together with Johnny’s involvement, and he has contributed the very entertaining and detailed booklet notes, giving the set an added authenticity. Johnny went on to write and produce long after his Embassy career ended, writing the big Jimmy Helms hit “Gonne Make You An offer You Can’t Refuse” and is still writing actively in 2012. This collection offers a fascinating insight into a relatively undiscovered area of British pop. |