Honey & The Bees – Love [HONEY VINYL] - New LP

"One of the great, lost albums of Philly Soul! And we mean really lost…we had to go to Italy and pay close to 500 euros to snag a copy for artwork. Jean Davis, Gwen Oliver, and Cassandra Wooten were known as The Yum-Yums when they auditioned for Arctic label founder Jimmy Bishop, who re-christened them as Honey and the Bees and added Nadine Felder to the line-up as lead vocalist. After Arctic folded, they moved to the Jubilee imprint Josie, where they recorded this 1970 gem. With a name like Honey and the Bees, it’ll come as no surprise that Love is pure, sweet soul, and it's the Philly Sound through and through, with arrangements by greats like Norman Harris, Ronnie Baker, and Bobby Martin. The medley of Teddy Randazzo tunes culminating in a gorgeous rendition of the Royalettes hit “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle” is the highlight, but the whole record is pure magic, so good that we enlisted Mike Milchner of Sonic Vision to remaster it for vinyl to ensure that every note breathes and sings. First ever LP reissue, pressed in honey colored vinyl!

Acoustic Guitar – Wilbert Hart Bass – Ronnie Baker* Coordinator [Album] – Irwin Lisabeth Design [Cover] – Atelier 57 Ltd. Drums – Earl Young Engineer [Recording And Mixing] – Carl Purollo, Joe Tarsia Guitar – Norman Harris Guitar, Sitar – Roland Chambers Horns, Strings – The Don Renaldo Strings And Horns* Organ, Piano – Lenny Pakula Photography By – Michael Denning Piano – Leon Huff Remastered By – Mike Milchner Vibraphone [Vibes], Bells – Vince Montana*

The Honey and the Bees line up that is known for the output from 1966 to 1972 is Nadine Felder White, Cassandra Ann Wooten, Jean Davis Sanders and Gwen Oliver (later known as Gwen Wesley). Most of these members were in a group called The Yum Yums. They went on to audition for producer Jerry Ross and recorded a single Looky, Looky / Gonna Be A Big Thing which was released In 1965. They were named Honey And The Bees by Jimmy Bishop following their audition for him. An article on the Philadelphia Neighborhoods website February 29, 2012 mentions that when Felder was added, for a brief period of time, they were called Sugar and Spice and then they became Honey & the Bees. As Honey & the Bees, their recorded output began in 1966 with a release on the ARCTIC label. Releasing at least fourteen singles, which included five on Arctic and six on Josie, as well as an album, they also had a hit in 1971 with "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" (included on their album).  They broke up in 1972.