Wikipedia

Paul Kyser

(Redirected from Leon Stuckey)

Paul Kyser (born December 6, 1943) is an American promoter, record label owner, singer, songwriter, record producer and arranger. He wrote and co-produced the hit "Dawning of Love" with Tom Vetri for Devotion. He also wrote "Body and Soul (That's the Way It's Got to Be)" for the group Soul Generation and "Where Were You (When I Needed You)" for Jimmy Briscoe and the Little Beavers. Along with Leon Stuckey he co-wrote "Just How Sweet Is Your Love" for Rhyze, which appears on the Boogie's Gonna Getcha: '80s New York Boogie compilation album. He co-wrote "Be My #2" which appears on the R. Kelly Untitled album. He is also credited with discovering Jimmy Briscoe & The Little Beavers.

Paul Kyser
Also known asPaul L. Kyser, Paul L. Keiser, Paul Keiser
BornDecember 6, 1943
New Jersey, USA
Occupation(s)Record producer, record label executive
LabelsPi Kappa Records, Silver Dollar Records, Trumpet Records

Background

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Paul Kyser is from New Jersey.[1] He is responsible for singer Retta Young meeting her future husband Al Goodman, who would be notable for his involvement with the groups Moments, and Ray, Goodman & Brown.[2]

Writing and production

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Teardrops, Superbs and Devotion

An early production of Paul Kyser's was "Wait For Me" bw "Birdies and Memories" on Gossip TKT-2121 for girl group, The Teardrops, which was released in 1964.[3][4] Not to be confused with The Teardrops from Cincinnati, Ohio,[5] this Kyser produced group that featured Rhonda Franklin on lead vocals was from New Jersey.[6][7][8] Rhonda Franklin would later be part of The Superbs who would record "Love's Unpredictable" in 1968. She didn't sing lead on that song. It was Phillis Harris. "Love's Unpredictable" backed with "Happiest Girl In The World" was released on Catamount 2122 in 1968. Franklin had left the group by the time a promotional picture of Phillis Harris, Harris' sister and another female singer Arnita was produced.[9][10]

According to the May 8, 1971, issue of Billboard, one of Kyser's and Tom Vetri's recent projects at the time was a production for Colossus Records with the group Devotion.[11] He had recent success with them with his composition, Dawning of Love which charted in the Cash Box Top 60 In R & B Locations chart, peaking at no. 41,[12][13][14] and peaking at no. 49 in the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles chart.[15][16]

Further activities

His composition, "Body and Soul (That's the Way It's Got to Be)" recorded by Soul Generation got to no. 27 on the R&B chart in 1972.[17][18]

With Leon Stuckey, he wrote the song "Hypertension".[19] It was a hit in 1975 for the group Calendar, getting on the Billboard Disco Action chart at no. 12 on the week ending July 5, 1975,[20] no. 10 on the Record Mirror UK Disco Chart,[21] and no. 94 on the Cash Box Top 100 R&B chart.[22] It also got into the Billboard Soul chart in 1975.[23]

He wrote and produced the song "Invitation to the World" for Jimmy Briscoe & The Little Beavers which was released in 1977. It was one of two disco singles that Billboard recommended in its October 8 edition that year.[24] It got to no. 91 on the US R&B chart.[25] In 1979, he produced "Into The Milky Way" for the same group. He co-wrote the song with Leon Stuckey.[26]

Manhattans, Commodores, Spinners, Gladys night & the Pips, R. Flack & D. Hathaway, the Jacksons were on Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category in 1981. But Kyser's production work on the "Rhyze to the Top" single lost Rhyze a grammy nomination in the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category in 1981.[27][28][29][30]

In 1989, Kyser did well with his production and co-composition of Terry Tate's "Babies Having Babies" which made its debut on debut at no. 80 on the Cash Box Top R&B Singles chart at no. 80,[31] and getting to no. 14 on the twelfth week.[32][33] It was also a Top Ten, at no. 10 in the Black Singles Billboard chart, spending a total of 18 weeks in the chart.[34][35]

Kyser and Renee Connel wrote the song "Up Down" which was recorded by New Jersey songstress Parker J. Produced by Game Music, it appeared on her debut album "Lifeline". It entered the Digital Radio Tracker's Global Top 200 Airplay Chart at no. 81.[36][37]

Work with Leon Stuckey

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Leon Stuckey was credited co-composer on many recordings that Kyser wrote and produced. Their co-compositions included, "Oh What A Pity" and "Comin' On Strong".[38] They co wrote "Ain't Nothing New Under The Sun" and "True Love (Is Worth More Than Gold)" for Jimmy Briscoe And The Beavers. Both songs appeared as B sides for singles released on the Wanderick label.[39] They also co-wrote both sides of the Breeze single, "Just In The Nick Of Time" bw "Everybody Loves Music".[40] As a sole composer, Stuckey's work includes "If I Could Have You" bw "Anybody Else But You" for The J.C.B.[41]

The pair's composition, "Hypertension"[42] recorded by Calendar was released on All Platinum 6146 308 in the UK.[43] Making its debut in the Record Mirror UK disco chart on August 9, 1975, "Hypertension" got to no. 10, spending a total of four weeks in the chart.[44] In the US, it made it into the Cash Box R&B chart, peaking at no. 94 on August 30,[45][46] spending a total of four weeks in the chart.[47][48][49] It also made the Billboard Soul chart.[50]

Labels

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In the early 1970s he founded the Silver Dollar Records label with Tom Vetri as his vice-president. The first act to have a release on the label was Nu-Sound Express with "Ain't It Good Enough" bw "I've Been Trying".[51] The label would eventually become defunct but came back to life with its reformation in 1980 by Kyser & Vetri, with its new location at 1650 Broadway, New York City 10019.[52]

He set up the New Jersey–based Pi Kappa which released singles from 1973 to 1976 by Jimmy Briscoe and The Little Beavers, Calender, Storm and the Super Disco Band.[53][54]

He set up the Wanderick label as a subsidiary of TK Records. This was used to release recordings by Jimmy Briscoe And The Beavers. It operated from 1977 until 1978.[55][56]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ A Touch of Classic Soul 2: The Late 1970s, By Marc Taylor, 2001, ISBN 9780965232876 - Page 278
  2. ^ Createspace - Artist/Band: Retta Young And The Devotions
  3. ^ Shazam - Wait For Me, The Teardrops
  4. ^ Popsike - The TEARDROPS - Wait For Me rare Philly SOUL '64 Gossip 45 Rhonda Franklin
  5. ^ Spectropop - Cincinnati's very own Girl Group - The Teardrops by John Clemente
  6. ^ Shazam - Wait For Me, The Teardrops
  7. ^ 45Cat - The Teardrops (girl soul) - Discography
  8. ^ Soul Source - I'm A New Member, By Guest Paul Kyser February 11, 2009 Guest Paul Kyser Posted February 11, 2009
  9. ^ Soul Source - I'm A New Member, By Guest Paul Kyser February 11, 2009 Guest Paul Kyser Posted February 11, 2009
  10. ^ Popsike - SUPERBS Love's Unpredictable Happiest Girl In The World CATAMOUNT 2122 45 MINT
  11. ^ Billboard, May 8, 1971 - Page 6 General News Record Firm Is Formed By Kyser
  12. ^ Roots Vinyl Guide - THE SUPERBS - THE DAWNING OF LOVE / SO GLAD YOU'RE HOME - SYMBOL DJ
  13. ^ Cash Box, October 24, 1970 - Page 38 Cash Box Top 60 In R & B Locations
  14. ^ Cash Box, October 31, 1970 - Page 37 Cash Box Top 60 In R & B Locations
  15. ^ Billboard, October 31, 1970 - Page 42 Soul, Billboard BEST SELLING Soul Singles, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY, For Week Ending 10/31/70
  16. ^ Billboard, November 7, 1970 - Page 31 Billboard BEST SELLING Soul Singles, Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY, For Week Ending 11/7/70
  17. ^ Who Sampled - Body and Soul (That's the Way It's Got to Be by Soul Generation
  18. ^ MusicVF.com - Songs written by Paul Kyser, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography
  19. ^ Catalogue of Copyright Entries Third Series, 1977 - Page 2523 EU83772
  20. ^ Billboard, July 5, 1975 - Page 28 Disco Action By Tom Moulton, Melody Song Shops (Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island) Retail Sales
  21. ^ James Hamilton's Disco Page - A full list of all Record Mirror UK Disco Chart entries, 1975-1979, Calendar, Hypertension (All Platinum) — 9 August 1975: 10, 4
  22. ^ Cash Box, August 30, 1975 - Page 19 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, 94 HYPERTENSION Calendars (Buddah BDA 4881 95
  23. ^ Billboard, October 23, 1976 - Page 87 Billboard's Recommended LPs * Continued front page 84
  24. ^ Billboard, October 8, 1977 - Page 100 Billbard's Top Single Picks, Disco, recommended
  25. ^ MusicVF.com - Songs written by Paul Kyser, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography
  26. ^ Billboard, July 14, 1979 - Page 93 Billboard's Top Single Picks, Disco, recommended
  27. ^ Grammy Award 1981 awardsandshows.com Retrieved 24 January 2024
  28. ^ Billboard, December 18, 1981 - Page 5 FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, 24th ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS CATEGORIES
  29. ^ Cash Box, September 26, 1981 - Page 16 RHYZE PRIZE
  30. ^ Cash Box, October 3, 1981 - Page 11 REVIEWS SINGLES REVIEWS
  31. ^ Cash Box, July 22, 1989 - Page 23 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES 80 BABIES HAVING BABIES (Trumpet 166) Terry Tate DEBUT
  32. ^ Cash Box, October 7, 1989 - Page 13 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES, 14 BABIES HAVING BABIES (Trumpet 166) Terry Tate 16 12
  33. ^ Cash Box, October 14, 1989 - Page 29 CASH BOX CHARTS, TOP R&B SINGLES, 14 BABIES HAVING BABIES (Trumpet 166) Terry Tate 14 13
  34. ^ Music VF.com - Terry Tate by Terry Tate, Babies Having Babies
  35. ^ rareandobscuremusic, December 12, 1989 - Terry Tate
  36. ^ Broadway World, Mar. 15, 2023 - State Theatre New Jersey Presents Classic R&B Spectacular in April By: Stephi Wild
  37. ^ Daily Music Roll, June 24, 2022 - Parker J Is Offering Some Impressive Musicality in Her Recently Released Investing Tracks ‘Up Down’ - Jennifer Stone
  38. ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series, Volume 31, Part 5, Number 2, Section 2 - 1977 - Page 2287
  39. ^ 45Cat - Wanderick - Label Discography
  40. ^ Discogs - Breeze (8) – Just In The Nick Of Time / Everybody Loves Music
  41. ^ Discogs - The J.C.B. – If I Could Have You / Anybody Else But You
  42. ^ Catalogue of Copyright Entries Third Series, 1977 - Page 2523 EU83772
  43. ^ Amazon UK - Calender - Hypertension (Part 1) - All Platinum - 6146 308
  44. ^ James Hamilton's Disco Page - A full list of all Record Mirror UK Disco Chart entries, 1975-1979, Calendar, Hypertension (All Platinum) — 9 August 1975: 10, 4
  45. ^ Cash Box, August 30, 1975 - Page 19 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, 94 HYPERTENSION Calendars (Buddah BDA 4881 95
  46. ^ Cash Box, September 6, 1975 - Page 26 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, 96 HYPERTENSION Calendars (Buddah BDA 488) 94
  47. ^ Cash Box, August 16, 1975 - Page 37 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, 98 HYPERTENSION, ON Calendars (Buddah BDA 488 _
  48. ^ Cash Box, September 6, 1975 - Page 26 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B, 96 HYPERTENSION Calendars (Buddah BDA 488) 94
  49. ^ Cash Box, September 13, 1975 - Page 28 CASH BOX TOP 100 R&B
  50. ^ Billboard, October 23, 1976 - Page 87 Billboard's Recommended LPs * Continued front page 84
  51. ^ Billboard, May 8, 1971 - Page 6 General News Record Firm Is Formed By Kyser
  52. ^ Billboard, September 6, 1980 - Page 35 General News, New Companies Silver Dollar Records
  53. ^ Discogs - Pi Kappa Records
  54. ^ 45Cat - Pi Kappa - Label Discography
  55. ^ Discogs - Wanderick
  56. ^ Both Sides Now Publications - Wanderick Album Discography
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Audio

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