VA - The One-Derful! Collection, Vol. 5: Midas Records (2015)

The fifth installment of the One-derful! Collection focuses on the Midas imprint of this legendary R&B label group. Midas is preceded by the One-derful!, Mar-V-Lus, M-Pac!, and Halo compilations and will be followed by the release of the Toddlin' Town sub- label. This series marks the first in-depth study of what was once one of Chicago's most prominent African-American run labels. Within the grooves of these 25 tracks lie southern funk and soul from Bennie Sharp and The Sharpies and Bobby Mack, strong female leads from Irene Scott and No No Starr, and storming group vocals by The Inspirations and The Compliments. Midas was the shortest lived label in the One-derful! stable and thus provides and excellent place to showcase unreleased material from One- derful!'s vast vault of tapes. Featured among the 11 never issued tracks on Midas are incredible songs from Andre Williams, Bennie Sharp and The Sharpies, Bobby Mack, and McKinley Mitchell. Central to Midas is the Leaner family. By 1966 when brothers George and Ernie Leaner added Midas as a sub-label to their One-derful! label, they were revered figures on Chicago's Record Row and beyond. They distributed material from labels like Motown and Stax and they attracted top talent. It wasn't uncommon for a WVON DJ to help the Leaners sign their newest discovery, or for their singers, musicians, songwriters, or producers to have Chess or Motown on their resumes. Between '62 and '71, the One-derful! family of labels released 180+ 45s of stunning soul, funk, and gospel. Over two years of painstaking research and work, including countless hours spent cataloging, transferring, and mastering 250 of the label's tapes, has contributed to an amazingly extensive reissue collection. In addition, some of the world's leading experts have contributed liner notes and interviewed virtually every known surviving artist, producer, and otherwise involved party. In total, the six volumes of the One-derful! Collection include 12 LPs/6 CDs with 147 tracks, 57 which were never issued, and 144 pages of 12" x 12" liner notes stuffed full of rare and never before seen photos and memorabilia. Spanning 1962 to 1971, these compilations bring forth a wealth of overlooked and never before heard recordings and history.

Tracklist:
1 01. Benny Sharp & The Sharpies - Wagon Wheel (02:51)
1 02. Andre Williams - Mo Jo Hanna (03:06)
1 03. Irene Scott - Everyday Worries (02:28)
1 04. No No Starr - Swing Your Love My Way (02:51)
1 05. Lonnie Brooks - Mr. Hot Shot (02:28)
1 06. The Danderliers - Walk on with Your Nose Up (02:09)
1 07. Mitchell Mckinley - End of a Rainbow (01:57)
1 08. Andre Williams - Football (02:25)
1 09. Benny Sharp & The Sharpies - Hey People (02:38)
1 10. The Inspirations - Your Wish Is My Command (02:11)
1 11. Reginald Day - Lost Love (02:50)
1 12. Bobby Mack - Your Love Is a Good Thing for Me (02:30)
1 13. Epics - My Destination (03:08)
1 14. Benny Sharp & The Sharpies - Music (I Like It) (Part 1) (02:55)
1 15. Big Daddy Rogers - I'm a Big Man (03:26)
1 16. Bobby Mack - Malnutrition (02:51)
1 17. Epics - Call Her Back (03:04)
1 18. The Compliments - Beware, Beware (02:46)
1 19. Mitchell Mckinley - The World Is in Trouble (02:09)
1 20. Irene Scott - You're No Good (03:05)
1 21. Lonnie Brooks - The Popeye (02:25)
1 22. Reginald Day - My Girl Jean (02:33)
1 23. The Inspirations - I'll Take a Chance on You (02:38)
1 24. Bobby Mack - Lovin' on Borrowed Time (02:44)
1 25. Mitchell Mckinley - True Love (02:42)