from http://www.soulbrotherrecords.co.uk

RANCE ALLEN - SAY MY FRIEND

Rance Allen one of 12 children started singing in church at the age of five in Monroe Michigan. In 1969 with older brother Tom on drums and younger brother Steve on bass, they recorded their first record, and won a talent contest in Detroit and were subsequently signed to Stax’s Gospel Truth label in 1971.

They recorded four good albums for Stax and after their demise in 1977 he signed to Capitol and made this fantastic album. This is probably his best Soul album (most of his other material is more Gospel based). It was produced by the Mizell Brothers who had made some great albums (primarily jazz funk) with artists like Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey Gary Bartz and Johnny Hammond and contributed to the soundtrack of Hell up in Harlem featuring Edwin Starr. You can hear some of their best work on two previous Soul Brother releases Johnny Hammond ‘Gamblers life’ and the Gary Bartz ‘Anthology’.

We are proud to include this album in our range of classic soul album reissues
This album has been in demand for many years primarily for the great Two-stepper ‘Reasons to Survive’ and the brilliant dance floor winner ‘Peace Of mind’. Rance’s vocal range is well illustrated on these cuts and on the powerful opener ‘Truth Is Marching On’, and although less obviously Gospel these tracks still deliver a power positive message. The album failed to sell that well when released and Capitol reissued it again in 1979 under the title ‘The Way It Is’ with a different sleeve. In the meantime Stax has re-opened and Rance rejoined them making a further four albums before recording for Gospel labels Myrrh, Bellmark and most recently Tyscott.

Rance is now a pastor and is still in good voice as his most recent (2007) album ‘Closest Friend’ illustrates.

Laurence Prangell
Soul Brother Records