Sunday, November 21, 2010

Cynthy-Ruth


In 2007, The Detroit Metro Times named this song, Cynthy-Ruth as one of the 100 greatest Detroit singles, EVER! Incredible enough for any group to have achieved this acclamation in the legendary musical grail of Detroit Music! The Band, Black Merda recorded it in 1970.
Black Merda was formed in the late 60's. They were the stage and recording backbone of such legends as Edwin Starr *WAR*!!!! Good God Y'all, What Is It Good For? Absolutely Nothing!...
In the late 60's the original members became heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix and as the band Soul Agents, cut a Detroit cover of Foxy Lady.
Black Merda (pronounced black mer-duh) went on to become studio fixtures, the backup musicians for Eric Burden and War and released a few records which were under promoted, but highly influential gems. George Clinton refers to them as a seminal influence that helped him evolve his Soul Vocal group, The Parliament into the Cosmic Mothership Connection of Funkadelic!
Here is Black Merda in 2009, under the production of Don Was re recording Cynthy-Ruth....
This owes more to Muddy Waters than Hendrix, but it don't get more funky than this!

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