Every now and then I like to post an obscure ’60s soul track that got rediscovered by England’s Northern Soul scene. Today’s classic song of the day is one such track, one ranked as among the very best Northern Soul singles.
The song is “You’re Gonna Make Me Love You” and it was recorded by an artist named Sandi Sheldon. Except, if you do your digging, you’ll discover that there is no “Sandi Sheldon.” The artist’s real name was Kendra Spotswood, a well-known R&B singer from New Jersey who used the Sandi Sheldon nom de plume for this single record, for whatever reason.
Kendra Spotswood made her professional debut in 1963, singing with a girl group called the Four Buddies. She later joined a more famous girl group, the Shirelles, touring with them from 1964 to 1966 but not appearing on record. That’s because she had her own recording contract by then, releasing a handful of singles (under the name Kenni Woods) on the Philips label, the most notable being “Back with My Baby,” which included backing singers Dee Dee Warwick, Cissy Houston, and Doris Troy. (What a group!)
“You’re Gonna Make Me Love You” was written and produced by Van McCoy, who was later to work for Motown and even later record his own hit record, “The Hustle.” The track was released on the iconic Okeh Records label in 1967 and failed to chart anywhere.
Ms. Spotswood hooked up with Van McCoy when he moved into the house next to hers in Englewood, New Jersey. She was 18 and he was 21, but he was already working for Scepter Records. McCoy encouraged her to try singing professionally and collaborated with her on several of her solo releases. She also sang backing vocals with Mr. McCoy on Barbara Lewis’ 1965 hit, “Baby, I’m Yours.” After failing to gain success on her own, she retired from the music business in the late ’60s…
…Until the turn of the century, that is. That’s when enterprising Northern Soul fans discovered that the “Sandi Sheldon” who recorded one of their favorite tracks was actually Kendra Spotswood and was alive and well and living in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2002, they convinced her to travel to England and perform her first concert in more than thirty years.
Here’s what Ms. Spotswood said about that experience:
“I had absolutely no idea anyone even knew that song. Then I discovered that the record had been enjoying an underground following over here in England for thirty years, and people had been trying to find me. I haven’t been in hiding or anything, but I moved to Atlanta, Georgia, some years ago. Well, now they’ve found me, and I’m really excited to be back.”
Since you probably haven’t heard “You’re Gonna Make Me Love You” before (unless you’re a Northern Soul fan, that is), here it is. Give it a spin and see what you think; it’s an uptempo stomper with great lead and background vocals. I personally think it’s a damned fine record that should have been big on the charts. Good for those Northern Soul fans who rediscovered it and gave Ms. Spotswood some of the recognition she deserves.
