George Kerr is a musician and record producer who has worked with a multitude of recording artists during the 1960s and 1970s.
Background Kerr was born in Ocilla, Georgia. The artists Kerr has worked with include, Florence Ballard, The Escorts, Linda Jones, The Moments, The O'Jays, and The Whatnauts.Radio Newark - George Kerr George Kerr has been connected with All Platinum Records and Sylvia Robinson. He was also a Motown recording artistBillboard - Godmother: Sugar Hill Records’ Sylvia Robinson By Dan Charnas As an artist he had a hit with "Hey Girl".MusicVF.com - George Kerr Top Songs, Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography He recorded an album for the All Platinum label, If This World Were Mine.Popsike - GEORGE KERR If This World Were All Platinum RARE KILLER SWEET SOUL LP * Listen
Career as musician At some stage in the 1950s, George Kerr formed a group called The Serenaders in Newark, NJ with his friends Sidney Barnes, Howard Curry and Timothy Wilson. Later, Richard Barrett had placed an ad in the paper for auditions for a lead singer for the group, Imperials. Kerr and his friend Sidney Barnes applied for the role. It was Kerr that ended up securing the position. Kerr was the lead singer on "Faithfully Yours" that was released on the Carlton label. In 1962, Kerr left The Imperials and returned to his old group The Serenaders. It wouldn't be long until Kerr had moved into composition and producing.Echoes of the Past, Issue No. 103 (Spring 2013) - Pages 17-24 The Sammy Strain Story—Part 3 The Imperials (1961—1963) by Charlie Horner with contributions from Pamela Horner
Career as producer and composer 1960s George Kerr and Sidney Barnes wrote the song, "A Love So Fine" which was recorded by The Chiffons. It was released on Laurie 3195 in 1963. For the week of 14 September, it entered the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart at no. 79.Tropical Glen - CASH BOX Top 100 Singles, Week ending SEPTEMBER 14, 1963, TW 79, A LOVE SO FINE Chiffons–Laurie 3195, LW -, 2WK -, 3WK - WKS 1 Having been in the chart for five weeks, it peaked at no. 38 for the week of 12 October. It would hold that position for another week.Tropical Glen - CASH BOX Top 100 Singles, Week ending OCTOBER 12, 1963, TW 38, A LOVE SO FINE Chiffons–Laurie 3195, LW 44, 2WK 54, 3WK 68, WKS 5Tropical Glen - CASH BOX Top 100 Singles, Week ending OCTOBER 19, 1963, TW 38, A LOVE SO FINE Chiffons–Laurie 3195, LW 38, 2WK 44, 3WK 54, WKS 6
George Kerr was approached by the Poindexter Brothers who wrote a song called "Hypnotized". They came with a girlfriend (possibly Jackie MembersNew York Daily News, 1 Feb 2008 - Record tough time for songwriting team By Clem Richardson UPDATED: January 12, 2019) to perform the song. Kerr was impressed with the song but not the girl.The Old Barrio Guide to Low Rider Music 1950-1975, By Ruben Molina, 2002 - - Page 67 Linda Jones Kerr went to friend of his called Jerry Harris and told him he needed a girl singer. Kerr said he had the ideal singer for the song. Linda Jones was the singer that was used. Three days later they were at New York's A-1 Studios. Jones did a run-through of the song and was unaware that Kerr had already asked engineer Herb Abramson to turn on the recording switch on. When Jones had finished, she said to Kerr that she was ready. She wanted to re-do it because she had mispronounced the song title, but Kerr was happy with it. Kerr did the rounds with the song before Loma Records bought it. It was selling 15,000 copies a week then peaked at no. 4 in the Billboard Top Selling R&B Singles chart for the week of 5 August 1967.Billboard, August 5, 1967 - Page 35 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 8/5/67, TOP SELLING R & B, SINGLES, This Week 4, Last Week 6, HYPNOTIZED, Weeks on Chart 13 It held that position for an additional two weeks.Billboard, August 26, 1967 - Page 38 Billboard SPECIAL SURVEY For Week Ending 9/16/67, TOP SELLING R & B, SINGLES, This Week 9, Last Week 4, HYPNOTIZED, Weeks on Chart 16
Kerr produced the single Poindexter Brothers composed song, "Baby Baby Please" for Timothy Wilson which was an R&B hit in 1967.Record World, May 31, 1969 - Page 40 record world RHYTHM & BLUES, Timothy Wilson To Blue RockMotown: The Golden Years, By Bill Dahl · 2011 - - THE SERENADERSCash Box, October 28, 1967 - Page 20 Cash Box Record Reviews, Best Bets, TIMOTHY WILSON
1970s Two of Kerr's productions were in Billboards Soul Recommended section for the week ending August 25, 1973. They were "Your Gonna Need Somebody to Love (Wide You're Looking for Someone to Love)" by Barbara Jean English and "I Wasn't There" by The Whatnauts.Billboard, August 25, 1973 - Page 51 Billboard's Top Single Picks, Soul, also recommended
He produced the single for the New Foundations. The song, "Darling (You're All I Need)", a soul ballad which was released on Atlantic 45-3225. This New Foundations, a group from the United StatesCash Box, January 25, 1975 - cash box / singles reviews, newcomer picksBillboard, January 25, 1975 - Page 58 Billboard's Top Single Picks, Soul, recommended had no connection with the English group, the New Foundations who released "Something for My Baby" / "I Need Your Love" on Pye 45533.The Foundations, Baby Now That I've Found You, Sequel Records NEECD 300, Notes by Roger DopsonShazam - Something for My Baby The New FoundationsMusic Week, January 31, 1976 - Page 7 Internationally yours PYE RECORDS (*Note: SOMETHING ABOUT MY BABY is incorrect. Title should be "Something For My Baby")
He produced "Baby (I’m Gonna Love You)" for Phyllis Hyman which was released in 1976.Soul & Jazz & Funk, 17 Nov 2017 - PHYLLIS HYMAN: ‘DELIVER THE LOVE – THE ANTHOLOGY’ (SOULMUSIC RECORDS) By Charles Waring
1980s Along with Rod Armstrong and Marvin Brown, Kerr produced an album that featured the groups, Softones & First Class. The album Together was released on the new label, Park-Way Records in 1980.Record World, September 13, 1980 - Page 106 Record World Black Oriented Music, Black Music Report By KEN SMIKLE
His production of the group Kerr and the single "Back At Ya", released on Greyhound GRPT-107 in 1984 had a brief review in James Hamilton's Disco's section of the 17 March 1984 issue of Record Mirror.Record Mirror, March 17, 1984 - Page 29 D-i-s-c-o-s, HOT VINYL, KERR: 'Back At Ya' (Greyhound GRPT-107)
References
External links Discogs - George Kerr Instagram - The Legendary George Kerr AllMusic - George Kerr Credits Simplecast - George Kerr interview hosted by Ricardo Holt