Tuesday 29 January 2019

Felice Taylor born 29 January 1944


Felice Taylor (born Florain Corella Flanagan, January 29, 1944 – June 12, 2017) was an American soul and pop singer, best known for her recordings in the late 1960s.

Born in Richmond, California, United States, Taylor began singing with her sisters Norma and Darlene Flanagan in a trio, The Sweets, who only recorded one single, "The Richest Girl", for the Valiant label in 1965.


                           

Taylor's first solo recording in 1966, "Think About Me" on the Groovy label, was credited to Florain Taylor. Her greatest success came after signing for Bob Keane's Mustang label, a subsidiary of Bronco Records. There she was teamed with the songwriters and record producers, Barry White and Paul Politi, who co-wrote "It 
May Be Winter Outside (But in My Heart It's Spring)", a minor hit reaching No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 44 on the R&B chart in early 1967, and its follow-up "I'm Under the Influence of Love". A third single, "I Feel Love Comin' On", also written and produced by White and Politi was not released in the US, but reached No. 11 in the UK Singles Chart, when leased to President Records later in 1967.

She visited the UK and appeared at the Saville Theatre in London in the series of Sunday evening concerts put on by Brian Epstein.


After leaving Bronco, Taylor recorded for Kent Records, and later in the UK with Eddy Grant and Derv Gordon of the Equals. In 1973, White's protégées Love Unlimited recorded new versions of "It May Be Winter Outside" and "Under the Influence of Love" and Barry White recorded "I Feel Love Comin' On" on The Love Unlimited Orchestra's top ten album Rhapsody in White.


Sing Me A Love Song however, is one that got away. Penned by Richie Adams and Irwin Levine, it was recorded but never released until much later. Taylor herself seems not to have recorded after the early 1970s.


She was married to Johnny B Taylor and had four children.

She died in June 2017, aged 73. She was interred at the Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California.  (Edited mainly from Wikipedia)

6 comments:

boppinbob said...

As you can see there is scarce information regarding Felice and as of yet there is no compilation album of her recordings, so I have gathered a few A & B sides and extra tracks. All are from various sources and will vary in quality and bit rate, (includes a few a poor transfers from YouTube). You’ll find them here:

https://www.upload.ee/files/9494307/Felice_Taylor_-_Comin__On_Again.rar.html

1. Mama Saw Me – The Sweets (1965)
2. The Richest Girl - The Sweets
3. Think About Me – Florian Taylor (1966)
4. Knowing (That You Want Her) - Florian Taylor
5. It May be Winter Outside - Felice Taylor
6. Winter Again
7. I Feel Love Comin’ On (1967)
8. Comin’ On Again - Bob Keene Orchestra
9. I’m Under The Influence Of Love
10. Love Theme
11. I Can Feel Your Love (1968)
12. Good Luck (aka New Love)
13. Captured By Your Love
14. Surree – Surrender
15. All I Want To Do Is Love You
16. Sing Me A Love Song (not released)
17. I Feel Love Comin’ On (different take)

Bob Mac said...

Thank you for these rare tracks.

pedro B said...

Looking forward to that one BoppinBob but the link is dead i remember her songs being played in the youth club when i was at school

Cheers Pedro

boppinbob said...

Here you are Pedro

https://www.upload.ee/files/11922098/Felice_Taylor_-_Comin__On_Again.rar.html

ady croasdell said...

Hi Bob, I work for Kent records and would love to get good copies of the colour photos to use on an LP. Could you tell me where they came from please? Ady Croasdell

ady croasdell said...

ady.croasdell@btinternet.com